Sunday 25th October, Northern Riders Championship
Brent Werner springs a shock to take the title. Dangerous Derrol took George Stancl's place - and didn't he do well.
Miracle the meeting was on given the rain over the past few days and the sudden downpour just before start time but go ahead it did on a pretty good track considering and the race times were pretty much on the pace(ish).
Meeting format same as the Premier Riders Final - five rides each, top two to the final, next four highest in a run off with the top two to the final.
QUALIFYING SCORES (riding order)
Stoney 2 1 0 2 1 (6) Paul Pickering 1 0 X X N/S (1) Dangerous 0 3 2 1 2 (8) Sean Wilson 3 2 2 3 3 (13) Robbie Kessler E 0 2 2 2 (6) Paul Thorp 1 2 3 2 1 (9) Garry Stead 2 0 0 1 3 (6) David Steen 3 0 1 3 2 (9) Jason Lyons 1 2 0 E N/S (3) Scott Smith 0 1 1 E 3 (5) Nikki Pedersen 3 1 3 3 0 (10) Brent Werner 3 3 3 2 3 (14) Paul Bentley 1 3 3 0 0 (7) Martin Dixon 0 1 1 F N/S (2) Gary Havelock 2 3 1 3 2 (11) Semi - Havelock, Pedersen, Steen, Thorp FINAL - Werner, Pedersen, Havelock, Wilson(E)
Not the best meeting, but good to see speedway after the deluge. It was really all about gating which Werner did better than anybody else although Pedersen made some good moves to pass from the back. However, Nikki should consider himself fortunate to have made the semi after clearly bringing Pickering down in heat 10. Pickering was excluded to the disbelief of all.
Meeting started with a cracker between Stoney and Wilson and then not much happened for a while. Big advantage to be off gate 4 as this trap won 6 of the first 8 heats.
Heat 13 was excellent and close between Stoney and Pedersen and then in heat 19 Keats rode superbly to beat Pedersen for second with Nikki eventually finishing last.
Things tended to get better as it dried out a bit, but passing did appear difficult to all excluding Pedersen, but try as he might, he just couldn't get past Werner who was a deserved winner. Quite fitting too that the four highest scorers contested the final and the highest points scorer taking it. Pederesen most entertaining rider even allowing for the Pickering incident. Keats not far behind.
Of the Sheffield contingent, Compton was the most successful and could have made the semi but for his last ride. Keats covered earlier. Stoney missed the gate too much and Smith was poor. Nice to see Kessler again and he got back in to it steadily. A team place next season perhaps?
So, congrats again to Werner - he deserved it.
Report by Andy
Friday 16th October, Young Shield semi-final
I thought my words were coming to haunt me as KEATS showed great form, after having bike trouble in his first outing, it would have been a different story if everyone had rode with the same effort as he did.
Peterborough 57 Passes Cunningham 3 3 3 3 3 15 1 Howe 1 2* 3 2* 8 (2) Woodifield 3 2 3 3 1 12 2 Pedersen 2* 1* 2* 3 8 (3) 1 Sadler 1 3 2 2* 8 (1) 4 Stead 2 1 1 - 2* 6 (1) 3 Allen - - - - Sheffield 32 Stonehewer 2 3 1 3 1 2 12 1 Larsen R/R Compton 1 2 - 2 1 - 6 2 Aas - - - - Smith 2* 1 - 1 - 4 (1) Palmer 1 - - 1 Keats - 3 3 2 1 1* - 10 (1) Underwood
Heats
1: 62.5 Cunningham, Stonehewer, Howe, Keats(r/r)
Keats had bike trouble
2: 64.8 Keats, Stead, Palmer, Allen
Stead rounded up Palmer, but Keats was away
3: 64.4 Woodifield, Pedersen, Compton, Aas
Aas a long way off at the back (deficit down to 8)
4: 65.2 Keats, Smith, Sadler, Allen
Keats away from the tapes, Sadler chasing hard then bike slowed and
