Tuesday, February 17, 2026
OXFORD SPEEDWAY
ChargersCheetahsOxford Speedway

Mitch McDiarmid eighth in Australian Championship and sixth in Oceania Championship – plus Season Tickets on sale

RPOxfordSpeedway

17-YEAR-OLD Australian Mitch McDiarmid has been busy in the speedway season Down Under, including finishing in eighth place in the four-round 2026 Australian Championship.

McDiarmid, who showed massive promise for the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs powered by Country Plumbing Supplies in 2025, improved on his position of 12th in last year’s Australian Championship, despite being blighted by machinery problems in the middle two rounds. His best performance came into the fourth and concluding round in Gilman on January 9, where he scored 10 points, before suffering a fall in his semi-final. McDiarmid finished the series on 30 points.

Dayle Wood, a reserve for Cheetahs in 2026, was elevated into the series after injuries to other riders. He was not on his usual machinery and scored eight points across the four rounds.

World No 5 Jack Holder won his second Australian Championship, after winning all four rounds. Rohan Tungate, who rode for the Oxford Spires in both 2024 and 2025, came third in the series.

McDiarmid was back in action in the Oceania Championship at Gilman on Sunday. He scored nine points, including defeating riders such as Scott Nicholls and Tungate and scored nine points. He just missed out on a place in the final, after finishing second to Jaimon Lidsey in his semi-final. He was classified sixth.

Meanwhile, McDiarmid’s Cheetahs’ team-mate Luke Killeen has been in action for the first time, since he broke his radius (arm) at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium in late October. Killeen, who has missed the Australian season until now, said on Saturday: “I had a skid today and felt pretty good – couldn’t keep the smile off my face! 2026 preparations are fully underway.”

MEANWHILE, Oxford Speedway has put its 2026 Ultimate Season Passes on sale. As a special incentive to buy early, there are additional benefits for any Ultimate Passes purchased before February 1, 2026.

The standard Ultimate Season Pass costs £265. There are also two options including parking – it is £285 for a pass that includes parking at the Unipart car park, or £315 for a pass that includes parking at the stadium. There is limited availability for the latter option.

The pass will cover 16 meetings in total: the 11 standard Cheetahs matches (eight in the Championship, two in the BSN Series and the first round of the KO Cup), plus five Oxford Chargers’ meetings.

The pass is NOT valid for progression in any competition (in the play-offs, the KO Cup or the BSN Series) or individual or shared events or additional meetings.

The additional benefits for those 2026 Ultimate Passes purchased before February 1:

  • All day access to Press and Practice Day (Date TBC)
  • Signed team photos (available to collect after Press and Practice Day)
  • One centre green experience to be taken at your convenience during the season
  • One pre-meeting track-walk with a member of team management and an Oxford team rider

There are also options to pay for the Ultimate Pass over three months.

Please go to: https://oxfordspeedway.club/shop/ for further details and to purchase your Ultimate Season Pass.

PHOTO by Steve Edmunds