Two riders from the Hunter region were the dominant performers at the 2024 Trackmasters meeting hosted by the Hunter Motorcycle Club at the Barleigh Ranch Raceway last Saturday.
Senior Cody Lewis and junior Max Earl both scored a big haul of trophies at the end of an exciting day of racing action.
While both riders won each of the three classes of racing they entered, they both had to work hard to hold off tough competition, something that both were quick to admit while accepting their rewards.
Earlier in the day, Lewis was not dominant in the heat races, suffering several defeats by his good mate Brayden Gay and with Connor Ryan, Luke Bush and Blake Wilby also showing out well the finals still looked to be up for grabs.
But in the finals of both the Pro 450 and Unlimited Trackmasters classes, Lewis soon put the issue behind doubt with a great start and none of his rivals could get close enough to challenge him.
To wrap up the day, Lewis won the match race shootout to add his name to the winners of the Max Toth Golden Helmet, a trophy honouring a life member of the Wallsend Motor Cycle Club that was first awarded in 1965.
Caleb Wilkes won the Pro 250 class after some close battles with James Wood with the improving Nash Dorratt-Mavin third, while in the Over 40s Joshua McCosker was a decisive winner with Brendan Mc Kew and Jason Griffin joining him on the rostrum.
There was also an unbeaten winner in the ATV class, with Joshua Griffiths on top of Robert Booth and Sharna Stimson.
For the first time, the Rod Allen Memorial Trophy, awarded in memory of the man who was for many years the voice of dirt track and speedway commentary across the state, was raced for by the Junior Trackmasters class for 13 to Under 16s.
Across his three classes of racing on the day that were all decided over five rounds of racing, Max Earl was beaten only twice in those races.
Nate Jaeger and Zac Brady showed out well and battled hard with Earl in some of the races.
The 9 to Under 13s again provided plenty of close racing, at least until the final where another local Kaiden Lantry scored a decisive win.
All the junior classes showed that the future of the sport looks to be in good hands with other class winners being Oliver Bridge, Cohen McCosker, Riley Holder, Thomas Cameron, and Tahj Edwards.
Special mention must go to dual placegetter George Holmkvist who travelled from Far North Queensland for the meeting.
Press Release prepared by Peter Baker 0409 903196; bakerp@westnet.com.au on behalf of Hunter Motorcycle Club