Kurri Kurri's Rohan Tungate is the new Australian 500cc Solo Champion after an upset in the fifth and final round at Adelaide's Gillman Speedway tonight.
Three times Australian Champion, Mansfield's Max Fricke went into the final round with a five point lead over Tungate, but the Victorian had his worst performance of the championship series, was bundled out in the semi finals and could only manage eight points for the night.
Tungate was superb scoring 16 points for the night to finish the championship with 70 points, three ahead of Fricke with Mildura's Jaimon Lidsey and Appin's Jack Holder tied on 61 points. A race-off between Holder and Lidsey saw Holder take third and Lidsey awarded fourth.
The Gillman meeting was won by Cowra's Brady Kurtz who also won the Mildura round of the championship on Thursday; Tungate came second on the night and Jaimon Lidsey third.
The top four in the Australian title are offered a pathway to the Speedway Grand Prix qualifiers for a place in the 2025 Speedway Grand Prix Series (the World Championship). The winner of the Oceania Championships at Gillman later this month also will be offered a pathway.
Jack Holder finished fourth in the Speedway Grand Prix World Championship in 2023 and will ride again this year, along with Newcastle's Jason Doyle. Max Fricke is a reserve after a disappointing SGP series in 2023.
Jack's older brother Chris, the 2012 World Champion. finished seventh in the 2024 Australian Title, behind Brady Kurtz (5th) and Ben Cook (6th).
Three times Australian Champion, Mansfield's Max Fricke went into the final round with a five point lead over Tungate, but the Victorian had his worst performance of the championship series, was bundled out in the semi finals and could only manage eight points for the night.
Tungate was superb scoring 16 points for the night to finish the championship with 70 points, three ahead of Fricke with Mildura's Jaimon Lidsey and Appin's Jack Holder tied on 61 points. A race-off between Holder and Lidsey saw Holder take third and Lidsey awarded fourth.
The Gillman meeting was won by Cowra's Brady Kurtz who also won the Mildura round of the championship on Thursday; Tungate came second on the night and Jaimon Lidsey third.
The top four in the Australian title are offered a pathway to the Speedway Grand Prix qualifiers for a place in the 2025 Speedway Grand Prix Series (the World Championship). The winner of the Oceania Championships at Gillman later this month also will be offered a pathway.
Jack Holder finished fourth in the Speedway Grand Prix World Championship in 2023 and will ride again this year, along with Newcastle's Jason Doyle. Max Fricke is a reserve after a disappointing SGP series in 2023.
Jack's older brother Chris, the 2012 World Champion. finished seventh in the 2024 Australian Title, behind Brady Kurtz (5th) and Ben Cook (6th).
