DUNKER DOUBLES UP IN MARYBOROUGH

Cameron Dunker has claimed both rounds of the Yamaha Aussie Flat Track Nationals season opener at Maryborough, backing up a Saturday flat track win with a nerve-shredding TT round victory on Sunday, with Max Whale never far behind.

Two rounds, one venue, and by Sunday night, one genuine rivalry on its hands. The Yamaha Aussie Flat Track Nationals kicked off its season with a double-header at Maryborough’s Action Park, and it was Cameron Dunker who left Queensland with the points lead after both days – though Max Whale made sure he earned every one of them.

Saturday’s flat track round set the tone. Whale (KTM) claimed Superpole, but it was Dunker who showed the sharper racecraft, pipping Whale in the opening race before the pair traded blows all day. Cooper Archibald put the new Ducati Desmo450 MX on the top step twice, including its maiden AFTN victory, while John Lytras also picked up a race win. Dunker’s consistency told in the end, sealing the round with a win and two runner-up finishes.

“That was unreal, to start it out with a win like that in race one was unbelievable,” said Dunker. “There’s a lot of champions here this weekend and starting on the second row wasn’t easy for me. I got beat up a little bit at times, but that’s how it is, it’ll teach me to qualify better. I’m looking forward to the TT track and I know I need to be on that front row.”

Sunday’s switch to the TT layout produced an even tighter contest – and a fairytale moment for rookie Riley Nauta, who stunned the field by snatching Superpole before going on to win the final, high-pressure back-to-back sprint race on his series debut. Dunker matched him for maximum points in that decider to secure the round, backed up by a string of second placings behind Whale, who was again near-faultless over the two opening races.

“What an amazing weekend!” said Dunker. “I can’t thank Franko, Adam, Fyffey and my old man enough. There would be lots of late nights for Franko and Adam in the workshop in Townsville, I’d imagine! The track was a bit tough there in the end, but everyone ended up making it through alright. It was unreal racing for me, and I’ve enjoyed every bit of it.”

Elsewhere across the weekend, Jed Fyffe held the edge over Neiko Donovan in the always-entertaining Junior Lites battle, Grace Hudson swept every race on offer in Pro Women, and Kru Tulloch found his form on the TT track in Junior 85s after a tougher Saturday. The new-for-2026 Over 35s and 65 Trackers classes both delivered close racing across the two days, with Glenn Smith and Hudson Raffin the respective standouts.

Series Organiser, Dave Maddock:
“That was an intense and tight weekend of racing at Maryborough and what is really encouraging is that I feel like the overall speed and standard of racing has been lifted again this year. By the end of the weekend we have seen some rivalries emerge – Dunker versus Whale is going to be great to watch unfold. Special mention has to go to Riley Nauta – we all know him from Supersport 300 in ASBK, but to come out and take Superpole in Pro 450 and a race win on his debut weekend against this level of competition takes a very special talent.”

The series now heads south for the Victorian double-header at Wodonga on August 29-30, with Dunker taking a narrow lead over Whale into Round 3.

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