Around the Premier League Tracks 2007
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Friday, 24 August

There were two Premier League matches and a Knockout Cup match raced tonight. At Edinburgh the Monarchs met Workington while at Somerset the Rebels took on Sheffield both in Premier League matches. The Knockout Cup match was at King’s Lynn where the Stars raced a first leg semi-final tie against the Isle of Wight.


Premier League: Edinburgh 44, Workington 49 Workington won the aggregate bonus point by 99-84


Edinburgh were without Kai Laukkanen on Grand Prix duty and had Jacek Rempala at number three as a guest in his place. They also had Sam Martin at number 7 in place of the injured Daniele Tessari. Workington were at full strength.

Edinburgh went down at home again but their cause wasn’t helped when they discovered shortly before the match that their intended guest for Kai Laukkanen, Jason Lyons, was ineligible due to new averages issued in new green sheets. Jacek Rempala agreed to fill the gap at short notice. Workington were looking for an away win to get their charge for a top four finish restarted.

It all started so well for the Monarchs when George Stancl and Derek Sneddon made the gate in heat 1. Ulrich Ostergaard fell on the second bend and remounted while Mattia Carpanese looking distinctly uneasy took third. The home 5-1 was neutralised in the reserves race when Charles Wright and John Branney left the Edinburgh pair stranded at the gate. James Wright won heat 3 by a mile and it looked as though Craig Branney was going to pass Jacek Rempala for second place when the Workington rider overslid the fourth bend allowing Andrew Tully through for a shared heat. Workington took the lead with a 2-4 in heat 4. Kauko Nieminen won the race comfortably from Matthew Wethers with John Branney third taking the score to 11-13.

Ulrich Ostergaard won heat 5 under pressure from Andrew Tully but there was a pantomime at the back as Jacek Rempala miles behind in third place kept looking uneasily behind him to see whether Mattia Carpanese who was even further adrift was making ground on him. He wasn’t so the race was shared. George Stancl made a mess of the start in heat 6 and never figured in the race. He could only watch from behind as Derek Sneddon played a real captain’s part by beating Kauko Nieminen for another shared race. Workington then eased six points ahead with a 1-5 in heat 7 as Craig Branney and James Wright had an unchallenged ride from Matthew Wethers. Derek Sneddon won heat 8 from the gate. On the first bend, John Branney got out of shape and baulked Sam Martin who had to shut off. The referee saw no wrong though and the race proceeded. Justice was done however when Martin cleverly cut back on the last bend to pass Branney on the run in to the line. This gave Edinburgh a 4-2 and the score was now 22-26.

The Comets looked like taking a 1-5 in heat 9 when Charles Wright made a fast start and was shepherded round by Kauko Nieminen. However Andrew Tully wasn’t giving in and with a marvellous outside drive round Nieminen on the last bend pipped the Comet right on the line. Workington took a 2-4 though and now led by 6 points. James Wright won heat 10 in a canter while Stancl and Sneddon were left to fill the minor places for a shared race. Ulrich Ostergaard made a flying start to heat 11 leaving Matthew Wethers in his wake. Mattia Carpanese was in third place for a while but Kalle Katajisto passed him for a comfortable third place and another 3-3. Charles Wright fell on the opening bend of heat 12 and was excluded from the rerun. Jacek Rempala led round the first bend but was easily passed by James Wright who went on to win the race. Sam Martin then also passed Rempala on the back straight leaving him to drift round at the back for the gift point and a shared race. The score was now 33-39.

It looked all over when Nieminen and Ostergaard added a 1-5 in heat 13 putting the Comets 10 points in front with just two heats to go but there was high drama in heat 14. Andrew Tully was given a Tactical Ride and made a decent start to lead the field. Charles Wright fell on the first bend but remounted then Craig Branney fell on the last bend of the second lap causing the race to be stopped and awarded to Tully and Kalle Katajisto for a big 8-1 to the Monarchs. This dragged the home side mathematically into contention needing a 5-1 in the last heat for what would have been a miracle win. It didn’t happen though. Derek Sneddon completely missed the gate leaving Matthew Wethers to chase after the fast starting Nieminen and James Wright. Wethers produced the pass of the match when he sweetly rounded James Wright on the fourth bend on the second lap for second place. The Comets still won the race 2-4 and took the match by 5 points.

