Cook pleased with opener

Lakeside Hammers Co Promoter Jon Cook was full of praise for his team after they overcame the loss of their No.1 Lee Richardson to win their opening Sky Sports Elite League meeting of the season at the Arena-Essex Raceway on Friday night.

Richardson had contributed just two points before leaving the track by ambulance after sustaining a knee injury in Heat 10.

Jon Cook commented after the match: “I have to praise all the team for pulling together once Lee crashed. Kyle (Legault) in particular rose to the occasion in Heats 11, 12 and 14 and Peter Ljung victory in Heat 11 over Freddie Lindgren was inspirational stuff.

“Both are so entertaining you can barely relax for their full four laps, whilst both Kakke (Nieminen) and Adam (Shields) are so rock solid at the moment. I believe that Kakke is in the form of his career at this level.”

He continued: “It was a tough build up to the match with the ongoing dramas over team selection and I have to personally thanks Jonas Davidsson for going the extra mile for the Hammers cause with his paid nine points that included the shepherding home of Kyle to seal the match in Heat 14. That was what we had both hoped for.

” He rode a bike that he had never seen before and an engine that, due to a mid-week mix up with his own, was our track spare so his performance was rather special. He is already keen to continue next Friday for us against the Belle Vue Aces and we will make a decision midweek on that one.”  

Picture: Heat 6: Peter Karlsson (white), Kauko Nieminen (blue) and Lee Richardson (red) – Lakeside Hammers vs Wolverhampton Wolves – Elite League Speedway at Arena Essex Raceway – 01/04/11 (Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO)