It was a case of close, but not close for enough for Xtreme Motorsport driver Jamie O’Neill in last Saturday night’s running of the Northern Territory 410 Sprintcar Title at Darwin’s Northline Speedway.

After winning the Darwin Title a fortnight earlier, O’Neill, driving the NT # 24 Xtreme Garden Care supported Maxim, was on track to win the Northern Territory Title, but was passed for the lead on the final lap in dense lapped traffic by eventual winner Scott Reilly, and finished only a bumper away from claiming the win.

“I was close, but we just missed out after I made the wrong decision in lapped traffic,” explained O’Neill, who is a former NT 360 Sprintcar Title holder.

“I was happy with how the whole night came together, and, to be honest, it was a little disappointing to be so close to yet another win, but we’ll take second.”

O’Neill earlier in the night won his opening heat race and then finished second in his other heat race. His solid heat-race form saw him sit on top of the points standings going into the 20-lap feature race and by virtue started the feature race from pole position. In the feature race, he powered to the lead from the outset, and remained out in front for the majority of the journey until Reilly come along and spoiled the party on the final lap.

O’Neill’s Xtreme Motorsport teammate Ben Atkinson, driving the NSW # 2 Xtreme Garden Care supported Maxim, had a quiet night in the 410 Sprintcars due to his 360 Sprintcar commitments. After opting not to contest the heat races, Atkinson started from the back of the field in the feature race, but as he was attempting to come from the back of the field he was struck down by mechanical woes and failed to finish.

The next outing for the Xtreme Motorsport team will be this Saturday night (August 30) back at Northline Speedway.

The Xtreme Motorsport team would like to thank their 2014 season supporters: Xtreme Garden Care, Mercure Parramatta, Sam Eyles Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Repco, Highway Smash Repairs, Grizzly Dyno Shocks, Bens Tree Services, System Homes, Savannah Powdercoaters, and Sign City.

To find out more about the Xtreme Motorsport team, visit their website www.xtrememotorsport.com.au