A great crowd at Griffith’s The Pines Speedway witnessed a landmark weekend for the Yamaha BLU CRU Aussie Flat Track Nationals, as hometown hero Billy Ryan became the youngest ever Pro 450 round winner, and Brittaney O’Brien claimed the inaugural Pro Women’s Championship in style.
The event marked the first visit to Griffith for the national series and the first time both TT and Flat Track formats were run on the same day. This move proved a big hit with fans and an endurance test for riders, who battled across varying surfaces and layouts in one action-packed program.
Riding with confidence on home soil, Ryan produced a breakthrough performance to claim his maiden Pro 450 round win, making history as the youngest rider ever to do so. His speed and composure against an experienced field marked him as one of the sport’s brightest emerging stars.
In the Pro Women’s class, Whitsunday-based Brittaney O’Brien delivered a commanding campaign to secure the first-ever national title. O’Brien’s consistency across both TT and Flat Track races proved unbeatable; she stood on the podium in every outing to seal the crown by an impressive 65 points over Matilda Heaton-New. The local fans also had plenty to cheer for, as Griffith’s own Lori Gow dazzled on home turf, winning four of the five races to close her season on a high note.
In the Junior ranks, Neiko Donovan edged arch-rival Jed Fyffe in the Junior Lites category after another tense head-to-head battle, while George Holmkvist showed maturity beyond his years to claim overall honours in the Junior 85s with a string of consistent finishes.
Elsewhere, Corey Banks impressed in his debut Pro Twin appearance aboard a Hyosung, taking two wins from three races, while Sam Hollands continued his dominance in the Clubman Open class, racking up four victories to further underline his season-long form.
Continue below for individual class coverage and complete results.
Pro 450
Sixteen year-old Billy Ryan went next level at Griffith, becoming the youngest ever Yamaha Blu Cru AFTN Pro 450 round winner, taking two race victories along the way.
Ryan beat out his training partner and points leader Tom Armstrong, with the difference being a fall from Armstrong in the third race where he had to remount.
Tom Armstrong
Former champion Mick Kirkness made an impact with his wildcard entry, doubling up with media duties, starting races strongly, and claiming a podium in race two.
Current champion and local Tom Herrick also enjoyed a strong night, scoring three podiums and third overall. Brandon Burns and Callan Butcher were two other locals with good speed, with Butcher taking Superpole.
Billy Ryan
“I always go good at Griffith, but hopefully there is more of these results to come for Gunnedah! Just knowing you can run with the boys at the top is a good confidence booster. When a loose oil track is prepared well there are good passing opportunities – Tom (Armstrong – track curator) should be very proud of his work there. When there are passing opportunities like there was tonight, the jump isn’t as important, you can work your way through the field. Tonight I waited for those old fellas to wear down a little bit, then I made my moves in the final laps!”
Billy Ryan, Thomas Herrick and Tom Armstrong across the front row
Armstrong now leads the standings on 1044-points, to Herrick’s 934. Wicks third on 889, Ryan fourth (857) and Dunker fifth (780).
Pro 450 Round Overall (A-races)
Pos
Name
Pole
R1B
R1A
R2A
R3A
R3A2
R4A
R5A
Total
1
RYAN
/
/
55
55
27.5
27.5
43
50
258
2
ARMSTRONG
/
/
50
50
19
25
55
55
254
3
HERRICK
/
/
46
40
21.5
21.5
50
46
225
4
BURNS
/
/
38
43
23
19
46
34
203
5
BUTCHER
5
/
36
38
20
20
38
43
200
6
KIRKNESS
/
/
43
46
25
23
40
19
196
7
WICKS
/
/
34
34
18
18
32
36
172
8
ARCHIBALD
/
/
40
17
16
16
36
40
165
9
ARTER
/
/
28
30
11
11
34
38
152
10
GRABHAM
/
/
32
36
17
17
24
22
148
11
BANKS
/
/
30
32
13
9
28
30
142
12
SAWDY
/
/
