The DEWALT SXS Australian Championship will reach its climax this weekend when it heads to Broadford in Victoria for the final round of 2018.
It has been an entertaining season for the exciting category, with five different drivers winning one round each, making Sunday’s final round all the more intense.
Polaris Racing Australia’s Simon Evans currently sits on top of the standings with a healthy lead over three CAN-AM rivals and is on track to grab his maiden SXS championship.
However with Off Road star Toby Price entering the championship for the second time this year, his first being a round win in July, anything can happen in this year’s Grand Final.
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THE TOP FIVE
SIMON EVANS – 302 points
Evans deserves to be sitting on top of the standings after opening his season with a round win and backing it up with three podium finishes, the most of anyone thus far.
As the points currently looks, the championship is Evans’ to lose. With a 20 point gap between him and the next competitor, the only real way that Evans can lose it from here is to finish 12th or lower.
Evans’ lowest position this year was in the previous round with sixth outright, so providing he falls that low or has a mechanical failure in the early stages, he should have it in the bag.
Championship Prediction: First
BRETT COMINSKY – 282 points
Consistency has been key in Cominsky’s position with the CAN-AM driver the only one in the top five yet to win a round, with podiums in Mount Helen and Yerriyong his season highlights.
Unfortunately being unable to secure a round a win throughout the year, it will be a very tall order for him to sneak the championship title.
For Cominsky to win the title, he needs to win his first round of the year and hope that Evans falls to 12th. Taking form into account, Cominsky could drop as low as fourth if he doesn’t finish in the top-10 like every round this year.
Championship Prediction: Third
STEPHEN HENRY – 276 points
Henry started off the season with a third place and a win, putting him equal first with Evans, but struggled in the next rounds, effectively ending his charge.
Can still win the championship, should he win the round and Evans drop to 15th and with every driver having a least one bad round, this could be Evans’ time for disaster.
Henry will be more focused on finishing four places above Cominsky in the Grand Final and with Price competing, Crocker in good form and McClue wanting to make amends for a lost season, Henry is likely to jump Cominsky.
However Henry could also finish as low as sixth should he fail to fire during the round.
Championship Prediction: Second
EWAN MCCLUE – 262 points
The 2017 and 2015 champion has had a season to forget based on previous years and is almost out of the running but still has a mathematical chance.
Plain and simply, needs Evans to retire very early on in the day, needs to win the Grand Final himself and needs both Henry and Cominsky to fail in the heats.
Most likely will stay right where he is.
Championship Prediction: Fourth
CODY CROCKER – 252 points
If McClue’s mathematical chances are slim, Crocker are almost non-existent and needing more than a miracle, however the round five winner still has a tiny chance to win.
Mechanical failures to Evans, Cominsky, Henry and McClue as well as a second consecutive round victory to Crocker will see one of Australia’s motor sport legends claim the title.
However, based on the consistency of the drivers above him, wont move anywhere.
Championship Prediction: Fifth
SXS SPORT
The Sports class is a tighter race with Tom Evans leading the charge, four points ahead of second placed Mitch Keyte, while Stephen Gregory sits a further four points behind in third.
Leader Evans has yet to finish on top of the class but his three consecutive eighth outright finishes has helped him to the top.
The highest any of the Sport drivers have finished this year in fourth, with Keyte and Tim Liston (fifth in class) the drivers to achieve that.
Keyte is the best chance to claim the class title, but has been inconsistent all year, making the SXS Sport title battle the one to keep an eye on.
The SXS finale begins at 9am at the MV State Motorcycle Centre in Broadford Victoria.
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Published: 19 October, 2018
