12/09/2024
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Current Australian Sprintcar champion Lockie McHugh triumphantly opened his season account on Saturday night at Darwin’s Northline Speedway with a superbly measured drive to record a popular win in the Scardifields Smash Repairs backed Northern Territory Sprintcar Title.
McHugh’s form Saturday night sent a clear message that the potent SRV Road Freight Services #1 team would be again a leading contender for this weekend’s Ostojic Chariots of Thunder event that kicks off Thursday night with the first of three consecutive nights of Sprintcar racing at Northline Speedway for the 2024 CoT.
More than 30 Sprintcars will converge on Darwin for this weekend’s 3 night extravaganza that will pay out more than $160,000 in prizemoney along with the highly anticipated Pope Challenge on Friday night that will see one driver if they’re good enough come from the rear to win and capture $50,000 for their effort.
The Australian Sprintcar spotlight well and truly will be focused on the top end this weekend with many of the countries leading drivers in attendance.
McHugh’s NT Title win sits nicely alongside his 2021 victory in the same event while he managed to lead home popular SA visitor Matt Egel with Jordyn Charge’s incredible string of A-main wins finally ending with his still impressive run to third place.
McHugh’s prowess was on display early in the 30 lap A-main on another racy track surface that produced plenty of opportunity for passing. Egel impressively managed to keep within a straightaway and at times closed within a handful of car lengths before McHugh’s class proved too good as he recorded the win by a little more than 2 seconds as they crossed the line with Charge following in hot pursuit.
Speedy Tasmanian Tate frost raced to fourth place ahead of SA’s Glen Sutherland, Ryan Jones, Kaiden Manders, Daniel Harding, Scott Enderl and Dylan Menz who rounded out the all interstate top 10.
24 Sprintcars took to Northline Speedway Saturday night with West Australian newcomer Aaron Chircop setting the fastest time in Time Trials with an impressive 12.709 second lap of Northline Speedway upsetting many of his more experienced rivals in the process.
Heat race wins went the way of McHugh who ripped from his sixth starting spot to fire a shot early while Matt Egel also scorched from a second row starting spot to record a win. WA’s Trent Pigdon and local ace Chris Harrison were other heat winners while the B-main was won by Kale Quinlan.
Saturday’s Scardiefields Smash Repairs NT Sprintcar Title was the culmination of a busy two nights for the Northline Speedway team with Friday’s Defend the Top End Sprintcar event producing a fifth straight A-main victory for Victoria’s Jordyn Charge in the well prepped NT #11 owned by local legend and Australian Speedway Hall of Famer Warrenne Ekins.
Charge led home 2021 CoT champion Matt Egel who’s affinity with Northline Speedway continued with New South Wales driver Mick Saller rounding out the podium.
Heat wins Friday night went the way of Glen Sutherland who also topped the time trial sheets earlier in the evening with Kaiden Manders, Jordyn Charge and Mick Saller winning the other heat races.
This weekend Sprintcar racing returns to Northline Speedway on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night for the 3 rounds of the Ostojic Chariots of Thunder for 2024.
Article by Gavin White
Photo by Nakita Po***ck Motorsports Photography
