Simon and Dmitri show our northern visitors the way to the first bend and are never troubled as they take a maximum from heat 1. Arthur and Nathan repeat the courtesy in heat 2 but Danny Ayers rounds Nathan on the pits turn to go second. Fernando Garcia takes a few laps to remind himself of the left turns before rounding Nathan on the third bend of the last lap. Ben Barker couldn't get his bike started and well into his two minute allowance for heat 3 he sprinted back into the pits to jump on another bike. Despite the back straight timer having expired Phil Griffin chose to turn a blind eye and allowed Ben to take his place much to Eric Booocock's displeasure. Richie showed that he remembered the way to the first turn (after all those years in the second halves) but Ben wasn't at all happy with his alternate mount and pulled off the track after two laps. Jason swooped around the field to lead heat 4. Nathan passed Danny on the inside of the pits turn, but Danny went back around him on the second turn and then Aaron Summers closed him down. The visiting captain dived under Nathan into the thid bend of the third lap, but the youndster was having none of it and reclaimed the place and the point on the second bend of the last lap. Robert Lawson perfected the first bend outside swoop when guesting for us but Josh got there first in heat 5 and then team rode to another maximum and a 10 point lead!

Simon leads the way in heat 6 and Dmitri inherits second place when Aaron conks on the third bend. (Sorry, I've been reading my old programmes. When I was a lad it wasn't 'ef' for engine failure, it was 'c' for conk!). Jason did enough around the inside to lead heat 7 but Richie on a tactical kept him honest. Dmitri was hot away from the tapes to lead heat 8, but Nathan had a malfunction on the third bend and took an awkward tumble. Josh led away in heat 9 but Fernando Garcia turned hard across Kyle into the first turn. Kyle brushed the Argie off and went after the visitors captain and just failed to make the pass at the start of the last lap. Dmitri was off and away in heat 10 but Ben off gate 2 took Simon very wide into the first turn and virtualy fenced Richie off gate 4. Simon switched back to pass Ben on the inside of the pits turn and followed his team mate home for another maximum. In the meantime Richie caught and tried to pass Ben but nearly got fenced for his trouble! Twenty two points ahead of the league leaders!

Jason leads down the back straight of heat 11 leaving Robert under pressure from Arthur. Nike Lunna closed down and passed Arthur on the third lap. Richie rounded the field off gate three to lead heat 12 from Kyle but Nathan retires with a problem at the back. Simon leads heat 13 from Richie and Jason dives under Aaron to extend the lead. Ben leads heat 14 but everyone has now sussed the outside is the best line and it becomes a procession. With a freshly graded track Dmitri obviously wanted to make a point to the club who rejected him last year and accepted the heat 15 challenge despite being sat on a maximum. He made a good start from the inside gate but Ben Barker swooped past him out of the second turn. Dmitri dived up the inside and re-took the lead out of turn two but Ben got better drive off the pits bend to lead again. Dmitri tried a wider line and passed Ben on the apex of the third and fourth turns but Ben still wasn't beaten and battled back into the lead as they entered the last lap. (I was stood on the centre green and was beginning to get dizzy!) Dmitri tried another outside swoop on the last turn but chose discretion rather than valour when Ben started to drift toward the fence. A brilliant race and tribute to Graham and his team who have sucessfully mixed clay into the shale to bind it into a propper racing surface. Spirits were high in the home camp despite Richard getting the heave-ho and the visitors hardly knew what hit them!

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