SPEEDWAY: Poole Pirates new boy Brady Kurtz is four points off the lead having finished fourth in the opening round of the Australian Speedway Championships.

The 19-year-old star, signed on a full transfer from Somerset Rebels this winter, grabbed one heat win and a trio of second places at Kurri Kurri.

He finished second to Jack Holder in his opener, holding off the charge of Nick Morris to pocket two points. He tried every line possible to pass Max Fricke in heat eight but had to make do with second again.

Kurtz went one better in heat nine, though, stamping his authority on a hotly-contested race during lap two but got passed by the irrepressible Rohan Tungate to come in third in heat 15.

He gave it everything in trying to trump Sam Masters in the final qualifier but wobbled a little towards the end and lost momentum but still sealed his spot in the B final.

Kurtz somehow found a gap between Mason Campton and the fence to take the lead and hold off Holder to claim his place in the showpiece but could not quite muster enough to challenge in a final won by Tungate.

Pirates asset Josh Grajczonek took seven points.