DOYLE VICTORIOUS IN AUSSIE CHAMPIONSHIP OPENER AT GILLMAN

Former world champion Jason Doyle ended his eight-year absence from the Australian Championship in style after winning the opening round at Adelaide track Gillman on Tuesday.

Doyle finished third on the heat scorechart with 13 points, just behind Speedway GP rival Jack Holder and former Aussie champion Rohan Tungate, who tied on 14 at the top.

Holder got the better of Doyle in semi-final one as both reached the final, finishing ahead of 2012 Speedway GP world champion Chris Holder in third.

But Doyle produced a big opening lap to take the chequered flag in the final ahead of Jack Holder. With the riders earning four and three points respectively from the final, they head to round two at Albury on Saturday tied for top spot on 17 championship points apiece.

Reigning champion Max Fricke, chasing a record-equalling fourth straight title, was facing disaster after finishing last in his opening two rides. But he staged a dramatic fightback, winning his three final heats to force his way into the semi-finals on nine.

Fricke then won a turbulent semi-final two ahead of fellow qualifier Justin Sedgmen. The race was restarted twice after Sam Masters crashed and was disqualified at the first attempt, before Tungate felled Sedgmen in the rerun, ending his promising night prematurely. Despite his disqualification, Tungate’s heat heroics still see him leave Gillman third in the standings on 14.

Third place for Fricke in the final, which saw him just lose out after an epic battle for second with Jack Holder, netted him an extra two points, leaving him tied in fifth spot with Chris Holder on 11. Sedgmen took fourth spot in the final, earning him one extra championship point which places him fourth in the overall standings on 13 following an event he entered as a wild card.

The night ended with injury concerns for former Aussie champion Brady Kurtz, who crashed in heat 19, with the pursuing Ben Cook unable to avoid him. Cook took his place in the rerun, while Kurtz was excluded. The Aussie international was unfit to take his place in semi-final one.

The second round takes place at Victorian track Albury on Saturday, before the racing heads to Hunter Valley venue Kurri Kurri on Monday and concludes at North Brisbane on January 11.

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: 1= Jason Doyle 17, Jack Holder 17, 3 Rohan Tungate 14, 4 Justin Sedgmen 13, 5= Max Fricke 11, Chris Holder 11, 7= Brady Kurtz 8, Sam Masters 8, Ben Cook 8, 10 Josh Pickering 6, 11 Zach Cook 5, 12= James Pearson 3, Zane Keleher 3, Fraser Bowes 3, 15 Brayden McGuinness 2, 16 Michael West 0.

GILLMAN HEAT SCORES: 1 Jack Holder 14, 2 Rohan Tungate 14, 3 Jason Doyle 13, 4 Justin Sedgmen 12, 5 Chris Holder 11, 6 Max Fricke 9, 7 Brady Kurtz 8, 8 Sam Masters 8, 9 Ben Cook 8, 10 Josh Pickering 6, 11 Zach Cook 5, 12 James Pearson 3, 13 Zane Keleher 3, 14 Fraser Bowes 3, 15 Brayden McGuinness 2, 16 Michael West 0.

SEMI-FINAL 1: J Holder, Doyle, C Holder, Kurtz (non-starter).

SEMI-FINAL 2: Fricke, Sedgmen, Tungate (DQ), Masters (DQ).

FINAL: Doyle, J Holder, Fricke, Sedgmen.