OXFORD’S new star Rohan Tungate admitted he was lost for words after winning his second Australian Championship.
The Spires ace overhauled Max Fricke’s five-point lead to take the title in Gillman, Adelaide.
Fricke went into the final round as favourite to take a fourth title but his hopes fell apart as he picked up just two points in his opening three rides.
Tungate said: “I’m so happy I don’t have many words right now. Thanks everyone for all the support. Tough series but we got there in the end.”
An exclusion for Fricke following a clash with Tungate in Heat 2 got his night off to the worst possible start.
Tungate took full advantage by winning his opening four rides. However Fricke then turned the night into a dramatic affair by winning his final two rides to go into the semis level on 67 points apiece with Tungate.
But the decisive blow came in the opening semi with Tungate winning and Fricke last. Tungate duly picked up the title with second in the final behind Brady Kurtz, his second straight victory.
However Kurtz still only finished fifth in the standings, one outside the vital GP qualifier places.
Jack Holder beat Jaimon Lidsey in the run-off for third in the championship.
But Lidsey can console himself with a spot in the Speedway GP qualifiers as he joins new champion Tungate, Fricke and Jack Holder in entering the international rounds, which culminate in the FIM GP Challenge at Czech track Pardubice on October 4.
There is one more Speedway GP qualification spot up for grabs in Australia. This will be handed to the highest-placed Aussie representative in the FIM Oceania Championship at Gillman on January 27.
FINAL AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: 1 Rohan Tungate 70, 2 Max Fricke 67, 3 Jack Holder 61+3, 4 Jaimon Lidsey 61+2, 5 Brady Kurtz 57, 6 Ben Cook 42, 7 Chris Holder 42, 8 Josh Pickering 41, 9 Sam Masters 41, 10 Ryan Douglas 40, 12 Zach Cook 28, 12 Keynan Rew 22, 13 James Pearson 18, 14 Michael West 14, 15 Fraser Bowes 11, 16 Justin Sedgmen 9, 17 Tate Zischke 5, 18 Jye Etheridge 4, 19 Jack Morrison 3, 20 Jake Turner 1.
GILLMAN HEAT SCORES: 1 Rohan Tungate 13, 2 Brady Kurtz 13, 3 Jack Holder 12, 4 Jaimon Lidsey 11, 5 Chris Holder 11, 6 Ben Cook 10, 7 Max Fricke 8, 8 Sam Masters 7, 9 Josh Pickering 7, 10 Michael West 7, 11 Keynan Rew 5, 12 Ryan Douglas 4, 13 Zach Cook 4, 14 Fraser Bowes 3, 15 James Pearson 3, 16 Jake Turner 1, 17 Jack Morrison 0, 18 Dayle Wood DNR.
SEMI-FINAL 1: Tungate, J Holder, C Holder, Fricke.
SEMI-FINAL 2: Lidsey, Kurtz, B Cook, Masters.
FINAL: Kurtz, Tungate, Lidsey, J Holder.
RUN-OFF FOR THIRD PLACE: J Holder, Lidsey.
Words by Holeshot Media.
Image by Australian Speedway Facebook page.