2024 Season – Meeting 5 Review
Article by Scott Kernhan
The future of Speedway was on show at Darwin’s Northline Speedway for the running of the NextGen Nationals for Junior Sedans. Along with the regular field of rising stars there were visitors from NSW and WA with Jackson and Benji Gordon arriving from Tamworth and season regular Hannah Tomkins from WA to compliment the field of 15 cars. Last year winner River Spitzbarth was to start hot favourite to try and go back-to-back however the rest of the field was keen to put a stop to that.
It was a very busy night with all sections represented and we approach the mid-way part of the Season here in the Top End.
Dirt Karts – A slim field of 4 Dirt Karts contested their round of 2 Heats and a Feature race and it was Michael Brown who jumped out to a handy lead in Heat 1. It wasn’t a great start for Ruel Mitchell who lost a wheel in turn 1 on lap 1 which brought his race to a grinding halt. Meanwhile back out front it was M. Brown showing the way to win ahead of Brad Fichtner and Tony Brown rounding out the podium in third place. Tony Brown turned the tables in Heat 2 after reeling in Fichtner who lead early with a great duel with Brown. Brown finally forced his way through to win with Fichtner second and M. Brown in third. T. Brown romped away in the 15 lap Feature Race to greet the chequered flag first ahead of M. Brown and Fichtner in third place.
AMCA Nationals – The Mark Allcorn juggernaut continued in the AMCA Nationals division with a come from near the rear of the pack win in Heat 1 whilst the rapidly improving Jacobus Beets ran home for second with Jimmy Keane in third place. Heat 2 was an all the way win for Allcorn with Deegan Sherwood following home in second and Paul Carmody in for third. The 25 lap Feature Race saw a bit of attrition with several cars non finishers. 2 laps in it was Erica Glazbrook that brought the yellows on first with a spin in turn 2. Reece Prior then tried to go out in sympathy pulling up on the main straight and needed a push to get going again. Allcorn made it a clean sweep to win another Feature Race in Season 2024 with Deegan Sherwood again in second and Carmody home for third place.
Junior Sedans – Interest early was whether River Spitzbarth could continue his dominating form in Season 2024 and whether he could go back-to-back for the NextGen Nationals. In Heat 1A it was WA’s Hannah Tomkins who blew the field away to romp ahead and win ahead of Zackery Czoloszynski and Jackson Gordon in third place. Kallen Hall had pulled up in turn 4 requiring a push start to resume the race. Heat 1B and it was Spitzbarth who fired an early shot to leave the field in his wake and record the win ahead of Caiden Weaver and Brodie Costello. Hannah Tomkins was in rare form in Heat 2A to streak away again with the win whilst behind her, Hall/Czoloszynski/J Gordon engaged in a spirited battle to bicker over the minor placings until Zackery held on for second and Gordon in third. River Spitzbarth again dominated Heat 2B whilst Benji Gordon and Caiden Weaver fought it out for the minor placings and finishing in this order. Spitzbarth backed up in the NextGen Nationals Dash to win flag to flag from Tomkins and Czoloszynski. The 25 lap Feature for the NextGen Nationals title was underway with Spitzbarth and Tomkins drag racing to turn 1 which saw Spitzbarth hold sway and assume the lead of the race. Lap 2 saw a coming together for Brock Beurskens and Jonas Thompson with both able to continue. Out front it was Spitzbarth pulling away to record the well deserved win ahead of Tomkins and Benji Gordon in third. Overall, a fantastic night of racing for the Junior Sedans.
Solos – 5 of the two wheeled wonders backed up from last meeting to contest 3 x split rounds of heats (3 bikes in one heat, two in the second). SA’s Sam Martin picked up where he left off with a solid win in Heat 1A ahead of Brad Niven and Steven Hutchinson in third. Hutchinson retiring after contact with Niven on lap 1 which sent him out of the race. Heat 1B was won by Ryan Pope ahead of Wayne Lorymer. Heat 2A saw a messy start but it was Pope who jumped away to win ahead of Martin and Hutchinson in third. Heat 2B went to Niven ahead of Lorymer. Ryan Pope and Brad Niven engaged in a wholly war in Heat 3A, a great race with wheel to wheel action and a mono from Niven coming out of turn 4 for the last time with Lorymer in third place. Sam Martin won the last Heat race ahead of Steven Hutchinson. Wayne Lorymer won the Feature B race uncontested and it was Brad Niven who put in the ride of the season to outgun Steven Hutchinson in second whilst Ryan Pope recorded a DNF. Martin did not start the Feature A race.