Smith got by on the last corner (deficit back to 12)
5: 63.9 Stonehewer, Woodifield, Pedersen, Palmer(r/r)
Stoney away from the tapes, Pedersen behind Palmer but soon dives under
him (deficit still 12)
6: 64.3 Cunningham, Howe, Smith, Palmer
Easy win for Cunningham (deficit down to 8)
7: 65.2 Sadler, Compton, Stead, Aas
Sadler does well to lead and Compton passes Stead (deficit down to 6)
8: 64.7 Howe, Keats, Stead, Aas(r/r)
Howe from the gate, but Keats pushes him hard and Stead manages to pass
Aas (deficit down to 4)
9: 65.1 Woodifield, Pedersen, Stonehewer(t/s), Smith
Stoney in as a tactical, but fails to make it from gate 3 and the
Panthers come away on top for what I think was the match winning 5-1
(all square on aggregate)
10: 64.8 Cunningham, Howe, Smith(t/s), Compton
Easy for Cunningham and Howe (Panthers in front by 4)
11: 65.3 Stonehewer, Sadler, Keats(r/r), Stead
Stoney does the business from Gate 4, with Keats again riding well for
third (Panthers in front by 2)
12: 65.6 Woodifield, Compton, Keats(res), Allen
Woodifield and Compton have a good race at the front, while Keats easily
sees off Allen (PAnthers still in front by 2)
13: 65.2 Cunningham, Sadler, Stonehewer, Smith
Excellent race with Cunningham coming round everybody, and Stoney and
Sadler having a right ding-dong and Sadler finally coming round the
outside off of turn 4 (Panthers in front by 6)
14: 65.4 Pedersen, Stead, Compton(t/s), Keats
Sheffield looked down and out with Stead passing Compton for 2nd
(Panthers in front by 10)
15: 65.8 Cunningham, Stonehewer, Woodifield, Compton
Cunningham from the gate, with Stoney all over him and Woodifield
passing Compton for 3rd ( Panthers in front by 12)
All in all an excellent evenings entertainment and all credit to Sheffield for battling all the way, Heats 9 and 13 proved vital to the overall result. But the cup atmosphere provided a great evening.
Report by Jonathan Birkert
Thursday 15th October, Young Shield semi-final
SHEFFIELD 51 PETERBOROUGH 39 Carl Stonehewer 3 3 3 3 3 15 Glenn Cunningham 2 2 3 0 1' 0 8+1 Robert Larsen rider replacement (2) David Howe 0 0 2 2 Andre Compton 0 3 1 2 6 Brett Woodifield 3 1' 1' E 5+2 Rene Ass 1 1 1 3 3 9 Ronni Pedersen 2' 2 2 1 2 2 11+1 Scott Smith 2 3 2 2' 1 10+1 Nigel Sadler 3 2 0 1 6 Tommy Palmer 3 0 0 0 0 3 Simon Stead 1 1' 2 3 7+1 Derrol Keats 1 2' 1' 3 1' 0 8+3 Oliver Allen 0 f 0 0
1. Stoney flies into the lead while Derrol slips past Howe into the 3rd bend. David spends a couple of laps weighing up the track before attempting a spirited outside blast, but Derrol has his measure.
2. Plonker traps (!!!) and Derrol rounds Stead exiting turn 2. Not exactly team riding ensues, but at least they didn't impede each other while Simon climbed all over Derrol's rear wheel.
3. Ronni Pedersen recovers from a strange mistake on the first lap to round Rene on lap 4 with Brett comfortable ahead and Compton riding like a clown at the back.
4. Sadler traps and pulls inexorable away from Scud. Derrol comfortable in 3rd and Oliver falls trying everything and a bit more around the outside on the last turn.
5. Compton and Aas outgate Cunningham. Glenn finds his way around white line hugging Rene at the end of laps 2 and is soon snapping at Andre's heels, but Andre just hangs on to win. David Howe got on terms with Rene but didn't make it past.
7. Scud isn't fastest from the gate, but he rides a brilliant 1st turn to lead and resists relentless pressure from Brett and Ronni for a well deserved win.
