Mark Plaisted and Ben Pitt are Australian speedway sidecar champions for the fourth time in five years after defeating Trent Headland and Jaxon Rayner in a pulsating finale at Bowen Showground in Queensland on April 20.

In a superb exhibition of sidecar competition, the two South Australian teams traded blows throughout the four-lap final, with the lead changing many times before Plaisted/Pitt prevailed by the narrowest of margins.

The hard-earned victory for Plaisted/Pitt now sits alongside their recent Australian championship successes in 2022 and 2023, while it was a sobering result for Headland/Rayner who just fell short after romping through the heats undefeated.

Podium celebrations after a brilliant final in Bowen. Image: Tony Hodskiss

In front of a healthy crowd, Tyler Moon/Adam Lovell were third in the decider ahead of Justin Plaisted/Brian Anthony, who had advanced after winning the B-final.

Byron Gates/Michael O’Loughlin were fifth overall in Bowen from Max Howse/Riley Commins, 2024 Aussie champions Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox and Stuart Firth/Jason Martin.

Plaisted/Pitt have added another Australian title to their CV. Image: Tony Hodskiss

The night before, on April 19, Gates/O’Loughlin blazed through the qualifying meeting with maximum points. The top eight teams from the qualifier then joined the seeded teams in the championship meeting.

Meanwhile, it was a disappointing title defence for 12-time Aussie champion Treloar, who nursed his ailing machine home in a heat race before the issue resurfaced when he was preparing for the B-final. He was then excluded for breaching the two-minute rule.

Headland/Rayner were in superb form all night, and it took the best from Plaisted/Pitt to defeat them in the final. Image: Peter Campbell

Junior sidecar competitors were also in action at the Queensland coastal town over the weekend, putting on a great show for the spectators in the NQ Speedway Riders & Supporters Club-promoted event.