World’s best returning for Ultimate Driver Championship

The world’s prime harness racing drivers will once more go toe-to-toe in 2026 with the return of the Ladbrokes Final Driver Championship.
Angus Garrard
The revolutionary slot racing sequence will return to Albion Park on Friday, February 20 and Saturday, February 21, following a massively profitable first iteration in 2025.
This 12 months’s occasion noticed 10 of the world’s finest drivers compete for a share of $250,000, with slot holders deciding on each drivers and horses throughout 20 action-packed races.
There might be much more incentive for drivers in 2026, with the prize cash rising to $350,000.
Ten $30,000 slots might be obtainable to buy, with the general Final Driver and their slot holder to obtain $110,000 in addition to a $15,000 Nutrien Gross sales Voucher.
The winner of every race may even take house $1,000 per race victory.
Purposes for slots have now opened, and can shut on September 12, 2025.
Sunshine State younger gun Angus Garrard was topped the inaugural champion earlier this 12 months, along with his 4 wins and 6 placings guaranteeing a cushty sequence victory.
RQ’s Senior Racing Supervisor – Harness Andrew Clarke mentioned it was thrilling to see the sequence return to The Creek for its second 12 months.
“The inaugural Final Driver Championship properly and actually exceeded expectations each on and off the monitor, with bumper on-course crowds and robust worldwide curiosity each contributing to its success,” Mr Clarke mentioned. 
“With the prize cash to rise subsequent 12 months, we predict much more curiosity inside the harness racing business for this thrilling sequence. 
“We’ve got been buoyed by the response the Final Driver Championship has generated throughout the globe, and we sit up for welcoming the world’s finest again to Albion Park in 2026.” 
A number of world-class drivers accepted the invitation to deliver their abilities to Australia in 2025, with five-time USA Driver of the Yr Dexter Dunn becoming a member of Corridor of Fame reinsman Yannick Gingras and Swedish megastar Bjorn Goop within the subject.
Native stars Nathan Dawson, Peter McMullen and Garrard had been joined by Australasia’s premier drivers Gary Corridor Jnr, Kate Gath, Brad Hewitt and Carter Dalgety within the quest for the Final Driver title.
The Final Driver Draft may even return for subsequent 12 months, with slot holders and drivers strategically deciding on their horses in every of the 20 races by way of a snake draft.
Click on right here for extra info on the Final Driver sequence.
from Racing Queensland

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