Mikkel shines in challenge defeat

It was cold in Dorset on Wednesday evening, but the 2014 Vortex Hammers produced a heart warming performance in their opening match of the season against last year’s champions Poole.

It may have only been a challenge match but in front of a big crowd  both sides rode hard from the outset and prior to racing getting underway not many in that crowd would have predicted that the scores would be level at 36-36 with just three heats to go.

And whilst a Pirates 5-1 in heat 13 proved to be their undoing, the Vortex Hammers were still in with a chance of snatching what would have been a deserved draw going into the final race but the home side grabbed a 4-2 with Darcy Ward heading home Mikkel Bech to give the win to the Pirates by 48 – 42.

The latter was the star of the show for the Vortex Hammers and showed just why they were delighted to have signed him in the winter and the other major plusses were the 7+2 return from four rides from Adam Ellis at reserve and the 7+1 scored by Richard Lawson at No.2

Singling those three out shouldn’t detract though from the efforts of the other four on the night with both Davey Watt and Peter Karlsson being hit by engine failures in the second half of the meeting, which cost the Hammers points and will cost them to effect repairs.In addition Ben Morley did all that could have been expected of him

The one tough fact to come to terms with is that Lewis Bridger’s four point tally really didn’t do any justice whatsoever to his wholehearted efforts in all of his rides and amply demonstrated that, under the new heat formula, the No.5 position away from home is going to prove tough for any rider.

A good start to 2014 track action then and now we the Vortex Hammers can look forward to Friday’s first Elite League home meeting against the Swindon Robins.

Heat results and scorers:

Poole Pirates = 48

1. Darcy Ward – R, R, 3, 3, 3 = 9
2. Josh Grajczonek – 2, 2, 1, 3 = 8
3. Przemyslaw Pawlicki – 3, 2, 3, 3, 1 = 12
4. Vaclav Milik – R, 0, 0, 2 = 2
5. Maciej Janowski – 2′, 3, 1, 2′ = 8+2
6. Kyle Newman – 1, 1, 3, F = 5
7. Lee Smart – 3, 0, 0, 1′ = 4

Lakeside Hammers = 42

1. Peter Karlsson – 3, 3, R, 0 = 6
2. Richard Lawson – 1, 3, 1′, 2 = 7+1
3. Davey Watt – 1, 2, 2, R = 5
4. Mikkel Bech – 1′, 3, 2, 3, 2 = 11+1
5. Lewis Bridger – 0, 1, 2, 1, R = 4
6. Ben Morley – 0, 1, 1′, 0 = 2+2
7. Adam Ellis – 2, 2′, 2, 1′ = 7+2

Heat Results

Heat 01: Karlsson, Grajczonek, Lawson, Ward (Retired). 2-4…61.78
Heat 02: Smart, Ellis, Newman, Morley. (4-2)…6-6…63.22
Heat 03: Pawlicki, Janowski, Watt, Bridger. (5-1)…11-7…62.56
Heat 04: Lawson, Ellis, Newman, Milik (Retired). (1-5)…12-12…62.06
Heat 05: Janowski, Watt, Bech, Ward (Retired). (3-3)…15-15…60.66
Heat 06: Karlsson, Pawlicki, Bridger, Milik. (2-4)…17-19…61.69
Heat 07: Bech, Grajczonek, Morley, Smart. (2-4)…19-23…60.40
Heat 08: Pawlicki, Watt, Lawson, Milik. (3-3)…22-26…61.22
Heat 09: Newman, Ellis, Morley, Smart. (3-3)…25-29…63.69
Heat 10: Ward, Bridger, Grajczonek, Watt (Retired). (4-2)…29-31…61.16
Heat 11: Pawlicki, Bech, Janowski, Karlsson (Retired). (4-2)…33-33…61.40
Heat 12: Grajczonek, Lawson, Ellis, Newman (Fell). (3-3)…36-36…61.28
Heat 13: Ward, Janowski, Bridger, Karlsson. (5-1)…41-37…61.38
Heat 14: Bech, Milik, Smart, Morley. (3-3)…44-40…61.84
Heat 15 (Re-Run): Ward, Bech, Pawlicki, Bridger (Retired). (4-2)…48-42…61.16

Scores courtesy of

http://speedwayupdates.proboards.com

@lakesidelive

Image:

Mikkel Bech Jensen of Lakeside Hammers – Lakeside Hammers Press & Practice Day at the Arena Essex Raceway, Pufleet  CREDIT: Rob Newell/TGSPHOTO