2023 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships
Words & Images by Colin Rosewarne
The 2023 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships was held at a gloriously sunny Albury-Wodonga Motorcycle Club and spectators witnessed some great racing.
Sunday morning was marred with multiple stoppages due to medical aid being required to treat more than a few on-track injuries, those delays sadly saw a reduction in minor class races in an attempt to try and catch up on lost time.
The Pro 450 championship class saw Cody Lewis of Kurri Kurri Club defeating Rory McQualter of the Gold Coast Club while Gunnedah’s Daniel Wicks third.
In the MX Open division the tables were juggled with Daniel Wicks taking home the championship ahead of a fast charging Cody Lewis and Rory McQualter.
With the Pro 250 class Rory McQualter from Goldie came in as the Champion followed by James Sawdy from the Cowra Club and Albury Wodonga Club rider Remmie Fyffe coming in third.
The Pro Women’s class saw young upcoming champion Kelsey Jenson providing a great riding display until losing it on the final corner handing Street the cumulative point championship to points leader Street.
The lead up to the presentation was a little tainted following the lodgement of a fairly shallow appeal directed at the championship point leader Tayla Street regarding her displaying an incorrectly coloured number plate.
Street raced that same bike all weekend in three different divisions without mention and fortunately, the appeal was overturned by the MA Steward and Championship rightfully awarded to Tayla.
Tayla came in ahead of fellow Albury Wodonga Club member Lori Gow in second. Bree-Anna Etheridge from the Kurri Kurri Club took third.
The four wheeler’s provided some lively entertainment with the ATV Open Division being won by the Hunter Club’s Matthew Griffiths followed by Jeffrey McKee, also from the Hunter Club and Colin Green from Gunnedah Club taking third spot.
The 3 Wheeling Dirt Track Sidecar class had many good tussles with the silverware eventually going to Corey Ford and Darren Freudenstein from the Panorama Club ahead of a fast-charging Kai Frame and Anthony Martin from Tamworth. The final step on the rostrum was taken by Jarred Marko and Shawn Fuller from the Kurri Kurri Club.
The support classes saw firstly in the Over 35 Division, Benjamin Gordon from the Far South Coast Club defeating Mitch Wolfe second and the evergreen Ralph Pink third – both from the Albury Wodonga Club.
Next up in the support classes was the ATV450cc class that was taken out by Colin Green followed by Michael Stimson of the Tamworth Club and a well-deserved 3rd place going to Sharna Stimson from Dungog.
Next support class was the 65cc 7-year-old to 9-year-old races that saw future champion and Albury Wodonga Club local, Cooper Antone put on a classy display to easily coming in first followed by William Wiggins from Central Coast Club and in 3rd place Cameron Pritchard from North Brisbane Club.
The next class was the 85cc Two Stroke / 150cc Four Stroke 7-year-old to 9-year-old Class that also saw a dominant Antone first, Cooper Blowes from Cowra Club coming in second and William Wiggins taking out third spot.
Last but not least in the support classes was the Two Stroke / Four Stroke 13-years-old to 16-year-old class won by a fast racing Tommy Wright from the Harley Club, Hugh Hope-Hodgetts from Forbes in second and Albury Wodonga Club’s Henry Small in third.
Pro 450 Top Three
- Cody Lewis (Kurri Kurri)
- Rory McQualter (Gold Coast)
- Daniel Wicks (Gunnedah)
Pro 250 Top Three
- Rory McQualter
- James Sawdy (Cowra)
- Remmie Fyffe (Albury-Wodonga)
Pro Women’s Top Three
- Tayla Street (Albury – Wodonga)
- Lori Gow (Albury-Wodonga)
- Bree-Anna Etheridge (Kurri Kurri)
MX Open Top Three
- Daniel Wicks
- Cody Lewis
- Rory McQualter
Over 35 Top Three
- Benjamin Gordon (Far South Coast)
- Mitch Wolfe (Albury-Wodonga)
- Ralph Pink (Albury-Wodonga)
85 cc 2str /150 cc 4str 9 to U13Â Top Three
- Cooper Antone
- Cooper Blowes (Cowra)
- William Wiggins
65 cc 7 to U9Â Top Three
- Cooper Antone (Albury-Wodonga)
- William Wiggins (Central Coast)
- Cameron Pritchard (North Brisbane)
2str & 4str. 13 – U/16 Top Three
- Tommy Wright (Harley, Vic.)
- Hugh Hope-Hodgetts (Forbes)
- Henry Small (Albury-Wodonga)
Sidecar 1100 cc Top Three
- Corey Forde / Darren Freudenstein (Panorama)
- Kai Frame / Anthony Martin (Tamworth)
- Jarred Marko / Shaun Fuller (Kurri Kurri)
ATV 450 cc Top Three
- Colin Green
- Michael Stimson (Tamworth)
- Sharna Stimson (Dungog)
