Koivumaki takes out win

Jake Koivumaki snatched the NSW sedan crown at Grafton Speedway, after South Australian driver - and current NT champion - Jason Duell suffered from late mechanical issues that forced him out of the running.

While not regarded as one of the favourites heading into the NSW title event - not even by himself - the young Territory driver, who had travelled more than 3,000km kilometers one-way to the race meet, was amongst the podium contenders throughout the deciding feature race and benefitted from the misfortune of Mr Duell with half-a-dozen laps remaining.

"What can I say, after not being in the seat for five months, (I) changed the car, (and) my first race back for the season ended up being the NSW title for a test run to see how it would go before the Australian title," the former Katherine Speedway driver said.

Mr Koivumaki said the first race hadn't even started when he blew a drive shaft in his sedan, missing out on racing in the first heat.

"(In the) second heat (I) finished 4th, (in the) third heat (I) came away with a win, putting me in P3 for the feature to come home NSW #1," he said.

The passionate driver said the title win was "very unexpected", but he was thrilled to capture his biggest ever win in Street Stocks.

"I guess for me, I now know my car is set up and is competitive, and the time I have spent hasn't been wasted," he said after the race.

Mr Koivumaki said he would encourage any young person to give speedway racing a go.

"I feel it is a good sport to get involved in and certainly gives you something to keep you busy and meet some really good people and mentors along the way," he said.

"I've been involved in speedway my whole life, but as a young child I never had the chance to race as junior in the junior division, so it was something that happened later."

The young driver said after his win he will be spending some more time in southern states, "having fun and showing that the NT (drivers) are happy to have a go".

He said his success on the speedway track could not have been possible without his sponsors, King Ash Bay Service Station, Cairns Industries, Manns Cattle Transport, J&T Auto Electronics, Edge Diesel, Cranky Crampy, "and Mum and Dad".

Thanks to his win, Mr Koivumaki joins Terry Reichstein, who won the 2004 South Australian Title in Super Sedans, as the only Northern Territory-based drivers to win a Speedway Sedans Australia-sanctioned title outside of the Territory.