Around the Premier League Tracks 2008
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Thursday, 15 May
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Tonight’s matches were at Sheffield where the Tigers raced Glasgow in a Premier League match and at Redcar where the Bears took on Stoke in a Premier Trophy match.
Premier League: Sheffield 63, Glasgow 29
Sheffield were at full strength but Glasgow again were without Shane Parker and Josh Grajczonek. They had Tomas Topinka as a guest for Parker and used Rider Replacement at number 2 for Grajczonek. Ben Hopwood was again nominated as their number 8.
After losing the opening two races to 5-1s it looked like being a long night for the Scottish Tigers. Ross Brady made an excellent gate to lead the opening race but was passed by Ricky Ashworth on the fourth bend. Joel Parsons soon repeated the doze leaving Brady to finish third after Trent Leverington had fallen on the third lap and remounted. The 5-1 was followed by another when Paul Cooper and Sam Martin beat Ross Brady from the gate. As happened last night at Birmingham all Glasgow’s points after the first two heats were scored by Brady although this time he had two as opposed to last night’s six. Tomas Topinka led heat 3 for the visitors until he was passed by Andre Compton. Lee Smethills finished third for a 4-2 to put Sheffield ten points ahead. Mitchell Davey made the gate in heat 4 but was passed by Ben Wilson and Paul Cooper off the second bend for another 5-1 which took the score to 19-5.
In heat 5 Andre Compton and Lee Smethills gated to head home Trent Leverington for another 5-1 while Ben Hopwood was given the R/R ride. Robert Ksiezak gated in heat 6 but was passed by Ricky Ashworth after he was subject to a strong challenge by Joel Parsons. Parson finished third so the race resulted as a 4-2 for a 20 point lead to the home side. In heat 7 Glasgow gave Tomas Topinka a TR but Ben Wilson led him home from the tapes. However the visitors finally got into double figures when Topinka finished second and was supported by Lee Dicken in third for a 3-5 advantage to the visitors. Joel Parsons and Paul Cooper replied with another 5-1 in heat 8. Robert Ksiezak fell while in third place so Mitchell Davey took the third place point. Then, rather surprisingly, it was announced that Ross Brady had withdrawn from the meeting after aggravating a shoulder injury although it’s not clear what happened. The score was now 36-14.
The rout continued when Andre Compton and Lee Smethills gated for another 5-1 ahead of Ksiezak in heat 9 then Ricky Ashworth and Joel Parsons repeated the score ahead of Tomas Topinka in heat 10 to put the Yorkshire Tigers 30 points ahead. Heat 11 was shared though after Sam Martin’s bike packed up leaving Leverington and Hopwood (R/R) to follow Ben Wilson home for a 3-3. Andre Compton won heat 12 but the interest was in the action behind him as Paul Cooper tried unsuccessfully to pass Tomas Topinka all race. The 4-2 took the score to 53-21.
After the interval, following heat 12, Glasgow fared better. In heat 13 Ricky Ashworth gated but Robert Ksiezak and Trent Leverington slotted in behind him to keep Ben Wilson at the back and share the race. Then Lee Smethills won heat 14 but Lee Dicken finished second ahead of Sam Martin as Mitchell Davey fell at the back. This ended up as a 4-2. Glasgow then provided their sole race winner when Tomas Topinka gated to beat Joel Parsons and Paul Cooper with Robert Ksiezak at the back for a shared race.
Scorers: For Sheffield – Ricky Ashworth 12 (4) (maximum), Andre Compton 12 (4) (maximum), Joel Parsons 10+2 (5), Paul Cooper 9+3 (5), Ben Wilson 9 (4), Lee Smethills 8+2 (4), Sam Martin 3+1 (4).
For Glasgow – Tomas Topinka 12 (5) (with 4 point TR), Robert Ksiezak 5 (6), Trent Leverington 4+1 (4), Lee Dicken 3+1 (4), Mitchell Davey 3 (7), Ben Hopwood 1+1 (2), Ross Brady 1 (2).
Premier Trophy: Redcar 52, Stoke 38.
Redcar introduced their new signing, Joni Keskinen (Finland), as a replacement for Chris Kerr. Stoke were at full strength.
It must be track record week. After Jason Lyons broke the track record at Birmingham last night, Gary Havelock then James Grieves both broke the Redcar track record in this nothing at stake meeting to complete the Premier Trophy section matches.
Gary Havelock was first to set the new time (54.7) in the opening heat in which the main interest lay in the performance of Joni Keskinen. He finished behind Mark Burrows and Lee Complin for a shared race but looked promising. Josh Auty won the reserves race but Jesper Kristiansen and Klaus Jacobsen took second and third for another 3-3. The Bears took the lead in heat 3 after James Grieves had lowered the new track record further to 54.5. Ben Barker took second while Daniel Giffard’s third place earned the home side a 4-2 for a two point lead. Heat 4 provided another home race winner when Ty Proctor won from Emiliano Sanchez and Jesper Kristiansen for another 3-3 which took the score to 13-11.
