The stars of dirt track racing turned on another memorable day and night of tremendous action when the 2024 Group One Site Services Bathurst Long Track Masters meeting was staged on Saturday, March 2 at the Bathurst Showground. Competitors again travelled from near and far, confirming the reputation of this annual meeting as a must-attend on the calendar while fans were there in big numbers as many more watched the live streaming of the meeting.
Above all, it was the Dirt Track Sidecars who provided a race for the ages – not just the best race of the night, but one of the all-time time great battles in the final that drew the biggest and noisiest reactions from the crowd. For the last three laps of the final, Jarred Marko / Shaun Fuller and Corey Forde / Darren Freudenstein exchanged the lead multiple times and were often within touching distance of one another. Marko / Fuller narrowly got to the flag first with Forde and Freudenstein left with the consolation of being part of such a memorable race, while third-placed Matthew Davies / Tom Northey got the best view of the titanic clash.
The Bathurst 450 Masters final only came up short of matching the three-wheelers with motorcycling’s own King of Bathurst Jarred Brook having to work his way through the field before passing Cyshan Weale on the final lap with Reid Battye third. Brook did have his colours lowered in the final of the Flat Track 19” class when he could not haul in Daniel Wicks, while Cyshan Weale again chased Brook home for third. Wicks left the meeting with the distinction of being the only rider to take two class wins when he added success in the Unlimited 2-stroke final. Wicks won very comfortably but behind him, Jacob Richardson and Bailey Spencer engaged in their own two-bike war before Richardson won out for second.
Undoubtedly, the most decisive class winner on the programme was in the Long Track Slider class where Zane Keleher made the 1500 Km trip from Rockhampton worthwhile being unbeaten in the heats, posting the fastest lap in the Masters Shootout and then coming from behind to run away in the final ahead of another great scrap for second where Harrison Ryan edged out Sam Martin.
The class victory that was most pleasing to Bathurst fans was the win by local 16-year-old Jett Carter in the Pro 250 class. He too was unbeaten in his heats before a stirring ride to pass the far more experienced James Sawdy in the final with last year’s winner Rory Hutchinson in third.
Competition in the Over 40s class was no less intense with Joshua McCosker narrowly outpacing Jason Morris and Adam Ferguson in another exciting decider.
Even in the two classes decided on points over four rounds, the final outcome was ultimately determined by the winner of the final round.
Tayla Street was a first-time winner of the highly competitive Women’s class but she had a tough battle holding out Kelsey Jensen, who won one round, with the consistent Lori Gow finishing third.
In an unusual scenario, the top three riders in the Hooligan Twins class were exactly the same as 12 months earlier with Kenny Angel getting the better of Damien Bombardiere with Kristin O’Donnell third, but that result too was only resolved very late in the final round.
There were two junior classes on the programme which showcased to fans the exciting young talent that is coming through the ranks.
In the 13-U16yrs, Beau Bailey was unbeaten in the heats but only managed third in the final behind Sam Drane and surprise packet Thomas Gotts.
The equal top scorers from the heats battled out the final for the 9-U13yrs, with Lockie Duggan getting the better of Cooper Antone with Jed Fyffe third.
Around the tea break, riders who had recorded the fastest individual lap times to that stage in five classes were let loose in the Masters Shootout.
Besides Zane Keleher being the fastest Long Track Slider, Harrison Ryan won in the 450cc class, Corey Forde / Darren Fraudenstein in the Dirt Track Sidecars, local Jett Carter took the honours in the Pro 250 class and Beau Bailey went fastest of the juniors.
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Press Release prepared by Peter Baker 0409 903196; bakerp@westnet.com.au