Round five and six of the 2012 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) played out at Coonabarabran’s Goanna Track.

More than 200 riders took to three natural terrain sprint tracks at the Goanna Tracks Motocross and Enduro Complex in New South Wales to mark the halfway point of the national twelve-round Series.

Daniel Milner (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road) continued his clean sweep of the E1 Class, coming home after a thundering seven-heat battle ahead of Ben Burrell (Motorex KTM Off-Road) and Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube). At round six Milner was again unbeatable as he finished the five-heat day ahead Green and Burrell.

Milner’s teammate Matt Phillips (pictured above) clocked up the top spot in the E2 Class, snaring the win from Glenn Kearney (Husqvarna Racing Team) and Jarrod Bewley (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube). At round six Phillips once again set the fastest time to win a close battle with Kearney and Bewley.

In the E3 Class, Toby Price (Motorex KTM Off-Road) continued his dominating season by locking in his fifth straight round win from Stefan Merriman (Ballard’s Yamaha Off-Road) and Mitch Bowen (Husaberg). At round six he made it a perfect six-for-six, taking the top position once again with a commanding three-minute lead over rivals Merriman and Scott Keegan (Motorex Force Husaberg).

Price also topped the overall honours both days. At round five he, took four of the day’s seven heats to top the ladder ahead of Milner, Phillips, Kearney and Burrell, and consolidate his hold on the Outright Series lead. At round six, he finished in front of Milner, Phillips, Kearney and Green.

The Womens Class saw Yamaha riders Jess Gardiner, Jemma Wilson and Emilie Karlsson take the three podium positions after at round five after a close day of heats. At round six the Yamaha trio once again topped the standings but this time in a different arrangement, with Gardiner locking in the top step in front of Karlsson and Wilson.

E1 Class leader Daniel Milner, who leaves Goanna Tracks sitting second on the Outright leader board, is pleased with his showing at Coonabarabran and in the Series to date.

“I feel like I’m getting better and better and getting more confident since the first round, I started off with third and then went a fifth and gradually working up,” Milner said.

“Every race it just keeps coming and I’m just practicing and getting better and better. I think I beat Toby [Price] in couple of tests there today and I was stoked with it - he’ definitely a hard man to beat.”

Price, who recently arrived home after taking on a number of events in the US, is happy with his performance over the weekend and looking forward to the rest of the Series.

“The weekend was really good, round five and six all done, and I got a couple of wins so the bike is handling well and I’m loving the KTM 500,” Price said.

“We’re at the halfway point of the Series at the moment and the first half has been great so far and we’re keeping on track and looking forward to the second.”

The 2012 AORC now heads to Broadford in Victoria for Rounds 7 and 8 of the Series on 19-20 May.