8. Derrol leads while Rene hugs the white line allowing David to make up huge tracts of ground around the boards. Realizing his mistake Rene ventures out to mid track on the last bend but David is on a roll and very nearly catches Derrol on the line.
9. Rene obviously learned something from the last race as after making the start he rides the faster mid track line well enough to deny Simon any chance of passing. At the back Andre executes a lovely first turn to power under Nigel out of turn 2 on the second lap.
10. Palmer is left standing at the start and Stoney isn't much better, but he slips past Brett out of turn 2 and after a long chase slices up the inside of Ronni into turn 3.
11. Scud follows Stoney's example passing (T/S) Pedersen into turn 3, but Glenn follows through and takes the lead at the next bend.
12. Stead traps and leaves Compton and Keats in his wake. Woodifield is going backwards until he retires.
13. Stoney traps from Glenn, Scud and Nigel. Scud squeezes around Glenn out of turn 2 on the second lap and then resists the concerted efforts of both the Panthers to the crowds appreciation.
14. Rene finds himself up against the big guns with T/S Cunningham joining Pedersen. Palmer is left for dead again but Rene flies from gate 4 to lead. Hugging the white line out of 4 he checks over his shoulder to see both Panthers winding it up and he uncharacteristically takes a wider and wider line until he is virtually scraping the fence on the last turn, leaving both Glen and Ronni trailing behind.
15. Stoney completes his maximum in style, while Scud rounds Glenn out of turn 2 but cannot catch Ronni.
A very well appreciated win by a revitalized Tigers sextet with each of them winning a race. Tommy finished heat 2 with a smoking machine and struggled thereafter and Andre looked as slow as last week. Rene responded to being passed by David Howe with two brilliant wins, Scud turned in one of his best Owlerton displays of the season while Stoney was untouchable.
Glenn was obviously not 100%, health or equipment wise. Late arrival Ronni was always on the pace but perhaps lacking race fitness. Brett and Nigel set off with impressive victories but then fizzled out. David Howe looked to have got the track sorted in his 3rd ride, only to get dropped from his last in favour of Pedersen who finished 3rd. Oliver was always trying and Simon improved with each outing.
Thursday 8th October, Young Shield
SHEFFIELD 45 HULL 45 Stoney 3 2 3 3 2 13 L. Dicken 1' 2' 2' 0 5+3 R. Larsen rider replacement A. Grahame 2 3 2 3 3 3 16 A. Compton E 1 1' 0 2+1 P. Bentley 3 2 1 3 9 R. Aas 2 0 1' 2 1' 6+2 P. Lee rider replacement S. Smith 2 3 1 1 7 P. Thorp 3 3 3 2 11 T. Palmer 2' 1 1 0 2 6+1 S. Cartwright 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 D. Keats 0 3 1' 3 2' 2 0 11+2 J. Wilson 1 0 0 0 1
Phew, that was close. After last night I expected Hull to roll over and die with R/R for Paul Lee. How wrong. They really put up a fight and Sheffield didn't close out the aggregate win until heat 14.
Started as you'd expect with Stoney winning heat 1 and r/r Keats in last. Continued as you'd expect with Keats and Palmer taking a comfortable 5-1 in the next over Wilson and Cartwright. Hull get two back thanks to Andre dropping his chain at the start of heat 3. Thorp beats Smith for a 3-3 in the next but then Hull bang in a 5-1 over a disappointing Compton and Aas. Tie suddenly wide open again as now Hull only 4 behind on aggregate.
Heat 6 shared but Sheffield draw level on the night with a Smith/Palmer 4-2 in heat 7. Heat 8 brings a classic. Cartwright makes the gate and leads easily but Keats wears him down and then rides superbly to hold off Grahame, with Palmer passing Cartwright on the last turn for as crucial 4-2. Next is shared.
Heat 10 is an excellent team ride as Stoney covers Derrol on the outside. Try as he might Bentley can't pass 'em so it's a six point Sheffield lead (12 on aggregte). Just as we thought it was all over Hull repay the compliment with Grahame and Dicken shutting out Smith with their own display of team riding.
