Another weekend of the Australian Off-Road Championship is officially in the books and a pair of strong finishes in Round 3 have asserted Motul Pirelli Sherco’s riders at the pointy end of the championship chase.Coming off the back of strong opening rounds, team riders Jonte Reynders and Dalton Johnson were hoping to continue their early season form and further prove the strength of their two stroke, Sherco machinery.
As the championship moved to Dungog, NSW, the format of the weekend's racing shifted to that of traditional enduro and the focus for both rider’s and team management would be the balance between pure aggression and mechanical durability.
Turning heads from the get-go, Jonte Reynders quickly established himself at the pointy end of both the class and outright standings, even topping class times for two of the eight tests on offer. Coming home second in the E3 class, the break-out talent even managed to run as high as second in outright test standings, putting his competition on notice for the remainder of the season.
“ My Sherco 300 SE Factory did not skip a beat over the seven hours of riding we endured at Round 3. I felt super comfortable and confident in the conditions Dungog threw at us and this is thanks to the sponsors who genuinely back us with the best equipment on the market. Our mid-soft Pirelli tyres fitted with the Nitro Mousse Tubes were the perfect combo for these conditions and they played a big part in our results. A big shout out to Derek Grundy and all my other sponsors for their support, you guys make this possible!”
In the Two-Stroke Cup, Dalton Johnson continued to impress on his Motul Pirelli Sherco 250 SE.
Improving from his season-best third place, The young Tasmanian pushed hard for second place in the slick conditions and the result see’s him continue his podium run. He continues to sit 3rd in class as the championship standings.
“I couldn't have asked for a better bike over the weekend. It was faultless in the trying conditions and I would say we made some big steps forward. We had a fairly successful day but there is still plenty of room for improvement! I can’t thank all the Motul Pirelli Sherco team sponsors enough, along with Bike Barn Hobart who continue to support me at a very high level”.
Rounds five and six of the AORC are scheduled to place in Nowra, NSW on April 18-19.