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Home - Division One - Division Two - Latest Results - Averages - Statistics - Rider Search - Transfer List - Manager Forum - SPITFIRES SHOW KILLER INSTINCT Unbeaten Stansted move top Stansted Spitfires will be many peoples new favourites to lift the division one trophy this season after an impressive start to the campaign, having snatched a draw in their top flight debut fixture at Wimbledon last week they claimed an even better result on their travels this, Sean Robson (14) leading the Spits to a 44-46 victory at Totton. Stansted dominated the heat win stats on the south coast, 11 of the 15 victories going their way, with the returning Chris Ashcroft (9) adding three to the four gained by his number one. It was by far a two-man performance though, in total six of the septet rode to at least one race success, with the Tigers not once leading in the meeting. Two points were needed to secure Stantead’s first division one away win going into the last and Robson was the man to pick them up, he unconcerned about missing out on a maximum when gating in second behind Jani Niemi (11+1), his thoughts all on bringing home the two race, and match, points. With a 65-25 home win against Stannington already under their belts the Totton victory took Stansted top of the table by a point from both Pinders and Stannnington Shoguns, the latter having also earned two away points in the week. Their victory was returned at Birmingham where 19 year old reserve Simon Bell raced to his highest score in a Shoguns race-jacket, the 7+1 tally from the £60,000 pre-season capture was to be beaten twice further in the week though, he going on to score eight in the Shoguns 53-37 league win over Pinders and 12—again at home—versus Bradford in the KOC. Birmingham’s home form will be causing promoter Stephen Hodgkinson some concern, they having also struggled to beat second division Newhaven (46-44) in the KOC, however on the road they seem to be a different prospect, a draw at Wimbledon—sealed with a Lasse Lien (14) win in the last—rounding off a difficult week for the Brummies on a high note, that result keeping them out of the relegation zone, for now at least.
TODAY: Shorts Holders Wimbledon (21) were a clear second best to hosts and favourites to claim this years title, Stansted Spitfires (27) in their Club Pairs Semi Final this week. Ulrik Bjur (10) and his new partner Nick Staples (11) out-gunned by the Spits all British pairing of Sean Robson (14) and Chris Ashcroft (13), their final race 5-1 over the Stars duo one of four heat maximums for the victorious pairing on the night. Pinders Heathans (23) also had the help of home advantage in their semi final, Walter Kogler (13) and Dean Stansfield (10)—the same pairing that finished as runners-up in the competition last season for the club—finishing ahead of fellow qualifiers Newhaven (22) and Bradford (21). Next weeks final line-up at Bradford’s Bodhall Arena is completed by Gloucester (20) and Cradley (18).
A fourth successive maximum in the championship earned Paul Southam (15) a second British Under 21 title this week, the Stannington Shoguns heat leader the class act of the field, the small matter of home advantage in the final leaving the ‘also-rans’ with little chance. Stansted’s Danny Hambley (13) finished second and Pinders Andrew Hall (11) third, leaving the final 1-2-3 unchanged from last season. James Newman (9) was the only British rider challenging for the World Under 19 crown over in Birkenhead, he on course for a real shot at the title until trailing in last in heat 19, he had to settle for fifth in the end, the meeting won by Dane starlet Andreas Johansen (11).
After four fixtures Bradford Speedsters are the only side in the country to have a 100% record, the Dave Robinson side moving two points clear at the top of division two with a second set of back-to-back wins this week. The second of those victories was retuned north of the border in Edinburgh, where a second Harri Saarelma (12+1) win of the night in heat 12 of the contest saw the visitors wrap up an eventual 39-51 victory with three races to spare. Moving into second spot in the table are Stirling Seahawks, 44-46 winners at Exeter, they taking the majority of the race wins in the clash despite tracking no out-and-out heat leaders in their septet, the top six all racing to at least one race win apiece, with three going the way of Travis Henderson (11). It was Henderson’s only second place of the night, that in the final race, which secured the points though. Elsewhere in the division there were good away draws for both Long Eaton, at Humberside, and Epping, at Tonyrefail.
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