Sprintcars – There were 6 Sprintcars scheduled to duel over 2 x Heats and a Feature Race. Last round winner Hayden Brown was looking to back up his good form whilst WA star Trent Pigdon was keen to avenge his second placing last time out. Fellow Sandgroper Aaron Chircop returned again and NT’s Lachlan Cole arrived for his first hit out for the year. Zack Grimshaw was out for redemption following his last meeting tumble and Chris Harrison, suffering bad luck last meeting, was out to prove a point. Pigdon set the pace in Heat 1 with a resounding victory ahead of Brown and Grimshaw in third. Pigdon was leading early in Heat 2 but then pulled up on the front straight after allegedly contacting the wall in turn 4. This led to the end of the night for him as the word was he received a sore back in this encounter. Harrison went on to inherit the lead and never looked back to record the win ahead of Grimshaw and Chircop. Hayden Brown experiencing technical issues throughout the heat running half throttle. With Pidgon out it was wide open for the rest of the field, but it was Chris Harrison who belted away early in the 25 lap stampede. Late in the race it was Hayden Brown who resurrected the #77 Triple X and found form to close the gap. At one point poking his nose under Harrison but slower traffic was to play a part for which Harrison negotiated this very well and held on for a fantastic Feature Race win ahead of Brown and Grimshaw home in third. A very well deserved win for Harrison.
Wingless Sprintcars – Another healthy showing from the Wingless Sprintcar Division for their two x rounds of split heats and a Feature race. Heat 1A saw a remarkable win by Daniel Goldoni, following a wretched run of luck and electrical issues plaquing the team all year, to win the heat ahead of Tim VanGinneken and Cameron Jaenke in third place. Rumour was, Goldoni needed oxygen at the end of the race suffering fatigue !!! Heat 1B was an all the way win to Jamie McInnes with Matt Sealy hot on his heels. These two are forming a new rivalry which has been great to see this year. Raymond Walliss rounded out the placings in third. Heat 2A was quite dramatic in firstly William David rotating in turn 4 but then came the big dump with Van Ginneken coming into contact with Jarrod Goldoni and flipping the #44 McInnes Racing machine exiting turn 2. Fortunately without injury and the car didn’t look too badly damaged. McInnes continued his great form in Heat 2B to win all the way from the start with again Sealy home in second and Walliss in third. The Feature Race distance of 30 laps was a cracker and it began with Kale Quinlan (out for his first meeting of the year, but in a Wingless Sprintcar instead of the regular Sprintcar) that pulled out before the race started. Same for Ty Ede who DNS. Thre gremlins struck again for Team Goldoni with Daniel retiring infield on lap 1 whilst brother Jarrod completed 12 laps before pulling infield. Team Tiedeman also suffered similar with Sean retiring after 4 laps and Jeffery out after 7 laps. Meanwhile out front it was McInnes leading the way until 6 laps to go when Cameron Jaenke blasted past to assume the lead and hold on to record a magnificent win ahead of McInnes and Matt Sealy home in third place.
Street Stocks – It was a wet slippery track that greeted the Street Stocks in Heat 1 with a first up win to WA visitor Josh Trimbell with Jake Koivumaki making his way through the field from the back to storm home into second place and Kane Lloyd in third place. Koivumaki then blew the field away in Heat 2 to storm away with the win ahead of Lloyd in second place and Trimbell in third place. Only two Heats for the Streeties tonight with an early battle between Koivumaki and Lloyd for the 20 lap journey. Lloyd was never far away at the end however could not reel in the early leader. WA’s Arden Marriott was a retirement with 2 laps to go and Josh Trimbell also recorded a DNF. Koivumaki held on for the win ahead of Lloyd with James Ballantyne home in third.
Next Meeting for Northline Speedway is Saturday night 27th July (Round 6) with all Sections represented again.