Key:+ = from 15m handicap,  * = Tactical ride for double points,  ! = Tactical substitution from 15m
SHEFFIELD SPEEDWAY MATCH REPORTS 2008
SHEFFIELD WINDOW CENTRE 'Tigers' v Hull 'Vikings' Yorkshire Cup 8 May

Referee: Margaret Vardy

0102030405 0607080910 1112131415 Tot+Bp
1. Ricky Ashworth 8.30 2 3 3 3 tps 11
2. Paul Cooper 5.00 r 1 3 2' 6+1
3. André Compton © 9.52 3 3 3 3 3 15
4. Lee Smethills 5.38 1 1 1 3 6
5. Ben Wilson 6.67 3 2 2 1 8
6. Sam Martin

3.00

0 r fx 1 1
7. James Birkinshaw 4.80 3 2' fx 0 5+1
Eric Boocock 2 3 4 5 4 4 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 4 3
Sheffield 'Tigers' 2 5 9 14 18 22 24 27 31 36 38 41 45 49 52
Hull 'Vikings' 4 7 9 10 12 14 18 21 23 23 27 30 32 34 37
 Garry Stead 4 3 2 1 2 2 4 3 2 0 4 3 2 2 3
1. Joel Parsons 6.96 1 2 3 2 2 10
2. Robbie Kessler 5.79 3 x 2 1 6
3. Tai Woffinden (g) 8.23 2 3 fx 2 1' 8+1
4. Emiliano Sanchez 6.00 0 1 fx ef 1
5. Paul Thorp © 6.86 r r f - 0
6. Lee Dicken 5.09 2 2 2 1' 7+1
7. Barrie Evans 5.04 1' 1 1' 0 2 5+2
Track record: 59.3
Chris Holder, 6 Sept '07
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

61.5

62.1

61.6

62.0

62.1

62.8

62.3

64.5

63.1

awd

awd

63.0

64.0

66.2

63.2

2008 Programme  The track looked good from the terraces but was actually in a shocking state following Mondays stock car meeting. The first and second bends were fine but there were some nasty ruts around the third and fourth turns and a 'sticky patch' on the fourth which caused mayhem. Robbie Kessler flew from the tapes to win heat 1 with Ricky Ashworth in his wake. Joel Parsons and Paul Cooper were having a good scrap for third place until Paul found a rut and was lucky to stay upright! James Birkinshaw picked off Lee Dicken by the third turn to win heat 2 but Sam Martin was too far behind to capitalize on Barrie Evans getting out of shape on the third lap. It was a blanket start to heat 3 with Lee Smethills just ahead of Tai Woffinden and Emiliano Sanchez down the back straight but somehow André managed to weave his way through from the back and led by the third turn! Emiliano then found the fourth turn feature which sent him very wide causing Lee Smethills to take defensive action and allowing Tai to move from last up to second place. Lee dived under Emiliano at the start of lap three to level the scores. Ben Wilson trapped ahead in heat 4 and was quickly joined at the front by Birko. Paul Thorp looked quite rusty and retired from last place on the fourth lap. Robbie made another electric gate to lead heat 5. André was in the process of passing him on the fourth turn when Robbie hit a rut which straightened him up and he t-boned the Tigers skipper into the fence. Thankfully André was soon back on his feet and he easily outpaced Joel to win the re-run. Tigers lead 18-12. "Beethoven" as a musically challenged friend of old used to say!

There was a short break while they got the blade out to try and fix the problems on the third and fourth turns. Paul Thorp trapped ahead in heat 6 but Ricky dived past on the inside of turn three to take the lead. Paul Cooper was looking for an outside pass but Thorpy had picked up a puncture and baulked him on the fourth turn allowing Lee Dicken through from last to second place. Tai got a flyer to lead heat 7 and Emiliano passed Ben on the fourth turn to put the Vikings on a 5-1. Ben dived back into second place at the start of lap two and was lucky not to be collected when Emiliano reared on the fourth turn. Sam Martin retired with another puncture. Birko fell while trailing the field on the third turn of heat 8. Robbie trapped ahead of Coops in the re-run but Paul passed him on the inside of the fourth turn (where everyone else was falling) at the end of lap two and pulled clear. André blasted high and wide around the whole field to lead by the third turn in heat 9. Thorpy and Lee Dicken made a good race of it until Thorpy hit the rut on the last turn and fell gifting Lee Smethills a point. Emiliano gated to lead heat 10 from Ricky and Coops with Tai at the back. Tai scythed under Paul on the third turn but Emiliano fell untidily on the fourth turn and showed no interest in clearing the track. Tai got a flyer in the re-start but clouted the safety fence exiting turn two allowing both Ricky and Paul to pass him. Tai quickly gave chase and was right up Paul's exhaust when he found the fourth bend rut on the second lap. How he avoided collecting Paul I'll never know but he took a spectacular tumble with his bike finishing upside down by the pit gate. Margaret Vardy made an executive decision and awarded the race 5-0 leaving the Tigers 13 points ahead.

Ben and Joel trapped ahead in heat 11 and were going at it hammer and tongue until Sam (at the back of the field) lifted on the fourth turn and clattered into the fence. Another delay ensued while the kick board was repaired and the race was awarded as the other three had been on their last lap. André dived past Tai into the lead on the third bend of heat 12 with Lee Dicken outpacing Birko to share the heat. Ricky and Joel were dicing for the lead in heat 13 for a couple of laps until Ricky eased ahead. Emiliano and Barrie Evans led heat 14 for lap. Lee Smethills passed Barrie exiting turn two on the second lap and inherited the lead when Emiliano's bike packed in. André and Ricky were Eric's choice for heat 15 while Garry went with Joel and Tai. Ricky destroyed the tapes and it was a three man re-run. All three riders were in very close formation until André made a brilliant wide pass at the start of the second lap after which he never looked like being caught.

The stock cars left us a very tricky track which caused the majority of the falls, and some awkward moments besides. There was plenty of good racing by those who were prepared to attack the track and a good turn out for a hastily arranged filler fixture.

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