Scorers: For Edinburgh – Andrew Tully 11+1 (4)(with 6 point TR), Derek Sneddon 9+2 (5), Matthew Wethers 8 (5), George Stancl 5 (4), Kalle Katajisto 4+2 (4), Jacek Rempala 4+2 (4), Sam Martin 3 (4).

For Workington – James Wright 12+1 (5), Kauko Nieminen 12 (5), Charles Wright 10+1 (6), Ulrich Ostergaard 8+1 (4), John Branney 3+1 (3), Craig Branney 3 (4), Mattia Carpanese 1 (3).



Premier League: Somerset 41, Sheffield 53 Sheffield won the aggregate bonus point by 108-78


Somerset were at full strength but Sheffield were without James Birkinshaw and used Rider Replacement at number 4. They also nominated Kyle Hughes as their number 8.

Well hands-up if you saw this one coming. When was the last time Magnus Zetterstrom won only one race for the Rebels in a home match? When was the last time (if ever) that a visiting rider scored a maximum at the Oak Tree Arena? When was the last time that the Rebels produced only six race winners in a home league match?

In the opening race it was Ricky Ashworth who took the chequered flag after a tremendous race with Magnus Zetterstrom. Simon Walker was third so the race was shared but Sheffield took the lead with a 2-4 in the reserves race. The race had to be rerun after Danny Warwick had fallen and been excluded. James Cockle held off Jordan Frampton to win the race then the Tigers shot into a six point lead with a heat three 1-5. Paul Cooper and Andre Compton hit the front from the start and there was nothing Emil Kramer could do about it. The Rebels replied in kind with a 5-1 from Ritchie Hawkins and Danny Warwick ahead of James Cockle in heat 4. This took the score to 11-13.

Emil Kramer won heat 5 from Ashworth and Wilson but Stephan Katt looked out of sorts at the back so the race was shared. The home fans were happy again when the Rebels took the lead for the first time in heat 6. Paul Cooper fell and was excluded causing the race to be rerun. Simon Walker and Magnus Zetterstrom scored an easy 5-1 at the second attempt putting the Rebels two points in the lead. The lead didn’t last long! In heat 7 Ritchie Hawkins had machine troubles before the start and had to switch machines. Compton and Cooper did the damage again with another 1-5 as Jordan Frampton retired from the race. Simon Walker won heat 8 but Sheffield earned a 3-3 when Ben Wilson and James Cockle followed him home. The score was now 23-25.

In heat 9 Emil Kramer passed early race leader, Joel Parsons, on the inside but Stephan Katt in third place was passed by Paul Cooper so the race was shared. The next three heats were a disaster for the Rebels. Magnus Zetterstrom led heat 10 by a mile when he suffered an engine failure leaving Joel Parsons and Andre Compton to take a 1-5 stretching the Tigers’ lead to 6 points. It got worse when Ricky Ashworth won heat 11 from Ritchie Hawkins with Ben Wilson third for a 2-4 taking the visitors into an eight point lead. The third consecutive whammy followed in heat 12 with another 1-5 for the Tigers. Emil Kramer led the first running of the race but Danny Warwick fell causing the race to be rerun. At the second attempt the visitors gated with Cooper and Compton again leading Kramer home. The score was now 30-42.

Not surprisingly Magnus Zetterstrom took a Tactical Ride in heat 13. Ritchie Hawkins dived up the inside of Joel Parsons causing the Tiger to fall and Hawkins was excluded from the rerun. Zetterstrom won the rerun for a 6-3 reducing the arrears to nine points so Somerset had little choice but to give Emil Kramer a Tactical Substitute ride in heat 14 replacing Stephan Katt from 15 metres back. However although Kramer got past Cockle, Paul Cooper won the race from Danny Warwick to win the match for the visitors although the Rebels took a 4-3 from the race. To complete a disappointing night for the home side, Magnus Zetterstrom had another engine failure while leading heat 15. Andre Compton and Ricky Ashworth took a 1-5 to win all three points for the Tigers and give their play-off chances a shot in the arm.