Hull pull more back in the next with a 4-2 as a clearly underpowered Compton can't get past Cartwright for third. Thorp and Smith have a good ruck behind Stoney in heat 13 with Thorp outfoxing Smith on the last turn, hugging the white line to take second. Keats gains his reward for an excellent performance with a nominated ride in heat 15 but Grahame steals it with a fine win over Stoney.
So, all level on the night but Sheffield through to face Peterborough next week. Another solid performance from Sheffield, Compton apart, with Keats particularly good. Overall, the same story as yesterday in the first leg but one can't help but feel that Hull may have gone through with Paul Lee in the side. The real difference over the two legs was at reserve with Palmer and Keats heavily outscoring their counterparts.
Report by Andy
TCH match race series: Stoney won at Hull, but Thorpy tied the series at Owlerton. Official decision is the result is a draw.
Wednesday 7th October, Young Shield
HULL 42 SHEFFIELD 48 L. Dicken 2 0 0 1 3 Stoney 3 3 3 3 2 14 A. Grahame 1' 3 2 3 1 10+1 R. Larsen rider replacement P. Bentley 3 2 3 3 3 14 A. Compton 0 1' 2 E 3+1 P. Lee 1 0 0 F 1 R. Aas 2 2 0 1' 3 8+1 P. Thorp 3 3 2 0 8 S. Smith 1' 2 2 2' 0 7+2 S. Cartwright F E 0 T. Palmer 2 1 1' 1' 2 7+2 J. Wilson 3 0 1' 0 1 1 6+1 D. Keats 0 1' 2 3 1 2' 9+2
'Lights
Heat 1; Stonehewer from the gate, hard challenged by Lee Dicken on the first bend, but after that no problem.
Heat 2; John Wilson from the gate, Cartwright was fourth when coming into the second bend he did an impression of a rodeo rider and destroyed the front wheel.
Heat 3; Bentley from the gate, Paul Lee gated last and flew round the outside of Compton on the second lap, then flew round Aas on the final bend of lap three, then under no pressure, went wide and clipped the fence allowing Aas to come back through to claim second
Heat 4; Thorpy won no problem, Scott Smith was last but tracked John Wilson and finally wnet round the outside to claim third.
Heat 6; Alan Graham rode like the Big Al of old, gated well and no one got close to him, Dicken fell on the second bend trying to round Scud.
Heat 7; Thorpy won no problem, cartwright made the back straight before blowing his engine, then retired from the meeting on medical grounds. The excitmetn in this heat cam from Compton who was climbing al over the back of Aas trying to pass him.
Heat 8; Keats from the gate chased by Big Al for four laps, but who couldn't get close enough to pass.
Heat 10; Big Al from the gate, Dicken on borrowed machinery never looked in it, again the excitment came, as Compton managed to get past Aas
Heat 11; Stonehewer and Keats gated, Thorpy traked then flew round the outside of Keats, but by that point Stonehewer was miles in front
Heat 13; Thorpy gated reasonably well, but had far too much speed to hold and smacked into the boards, leaving Sheffield an easy 5-1
Heat 14; Paul Lee, flew round the outside of the second bend, and flew into the fence, leaving the meeting in the ambulance. Re-run easy 5-1 top sheffield
Heat 15; Bentley and Big Al appeared for Hull, whether this was a final farewell gesture or Thorpy had hurt himself in his fall we don't know. Bentley and Big Al gated, they held the 5-1 for two laps before the inevitable happened and Stoney flew round the outside of Big Al, but couldn't get near Bentley.
Comments This was probably the last meeting of the season, and Big Al's last home meeting as he will retire at the end of the season (tonight?).
The difference between this and a fornight ago was Keats and Palmer, Keats was a revalation and rode well all night, Palmer is an asset at reserve and managed 7+2 more points than the last meeting. For Hull Bentley was excellent, Big Al rode perhaps his best meeting for a long time, Thorpy was Good until he fell, Lee Dicken and Paul Lee where a disappointment.
Report by Nick Wilson
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