Continuing his incredible season last night, South Australian Nathan Thorne was able to successfully defend his SSA Street Stock Northern Territory Title at the Northline Speedway defeating Victorian Matt Nelson who finished for the second year in a row, and third placed Sam Brumfield.
Thorne was strong throughout the night and did enough in the heat races to qualify himself from pole position for the thirty five lap final, alongside Nelson, while further back other hopefuls including Jason Duell and Jack Yates were unable to make the call.
As the race went green Thorne would immediately take the lead, and although Nelson would stick the nose under Thorne a number of times over the first lap, he was unable to make a move.
An early caution would see Megan Henderson and Brodie Reid eliminated from the race, but Thorne would maintain his lead, he and Nelson pulling clear of the rest of the field while third placed Brumfield would lead Jake Koivumaki and Lenny Bates in what was developing into a good battle.
Bates grabbed fourth on lap six, then chased down Brumfield and passed him for third on lap eleven, but up front Thorne was pulling away from Nelson as they made their way through lapped traffic.
Thorne was lucky to avoid issues as a lapped car spun in front of him with twenty three laps remaining, bringing out the yellows for the second time in the event.
Bates was put back to fifth on the restart, Thorne leading away Nelson, Brumfield and Koivumaki.
Koivumaki would look to the outside of Brumfield, but the duo made contact coming out of turn four, allowing Bates to get back by for fourth, however by now Thorne had really begun to stretch his legs and was out to a big lead over Nelson.
Another caution with fourteen laps to go bunched the field up once again, Koivumaki back by Bates for fourth as the race resumed but business as usual up the front with Thorne leading Nelson and Brumfield, though the battle for second through to fourth would remain a lot closer than previous.
Bates slowed and went infield with eight to go, while Koivumaki began to apply the pressure on Brumfield and was able to effect the pass with only a few laps remaining, the duo side by side right behind Nelson.
Thorne though was well clear in the distance and would go on to successfully defend his Title, Nelson holding on for second while Brumfield was able to get the best of Koivumaki in the run to the line.
Official Result
Feature, 35 laps: 1. S52 Nathan Thorne, 2. V61 Matt Nelson, 3. NT63 Sam Brumfield, 4. NT11 Jake Koivumaki, 5. NT92 Lucas Fry, 6. NT3 James Ballantyne (34), 7. NT26 Jayke Budd (33), 8. NT69 Samantha Radford (32), 9. NT53 Aiden James (29), 10. NT74 Michelle Gill (26). DNF: W74 Lenny Bates (27), NT13 Lachlan Vanderburg (16), NT31 Kane Lloyd (12), NT44 Megan Henderson (1), NT59 Brodie Reid (1). DNS: S18 Jason Duell, NT17 Jack Yates, NT51 Jamie Jones. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 5.829. Fastest Lap: 18.236 S52 Nathan Thorne.
Pic Courtesy Speedway Sedans Northern Territory.