Scorers: For Somerset – Magnus Zetterstrom 10+1 (5)(with 6 point TR), Emil Kramer 10 (5)(with 2 point TR), Simon Walker 9+1 (5), Ritchie Hawkins 6 (4), Danny Warwick 4+1 (5), Jordan Frampton 2 (3), Stephan Katt 0 (3).

For Sheffield – Paul Cooper 13+2 (7), Andre Compton 12+3 (5)(paid maximum), Ricky Ashworth 12+1 (5), Joel Parsons 7+1 (5), James Cockle 5+1 (4), Ben Wilson 4+1 (4).



Knockout Cup, semi-final, first leg: King’s Lynn 49, Isle of Wight 44


King’s Lynn were at full strength but the Isle of Wight had Simon Lambert at number 7 in place of the injured Andrew Bargh.

King’s Lynn’s hopes of taking a sizeable lead to the island for the second leg were dashed by an 18 point maximum for Chris Holder. The Stars won there in a televised match earlier in the season but things have changed since then and the Islanders will fancy their chances of an aggregate win for a place in the final.

Chris Holder won the first heat while Cory Gathercole fell so the points were shared. James Brundle won heat 2 but Simon Lambert and Chris Johnson shared the race behind him. The Stars took the lead in heat 3 when Daniel Nermark won from Jason Bunyan with Paul Lee third for a 4-2. Trevor Harding and Benji Compton led heat 4 but Compton shed a chain on the last bend causing Stojanowski to run in to him. The race was awarded as a 3-3. Chris Holder won again in heat 5 from Nermark and Lee for another 3-3 but Chris Mills and Tomas Topinka scored a 5-1 in heat 6 from Stojanowski to increase their lead to 6 points. Jason Bunyan won heat 7 from Brundle and Harding for a 3-3 then Chris Mills beat Gathercole and Lambert for another shared race in heat 8 taking the score to 27-21.

The Stars went 8 ahead with a 4-2 in heat 9. Daniel Nermark won the heat from Stojanowski with Paul Lee third then the lead went to 10 points when Tomas Topinka won heat 10 from Bunyan and Mills for a 4-2. AS a result Chris Holder was able to take a Tactical Ride in heat 11 and won it beating Trevor Harding. Cory Gathercole was third so this resulted in a 2-7 to the Isle of Wight cutting their arrears to just five points. In heat 12 Simon Lambert reared coming off the second bend and collected Brundle and Nermark. Lambert was excluded and the Stars got back to seven in front with another 4-2 when Nermark beat Jason Bunyan. This took the score to 41-34.

Chris Holder won again in heat 13 beating Tomas Topinka again while Krzysztof Stojanowski took third from Trevor Harding. The 2-4 cut the lead to 5 points again but back came the Stars with a 4-2 in heat 14. James Brundle held on to win from Glen Phillips with Paul Lee third then in the last heat Chris Holder completed a brilliant maximum again beating Topinka while Jason Bunyan did well to relegate Daniel Nermark to the back for a final 2-4 cutting the winning margin to five points.

Scorers: For King’s Lynn – Tomas Topinka 11+1 (5), Daniel Nermark 11 (5), James Brundle 9 (5), Chris Mills 8+1 (4), Trevor Harding 6+1 (4), Paul Lee 4+1 (4), Benji Compton 0 (3).

For the Isle of Wight – Chris Holder 18 (5)(with 6 point TR)(full maximum), Jason Bunyan 10 (5), Krzysztof Stojanowski 6 (4), Simon Lambert 4+2 (4), Cory Gathercole 3 (4), Glen Phillips 2 (4), Chris Johnson 1+1 (4).