Vortex Hammers come back to beat Brummies

August 2, 2013

The Lakeside Vortex Hammers produced a barnstorming finish to this meeting to overturn a two point deficit with three heats to go with three consecutive 5-1s to end up victors by ten points.

It was an amazing turn change of fortune for the home side who had looked a little worse for wear early on in the meeting. There was a constant struggle to win races – in fact, after Peter Karlsson’s opening salvo in the first race the home side had to wait a full eight races before their next win. Another interesting statistic is that race wins occurred every time the home side scored a 5-1.

The visiting Birmingham Brummies had a makeshift side caused by injury and absence but were considerably quicker away from the start early on, the volume of heat wins providing testimony to that. Early on it was exciting reserve Mikkel Bech Jensen who provided the thrills whilst Daniel King had one of his best meetings on the Lakeside circuit.

It was King’s storming pass to secure the win in heat eight that steadied the away sides position and sustained their two point advantage. But a much needed 5-1 from Karlsson and Lewis Bridger in heat ten put the home side in front once again. A poor ride from Seb Ulamek in heat twelve saw him edged out for King and Jensen and it appeared as though the visitors were set to take the meeting spoils.

Then came that remarkable change in fortune ; first, Karlsson and Davey Watt shot away from the gate in heat thirteen to defeat Ed Kennett and Martin Smolinski before Vortex Hammers reserve Richard Lawson produced a great win in heat fourteen, joining Piotr Swiderski for another maximum that cemented a home win.

The final race saw Watt and Karlsson rocket from the start to secure all three Elite League points for the Hammers, leaving their opponents a little hard done by with nothing to show for their efforts.

Lakeside Hammers = 50

1. Peter Karlsson 3, 1*, 3, 3, 2* = 12+2
 2. Lewis Bridger 2*, 2, 2, 2* = 8+2
 3. Sebastian Ulamek 1*, 0, 1*, 1 = 3+2
 4. Piotr Swiderski 2, 2, 2, 2* = 8+1
 5. Davey Watt 2, 2, 2, 2*, 3 = 11+1
 6. Kevin Doolan 2, 0, 1* = 3+1
 7. Richard Lawson 1*, 0, 1*, 0, 3 = 5+2

Birmingham Brummies = 40

1. Edward Kennett (G) 0, 3, 3, 0 = 6
 2. Jason Doyle R/R
 3. Danny King 3, 3, 3, 1, 3, 0 = 13
 4. Ben Barker 1, 0, 1, 0, 0 = 2
 5. Martin Smolinski 1, 1, 3, 3, 1, 1 = 10
 6. Adam Roynon (G) 0, 0, 0 = 0
 7. Mikkel Bech (G) 3, 3, 0, 0, 2*, 1 = 9+1

Heat Results

Heat 01: Karlsson, Bridger, Barker, Kennett 5-1 5-1 59.7
 Heat 02: Bech, Doolan, Lawson, Roynon 3-3 8-4 59.8
 Heat 03: King, Swiderski, Ulamek, Barker 3-3 11-7 59.5
 Heat 04: Bech, Watt, Smolinski, Lawson 2-4 13-11 58.8
 Heat 05: Kennett, Swiderski, Smolinski, Ulamek 2-4 15-15 59.6
 Heat 06: Smolinski, Bridger, Karlsson, Roynon 3-3 18-18 59.5
 Heat 07: King, Watt, Barker, Doolan 2-4 20-22 59.5
 Heat 08: King, Bridger, Lawson, Bech 3-3 23-25 59.6
 Heat 09: Smolinski, Swiderski, Ulamek, Roynon 3-3 26-28 60.3
 Heat 10: Karlsson, Bridger, King, Barker 5-1 31-29 59.5
 Heat 11: Kennett, Watt, Doolan, Bech 3-3 34-32 60.2
 Heat 12: King, Bech, Ulamek, Lawson 1-5 35-37 60.0
 Heat 13: Karlsson, Watt, Smolinski, Kennett 5-1 40-38 59.7
 Heat 14: Lawson, Swiderski, Bech, Barker 5-1 45-39 60.3
 Heat 15: Watt, Karlsson, Smolinski, King 5-1 50-40 60.0

Picture: Seb Ulamek (Ray Lawrence/TGSPHOTO)