TUNGATE CHAMPION IN AUSSIE DRAMA

OXFORD’S Rohan Tungate clinched his second Australian Championship title after a night of drama in the series decider at Gillman on Saturday.

Tungate trailed leader Max Fricke by five points heading into the meeting, but the situation changed significantly in the early stages, where after three rides apiece Tungate had scored nine points and Fricke just two, to more than overturn the deficit.

Those races included a clash between the two rivals in Heat 2 which saw Leicester man Fricke excluded after going down under Tungate’s challenge.

Fricke came charging back to win his last two qualifying rides, and with Tungate third in Heat 18 the two contenders were level on series points heading into the semi-finals.

But Tungate crucially came through the first semi-final whilst Fricke was eliminated, meaning Tungate only needed to score in the Final to take the title – which he did, finishing second as Belle Vue’s Brady Kurtz took his second successive meeting victory.

Jaimon Lidsey, also of the Aces, was third on the night ahead of Jack Holder, but the Sheffield man turned the tables in a run-off for third place overall.

Tungate, Fricke, Holder and Lidsey have all secured places in the Grand Prix qualifying rounds this summer thanks to their places in the top four.

Photo credit: DAVE PAYNE