It was the same again in heat 5. James Grieves won the race but the Stoke riders, Complin and Burrows, shared the points behind him. A feeling of Déjà vu must have come over the Bears fans when Gary Havelock won heat 6 and Joni Keskinen never moved from the start for another 3-3. Ty Proctor won heat 7 after making the gate. Josh Auty passed Barrie Evans on the second lap to move into third before challenging Ben Barker unsuccessfully for a 4-2 giving the Bears a four point lead. It didn’t seem much of a lead given that the Bears had provided all seven race winners! In fact it wasn’t as they found out when Jesper Kristiansen and Mark Burrows made the gate to lead Josh Auty home for a 1-5 which levelled the scores at 24-24.
Redcar took a two point lead again in heat 9 when James Grieves won for the third time. Redcar were sitting on a 5-1 from the gate but Daniel Giffard got out of shape on the third bend of the last lap to let Emiliano Sanchez through for second place and a 4-2. Ben Barker and Barrie Evans gated to lead heat 10 but Gary Havelock caught and passed Barrie Evans then Arlo Bugeja did likewise to share the points. The Bears finally put some distance between themselves and the Potters by they scoring a 5-1 in heat 11 when Ty Proctor and Josh Auty gated and fended off the challenges of Lee Complin to open up a six point lead. Another 5-1 from Grieves and Bugeja in heat 12 put the Bears ten points to the good. However Ben Barker had passed both home men to lead the race until the final bend when he made a mess of it allowing both the Bears through. The score went to 41-31.
Now ten points down Stoke gave Lee Complin a TR in heat 13 but it was to no avail as Proctor and Havelock gated to record a third successive 5-1 to seal victory as the home side now led by 14 points. The Potters got some consolation with a 2-4 in heat 14 when Barrie Evans gated to win from Daniel Giffard with Jesper Kristiansen third. In the last race James Grieves gated with Ty Proctor at the back but Proctor passed Lee Complin for third so the result was a 4-2 giving the Bears a 14 point win.
Scorers: For Redcar – James Grieves 15 (5), Ty Proctor 13 (5), Gary Havelock 10+1 (4), Josh Auty 7+1 (5) Daniel Giffard 4 (4), Arlo Bugeja 3+2 (4), Joni Keskinen 0 (3).
For Stoke – Ben Barker 10 (5), Jesper Kristiansen 7+1 (5), Emiliano Sanchez 6 (4), Buzz Burrows 5+3 (4), Lee Complin 5+1 (5), Barrie Evans 3 (4), Klaus Jakobsen 2+2 (3).
Tonight’s matches were at Sheffield where the Tigers raced Glasgow in a Premier League match and at Redcar where the Bears took on Stoke in a Premier Trophy match.
Premier League: Sheffield 63, Glasgow 29
Sheffield were at full strength but Glasgow again were without Shane Parker and Josh Grajczonek. They had Tomas Topinka as a guest for Parker and used Rider Replacement at number 2 for Grajczonek. Ben Hopwood was again nominated as their number 8.
After losing the opening two races to 5-1s it looked like being a long night for the Scottish Tigers. Ross Brady made an excellent gate to lead the opening race but was passed by Ricky Ashworth on the fourth bend. Joel Parsons soon repeated the doze leaving Brady to finish third after Trent Leverington had fallen on the third lap and remounted. The 5-1 was followed by another when Paul Cooper and Sam Martin beat Ross Brady from the gate. As happened last night at Birmingham all Glasgow’s points after the first two heats were scored by Brady although this time he had two as opposed to last night’s six. Tomas Topinka led heat 3 for the visitors until he was passed by Andre Compton. Lee Smethills finished third for a 4-2 to put Sheffield ten points ahead. Mitchell Davey made the gate in heat 4 but was passed by Ben Wilson and Paul Cooper off the second bend for another 5-1 which took the score to 19-5.
In heat 5 Andre Compton and Lee Smethills gated to head home Trent Leverington for another 5-1 while Ben Hopwood was given the R/R ride. Robert Ksiezak gated in heat 6 but was passed by Ricky Ashworth after he was subject to a strong challenge by Joel Parsons. Parson finished third so the race resulted as a 4-2 for a 20 point lead to the home side. In heat 7 Glasgow gave Tomas Topinka a TR but Ben Wilson led him home from the tapes. However the visitors finally got into double figures when Topinka finished second and was supported by Lee Dicken in third for a 3-5 advantage to the visitors. Joel Parsons and Paul Cooper replied with another 5-1 in heat 8. Robert Ksiezak fell while in third place so Mitchell Davey took the third place point. Then, rather surprisingly, it was announced that Ross Brady had withdrawn from the meeting after aggravating a shoulder injury although it’s not clear what happened. The score was now 36-14.