26
20
12
14
30
32
134
13
GRAS
/
/
24
28
15
12
26
20
125
14
GRIFFIN
/
/
22
24
10
15
20
28
119
15
ARMSTRONG
/
16
/
26
14
8.5
22
26
112.5
16
GRABHAM
/
/
19
19
9.5
10
19
24
100.5
17
BORLASE
/
/
20
22
9
13
17
18
99
Pro 450 Round Overall (B-races)
Pos
Name
R1B
R2B
R3B
R4B
R5B
Total
19
D LIONETTI
13
12
16
16
16
73
20
H COLLINS
10
16
15
15
15
71
21
R NEW
14
15
14
14
13
70
22
B GOW
11
14
13
12
12
62
23
S RICHARDS
12
13
/
13
14
52
24
G RAUTMAN
7
10
10
11
11
49
25
K ROBINSON
9
11
11
/
/
31
26
J MALLATT
8
9
12
/
/
29
Pro 450 Standings
Pos
Rider
Points
1
T. Armstrong
1044
2
T. Herrick
934
3
D. Wicks
889
4
B. Ryan
857
5
C. Dunker
780
6
B. Grabham
696
7
J. Carter
659
8
B. Burns
639
9
R. Jacobs
636
10
D. Borlase
626
11
C. Archibald
580
12
C. Butcher
545
13
J. Sawdy
475
14
J. Griffin
463
15
L. Moody
396
16
M. Price
377
17
C. Banks
315
18
J. Lytras
280
19
R. New
258
20
D. Lionetti
209
21
M. Kirkness
196
22
L. Magee
158
23
H. Collins
145
24
H. Giffin
139
25
A. Gras
125
26
J. Unicomb
118
27
T. Davies
114
28
D. Armstrong
112.5
29
K. O’Donnell
112
30
K. Robinson
110
31
B. McCowat
108
32
E. Grabham
100.5
33
J. Griffin
93
34
G. Rautman
93
35
R. Sandow
87
36
R. Plum
86
37
M. Grimshaw
75
38
T. Allen
74
39
A. Fisher
74
40
G. Smith
65
41
B. Gow
62
42
L. Gow
61
43
S. Richards
52
44
J. Mallatt
29
45
L. Grimshaw
26
46
M. Heaton-New
18
47
K. Jensen
6
Pro Women
Brittaney O’Brien is the inaugural Yamaha Blu Cru Pro Women AFTN champion, putting in a solid performance at Griffith to seal the title and take home the Bunda Fine Jewels gold and diamond sprocket earrings valued at $2500.
Brittaney O’Brien
Brittaney O’Brien
“I’d just like to thank everyone who has supported me through all the rounds, all the girls, parents and other riders who backed me the whole way, it’s really built my confidence,” an elated O’Brien said on the podium. “I lowered my expectations just in case I didn’t do any good! I had my work cut out for me, but in the end we got it done!”
Brittaney O’Brien
O’Brien was on the podium in every race, while local Lori Gow was the standout performer of the round, taking four race wins.
Lori Gow
“It was a pretty tough day, I had to work hard for it but so much fun at the same time,” Gow said, adding, “The TT was really good, I think that suits me well.”
O’Brien took the win on 645-points, to Matilda Heaton-New’s 580, with Emma Scott third placed on 556. Weekend winner Gow sits seventh, with all points from this event. Tayla Street eighth on 243, also all earnt this weekend.
Pro Women Round Overall
Pos
Name
P
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
Total
1
Lori GOW
5
55
55
55
55
50
275
2
Tayla STREET
46
46
46
50
55
243
3
Brittaney O’BRIEN
50
50
50
46
46
242
4
Matilda HEATON-NEW
43
43
38
43
43
210
5
Molly FAIREY
40
38
40
40
40
198
6
Emma SCOTT
36
40
43
38
38
195
7
Katarna ROBINSON
38
36
36
110
Pro Women Standings
Pos
Rider
Bike
Total
1
Brittaney O’BRIEN
HON
645
2
Matilda HEATON-NEW
KTM
580
3
Emma SCOTT
HON
556
4
Katarna ROBINSON
GAS
431
5
Latiya ALLAN
KTM
412
6
Brie LEVY
HON
315
7
Lori GOW
HON
275
8
Tayla STREET
HON
243
9
Mylie ROBINSON
KAW
214
10
Molly FAIREY
HUS
198
11
Kelsey JENSEN
KTM
40
Junior Lites
In the tug-of-war that is Junior Lites, Neiko Donovan (Husqvarna) was able to get the better of Jed Fyffe (KTM) at Griffith, Donovan eking out a five-point lead with three race wins to Fyffe’s two, however Fyffe retained a narrowing standings lead by 19-points.
Neiko Donovan
Almost every race came down to a few tenths of a second, with Tahj Edwards (Yamaha) showing a good turn of speed as the fastest qualifier, with the five Pole points to match, putting him up alongside Hugh Hope-Hodgetts (KTM) and Lenny Duggan (Husqvarna) as future threats.
For Donovan, he said he had to look for improvements during the day, kicking off with two race wins before dropping to second and third in races three and four respectively, only to regain the top step in the final race.
