Results from week ending 26 March 2012
Midland League - Birmingham v East Park | Midlands League
Location: Perry Park, Birmingham
Event: 25 March 2012
On a glorious sunny afternoon a large crowd were treated to some excellent racing on a very fast Perry Park circuit.
Heat 1 started with a win from the home side’s Nathan Groves from the inside gate with ex-Sandwell pairing David Ball and Matt Smith relegating Carl Winwood into last place – the first of five excellent wins for Nathan and the drawn heat being the best heat result that East Park could achieve all afternoon.
Birmingham new signing Scott Millward soon dialled into the track to record his first heat win in heat 2 and Chris Timms was right behind him to secure the 7-3. This heat score was repeated in heats 3 and 4 as first Paul Heard/Mark Winwood and then Nathan Groves /Marcus Wadhams relegated their West Midland neighbours into the minor places.
The East Park revival started with a heat win for Matt Smith over Carl Winwood and Paul Timms but regrettably his partner Will Catrwright could not back him up. Similarly Jamie Ball rode an excellent first bend in heat 6 to push Paul Heard out wide and hen ride him around for four laps with relative ease – however despite Josh Hills efforts the heat was drawn and the aggregate score after six heats was 36 to Birmingham and East Park 24.
The next three heats saw wins for Nathan Groves, Chris Timms and Paul Heard and with Marcus Wadhams backing two of these three up Birmingham stretched the lead to 56-34 at the interval.
Luke Draisey scored his first race win in heat 10 leading Mark Winwood and Paul Timms but again the backup wasn’t there for the heat advantage. Chris Timms and Scott Millward scored their second 7-3 of the afternoon in heat 11 followed by the two best races of the afternoon. In heat 12 Nathan once again shot out of the gate but Jamie Ball once again showed his experience to get Josh Hill into second place and then held off Carl Winwood superbly in a great battle – a similar feat achieved by Dave Ball and Matt Smith in the next race – Paul Heard riding off into the distance but Mark Winwood doing all he could to get through but to no avail.
Birmingham then banged in another big three 7-3’s with once again two of them featuring Marcus Wadhams – he finished the afternoon with five ‘paid’ wins scoring 15 + 5. Heat 17 saw Nathan wrap up his five ride full house but once again Jamie Ball provided the excitement with his team riding of Brandon Whetton to relegate Scott Millward into fourth place.
The final race saw the most controversy of the afternoon as Stu Bentley drove hard under Paul Timms on the second lap resulting in three riders hitting the deck but referee Bob Prince called for a re-run with all four riders – a drawn heat followed with a visibly shook up Paul Timms taking no chances and coasting around at the back whilst his son Chris took the flag to be the third Birmingham rider to go unbeaten by an opponent.
Result
Birmingham 109: Nathan Groves 20, Carl Winwood 5, Chris Timms 17+3, Scott Millward 15, Paul Heard 17+2, Mark Winwood 11, Marcus Wadhams 15+5, Paul Timms 9+2.
East Park 71: Dave Ball 9+2, Matt Smith 15+1, Jamie Ball 10+2, Josh Hill 8, Stu Bentley 10, Brandon Whetton 6, Luke Draisey 11, Will Cartwright 2.
The division two match summed up what this league is all about – young lads, young girls and new riders to the sport all having a great time with some good racing and no holds barred.
Natalie Timms raced away in heat 1 to beat the other girl racing, East Park’s Kayla Whetton but with Jake Ryan unable to pass Josh Whetton the race was drawn as was the next three races with East Park riders taking the chequered flag in each with wins for
Jamie Whetton (who was unbeaten by an opponent), Matt Cartwright who won all four of his races and Kayla Whetton.
Birmingham’s only race advantage in these series of races being when Ewan Hancock won heat 7 with Dylan Hexley finishing third – score after seven races 33 to Birmingham 37 to East Park.
East Park then piled on the pressure with three 7-3’s and a 6-4 to make the match safe although the young Monarchs side did make the score a bit more respectable when Dylan and Jack Leaver followed Matt Cartwright home in heart 12 for a draw race and then
Ewan and Reece Winwood combined for Birmingham’s only 7-3 in the nominated race.
Result
Birmingham 58: Natalie Timms 8+1, Jake Ryan 6, Ewan Hancock 13+1, Dylan Hexley 11, Reece Winwood 10+1, Jack Leaver 5+2, Kai Homer 3, Alex Carey 2.
East Park 72: Kayla Whetton 12+1, Josh Whetton 11, Jamie Whetton 14+2, Tommy Hampton 5, Matt Cartwright 16, Liam Cartwright 6, Brandon Whetton 8+1.
