A4DE
2022 – Erica (VIC) – Day One
There was some controversy even before the Prestige Truck Centre backed A4DE got underway at Erica (VIC) yesterday morning!
Simford Husqvarna rider Andrew Wilksch was apparently waved into a timing area for a transponder check only to then subsequently be deemed by officials to have entered an area too early. A jury meeting was held overnight, and despite Wilksch not working on his bike or being found to have done anything untoward, he was awarded a one-minute time penalty.
Jury penalties and controversy are generally par for the course at the A4DE, and with this being the first event for many years both riders and some less experienced officials are likely to be caught out at various times with the rules and regulations that surround the event. And at the A4DE, everyone likes a protest!
There is racing for sheep stations, then there is racing for the A4DE!
The penalty must have fired Wilksch right up though as he then blasted the Simford Husqvarna FE501 into the outright lead. However, after the one-minute penalty was applied Wilksch slipped to sixth in the outright standings, and down to third in the E3 category.
Kyron Bacon continued on from his brilliant AORC form to finish second to Wilksch on day one across the ground, but the Tasmanian youngster was then promoted into the outright lead due to Wilksch’s penalty.
Thus Bacon leads the event outright at the end of day one on the ShopYamaha Off Road Racing WR250F ahead of WR450F mounted team-mate Josh Green. That of course also makes the Yamaha duo the respective leaders in the E1 and E2 categories.
Todd Waters is third outright on a Husqvarna FE450, and second in the E2 category behind Green.
Stefan Granquist leads the big-bore E3 category on the KTM 500 EXC-F and is also fourth outright.
Fifth outright and the highest ranked two-stroke honour on the opening day of competition goes to Thomas Mason on a GASGAS MC250. In its conversion from 250 motocrosser to bush blaster Mason’s machine has benefitted from a 300 kit and is currently ranked second in the E3 category behind the 500 EXC-F mounted Granquist.
Blake Hollis and Jeremy Carpentier finished day one seventh and eighth respectively, which makes it three WR250F machines in the current outright top ten.
Fraser Higlett is ninth outright on a Beta 430 RR Racing while Kessner Motorcycles’ Cooper Sheidow rounded out the top ten on a KTM 250 XC-F to prove has what it takes to run with the big boys.
A4DE Outright Standings – Day One
- Kyron Bacon – Yamaha WR250F – 24:11.038
- Josh Green – Yamaha WR450F – 24:34.446
- Todd Waters – Husqvarna FE450 – 24:44.660
- Stefan Granquist – KTM 500 EXC-F – 24:51.358
- Thomas Mason – GASGAS MC250 – 24:53.596
- Andrew Wilksch – Husqvarna FE501 – 24:54.455 (one minute penalty applied)
- Blake Hollis – Yamaha WR250F – 24:57.043
- Jeremy Carpentier – Yamaha WR250F – 24:58.963
- Fraser Higlett – Beta RR 430 Racing – 25:07.661
- Cooper Sheidow – KTM 250 XC-F – 25:09.992
