GHR Honda Rider AJ Roberts Wraps Up the Australian Offroad Championship

The offroad fraternity descended on Wonthaggi, Victoria for Rounds 9 and 10 of the Australian Offroad Championship. Recent rains almost caused the cancellation of the event, but the skies cleared up long enough for the event to be conducted in cool but moist conditions.

Roberts started Round 9 a bit shakily with Honda mounted Peter Boyle leading on his Honda CRF250R for the majority of the day. AJ found his rhythm as the day wore on and eventually worked his way to the front again by the end of the day.

Ben Grabham riding his CRF250R finished 4th in class and 7th outright for the day, in a day where the 250’s were well suited to the conditions. Sunday dawned cool and overcast after a light rain fell during the night, AJ started the day knowing a good result could see him wrap up the Australian Championship. With Peter Boyle on his CRF250R once again proving to be the main opposition on the day, AJ settled down and rode smooth and fast to finish 2nd on the day by 1.9 seconds and wrap up the Australian Offroad Championship Title.

AJ commented; “Its great to wrap up the championship with 2 rounds still remaining, the bikes been awesome all year and its good to reward all the team and our sponsors with the number 1 plate again. It will be really good to go to the next round of the championship, which is a GNCC (a new format for us this year), and not have the championship result hanging over our heads.”

Ben Grabham at Round 10 had an incident with a major branch after a competitor up ahead dragged it onto the race line. Grabbo commented; “Yeah, I just came flat out around this blind corner to be confronted by a branch on the racing line, I had nowhere to go and unfortunately it destroyed our header.”

GHR team manager commented; “Both riders over the weekend were so professional in achieving their results. AJ had the championship victory within his grasp, he rode sensibly and smoothly to wrap up that title. Grabbo on the other hand had to get on a plane for Darwin within 1 day of Round 10 and he too was consistently only 2-5 seconds per lap off outright winning time. He did nothing wrong but was unfortunately the victim of a wayward branch. He now goes to the start of the Australian Safari in a day’s time as the man to beat after winning both Finke and Hattah Desert Races this year.”