Best Dragons Meeting Ever At Iwade, Next Up It's A Return To Mildenhall

[Ride n Slide Dayz 2015]

*** PLEASE CHECK OUT THE CLUB'S NEW WEBSITE AT www.dragonsamateurspeedway.com

 

 

Dragons Amateur Speedway Club in it's ninth season of existence continues to go from strength to strength with what will go down in the Club's history as the best and most exciting event to date at Iwade recently.

 

Back at the Clubs spiritual home in Kent, thirty-two riders took to the Old Gun Site shale and produced racing of the highest order which saw both the seven-a-side team event and the pairs event go down to the very last heat respectively !

 

The Club/Intermediate Class Challenge saw the Dartford Devils with a slender three point advantage at the halfway point, Steve Lockyer, Andrew Palmer and Jim Wannell all registering race wins but a second half rally from the Rainham Rebels with five race wins in six heats saw them five points up with just two heats remaining and surely the meeting in the bag, a trio of back-to-back victories for Graham Knowler and Eryk Borzczuch seeing the Rebels get one hand on the silverware.

However, the Devils had other ideas, a Palmer/Adrian Harden 5-1 in the penultimate heat saw the gap demolished and the teams went into the final race with the Rebels just one point ahead. Two laps into the final race and Mr Consistency Knowler held a comfortable lead over Lockyer and Tim Mount, a shared heat which would have secured a Rebels victory, only for Lockyer to summon up all of his grit and determination to reel the leader in and pass him with one lap remaining. The latter gave it his best shot to get back in front but to no avail and the Lockyer/Mount 4-2 was enough to secure a well deserved Devils victory by 54-53.

Mentions must go to 'Suicide Syd' Sherman who kicked off his day with paid win before crashing out in his second ride and being forced to withdraw with an injured shoulder, to Club Co-Organiser Steve 'Cookie' Cook who looked untouchable aboard his vintage machine, bagging two wins and paid win in his first three outings before bailing out unceremoniously from a 1000cc sidecar and a coming together with the fence in his next solo outing and like Sherman withdrawing from his final ride. Last but by no means least a mention for Club newcomer Mike Copestake, who despite punching slightly above his weight never for one moment gave up and was fabulously rewarded with a heat win in his fourth outing, top job bud. Huge congratulations to all those involved in the challenge for making it such a fabulous 'nail-biter'.

 

Running parallel with the above the Support Pairs saw two riders fail to make it to the circuit but to their absolute credit Paul Whichello and Steve Jay stepped up to the plate, moving from practice to competition..................a decision that was wholly repaid with both riders bagging a brace of race wins !!

The event saw Mark Anderson and Francesca Kirtley-Paine return to the Club after long absences and was great to have them back, while there were debuts for Francesca's father Gary, Kevin Bishop and Chris Timms along with Jay and Whichello.

After three rides apiece it was Timms and Richard Sar-Butt who held a slender two point lead over Anderson and Martin Brown, with both Timms and Anderson recording a trio of race wins respectively, with Whichello and 'Cesca' Paine breathing down their necks in third. Yet another heat win for Anderson and a 7-2 heat advantage saw the pair go level at the top of the scorechart as Timms & Sar-Butt could only manage a 5-4, in a heat won brilliantly by Whichello. The scene was now set for a 'winner' takes all (or second & third !!) showdown between the two leading pairs, sitting on 25 points apiece. Psychologically, the advantage was with Anderson & Brown with the former unbeaten thus far, but in the final reckoning it was debutant Timms that lead from start to finish and with Brown unable to find a way past Sar-Butt despite being all over him like a rash they took the well deserved spoils. The head-to-head for third place saw Tony Raybould and Kevin Bishop secure the bronze placing with a 6-3 advantage over Whichello and 'Cesca'

 

Joining the seniors on the day was another Club debutant, youngster Reece Sharp who put in some impressive laps on his 150cc machine.

 

And so with the weather at it's very best and a superbly prepared and maintained track, helped tremendously by heavy rain the previous day and night a fabulous day was had by all. We now look to keep that going as we head to Suffolk and our second event of the season at Kevin Jolly's Mildenhall on Saturday July 16th.

 

As always, the event is open to members and non-members alike, entry fee is just £40 (£45 including day membership to the Club) The event is also open to riders of all abilities, you will only be competing with those of similar ability, the Club is not just one big free-for-all. Start time for the event is 11am.

 

Entries for the event close this Sunday (10th) and places can be secured by contacting Claire on 07904 234022 or 01438 355009. She does work full time so if she is unable to answer your call please leave a message or send a text and she will confirm, thank you.

 

Results from Iwade 26th June 2016

 

CLUB/INTERMEDIATE CHALLENGE

 

Dartford Devils 54

1, Tim Mount----------------11+2 (from 7)

2, Steve Lockyer ----------12+2 (6)

3, Kyrstian Bialecki--------R/R

4, Adrian Harden-----------5+1 (6)

5, Andrew Palmer----------12+1 (6)

6, Syd Sherman-------------2+1 (2)

7, Jim Wannell--------------12+1 (6)

 

Rainham Rebels 53

1, Steve Cook---------------8+1 (4)

2, Graham Knowler--------14+1 (6)

3, Eryk Borzczuch----------14 (5)

4, Gavin Ware---------------4+2 (5)

5, Mike Copestake---------4 (5)

6, Mike Osbourne----------6 (5)

7, Richard Hutley----------3+1 (5)

 

SUPPORT PAIRS

 

1st - Chris Timms/Richard Sar-Butt-------7/6/7/5/6 = 31

2nd - Mark Anderson/Martin Brown------6/6/6/7/3 = 28

3rd - Tony Raybould/Kevin Bishop-------3/4/2/6/6 = 21

4th - Paul Whichello/Francesca Kirtley-Paine -------5/3/6/4/3 = 21

5th - Mike Gittings/Pat Doyle--------------2/5/3/2/5 = 17

6th - Tom Poulter/Steve Jay---------------4/3/3/3/4 = 17

 

Rider of the Day = Richard Sar-Butt (closely followed by Steve Lockyer, Mark Anderson and Paul Whichello)