Conondale’s 6-Hour: The Special Awards

Transmoto’s Enduro Events were conceived to encourage participation from riders of all abilities. So it’s only fitting that, in addition to the trophies for the podium place-getters in the Ironman, Pairs and Team classes, we also dish out the fabulous Flavor Flav-style plastic clock trophies to those who deserve recognition for other reasons. So, say hello to the Special Award winners from the 2017 Transmoto 6-Hour @ Conondale, powered by KTM…

PRIMO PIT AWARD – CRAIG HALE

A couple of years back, at the tender age of 51, Craig Hale became the oldest Ironman racer in a Transmoto Enduro Event. And for 2017, this NSW Central Coast-based moto addict decided to ratchet things up a notch or three by committing to racing the Ironman class at all five Transmoto events – three in NSW, one in Queensland and one in Victoria. Unfortunately, Hale busted a collarbone in a practice crash and was sidelined for the 8-Hour at Coonabarabran a month back. But to honour his self-imposed commitment, he still rocked up to Coona and made himself useful to organisers. And when the bloke rocked up at Conondale’s 6-Hour, he had more to celebrate than his own return to racing. The weekend in Queensland also coincided with his daughter’s 14^th birthday (Lauren, who along with her sister and mum, perform the all-important support crew function for her dad), so their pit plot was suitably festooned with brightly coloured birthday balloons. Epitomising just how tight this family unit is, Lauren refused to open her birthday presents until her old man finished the 6-Hour safely. Which he did. In fact, the 52-year-old posted a PB fourth place in the Ironman class, completing an astonishing 13 laps of the Conondale course. Respect, old man Hale!

HARD LUCK AWARD – GEOFF BALLARD

As one of Australia’s most decorated enduro racers, team managers and businessman, Geoff Ballard needs little introduction in dirt bike circles. And as you’d expect, he’s got access to any number of flash dirt bikes to ride or race. So why did GB decide to wheel out a decade-old Yamaha TT-R250 for the 6-Hour? Well, aside from the fact that Ballard has made no secret of his love for the little blue bulletproof machines (so much so, he bought the last six of the things in existence!), he raced the TT-R at the 6-Hour as a shakedown for the upcoming Australian 4-Day Enduro in Toowoomba, where he also intends to wring the TT-R’s neck. Teamed up at Conondale with his son Josh and work colleague Corey Moore, however, not everything went to plan for the Ballard’s Bush Bashers. “We had a blast an absolute blast at the 6-Hour, even though had a few dramas,” GB explains. “Firstly the mainjet fell out (or maybe we wore it out!). Then we cased a rock, causing a cracked engine case and the drain plug to loosen and fall out. Anyway, we got things fixed, thanks to Gordon Lalonde’s help and some Liquid Metal, and amazingly still managed to complete 15 laps. What other bike handles such a flogging and for a while with zero oil in it?! Winning the Hard Luck Award seems wrong, ’cause we didn’t feel hard done-by at all. It was certainly a fun day,” Ballard went on to say. Despite the mechanical dramas and downtime, The Ballard’s Bush Bashers team still managed 20^th Outright in the Team class.

START YA BASTARD AWARD – TWO-&-A-HALF FAT BASTARDS

Truth be told, the Start Ya Bastard Award just materialised a couple of years back. No of us can recall where it came from or why, but it’s come in handy in the years since as an award that we dish out to a person or team who hands-down deserves acknowledgment, but often for obscure reasons. At Conondale, the choice was obvious – or should we say ‘fitting’? A three-man team called “Two-and-a-Half Fat Bastards”, made up of Alastair Whatmough, Shane Castleton and Erwin Van Dyk, won it. “Alastair and I are New Zealanders and, besides having a crack at one round of the North Queensland Enduro Series a couple of years back, we haven’t raced for something like 15 years. And Erwin has only done the odd Vets race recently,” Shane explained. “But we trailride a fair bit in northern NSW with a bunch of blokes in their 30s, and they prompted us to get involved with the 6-Hour at Conondale. Mate, we all had a ball. Those ‘young’ blokes got the better of us in the end, so it was nice to be acknowledged by you guys … for being fat, or bastards, or both [laughs]. Next year, we’ll qualify for the Wise Wizards category, so watch out, world!”
The Two-and-a-Half Fat Bastards ran 33^rd in the Teams class, and aside from their coveted trophy, they also won a set of Shinko’s new 505 Cheater tyres.

BEST OUTFIT AWARD – IT’S A STITCH-UP

Unlike previous events, where countless teams rocked up and raced in coordinated and often amusing uniforms, very few teams were pictures of matching sartorial elegance at Conondale. Sure, a bunch of teams rolled up to Rider Registration with specially made team T-Shirts, but there very few race outfits of note. So the It’s a Stitch-Up trio of Tom and Billy Barth and Sam Batham (aka Bildoe, Jabber Jaws and Dad Bod) kinda won this one by default in their fluoro tradie shirts. Honourable mentions go out to KTM’s Rosie Lalonde for her pink cowgirl hat, garnished with a “Barnsey’s Orange Angels” sticker; and that buffoon who thought it was a good idea to trying cutting a lap in his sand shoes and wife-beater singo … until he was quickly accosted by officials.

FASTEST LAP AWARD – THREE HUSKY HIGLETTS

Early on, there was a bit of a somber mood around the Husqvarna teams’ pits, as both Lachlan Stanford and Fraser Higlett had both been narrowly beaten to an AORC title (in the E3 and EJ classes, respectively) the previous weekend. But once racing got under way at Conondale, it proved a good distraction; the boys and their teammates were obviously having a blast on the hybrid enduro/MX loop. And just to make a point of the fact he’s got a big future in off-road racing circles, 17-year-old Fraser Higlett (who was joined by Nathan Crawford and Anthony Armstrong in the Three Husky Higletts team) cranked out the fastest lap of the day – a scintillating 19 minutes and 23 seconds. He also hucked himself into the event’s record books by airing his TE300 out over the massive Drunk’s Hill extension jump on the final lap of the day – a sketchy feat captured on video by his suitably impressed mates.

PROACTIVE PARTNER AWARD – MXSTORE/BALLARD’S

Of course, we appreciate the efforts of all our event sponsors, but there’s always one that really digs in and makes the most of the platform our events provide. And this year at Conondale, Ballard’s Off Road – in conjunction with MXstore.com.au – really stepped up the game when it came to activations that engage everyone. In addition to helping out with our official raffle, fielding two teams, and sponsoring another team made up of their customers (who, incidentally, beat their own teams – including the fancied Ballard’s Bush Rangers), these guys also introduced the Ballard’s Uphill Battle.
To acknowledge their exemplary efforts, we awarded the Gold Coast-based MXstore/Ballard’s team with the highly sought-after Proactive Partner Award. And the classic thing is, they’re still giving! Even though the event has now come and gone, MXstore is offering all riders $20 off their next purchase over $150 on a selection of enduro brands. Check out their website for details.
PS: Sorry about the misspelt “Proavtive” on the trophy, boys. Our proofreader was evidently in the Bahamas at the time!