Hutton and Yamaha trounce Roberts again in QLD ‘King’ Kirk Hutton beat former Australian Off-Road Champion AJ Roberts today for the second time in a row this season, this time aboard the new Yamaha Black WR450F. Hutton, who won the opening Yamaha Sprint Cross-Country round of the year aboard the new Yamaha white WR250F, was again victorious today at the first round of the Queensland Enduro-Cross Series, held near Gympie. The Ballard’s Wellard Yamaha rider won the event - which attracted a huge 241 entrants - by 25-seconds after the six, six-minute laps. Yamaha dominated the Pro Class today, taking four of the top-five placings: blue racer’s Nick Beattie, Grant Siebenhausen and John Day finished 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively. Roberts claimed 2nd in Pro behind Hutton. Hutton said he had been training and testing “a lot” this year and was happy his hard work was paying off. “I’m really enjoying riding the WR’s, both the WR250F and the WR450F,” Hutton said. “I was a two-stroke rider for a long time and the YZ’s were good to me, but I have to say, the WR technology is second to none and I can ride so smooth and fast now, I’m having an absolute ball.” Hutton said he was able to win every lap today bar one, which he tied with Roberts even despite having a small crash. “The race today was awesome. Everything was going really well for me, the track was great,” Hutton said. “I’ve been concentrating on my fitness and racing sprint laps and bringing my intensity up to race-pace, as I was struggling with the sprint lap format a bit last year. “Hopefully I can continue this form on to the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship and the Australian Four-Day Enduro, as they are the races I am striving to peak at... But I’m very happy with how the season has started.” Hutton has won four Australian championships, eight Queensland Enduro Championships, is the reigning E3 (big-bore) Australian Off-Road Champion and has won six International Six Days Enduro individual gold medals. Hutton’s next events are the opening round of the NSW Sprint Series next weekend (February 21 and 22) and the first and second rounds of the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship March 7 and 8 at Port Macquarie. Kirk is also Queensland Agent for the Yamaha Academy of Off-Road Riding and runs two-day coaching schools, as well as one-day, half day and one-on-one sessions. Please contact Kirk for more information. For more information on Yamaha please visit http://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/ Kirk would like to thank Yamaha Queensland and the Ballard’s Wellard Yamaha team. ENDS Kirk can be contacted on 0406 996 250. Queensland Enduro-Cross Series Round 1, top-five Pro Class Results
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