Vortex Hammers go close to a point in Norfolk
The Vortex Hammers slipped to a 51-39 defeat at the Norfolk Arena tonight, although despite the scoreline, the Essex based team were still in the hunt for an away point up to the final nominated heat.
After an initial shared heat, the Hammers soon found themselves six points adrift through first a 4-2 in the reserves race and then a 5-1 to the home team. A slice of fortune in heat four allowed the Hammers to claw their way back into the meeting when Lewis Kerr fell whilst leading, enabling Richard Lawson and Adam Ellis to team up for a 5-1.
A shared heat 6 was followed by a 4-2 advantage to the Hammers in heat 7 when Peter Karlsson gated, and Lewis Bridger picked up third place. Star performers for the Hammers, Mikkel Bech and young Fast track reserve Adam Ellis, then team rode well in heat 7 to deliver a 5-1 advantage, which put the Hammers ahead for the first time on the night. Davey Watt showed Robert Lambert and Rory Schein a clean pair of heels in the following heat, before the Stars hit back in the second reserve race of the evening in heat 8, with Lewis Rose and Lewis Kerr seeing off Ellis and Morley from the gate to level the meeting.
GP Star Niels-Kristian Iversen showed no effects of jetlag from his trip back from the New Zealand Grandprix with a tapes to flag victory in heat 10, with Stars number 2 Nicklas Porsing keeping Hammers captain Watt behind to give the home team a four point lead at the interval.
After a further shared heat 11 which Bech dominated, The Stars then began to take control, first with a 5-1 in heat 12, followed by Iversen and Bjerre combining over Karlsson and Morley, a replacement for an out of sorts Lewis Bridger, riding at the tough number 5 position.
Ellis and Bech had other ideas however, again teaming up to deliver a superb 5-1 in heat 14. This left the Hammers with a chance for an away point in the nominated heat 15, however, Iversen showed his class scorching to a full maximum, whilst behind, Rory Schlein and Mikkel Bech had a great tussle, after a competitive second bend, with the home rider eventually taking second place.
The Hammers now look to continue their home form when they head back to The Raceway this Friday to take on the Birmingham Brummies.
King’s Lynn Stars = 51
1. Niels-Kristian Iversen — 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 15 MAX
2. Nicklas Porsing — R, 0, 2+, 2+ = 4+2
3. Rory Schlein — 2+, 2, 1+, 2, 2+ = 9+3
4. Robert Lambert — 1, 0, 2, 1 = 4
5. Kenneth Bjerre — 3, 0, 1+, 2+ = 6+2
6. Lewis Kerr — 1, 0, 3, 3 = 7
7. Lewis Rose — 3, 1, 2+, 0 = 6+1
Lakeside Vortex Hammers = 39
1. Peter Karlsson — 2, 3, R, 1, 0 = 6
2. Richard Lawson — 1+, 3, 0, 1 = 5+1
3. Davey Watt — 1, 1+, 3, 1 = 6+1
4. Mikkel Bech — 2, 2+, 3, 2+, 1 = 10+2
5. Lewis Bridger — R, 1, 0 = 1
6. Ben Morley — 0, 0, 0 = 0
7. Adam Ellis — 2, 2+, 3, 1, 0, 3 = 11+1
Heat Results
Heat 01: Iversen, Karlsson, Lawson, Porsing (Ret) 3-3 60.40
Heat 02: Rose, Ellis, Kerr, Morley 4-2, 7-5, 61.34
Heat 03: Bjerre, Schlein, Watt, Bridger (Ret) 5-1, 12-6, 59.47
Heat 04: Lawson, Ellis, Lambert, Kerr (F-rem) 1-5, 13-11, 60.72
Heat 05: Iversen, Bech, Watt, Bjerre 3-3, 16-14, 60.26
Heat 06: Karlsson, Schlein, Bridger, Lambert 2-4, 18-18 59.88
Heat 07: Ellis, Bech, Rose, Porsing 1-5, 19-23 59.88
Heat 08: Watt, Lambert, Schlein, Lawson 3-3, 22-26 59.90
Heat 09: Kerr, Rose, Ellis, Morley 5-1, 27-27 60.43
Heat 10: Iversen, Porsing, Watt, Bridger 5-1, 32-28 59.98
Heat 11: Bech, Schlein, Bjerre, Karlsson (Ret) 3-3, 35-31 60.56
Heat 12: Kerr, Porsing, Lawson, Ellis 5-1, 40-32 60.97
Heat 13: Iversen, Bjerre, Karlsson, Morley 5-1, 45-33 60.19
Heat 14: Ellis, Bech, Lambert, Rose 1-5, 46-38 61.12
Heat 15: Iversen, Schlein, Bech, Karlsson 5-1, 51-39 60.80
Updates Courtesy of Speedway Updates.
Image: Adam Ellis of Lakeside Hammers – Lakeside Hammers vs Leicester Lions, Elite League Speedway at the Arena Essex Raceway, CREDIT: Rob Newell/TGSPHOTO