West Australian Lincoln Hoath has etched his name into the history books, making the long journey from Derby worthwhile by claiming the 2026 Bob Holt SSA Inc. Junior Sedan Northern Territory Championship at Katherine Speedway last night.
In one of the closest finishes ever seen in the NT Title event, Hoath held off a relentless late race challenge from local favourite River Spitzbarth to take victory by a remarkable 0.004 seconds, securing the Northern Territory Title for Western Australia for the fourth time in the event’s history.
Starting from pole position alongside fellow West Australian Travis McGaffin, Hoath wasted no time asserting himself when the green flag dropped, leading McGaffin and Koby Rickerby through the opening corners.
The race got underway well, but the second was cut short by drama when several cars tangled exiting turn four, resulting in Zara Morrison flipping her machine and bringing out the red lights. Fortunately, Morrison emerged unhurt, with sixteen cars resuming.
Hoath again launched perfectly, maintaining the lead over McGaffin while Rickerby immediately searched the high line in an attempt to snatch second place. That move left the door open for Brax Hardy, who quickly joined the battle, and before long the pair were locked in a thrilling fight for third.
Out in front, Hoath steadily built an advantage while McGaffin established himself in second, but the battle behind continued to rage. Hardy eventually claimed third and immediately set about pressuring McGaffin, repeatedly diving to the inside and drawing alongside, only to be denied each time.
As the top three battled, Spitzbarth quietly worked his way forward. The Territory driver disposed of Rickerby for fourth before setting his sights on the podium, knowing every lap counted if he was to keep the coveted NT1 plate on home soil.
The complexion of the race changed dramatically when McGaffin suddenly slowed with mechanical issues. Hardy inherited second momentarily, while Spitzbarth, Rickerby and the chasing pack all advanced as the order shuffled.
With just three laps remaining, the caution lights came out again after Liam Butterworth lost a wheel, wiping away Hoath’s comfortable lead and setting up a dramatic sprint to the finish.
Adding to the tension, Hardy and Rickerby both headed to the infield before the restart, leaving just twelve cars to contest the final three laps.
When racing resumed, Spitzbarth glued himself to the rear bumper of Hoath’s car, trying every possible line around the Katherine circuit. One lap he attacked low through turns three and four, the next he carried momentum around the outside through turns one and two, but Hoath refused to crack under the pressure.
As the white flag waved, the lead pair had broken away from the field, with Spitzbarth making one final desperate charge.
Diving to the inside in the final set of corners, Spitzbarth drew alongside Hoath in an incredible drag race to the finish line. The two crossed the stripe virtually side-by-side, but after an anxious wait it was confirmed that Hoath had prevailed by an astonishing 0.004 seconds.
Behind the thrilling battle for victory, Queensland’s Jai Cotterell completed the podium in third after a strong drive, while Blake Overend and Riley King rounded out the top five.
The victory caps a memorable weekend for Hoath and his team, who made the long trek from Derby to Katherine and will now return home with one of Australian Junior Sedan racing’s most prestigious state titles.
His attention will soon turn to the upcoming Donny Archer Memorial, where the newly crowned Northern Territory Champion will look to continue his outstanding form.
Congratulations to all involved with SSNT and Katherine Speedway for putting on such a great event.
Feature, 25 laps: 1. W29 Lincoln Hoath, 2. NT43 River Spitzbarth, 3. Q36 Jai Cotterell, 4. NT53 Blake Overend, 5. NT95 Riley King. 6. NT96 Rhys King, 7. W58 Blake McGaffin, 8. W19 Katie Beadle, 9. NT57 Caiden Weaver, 10. NT7 Jake Park, 11. NT33 Hamish Chmielewski (24). DNF: W17 Koby Rickerby (21), NT77 Liam Butterworth (21), W21 Travis McGaffin (17), N8 Benji Gordon (16), W23 Brax Hardy (15), NT29 Connor Carse (1), W49 Seth Townsend (1), NT23 Zara Morrison (1). Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 0.004. Fastest Lap: 17.314 W29 Lincoln Hoath.