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Last Updated: Jan 11th, 2008 - 17:11:20 |
Chris Holder has been crowned the 2008 Australian Speedway Champion in emphatic style after winning the final round of the series in Sydney to make it a perfect five wins from five rounds.
Despite his main rival, Troy Batchelor, dominating the heats, Holder pulled of a sensational passing move in the A-Final to complete his dream run in front of an adoring hometown crowd.
The 20 year old from Appin was simply too good for Batchelor, who had managed to take a maximum 15 points from his five heats earlier in the evening.
However, on the third lap of the final having settled into second off the start, Holder sealed his clean sweep with a stunning pass leaving Queensland’s Batchelor having to settle for second place.
That was the story of the series – Batchelor ended the championship in second ahead of England’s Joe Screen, with Victorian Cameron Woodward finishing in fourth.
There was a big crowd at the Sydney Showground, and they were treated to fireworks, freestyle Motocross jumping and a huge jet powered van blasting around the track.
But their biggest treat came in the form of Holder – a worthy Australian Champion who has an enormous future on the international Speedway stage.
On the night, Jason Doyle took out third place, while Woodward and Freddie Lindgren rounded out the top-five.
Speaking after the presentation ceremony, an emotional Holder was lost for words. “I’m stoked – I don’t know what to say!” he said. “I’m still pinching myself – it was great! “I didn’t think it would go this good! I knew I wanted to go really well, and knew I wanted to be up the front, and to win from the back in front of my home fans and against Troy, I’m pretty happy with that!”
Batchelor was disappointed that he relinquished the lead in the final, and though he knew the championship race was over, he still would have liked to take the round five honours.
“I led the final for two laps or something and I just couldn’t get the bike hooked up on the finals,” he said. “I’m spewing on that but I know what went wrong, so I’ll know for next time. “There’s no shame in second I guess, but winning would have been better but it wasn’t to be.”
The pair will square it off once again at the 2008 Australian Under 21 Speedway Championship which will take place in Mildura on Sunday 27 January.
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