Neiko Donovan
“We started out a bit rough, then changed a few things and ended up changing them back. It was a challenging day, definitely put me through my paces but I got through with the win in the end.”
Fyffe claimed second in the opening two races, before taking two race wins, and ending the weekend with a third, he leads the standings on 1113-points, to Donovan’s 1096. Third is Hope-Hodgetts on 910.
Junior Lites Round Overall
Pos
Name
Bike
Pole
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
Points
1
N.Donovan
Hus
/
55
55
50
46
55
261
2
J.Fyffe
KTM
/
50
50
55
55
46
256
3
L.Duggan
Hus
/
46
40
40
50
50
226
4
H.Hope-Hodgetts
KTM
/
40
43
43
43
43
212
5
J.Cooper
KTM
/
38
38
38
40
38
192
6
J.Banks
KTM
/
36
36
36
38
36
182
7
T.Edwards
KTM
5
43
46
46
–
40
180
8
R.Fenech
Hus
/
34
34
34
36
34
172
9
I.Wilesmith
Hon
/
32
32
32
34
32
162
Junior Lites Standings
Pos
Rider
Bike
Points
1
J. Fyffe
KTM
1113
2
N. Donovan
Hus
1096
3
H. Hope-Hodgetts
KTM
910
4
L. Duggan
Hus
862
5
T. Edwards
KTM
810
6
J. Cooper
KTM
736
7
M. Carter
KTM
584
8
J. Banks
KTM
414
9
R. Haller
Hon
408
10
R. Fenech
Hus
404
11
L. Duggan
Hus
324
12
K. Moran
Hus
256
13
A. Dippelsmann
KTM
256
14
M. Blackford
Hus
238
15
I. Wilesmith
Hon
162
Junior 85s
There were three different race winners in Junior 85s but it was George Holmkvist (KTM) that was rewarded with the round win after taking the final race victory ahead of Brody Ford by several tenths of a second. “I figured out my starts at the end of the day and built up my confidence,” Holmkvist said, adding that he was aware of the points situation going into the final race and needing the win.
George Holmkvist chases Hugo Holmes
Ford took pole on his Yamaha, and two wins out of five races, but couldn’t match Holmkvist’s consistency. Likewise Holmes took the other two wins, but ended the weekend in third.
Baker, who finished the weekend in seventh, continues to hold a generous standings lead on 1009.5 points, French (886) second and Beard (877) third. Weekend winner Holmqvist is sixth, behind Ford and Heaton-New.
Junior 85 Round Overall
Pos
Rider
Bike
Pole
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
Points
1
G. Holmqvist
KTM
/
50
46
46
50
55
247
2
B. Ford
Yam
5
36
43
55
55
50
244
3
H. Holmes
KTM
/
55
55
43
40
36
229
4
J. French
Hus
/
38
50
50
36
40
214
5
F. Beard
KTM
/
40
38
38
46
46
208
6
L. Heaton-New
KTM
/
46
36
36
43
43
204
7
B. Baker
KTM
/
43
40
40
38
38
199
8
R. Duggan
Hus
/
34
34
34
34
34
170
9
A. Pasin
KTM
/
32
32
30
32
30
156
10
C. Armstrong
Yam
/
22
30
32
30
32
146
11
Z. Salmon
KTM
/
28
28
26
28
26
136
12
B. Lowe
Hus
/
24
22
28
26
28
128
13
C. Guiney
Hon
/
26
24
24
20
20
114
14
T. Patten
Hon
/
30
26
–
24
24
104
15
B. Griffiths
Yam
/
19
19
22
18
22
100
16
H. O’Brien
Hus
/
20
20
20
22
18
100
17
S. Hangan
KTM
/
–
18
19
19
19
75
Junior 85 Standings
Pos
Rider
Bike
Points
1
B. Baker
KTM
1009.5
2
J. French
Hus
886
3
F. Beard
KTM
877
4
B. Ford
Yam
869.5
5
L. Heaton-New
KTM
855
6
G. Holmqvist
KTM
793
7
R. Duggan
Hus
648
8
C. Armstrong
Yam
554
9
J. Straney
KTM
533
10
K. Tulloch
KTM
438
11
C. Guiney
Hon
396
12
H. Holmes
KTM
384
13
A. Pasin
KTM
368
14
Z. Salmon
KTM
366
15
B. Lowe
Hus
358
16
H. O’Brien
Hus
299
17
B. Brookes
Gas
248
18
T. Bailey
KTM
228
19
S. Hangan
KTM
203
20
A. Joel
Gas
167
21
T. Patten
Hon
104
22
B. Griffiths
Yam
100
Clubman Open
Sam Hollands (Honda) was the standout in Clubman Open yet again, winning four races across the day after claiming Pole, and only giving away a single win to Carnie, who was the runner-up. Carnie took the second step on the round podium, just a single point ahead of Irvin.
