The 2019 National Junior Sedan Title over the weekend at Maryborough Speedway in Queensland was run and won, and it resulted in Ardie Jonic coming away with a successful defence.
In what was a dominant performance, Jonic went through all four of his qualifying heat races undefeated and then started the National Title deciding feature race from pole position. From there, he managed to carry on his form and dominate the 25-lap event from start to finish.
“It’s an amazing feeling to win one National Title, let alone two National Titles,” expressed the 15-year-old from Ipswich in Queensland, who admitted that he hadn’t had the best of track records at Maryborough Speedway.
“To defend my National Title means so much to not only to me but my entire family, and to go through the entire weekend undefeated made it all that more special.”
Jonic, who now has a total of 11 national and state title wins in the Junior Sedan class, continued by saying that although the track conditions throughout the weekend were challenging, consistency was the key.
“The track conditions were the same for everyone else out there, so the goal for me in the feature race was to just hit my marks and stay on the bottom line of the track, which was what I was able to achieve,” the Aus # 1 Daihatsu Charade driver explained.
“Although I went through the weekend undefeated, it was no certainly easy feat, as the level of competition in Junior Sedans keeps getting better and better, and it’s something that keeps you on your toes and making you to continue to work harder.”
Apart from the strong on-track form, Jonic was quick to praise the two people in his corner that make it all happen.
“The support I receive from my granddad Lubo and grandma Surelle is the main reason I’m able to do something I love,” said Jonic, who joined Todd Waddell as the only driver in National Junior Sedan Title history to achieve back-to-back wins.
“I can’t thank the both of them enough for everything that they do for me, and my success out on the track goes a little way towards thanking them for everything that they do for me.”
Apart from his successful National Title defence, Jonic has in the 2018-19 season picked up Queensland and South Australian Title wins.
Jonic now has 12 months as National Champion, before he ventures over to Western Australia to defend the National Title at Collie Speedway, which is in the south-west region of the state. It is at this event that he will have the opportunity to join Waddell as the only driver to score a hat trick of National Junior Sedan Title wins.
The next major event on the 2018-19 season schedule is the NSW Junior Sedan Title at Grafton Speedway in northern NSW on the Saturday night of February 9. Due to suffering a leg injury, Jonic was unable to contest last season’s inaugural running of this event.
To find out more about Jonic, LIKE him on Facebook by searching Ardie Jonic Racing Team #50.
