In one of the best speedway meetings you will see anywhere in 2023, Redcar lost out on the super heat ‘bonus point’ with a 45 (4) – 45 (5) result against the undefeated league leaders Poole. Charles Wright top scored for Redcar with 13 whilst Richard Lawson hit an stupendous 16+1 for the visitors.
The meeting started in positive fashion for the visitors as they struck a 4-2 with Steve Worrall rounding a fast starting Danyon Hume on the backstraight of lap 1 and with Anders Rowe in 3rd, Poole began on the front foot.
However, Redcar are a different side since Poole’s last visit and this showed in heat 2 as the battling Bears secured a 5-1. Connor Bailey passed Kyle Newman on lap 2 whilst Jake Mulford, who was buzzing on the back wheel of Newman throughout the race, passed the 2022 Bear on bend 3, lap 3 to secure the paid win which sent the Redcar support wild.
Heat 3 saw Wright go straight to the dirt up against the fence with the Redcar skipper passing both Cook brothers on bends 3 & 4 of the opening lap to take the win but with Jason Edwards at the back, Redcar’s lead remained a slender one at 2 points. Poole levelled the scores after Lawson won heat 4 ahead of the ever improving Mulford whilst Adam Roynon did well to hold off Erik Riss for 3rd to bring the reigning league champions level.
After a brace of shared heats won by Charles Wright & Danny King respectively, Poole regained the lead after a thrilling heat 7. Riss took the lead after passing both Cook brothers on bend 4 lap 1 but with Bailey trying to get into a scoring position at the beginning of lap 2, “The Tornado” was forced to shut off thus ending his heat 7 hopes. Riss held the lead but looked vulnerable to Ben Cook with the flying Aussie passing Riss around the outside on lap 4’s backstraight with the Poole man cleverly blocking Riss on the run to the line for the victory.
However, the Bears immediately hit back with a heat 8 5-1, a heat partnership (of Danyon Hume & Jake Mulford) that is becoming a real asset to the Bears. As the young British duo gated on a maximum 5-1 heat advantage, they knew they were in for a battle with ex Bear Rowe very close to both Bears. Nevertheless, the young duo belied their lack of experience to team ride superbly to hold off Rowe and send Redcar into a 2 point lead of their own.
After Lawson won a shared heat 9 to lower Wright’s colours, Redcar extended their lead to 6 points with a heat 10 5-1 as King won comfortably whilst Hume again did brilliantly to hold off the Cook brothers to give the hosts the initiative.
With Poole 6 behind, Gary Havelock (Poole Team Manager) brought in Richard Lawson as a tactical substitute with the Pirates looking to strike back. However, Havelock’s best laid plans were hit with a blow as Worrall touched the tapes and was thus excluded from the re-run with Havelock electing to bring in Newman as his replacement. The Pirates gated on a 5-1 with Lawson looking imperious at the front whilst Newman initially held the edge on Riss for 2nd but Redcar’s German star passed Newman in the closing stages to limit the damage and ensure Redcar remained in a strong position with a 4 point lead.
Heat 12 saw an incredible race as Wright passed Ben Cook on bend 3 of the opening lap with the skipper then winning comfortably but all the action was behind him as the battling Mulford attempted to join the skipper. Mulford sped into 2nd on lap 2 with the Poole duo fighting tooth and nail to re-pass Mulford. Ben Cook passed the Redcar reserve on the final lap with Newman now neck and neck with Mulford for 3rd but Mulford, with renewed belief, held on for 3rd on the run to the line to re-establish Redcar’s 6 point advantage.
However, the Pirates are not back to back league winners for nothing and they immediately struck back with a heat 13 5-1 as Worrall and Lawson led comfortably to bring the Pirates within 2 points. Zach Cook took heat 14 in a Poole 4-2 and with Roynon keeping Mulford at the back, we had a level meeting heading into heat 15.
Heat 15 saw Redcar choose gates 2 & 4 but in a meeting of pure drama, things were never going to be plain sailing! King, desperate to make an electric gate, touched the tapes with Gavin Parr bringing in Mulford to replace King. Initially, the Bears looked to have gated on a 5-1 but Mulford was unable to make his outside move stick with the Bears reserve relegated to the back and when Lawson passed Wright, Poole looked set to take the win. Heading into the final lap, Wright’s heroic challenge on Lawson was effectively over with Wright battling with Worrall for 2nd. Heading into the bends 3&4 apex of the last lap, Wright was on the outside of Worrall with both men jostling for position. Wright fell with the referee excluding Worrall for unfair riding which meant we had history at the ECCO Arena with a super heat decider.
The super heat saw Poole win the toss and select gates 2 and 4 with Poole and Redcar both selecting their initial heat 15 riders for the finale. Wright gated and was gone with King and Lawson having a superb scrap for 3rd with the Bears number 1 initially claiming 3rd on lap 2 but the Bears man went to the fence looking for grip which allowed Lawson through on lap 3 for the important 3rd place under the 4-3-2-0 scoring system to claim the extra ‘bonus’ point with Redcar claiming 1 point whilst Poole claimed 2 points.
Redcar Bears = 45 = 4 (Lost super heat)
1. Danny King = 6
2. Danyon Hume = 7+1
3. Charles Wright = 13
4. Jason Edwards = 1+1
5. Erik Riss = 5
6. Connor Bailey = 5
7. Jake Mulford = 8+3
Poole Pirates = 45 = 5 (Won super heat)
1. Steve Worrall = 8
2. Anders Rowe = 3+1
3. Ben Cook = 8
4. Zach Cook = 5+1
5. Richard Lawson = 16+1
6. Kyle Newman = 3+1
7. Adam Roynon = 2
