Van Eerde & Kirkness top AFTN Rounds 3 & 4 in Brisbane

2023 Aussie Flat Track Nationals Rounds 3 & 4
Mick Doohan Raceway, Brisbane

Images by RbMotoLens

The Aussie Flat Track Nationals (AFTN) has continued its full-throttle charge up and down the east coast, with the country’s best flat trackers sliding their steeds through Rounds Three and Four of the championship chase over the weekend, in a double-header event at Mick Doohan Raceway in the northern suburbs of Brisbane.

Round Three – Flat Track

Saturday’s Round Three of the series featured a traditional Flat Track contest, while Sunday’s Round 4 action played out on a brand new TT course created by the hosting North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club.

Hard and fast racing with plenty of saddle time and laps ridden each day for senior and junior competitors alike lured large grids of riders.

With the Brisbane meet also featuring the first appearance of a Pro Twins category, the booming multi-cylinder bikes with no front brake, added a thunderous new dimension to the weekend’s action.

Dave Maddock – AFTN Series Organiser

“It was another sensational weekend of hard and fast racing that had every spectator on their feet and cheering on the action. It’s a real priority of the AFTN series to give riders and spectators alike great value with plenty of laps and close battles across all classes, and with riders again getting around 65 laps in each day of competition, there was definitely al lot of on-track action. The schedule, with racing from 10:45am and usually wrapping up at around 3:30pm, gives spectators plenty of action without an early start or late finish to the day.”

In the premier Pro 450 category, Saturday’s action kicked off with Dale Borlase (Yamaha) grabbing Super Pole honours. It was Billy Van Eerde (KTM) thought that snared the overall round victory with a near perfect three wins and a second in the day’s four motos to lead home Reid Battye (KTM) and Daniel Wicks (KTM).

In Saturday’s debut contest for Pro Twins, riders Kristian O’Donnell (CF MOTO) emerged the overall winner with 2-2-1 moto scores, leading home Joel Elliott (Yamaha), who started his day in emphatic fashion with wins in the first two races but carded a ninth in the final outing after a big crash at turn two that severely damaged his bike. Behind O’Donnell and Elliott, Miles Roe (Harley) filled the top three overall.

Other class winners in Saturday’s flat track included Lee Hunter (KTM), who was riding a 250 cc bike against 450 cc and 500 cc machines. In the Clubman Open, Cooper Achibald (KTM) starred with four wins from four starts in Junior Lites, and Jed Fyffe (KTM) in Junior 85s.

Pro 450 Round Three Overall

Pro Twins Round Three Overall

Clubman Round Three Overall

Junior 85 Round Three Overall

Junior Lites Round Three Overall

Round 4 – TT

On Sunday, Van Eerde grabbed the Super Pole points, before series leader Mick Kirkness (Husqvarna), who placed sixth overall on Saturday, bounced back to top form to take the round four victory from Wicks and Van Eerde.

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Kirkness, who won rounds one and two of the series in Appin, NSW, continues to lead the series points chase ahead of Wicks and Van Eerde.

Mick Kirkness

“That was a great weekend with some really clean, fast racing, but to be honest, I’m surprised I got the overall round win on Sunday because I really thought this would be a tough track for me. I’d also like to thank the guys at the North Brisbane Junior Club for the new coping on the top of the fence around the outside of the track; this really saved me from injury on Saturday and allowed me to get everything together for Sunday.”

On Sunday’s TT course, Jason Griffin (Honda) edged out Hunter in the Clubman Open category, while Archibald again topped Junior Lites, and Fyffe repeated with another round win in Junior 85s.

Overall AFTN series standings after four rounds now see Hunter on top in the Clubman Open category, but he’s just a scant five points ahead of Darren Webb (KTM).

In Junior Lites, Lachlan Russell (KTM) holds the series lead with a 35 point advantage over Archibald, while Fyffe reigns supreme in Junior 85s, enjoying a sizeable 110 point lead over Lenny Duggan (Honda).

The Aussie Flat Track Nationals will culminate on November 11 and 12 at Gunnedah NSW, with another double-header weekend of Flat Track action on Saturday followed by TT racing on Sunday.

Pro 450 Round Four Overall

Clubman Round Four Overall

Junior 85 Round Four Overall

Junior Lites Round Four Overall

Pro 450 Standings

Pro Twins Standings

Clubman Standings

Junior 85 Standings

Junior Lites Standings