KURTZ WINS IN MILDURA

BELLE Vue captain Brady Kurtz took victory in Thursday’s fourth round of the Australian Championship at Mildura – as Max Fricke extended his series lead.

Kurtz, who is back for a fourth season with the Aces this year, enjoyed his best meeting of the series and now has an outside chance of challenging for a top four finish overall.

But it was also a successful evening for Leicester star Fricke, who finished runner-up and crucially now holds a five-point advantage over his main rival for top honours, Rohan Tungate of Oxford.

Tungate conceded two points to Fricke in the qualifying races and then finished one place behind him in the Final as he came home third, whilst there was also disappointment for defending champion Jack Holder.

The Sheffield man crashed out of the Final and trails Fricke by 11 points, meaning he is now likely to be in a battle for bronze with Belle Vue’s Jaimon Lidsey who is on the same total. The series concludes at Gillman on Saturday.

Photo credit: DAVE PAYNE