Pelaw Main speedway star Rohan Tungate has been crowned Australian champion after a thrilling final-race showdown with 2016 title holder Brady Kurtz.
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Tungate and Kurtz had gone into the final round at Gillman tied on 45 points and after the five heats could not be separated again with both claiming 14 points.
It came down to the A-final and a second for Tungate behind Australian under-21 champion Jack Holder was enough to clinch the title after Kurtz finished fourth behind Victoria’s Max Fricke.
“We done it! So pumped,” Tungate posted on his Facebook page.
“Didn't come easy and went down to the last race what a way to finish.
“Thanks everyone for the support.”
The Hunter’s 2017 Australian champion Sam Masters withdrew from the meeting in his opening ride after crashing in practice.
Kurri Kurri’s Mason Campton made the B-final with nine points and finished fifth overall in the championship.
Masters tied with Heddon Greta’s Josh Pickering in sixth in the championship with Buttai’ Jye Etheridge 10th..
FINAL AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: 1 Rohan Tungate 62, 2 Brady Kurtz 60, 3 Max Fricke 53, 4 Jack Holder 51, 5 Mason Campton 39, 6= Sam Masters 37, Josh Pickering 37, 8 Jordan Stewart 35, 9 Jaimon Lidsey 31, 10 Jye Etheridge 28, 11 Matthew Gilmore 21, 12 Cooper Riordan 20, 13 Robert Medson 16, 14 Joel Coyne 10, 15 Declan Knowles 9, 16 James Davies 4, 17 Josh Coyne 3, 18 Brandon McGuinness 2.
GILLMAN HEAT SCORES: 1 Rohan Tungate 14, 2 Brady Kurtz 14, 3 Max Fricke 13, 4 Jack Holder 11, 5 Jaimon Lidsey 10, 6 Jordan Stewart 10, 7 Mason Campton 9, 8 Josh Pickering 9, 9 Jye Etheridge 7, 10 Cooper Riordan 6, 11 Matthew Gilmore 5, 12 Robert Medson 4, 13 Josh Coyne 3, 14 Brandon McGuinness 2, 15 Joel Coyne 2, 16 Declan Knowles 1, 17 Sam Masters 0, 18 James Davies DNR.
B Final: Holder, Stewart, Lidsey, Campton.
A Final: Holder, Tungate, Fricke, Kurtz.