Jason Garrity and Ben Barker were Redcar’s heroes as they bounced back from their disappointing cup exit last week to snatch a first away win for almost two years with a thrilling last race 5-1.
Scunthorpe had led three times and were still two points ahead going into heat 15 but Garrity, who dropped his only points through a first race engine failure, chalked up his fourth win of the afternoon, while Barker, having been briefly passed by Michael Palm-Toft, swooped back underneath the Dane to seal the victory.
It was the first time that the SG Petch Bears had gained all three points on the road since April 24th 2015 when they won in similar dramatic circumstances, by a single point, again at Scunthorpe.
“Jason and in particular Ben were brilliant all afternoon but don’t forget the others – it was a real team effort,” stressed stand-in team manager Jade Mudgway afterwards.
Redcar got off to the worst possible start when Garrity ground to a halt around the first corner, helping the Scorpions to maximum points.
But the Bears were level a race later as former Scunthorpe rider Richard Hall and Ellis Perks claimed a 5-1 in the reserves race.
The points were shared in the next four heats before the Bears edged ahead for the first time through a 4-2 from Charles Wright and Jonas B Andersen.
Hall and Perks then doubled the visitors’ advantage by taking first and third places in heat 8 before the hosts squared things once more when tenacious challenges from Barker were not quite enough to split home riders Lewis Kerr and Palm-Toft.
The pendulum swung Scunthorpe’s way in the next race when Andersen crashed heavily, walking away with just bruising but wrecking his machine.
The incident seemed likely to cost the Teessiders dearly as, although Garrity and Barker put Redcar ahead once more in heat 13, Andersen, riding unfamiliar team-mate Charles Wright’s bike in the penultimate race, was unable to prevent a home 5-1 while nudging team-mate Perks painfully off in the process.
That left the Scorpions, with just one win in six matches prior to the start, two points clear entering heat 15, only for Garrity and Barker to clinch the match over the final four laps.
SCORPIONS 44: Lewis Kerr 10, Carl Wilkinson 9+1, Michael Palm-Toft 7+2, Josh Auty 7, Ryan Douglas 6+1, Jan Graversen 4+2, Josh Bailey 1+1.
SG PETCH BEARS 46: Jason Garrity 12, Charles Wright 10, B Barker 9+3, Richard Hall 6, Ellis Perks 5+1, Jonas B Andersen 3+1, Fernando Garcia 1.
Article courtesy of Keith McGhie and the Gazette.