Sam Hollands
“I was looking forward to the round here at my home track of Griffith,” Hollands said. “The first four races were pretty good, but then Coops (Cooper Carnie) came from nowhere in the last one and smoked us!”
Hollands holds a generous lead in the standings on 706-points, with Irvin a distant second on 574, followed by Barnes on 551.
Clubman Open Round Overall
Pos
Name
Bike
Pole
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
Points
1
S. Hollands
Hon
5
55
55
55
55
50
275
2
C. Carnie
Hus
/
46
43
46
50
55
240
3
R. Irvin
Hon
/
50
50
50
43
46
239
4
N. Girdler
Hus
/
40
46
43
40
36
205
5
T. Davies
Hus
/
38
32
40
46
43
199
6
J. Glennon
KTM
/
43
40
34
38
40
195
7
A. Glennon
Yam
/
36
38
36
34
34
178
8
R. Sandow
Hon
/
24
34
38
36
38
170
9
W. Barnes
KTM
/
32
36
30
32
32
162
10
J. Griffin
Hon
/
30
28
32
30
30
150
11
P. Smith
KTM
/
28
26
28
28
28
138
12
T. Holdup
Hon
/
34
30
26
24
22
136
13
D. Klaver
Yam
/
26
24
22
26
26
124
14
M. Demamiel
Hon
/
22
22
24
22
24
114
15
B. Boman
Suz
/
20
19
20
20
20
99
16
R. Chaplin
KTM
/
19
20
19
–
–
58
Clubman Open Standings
Pos
Rider
Bike
Points
1
S. Hollands
Hon
706
2
R. Irvin
Hon
574
3
W. Barnes
KTM
551
4
T. Davies
Hus
519
5
C. Carnie
Hus
510
6
N. Girdler
Hus
501
7
A. Glennon
Yam
426
8
R. Sandow
Hon
379
9
J. Glennon
KTM
347
10
J. Griffin
Hon
347
11
P. Smith
KTM
322
12
T. Holdup
Hon
319
13
E. Simpson
KTM
306
14
L. Bacskai
Hus
266
15
A. Giffin
Hus
230
16
M. Wolfe
KTM
216
17
D. Klaver
Yam
212
18
L. Fairey
Hus
124
19
M. Demamiel
Hon
114
20
B. Boman
Suz
99
21
S. Richards
Yam
68
22
R. Chaplin
KTM
58
23
M. Anderson
Yam
36
Pro Twins
Corey Banks (Hyosung) topped two of the three races run in the Pro Twins class, with runner up Ashley Wilesmith taking the final win, and ending the weekend a point ahead of Ryan New, who took pole.
Corey Banks
Corey Banks
“I haven’t ridden one of these (twins) for fifteen years, especially this one. Everyone was on the pace and I was just happy to come away with the win. On this bike the suspension is not too good, so you’ve got to sort of road race it and not get too happy with the throttle, I found that out early!”
Wilesmith retains the Pro Twins lead on 318-points, Ryan New on 286 and Peter Smith just ahead of Keeley Pritchett on 245 to 244, respectively.
Pro Twins Round Overall
Pos
Name
P
R1
R2
R3
Total
1
Corey BANKS
55
50
55
160
2
Ashley WILESMITH
43
55
50
148
3
Ryan NEW
5
50
46
46
147
4
Peter SMITH
46
40
43
129
5
Keeley PRITCHETT
38
43
40
121
6
Daniel LAWRENCE
40
38
38
116
7
Rocco NARDI
34
34
36
104
8
Bede HUNT
36
36
72
Pro Twins Standings
Pos
Rider
Bike
Total
1
Ashley WILESMITH
DUC
318
2
Ryan NEW
KAW
286
3
Peter SMITH
KTM
245
4
Keeley PRITCHETT
SUZ
244
5
Corey BANKS
HYO
160
6
Kristian O’DONNELL
CF
146
7
Shane RICHARDS
YAM
127
8
Daniel LAWRENCE
HD
116
9
Rocco NARDI
HD
104
10
Bede HUNT
KAW
72
Up Next
The AFTN paddock next heads to Gunnedah for a double-header finale across the weekend of November 16.
