Hammers demolish the Lions
Lakeside sent a clear message to their Elite League rivals with a 66-26 demolition of Leicester at the Arena-Essex Raceway.
The Vortex Hammers provided all 15 race winners and ran just two last places with a dominant display to maintain their perfect home record.
Andreas Jonsson, Richard Lawson and Lewis Kerr all struck faultless paid maximums whilst Eddie Kennett and Lewis Bridger also bagged double figures with impressive performances.
Promoter Jon Cook was full of praise for the professionalism shown by his side – and he has called on his side to deliver a repeat performance in the return fixture at Beaumont Park on Saturday night (7.30).
“It was a terrific team performance,” said Cook. “Obviously there are going to be harder meetings but we were professional from start to finish.
Some people may have felt we were on the edge of a malaise, but the boys answered any doubts perfectly with a really convincing performance.
They were back at work and back focused, and the manner of this victory gives us a lot of confidence heading to Leicester tomorrow and before a huge home meeting against Wolverhampton on Wednesday.
When we’ve won at home by such a big score, you’d hope we’ll be able to go to Leicester tomorrow and get a result.
We know it’s crucial that we manage to get something from Leicester tomorrow, so hopefully we take our momentum into that meeting and get another victory.”
Belle Vue rider Craig Cook comes in as a guest for the Hammers in place of Kim Nilsson, who is riding in the GP qualifiers in Croatia.
Scores and heat results.
Lakeside Hammers = 66
1. Andreas Jonsson – 3,2*,2*,2*,3,3 = 15+3 PAID MAXIMUM
2. Edward Kennett – 2*,3,3,3,1 = 12+1
3. Richard Lawson – 3,3,3,3,2*,2* = 16+2 PAID MAXIMUM
4. Lewis Bridger – 1,2*,1,3,3 = 10+ 1
5. Kim Nilsson R/R – (LB-1,RL-3,AJ-2*,EK-1 = 7+1 )
6. Robert Mear – 1,1,0,0 = 2
7. Lewis Kerr – 3,3,2*,3 = 11+1 PAID MAXIMUM
Leicester Lions = 26
1. Patrick Hougaard – 1,0,1,0 = 2
2. Josh Auty – 0,0,2,FX,0 = 2
3. Aaron Summers – 0,1,2,0,0,0 = 3
4. Szymon Wozniak R/R – (JA-0,PS-0,AS-2,PS-1 = 3 )
5. Davey Watt – 2,4^,1,2 = 9
6. Nicolai Klindt – 0,0,1,1* = 2+1
7. Paul Starke – 2,1,0,1*,2,1,1 = 8+1
Lakeside win the toss and choose gates 1&3 in Heat 1.
Heat Results
Heat 01: Jonsson,Kennett,Hougaard,Auty…58.3. 5-1
Heat 02: Kerr,Starke,Mear,Klindt…60.0. (4-2). 9-3
Heat 03: Lawson,Watt,Bridger,Summers…59.3. (4-2). 13-5
Heat 04: Kerr,Bridger,Starke,Auty…59.1. (5-1). 18-6
Heat 05: Kennett,Auty,Mear,Klindt…59.9. (4-2). 22-8
Heat 06: Lawson,WATT!Bridger,Hougaard…59.9. (4-4). 26-12
Heat 07: Lawson,Jonsson,Summers,Starke…59.6. (5-1). 31-13
Heat 08:(Re-Runx2): Bridger,Kerr,Klindt,Auty(Fell/Excluded)…59.8. (5-1). 36-14
Heat 09: Kennett,Summers,Starke,Mear…60.0. (3-3). 39-17
Heat 10: Lawson,Jonsson,Hougaard,Auty…60.1. (5-1). 44-18
Heat 11: Kennett,Jonsson,Watt,Summers…59.6. (5-1). 49-19
Heat 12: Kerr,Starke,Klindt,Mear…60.1. (3-3). 52-22
Heat 13: Jonsson,Watt,Kennett,Hougaard…59.8 (4-2). 56-24
Heat 14: Bridger,Lawson,Starke,Summers…60.1. (5-1). 61-25
Heat 15: Jonsson,Lawson,Starke,Summers…60.3. (5-1). 66-26
Updates courtesy of @speedwayupdates and @lakesidelive Give them both a follow.
Image: Andreas Jonsson Credit Anticlockwise Photography.