Mansfield flyer Max Fricke seized the lead in the 2024 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship after winning round three in Wodonga on Tuesday, January 9.
Fricke, shooting for Aussie title No.4, won the Wodonga final ahead of Ryan Douglas, Ben Cook and Rohan Tungate, the latter relinquishing his championship lead in the process.
After three of five rounds, Fricke is now on 43pts, ahead of Tungate (41), Jaimon Lidsey (36), Speedway Grand Prix (SGP) star Jack Holder (35) and Douglas (29).
Just 19 points separate Fricke from 10th placed Sam Masters, with the top four riders in the Aussie championship awarded spots in the 2024 SGP qualification process – the ultimate carrot a permanent spot on the 2025 SGP roster.
Holder, the reigning SGP No.4, doesn’t have such qualifying concerns at the moment, and he was in sparkling form during the Wodonga heats as he finished his five races on 13pts alongside Lidsey.
However, his campaign ended in the second semi-final when he finished third behind Douglas and first-time finalist Cook, while Tungate and Fricke progressed from the first semi. Chris Holder, Lidsey and Masters were the other riders eliminated during the semi-finals.
On a beautifully prepared Albury-Wodonga Motorcycle Club track, the final was then a Fricke benefit as he won his second decider in two rounds after also claiming the honours in the North Brisbane opener.
It was as close to a ‘home’ round as Fricke will get in the 2024 championship, with the 27-year-old’s beloved Mansfield about 170km from Wodonga – a dirt haven where he once competed in the Australian Four-Day Enduro!
The Wodonga podium: Douglas, Fricke and Cook. Image: Judy MackayThe penultimate round of the 2024 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship will be held in Mildura (Vic) on January 11 before concluding in Gillman (SA) on January 13.
AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER ROUND 3 OF 5):
1 Max Fricke 43 Points
2 Rohan Tungate 41 Points
3 Jaimon Lidsey 36 Points
4 Jack Holder 35 Points
5 Ryan Douglas 29 Points
6 Josh Pickering 27 Points
7 Chris Holder 27 Points
8 Ben Cook 24 Points
9 Brady Kurtz 24 Points
10 Sam Masters 24 Points
11 Zach Cook 19 Points
12 James Pearson 15 Points
13 Keynan Rew 13 Points
14 Michael West 6 Points
15 Tate Zischke 5 Points
16 Fraser Bowes 4 Points
17 Jye Etheridge 4 Points
18 Jack Morrison 3 Points
