MAX FRICKE’S SUCCESSFUL NATIONAL TITLE DEFENCE

Feature photo by: Judy Mackay

Speedway GP star Max Fricke made it three national titles on the bounce after topping the 2022 Australian Championship podium with a six-ride maximum score at South Australia’s Gillman Speedway on Saturday night, December 10.

Defending his crown for the first time since January 2020 following nearly two years of pandemic delays, Fricke triumphed at the Adelaide venue ahead of Justin Sedgmen, surprise package Tate Zischke and Aussie Under-21 champion Keynan Rew.

Fricke cruised through the heats unbeaten on 15 points to reach the semi-finals. But the Leicester, Indianerna and Grudziadz man didn’t have things all his own way at the business end of the meeting as Aussie Under-21 Championship runner-up Zischke took the fight to Fricke in dramatic style.

Zischke dived under the FIM Speedway of Nations World Champion at the end of lap one, forcing Fricke to fight hard for the lead, which he regained at the start of lap four.

Both men qualified for the final after seeing off SON2 star James Pearson, while 2020 World Under-21 Champion Jaimon Lidsey was unable to take his place in semi one after withdrawing from the meeting. The Belle Vue and Leszno man ended the heats third on the score chart with 11.

Birmingham star Justin Sedgmen raced to 12 points in the heats and triumphed in semi-final two ahead of Rew, SON2 rider Fraser Bowes and Zach Cook.

Fricke then won the final ahead of Sedgmen, who also finished second in the 2017 championship.

Zischke collected a fantastic third place, which automatically makes him eligible for a UK visa. He could now be on a number of European clubs’ radars for 2023. Rew took fourth place in the final.

Fricke will not have to wait long to defend his title as the 2023 Australian Championship will be staged in its traditional January slot, starting at Gillman on January 3.

With round two in Mildura cancelled due to flooding, the action moves straight to Albury on January 7, with New South Wales track Kurri Kurri hosting the penultimate event on January 9. The decider takes place at North Brisbane on January 11, as the club stages its first Aussie Championship round since 2012.

Fricke will be joined in the four-round series by Speedway GP rivals Jason Doyle and Jack Holder, as well as 2012 world champion Chris Holder in what should be the most competitive Aussie Championship race in recent years.

Before that, 2022 concludes with the FIM Oceania Championship at Gillman on December 28 – featuring 2017 world champion Doyle and triple Speedway GP world champion Tai Woffinden.

2022 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP HEAT SCORES: 1 Max Fricke 15, 2 Justin Sedgmen 12, 3 Jaimon Lidsey 11, 4 Zach Cook 11, 5 Tate Zischke 10, 6 Keynan Rew 10, 7 James Pearson 9, 8 Fraser Bowes 9, 9 Zane Keleher 8, 10 Michael West 7, 11 Maurice Brown 5, 12 Jack Morrison 4, 13 Cooper Riordan 3, 14 Dayle Wood 3, 15 Aden Clare 2, 16 Jake Turner 1, 17 Broc Hall 0, 18 Tom Dixon DNR.

Semi-Final 1: Fricke, Zischke, Pearson, Lidsey (non-starter).

Semi-Final 2: Sedgmen, Rew, Bowes, Cook.

Final: Fricke, Sedgmen, Zischke, Rew.