Defending champion Sam Masters heads a quality Hunter assault on the 2018 Australian Speedway Solo Champioinship title.
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Masters is joined by an UK and European experienced contingent of Hunter stars including Rohan Tungate, Mason Campton, Josh Pickering and Jye Etheridge.
Rising Hunter rider Matthew Pickering is one of three emergencies, meaning that almost one-third of riders in action in the first round of the Australian title series at Kurri Kurri on January 6 will be from the Hunter.
Masters, who clinched the Aussie title in the final round at Kurri Kurri in 2017, said he was feeling good coming into the chamionships.
“I’ve been training harder than ever before, but speedway is a very unpredictable sport so we just never know what can happen,” the 26-year-old Novocastrian said.
Hunter solo speedway has rarely been healthier with 2017 world champion Jason Doyle also calling Newcastle home.
It promises to be a hotly contested series with Pelaw Main’s Tungate proving almost unbeatable at his home track of Kurri Kurri. The 28-year-old’s 2017 series was derailed when he was concussed in a heavy fall in the opening round at Gillman.
Tungate is in scintillating form claiming two wins from two rides as a reserve rider at the Melbourne Grand Prix in October and dropping only one race in three meetings since his return to Australia defending his NSW title in the process.
Heddon Greta 21-year-old Josh Pickering pushed Tungate all the way at the recent NSW title at Kurri Kurri with the two trading the lead several times in the final.
The 2018 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship field: Mason Campton, Joel Coyne, Jye Etheridge, Max Fricke, Matthew Gilmore, Jack Holder, Declan Knowles, Brady Kurtz, Jaimon Lidsey, Sam Masters, Robert Medson, Josh Pickering, Cooper Riordan, Justin Sedgmen, Jordan Stewart, Rohan Tungate Reserves: James Davies, Matthew Pickering, Ben Cook.
TITLE SERIES
- Round 1 – January 6 – Loxford Park Speedway – Kurri-Kurri
- Round 2 – January 10 – Undera Speedway – Undera
- Round 3 – January 12 – Olympic Park Speedway – Mildura
- Round 4 – January 14 – Gillman Speedway – Gillman