REDCAR went back to back at the ECCO Arena for the first time in the league in 2026 as they took a 49-41 win over a spirited Edinburgh Monarchs side in another last heat decider on Teesside.
Nikolai Klindt again starred on home shale, top scoring with 12, the Dane was ably assisted by Bears reserve Jody Scott (11+2) who wowed the home faithful with a heat 15 paid win to bring the house down. Edinburgh’s Kye Thomson continued his breakout year with 12+1 for the visitors.
Redcar boss Gavin Parr lavished huge praise on the ever improving, emerging star Jody Scott. Parr said, “Jody fully deserved his heat 15 nomination and he rode a fantastic four laps with Nicolai (Klindt) to ensure we sent the Monarchs home empty handed.”
The meeting began with Jonatan Grahn continuing his impressive form from the cup fixture at Redcar earlier in the campaign to win heat one, and with Dan Thompson 3rd, but still behind the rider replacement (Ace Pijper on SGP2 Qualifying duty) Simon Lambert, Edinburgh began with a heat advantage.
Heat two saw Jake Mulford (who will move into the main body of the side next month) pick up his 12th heat win of June, and with Scott 3rd, Redcar levelled the meeting.
After a pair of shared heats won by Justin Sedgmen and Kye Thomson respectively, Edinburgh hit their second 4-2 of the match after an elongated heat 5. The original staging saw Jason Edwards make a stellar gate, but with Lambert hitting the deck on the opening bends, the race was stopped.
The re-run saw another stoppage due to technical issues in the referees box after an even break. The third and final staging saw Thompson win with relative ease, and with Grahn 3rd, the Scottish outfit regained their slender lead.
However, the Monarchs lead was again a short lived one as the “Agilia” Bears again struck back with a 4-2 as Klindt made a customary fast start to win, and with Scott 3rd, both sides could not be separated after six heats of Cab Direct Championship action.
Nevertheless, Edinburgh were battling and they once again regained the lead as Sedgmen made it two wins on the trot from the gate, and with Paco Castagna 3rd, (despite holding 2nd until Jake Allen passed the Italian) the travelling away support were gaining belief that an away win was on the cards.
However, that belief took a massive blow in heat eight as Mulford and Scott both passed Grahn to give Redcar their first maximum and the lead (25-23) for the first time on the evening.
After a shared heat nine won by Thomson, the Bears doubled their advantage to four points in heat 10. Klindt took another win, and with Mulford forcefully passing the previously unbeaten Sedgmen on bend four of the opening lap, the hosts were starting to purr.
Dan Thompson steadied the Monarchs with a win in a shared heat 11 but Redcar struck another 5-1 in heat 12 to move closer to two league points. Monarchs reserve Jordy Loftus made a superb gate and led for two laps until Scott dived underneath the Australian on the opening bends of lap three, unsettling Loftus who hit the deck and the race was stopped.
After the referee looked at the replays, Loftus was excluded and the race awarded as a Bears 5-1 with Scott taking the win whilst Lambert took a confidence boosting paid win ahead of Sedgmen.
After a Klindt win in a shared heat 13, the Monarchs (who found themselves 8 behind) played their tactical substitute in the shape of Kye Thomson and it worked to perfection as the Australian star won, and with captain Castagna 2nd, the Monarchs forced a last heat decider.
Heat 15 saw Klindt partnered by Scott whilst Edinburgh elected to use Thompson and the heat 14 winner Thomson. Klindt did a number one’s job and gated, but the story was behind the testimonial man as Scott forced himself into second and took a surprisingly comfortable paid win to send the Bears fans wild as they celebrated another home win.
Redcar Bears = 49
- Nicolai Klindt = 12
- Ace Pijper R/R
- Simon Lambert = 7+2
- Jason Edwards = 6+1
- Jake Allen = 5+1
- Jake Mulford = 8+1
- Jody Scott = 11+2
Edinburgh Monarchs = 41
- Dan Thompson = 10
- Jonatan Grahn = 5
- Justin Sedgmen = 7
- Paco Castagna = 5+1
- Kye Thomson = 12+1
- Mitch Cluff = 0
- Jordy Loftus = 2