TUNGATE BIDS TO MAINTAIN AUSSIE CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENTUM

Australian Championship leader Rohan Tungate is determined to maintain his sublime start to the series as he takes a three-point lead into round three at Albury-Wodonga on Tuesday.

Tungate finished second in the opening round at North Brisbane last Thursday, but he still left Mick Doohan Raceway top of the standings on 16 points after outscoring meeting winner Max Fricke over their five heats.

He then bagged 14 points from five races at his home track Kurri Kurri last Saturday, before racing was curtailed before the semis and final due to an unfit track.

This leaves the 2018 Aussie champion leading the way on 30 points overall, with triple national champion Fricke second on 27, 2020 World Under-21 champion Jaimon Lidsey chasing on 23 in third and reigning champion Jack Holder placed fourth on 22.

A stellar performance in the Aussie series normally sends riders into the European season on a real high, with the top four riders guaranteed places in the Speedway GP qualification rounds, and Tungate is keen to maintain his momentum.

Asked the secret of his flying start Down Under, he said: “I wish I could tell you. I don’t really know myself. I have just got off to a good start and it is all working well.

“I have just tried to take it race by race and collect as many points as possible. It’s what you have to do. I’m trying to keep it as simple as I can and keep doing what I am doing. 

"It’s never easy, but that’s what we are here for – to win the title. I will take it race by race and not put too much pressure on myself.”

While a number of his rivals struggled with track conditions at Kurri Kurri, Tungate navigated his local track superbly to tighten his grip on top spot.

He said: “I kind of got on with it and put my head down. It was far from good, but we just had to get on with it and do what we could. I was making pretty good gates and riding the track reasonably well. It all came together well for me.”

After Tuesday’s Albury-Wodonga round, the championship moves to iconic Victorian venue Mildura on Thursday, before the champion is crowned at Adelaide track Gillman on Saturday.

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER ROUND 2/5): 1 Rohan Tungate 30, 2 Max Fricke 27, 3 Jaimon Lidsey 23, 4 Jack Holder 22, 5 Josh Pickering 19, 6 Chris Holder 18, 7= Brady Kurtz 16, Ryan Douglas 16, 9 Sam Masters 15, 10 Ben Cook 14, 11 Zach Cook 13, 12 James Pearson 11, 13 Keynan Rew 7, 14= Tate Zischke 5, Michael West 5, 16= Fraser Bowes 4, Jye Etheridge 4.