Midland League - Coventry v Stoke | Midland League
Location: Coventry Cycle Speedway, Coventry
Event: 27 March 2012
In a thrilling last heat decider, Coventry agonisingly slipped to a late 91-88 defeat, after being four points up with just three heats to go.
Spearheaded by a two pronged Polish attack in Dominik Rycharski and Konrad Pietak, who had arrived from Poland on the morning of the match, Coventry held their own in the first half, reaching the interval level at 45 points all.
A maximum heat advantage from the Myke Grimes/Joe McLaughlin pairing in heat 10 put Coventry four points up. Wins to Pietak and Paul Janaway maintained this narrow advantage until disaster struck the home side in heat 16. The home side sent out the wrong rider and the resultant exclusion left the Hearsall Common men with too much to do despite Rycharski racing away to win the final heat.
It was a costly error that ultimately deprived them of a famous victory but Coventry fielded a complete team of their own assets in their comeback match and they can face the season with great optimism.
In a further sign of the tremendous recovery of the Coventry club, the home side fielded a completely different eight riders in the corresponding Midland League Division 2 fixture, with Stoke emerging 76-54 winners.
South & South Wales League Division 1 - South/South Wales League
Horspath 93: Dave Carmichael 17 Mike Burgess 14 Steve Harris 12 Wayne Hutt 12 Zac Payne 11 Lee Clark 10 Matty Szymczak 10 Wayne Clark 7.
Poole 84: Sam Hearn 16 Arron Morgan 15 Aaron Smith 15 Wil Bristow 12 Ben Donohue 11 Luke Armes 11, Kieran Yeatman 3 Callum Albin 1.
Newport 93: Mark Carmichael 19 Nicky Evans 16 Ollie Sidwick 15 Jack Harrold 12 Chris Davies 10 Ryan Evans 9 Joe Lewis 7 Lee Tippins 4.
Exeter 78: Aaron Herbert 16 Mark Reed 15 Craig Nethercott 12 Andy Yard 11 Dave Hooper 8 Rob Geach 6 Dave Murphy 6 Andy Stone 4.
South & South Wales League Division 2 - South/South Wales League
Horspath 70: B.Glanville 19, M.Janes 13, G.Horsley 11 L.Horsley 10 P.Borack 6 J.Currel 5 M.Russel-Sharpe 3
Poole 63: A.Lane 17, C.Albin 13, J.Briggs 11, N.Instone 8 C.Smith 7 K.Mines 7.
Newport 65: Colin Simmons 14 Jacob Soper 14 Kevin Greaves 13 Dean Bonnici 13 Rebecca Davies 4 Stuart Ward 3 Lee Bonnici 2 Simon Bendon 2.
Exeter 55: Aaron Coles 13, Dan Winchester 11, Lauren Hookway 9, Connor Tucker 9 Will Tidball 8, Ryan Coles 5.
South East League Division 1 - South East League 1
Hethersett 79: Leigh Cossey 15, Nick Myhill 14, Phil Adams 13, Dave Martin 12, Lee Grange 9, Dan Chambers 7, Ben Collins 6, Harley Hamill 3.
Ipswich 96: Lewis Roberts 16, Leon Mower 15, Dan Pike 15, Ian Grange 14, Richard Williamson 13, Ash Hill 10, Jordy Stant 10, Matt Hill 3.
Midlands League Division One- Midlands League
Wednesfield Aces 98: Ben Mould 18, Lee Aris 15+1, Scott Doherty 14+3, Chris Jewkes 14+2, Mark Griffiths 11+4, Sam Parr 10, Ricki Johnson 8+1, Matt Haddock 8.
Leicester Monarchs 80: Luckas Nowacki 18+1, Craig Marchant 13+1, Joe Kemp 12, Kevin Burns 11, Ryan Hoyland 9, Carl Jarvis 8+1, Colin Pole 5, Ashley Doughty 4.
Midlands League Division Two- Midlands League
Wednesfield Win (A Buy) Leicester Lions (No Team)
Conner Dyke, Anthony Hanlon, Jack Holdcroft, Carly Cooke, Alex Aris, Lewis Beardsmore.
Wednesfield v Leicester Monarchs
Wednesfield 80: Arron O'Brian 17+1, Jordan Holdcroft 16, Harry Everiss 13+2, Dave Meanley 13, Tom Haddock 11+1, Adam Read 5+1, Charlie Ellitts 3+1, Lewis Beardsmore 2.
Leicester Monarchs 49: Lee Kemp 13, Ashley Doughty 11, Michelle Whitehead 9+2, Elizabeth Ridley 6, Chloe Whithead 5, Billy Rewcastle 5.
