The title-deciding fifth and sixth rounds of the Yamaha Blu Cru Aussie Flat Track Nationals (AFTN) were fiercely fought at the Gunnedah-based Balcary Park last weekend as 75 competitors took to the track.
Eighteen riders from the Gunnedah Motorcycle Club were among the participants while there were also plenty of top-class riders from around Australia and the United States (US).
Tom Herrick of West Wyalong ultimately won the Pro 450 title as he beat fellow Australian Jarred Brook in a thriller, after Herrick overcame a 21-point deficit over the two days.
Tom Drane of Forbes took out both the Flat Track and TT rounds, following some entertaining duels with Max Whale and American rider Dallas Daniels.
The main race – the Pro 450 final – had an “edge of your seat” feel as whoever finished ahead out of Herrick and Brook would win the title.
The race ended early with a red flag due to a crash involving two other riders, but there was no serious injury.
Herrick said in a post-race interview, “The anticipation was killing me, it was a month of waiting to find out how this was going to end!
“That was the most dramatic finish but I had to go for it.
“Jarred and I clashed a few times on track but that only made me more motivated, I really felt like I wanted it more.
“On top of that it was so much fun racing with Tom (Drane), Max (Whale) and Dallas (Daniels), they race hard and are very crafty.”
Having attended both days, Matt O’Connell from Australian Motorcycle News said the weekend in Gunnedah featured perhaps some of the best racing he had witnessed anywhere in Australia in the past five years.
O’Connell said it was clear the American Flat Track riders such as Drane, Whale and Daniels “were a positive yardstick for our Aussie talent, as that championship is considered the toughest in the world”.
O’Connell said the international riders had their own point to prove and wanted bragging rights among themselves, while their battle-hardened skills from years of racing in the USA were rubbing off onto others.
“The other Aussies also rode to a very high standard – they competed well against the international guys,” he said.
O’Connell said in the support classes there were also titles on the line, while they also raced at a very high standard.
“The lap times of the smaller bikes are still quick in comparison to the big bikes because they hold high corner speed,” he said.
Series organiser Dave Maddock said one of the highlights was the Junior 85s, which came down to the final race between Lockie Duggan and Levi Layton while Lucy Heaton-New was a standout this year.
“She was able to compete toe to toe with the boys and will be a great talent to watch in the future,” he said.
Maddock said the two-day event in Gunnedah was “one of the best weekends of racing we have seen at the Aussie Flat Track Nationals” while he felt like the standard was picking up year on year.
OVERALL WINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP:
Pro 450 winner Tom Herrick, r/up Jarred Brook; Junior Lites winner Cooper Archibald, r/up Neiko Donovan; Junior 85 winner Lockie Duggan, r/up Levi Layton; Clubman Open winner Benny Thistleton, r/up Neil Girdler; Pro Twins winner Kristian O’Donnell, r/up Kenny Angel.