40 | SEPTEMBER 2017 http://www.adbmag.com.auTHE LAST TWO months have
been crazy. I think I have only
had one weekend off – it’s
just been racing, testing and
more racing. Firstly, I was
lucky enough to go up to
Finke and see what that event
is all about.
I got there on the Tuesday
and got to ride to Finke and
back on the Wednesday. I had
a blast! I rode Jack Simpson’s
pre-runner, which was set up
soft for him. It made for some
crazy moments with my fat
arse on it. All in all, I really
enjoyed it and am looking
forward to seeing what
happens next year.
Rounds 7/8 of the AORC
were in Renmark, SA, and it’s
probably the most dust I have
ever ridden in.
There were sections that
had powder up to my knees,
which would have dusted
some engines I reckon.
Saturday was supposed to
be a cross country but, due to
the conditions, they changed
it to a super sprint and that
made for a longer Test then
normal. I had a solid day,
winning all three Tests to win
the day with teammate
Lyndon Snodgrass in second
and a solid performance from
Riley Graham for third.
Same results on the
Sunday, with Riley really
stepping it up and putting it
to me in some Tests.
It was really cool to see this
guy doing so well as he is one
of the nicest guys you will talk
to in the pits.
I have a lot of respect for
this guy and hope to see him
keep doing well.
Snodgrass, myself and the
KTM team went from
Renmark to Mildura to test for
Hattah, with me going from
the 450EXC-F (AORC bike) to
the 500EXC-F. This thing was
an animal!
Once we had done some
testing with Apro we had
them going awesome.
From then on it was time to
get used to going crazy fast.
Went for a speed check on
the big girl, got her up to
170km/h and knew then she
was game on at the race.
Saturday was prologue day
where we got a no “look” lap
and it was just into it.This year there was a new
set up where the top 10 from
the prologue went again in a
top-10 shootout.
I got second to “Chucky”
Sanders in the prologue and
got the win in the shootout
which put me in the number
one starting spot forSunday’s four-hour race.
The first lap was probably
the most fun I have had on a
dirtbike for a long time.
I had to stop for fuel after
the first lap, pulled back out
behind Sanders, played it
smart and just tried to save
energy ’til the last hour.
Once I fuelled on the
second-last lap it was go
time. I put a clean pass on
Sanders after the pits where
he came back at me, pushing
us both off the track.
I went about 3km up the
track where Sanders clipped
a lapper and put it down.
He almost had a big one
but saved it. He just tucked
the front and put her into the
deep sand.
After I saw that happen I
knew it was my time to
charge and get a gap.
Going into the last lap I had
a good buffer and just knew I
had to do a clean lap to bring
it home.
It was the best feeling
winning my first Hattah and
getting the win for the KTM
team after their bad luck at
Finke last month.A CRAZY FEW WEEKS
COME ON, GIVE ME A BREAK
SOIL SAMPLE
DANIEL MILNER
LIFE AT THE
POINTY ENDTHERE WAS
POWDER UP TO
MY KNEES,
WHICH WOULD
HAVE DUSTED
SOME ENGINES
I RECKON