The rout continued when Andre Compton and Lee Smethills gated for another 5-1 ahead of Ksiezak in heat 9 then Ricky Ashworth and Joel Parsons repeated the score ahead of Tomas Topinka in heat 10 to put the Yorkshire Tigers 30 points ahead. Heat 11 was shared though after Sam Martin’s bike packed up leaving Leverington and Hopwood (R/R) to follow Ben Wilson home for a 3-3. Andre Compton won heat 12 but the interest was in the action behind him as Paul Cooper tried unsuccessfully to pass Tomas Topinka all race. The 4-2 took the score to 53-21.
After the interval, following heat 12, Glasgow fared better. In heat 13 Ricky Ashworth gated but Robert Ksiezak and Trent Leverington slotted in behind him to keep Ben Wilson at the back and share the race. Then Lee Smethills won heat 14 but Lee Dicken finished second ahead of Sam Martin as Mitchell Davey fell at the back. This ended up as a 4-2. Glasgow then provided their sole race winner when Tomas Topinka gated to beat Joel Parsons and Paul Cooper with Robert Ksiezak at the back for a shared race.
Scorers: For Sheffield – Ricky Ashworth 12 (4) (maximum), Andre Compton 12 (4) (maximum), Joel Parsons 10+2 (5), Paul Cooper 9+3 (5), Ben Wilson 9 (4), Lee Smethills 8+2 (4), Sam Martin 3+1 (4).
For Glasgow – Tomas Topinka 12 (5) (with 4 point TR), Robert Ksiezak 5 (6), Trent Leverington 4+1 (4), Lee Dicken 3+1 (4), Mitchell Davey 3 (7), Ben Hopwood 1+1 (2), Ross Brady 1 (2).
Premier Trophy: Redcar 52, Stoke 38.
Redcar introduced their new signing, Joni Keskinen (Finland), as a replacement for Chris Kerr. Stoke were at full strength.
It must be track record week. After Jason Lyons broke the track record at Birmingham last night, Gary Havelock then James Grieves both broke the Redcar track record in this nothing at stake meeting to complete the Premier Trophy section matches.
Gary Havelock was first to set the new time (54.7) in the opening heat in which the main interest lay in the performance of Joni Keskinen. He finished behind Mark Burrows and Lee Complin for a shared race but looked promising. Josh Auty won the reserves race but Jesper Kristiansen and Klaus Jacobsen took second and third for another 3-3. The Bears took the lead in heat 3 after James Grieves had lowered the new track record further to 54.5. Ben Barker took second while Daniel Giffard’s third place earned the home side a 4-2 for a two point lead. Heat 4 provided another home race winner when Ty Proctor won from Emiliano Sanchez and Jesper Kristiansen for another 3-3 which took the score to 13-11.
It was the same again in heat 5. James Grieves won the race but the Stoke riders, Complin and Burrows, shared the points behind him. A feeling of Déjà vu must have come over the Bears fans when Gary Havelock won heat 6 and Joni Keskinen never moved from the start for another 3-3. Ty Proctor won heat 7 after making the gate. Josh Auty passed Barrie Evans on the second lap to move into third before challenging Ben Barker unsuccessfully for a 4-2 giving the Bears a four point lead. It didn’t seem much of a lead given that the Bears had provided all seven race winners! In fact it wasn’t as they found out when Jesper Kristiansen and Mark Burrows made the gate to lead Josh Auty home for a 1-5 which levelled the scores at 24-24.
Redcar took a two point lead again in heat 9 when James Grieves won for the third time. Redcar were sitting on a 5-1 from the gate but Daniel Giffard got out of shape on the third bend of the last lap to let Emiliano Sanchez through for second place and a 4-2. Ben Barker and Barrie Evans gated to lead heat 10 but Gary Havelock caught and passed Barrie Evans then Arlo Bugeja did likewise to share the points. The Bears finally put some distance between themselves and the Potters by they scoring a 5-1 in heat 11 when Ty Proctor and Josh Auty gated and fended off the challenges of Lee Complin to open up a six point lead. Another 5-1 from Grieves and Bugeja in heat 12 put the Bears ten points to the good. However Ben Barker had passed both home men to lead the race until the final bend when he made a mess of it allowing both the Bears through. The score went to 41-31.
Now ten points down Stoke gave Lee Complin a TR in heat 13 but it was to no avail as Proctor and Havelock gated to record a third successive 5-1 to seal victory as the home side now led by 14 points. The Potters got some consolation with a 2-4 in heat 14 when Barrie Evans gated to win from Daniel Giffard with Jesper Kristiansen third. In the last race James Grieves gated with Ty Proctor at the back but Proctor passed Lee Complin for third so the result was a 4-2 giving the Bears a 14 point win.
Scorers: For Redcar – James Grieves 15 (5), Ty Proctor 13 (5), Gary Havelock 10+1 (4), Josh Auty 7+1 (5) Daniel Giffard 4 (4), Arlo Bugeja 3+2 (4), Joni Keskinen 0 (3).
For Stoke – Ben Barker 10 (5), Jesper Kristiansen 7+1 (5), Emiliano Sanchez 6 (4), Buzz Burrows 5+3 (4), Lee Complin 5+1 (5), Barrie Evans 3 (4), Klaus Jakobsen 2+2 (3).
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