05/09/2026
MCHUGH'S MILSTONE VICTORY & GOODYER TAKES THE TITLE...
The dust has settled at Wise Group Northline Speedway, capping a huge two-nights that saw North Queensland's Lachlan McHugh NQ7 take Friday's Defend the Top End feature for the 100th feature win of his career, before Goodyer turned the tables in last nights (Saturday) 30-lap title decider.
With 28 sprintcars nominated and national names including Goodyer, McHugh, Matt Egel S29 and New Zealand's Max Guilford NZ79 in the pits, the weekend delivered everything the pre-event hype promised.
South Australia's Ryan Jones S63 set the early pace with a quick time and won the A Dash from McHugh, Goodyer and Egel. Heat wins went to the super fast Aston Rodriguez NT66, Jason Pryde W14 and Goodyer, while the B Main sent Michael Saller N56, Guilford, Zack Grimshaw NT11 and Lachlan Cole NT17 through to the feature.
In the 25-lap feature McHugh was too strong, setting the fastest lap of the race at 12.115 seconds on his way to a 1.461-second win over Egel, with Jones third and Dylan Menz Q46 fourth. It was a milestone night for the North Queenslander taking his 100th career feature win, Rodriguez put his name on the list as one of the ones to watch as he mixed it with Jock and Lachie for the opening laps coming home in 5th, ahead of Guilford, who charged from the B Main to sixth. Goodyer's night ended early when the A1 blew a right rear tyre.
McHugh looked the man to beat again on Saturday, setting a quick time of 12.873 seconds, winning Heat 1 and taking the A Dash from Egel, Saller and Goodyer. Saller and Jye McKenzie W46 won the other heats, Rodriguez won the Mid-Pack Dash, Brett Hobson NS96 the B Dash. Local Christopher Harrison NT84 led Karl Hoffmans, Hobson and Cori Jackson through the B Main.
In the title race Goodyer prevailed by 1.886 seconds over McHugh, setting the fastest lap of the race at 12.739 seconds along the way, with Egel back in third. Rodriguez fourth, ahead of Saller, Jones, Menz, Hayden Brown NT77, William Prest NT72 and Pryde. Seventeen cars finished on the lead lap.
The support classes were every bit as busy as the sprintcars, with more than 50 local cars across Wingless Sprints, AMCA Nationals, Junior Sedans and Street Stocks over the two nights. The Wingless Sprints put 20 cars on the track for Friday's feature and it was Jack McCarthy driving the NT5 who took the win from Kyle Mock N97 and Blake Walsh NT1, with Zane O'Toole Q4 and Victorian Leigh VanGinneken V15 rounding out the top five. Heat wins went to Keelan Edwards NT52, Cameron Jaenke NT56, Blake Scarey W76 and James Wren NT16.
Saturday belonged to Walsh, who won his heat and then the feature from Mock and McCarthy, with O'Toole and VanGinneken again fourth and fifth. VanGinneken, O'Toole and Jamie McInnes NT44 took the other heats. Walsh’s dominate drive in the feature landed him his 3rd straight NT title, he dedicated this win to his mum.
Mark Allcorn NT55 won Friday's AMCA Nationals feature from Deegan Sherwood NT38 and Shane Newstead N27, with Shannon Singleton N39 fourth and Nicholas Glazbrook W48 fifth, after Sherwood and Allcorn had split the heats. Glazbrook went one better on Saturday, taking the feature from Allcorn and Sherwood with Zachary Carmody NT00 fourth, while Newstead and Singleton won the heats. Allcorn's first and second across the weekend made him the pick of the 13-car field.
Saturday's Junior Sedans were all about Caiden Weaver NT57, who won both heats and the feature in a 13-car field. Brock Beurskens NT64 finished second and Rhys King NT96 third, ahead of Riley King NT95 and Tommy Harte NT888. Jake Koivumaki NT11 was unbeatable in the Street Stocks, winning every heat and both features. Jayke Budd NT26 was second and Kade Robertson NT69 third on both nights, with Michelle Gill NT74 fourth.
Thank you to all the volunteers, fans and teams!
DONT FORGET the All Star Welding Chariots of Thunder is almost here. the Mitchell Street motorcade, this Wednesday the 9th kicking off at 530 before the ‘welcome to Chariots’ Fan night at The Precinct from 6:30 PM.
All Star Welding Chariots of Thunder Three nights, one crown, and only one name that leaves Darwin with it.September 10 11 & 12 at Wise Group Northline Speedway.
Kids under twelve free. Book your tickets at www.northlinespeedway.com.au
PHOTO CREDIT Nakita Po***ck Motorsports Photography
