BRADY KURTZ leads the Australian Championship as the title race moves onto Mildura.
The Belle Vue star continued his wonderful run to take the opening round at Adelaide venue Gillman on Friday.
Now the new GP rider will aim to cement his place at the top of the standings in Mildura, live on BSN.
The national title lived up to its billing as a big-hitting event with Kurtz pipping Jack and Chris Holder and Keynan Rew in the final.
Chasing his first Aussie title since he lifted the trophy at the first attempt in 2016, Kurtz dropped just one point in the heats, beaten only by fellow Speedway GP star Max Fricke.
He then won the first semi-final ahead of Rew, Fricke and 2020 World Under-21 Champion Jaimon Lidsey.
Former world champ Chris Holder won semi two ahead of younger brother Jack, which saw Zach Cook placed third and reigning champion Rohan Tungate exit after being disqualified.
Kurtz headed Jack and Chris Holder in the final to end his night on 18 championship points, taking a three-point lead into round two in Mildura on Sunday, with the Holder brothers joint second on 15 apiece. Rew is fourth on 13 and Fricke is fifth on 11.
While Kurtz topped the heat scoring with 14, Chris Holder also impressed on 13, winning his opening three rides while Rew was also impressive equalling Jack Holder’s 12-point haul over five rides.
The series resumes at Victorian venue Mildura on Sunday, before moving to Albury-Wodonga on Wednesday and concluding at North Brisbane on Saturday, January 11.
The top two riders in the series secure places in the 2025 Speedway GP qualification rounds where they will compete for spots at the FIM SGP Challenge in Holsted, Denmark on August 9. They will be joined in the qualifiers by the winner of the FIM Oceania Championship at Gillman on January 25.
Stream Round 2 live on BSN HERE this Sunday morning from 7.45am (UK).
AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER ROUND 1/4):
1. Brady Kurtz 18
2= Chris Holder 15
2= Jack Holder 15
4. Keynan Rew 13
5. Max Fricke 11
6= Rohan Tungate 9
6= Jaimon Lidsey 9
8. Zach Cook 8
9. Josh Pickering 7
10. Ben Cook 6
11. Mitchell McDiarmid 5
12. Harrison Ryan 4
13= James Pearson 3
13= Michael West 3
15= Patrick Hamilton 2
15= Mitchell Cluff 2,
17. Harry Sadler 0.
GILLMAN HEAT SCORES: 1. Brady Kurtz 14, 2. Chris Holder 13, 3. Keynan Rew 12, 4. Jack Holder 12, 5. Max Fricke 11, 6. Rohan Tungate 9, 7. Jaimon Lidsey 9, 8. Zach Cook 8, 9. Josh Pickering 7, 10. Ben Cook 6, 11. Mitchell McDiarmid 5, 12. Harrison Ryan 4, 13. James Pearson 3, 14. Michael West 3, 15. Patrick Hamilton 2, 16. Mitchell Cluff 2, 17. Harry Sadler 0.
SEMI-FINAL 1: Kurtz, Rew, Fricke, Lidsey.
SEMI-FINAL 2: C Holder, J Holder, Z Cook, Tungate (exc).
FINAL: Kurtz, J Holder, C Holder, Rew.
Words by Holeshot Media.
Images by Taylor Lanning.