Vortex Hammers march on

The Vortex Hammers produced another solid team performance tonight, when they comfortably saw off the challenge from the Leicester Lions, with a 59-36 point victory.

Skipper Davey Watt showed his intentations in the first race of the evening, stalking Lions Number 1 Jason Doyle for three laps, before pipping his Aussie compatriot on the run in to the line to take the three points. The first Fast Track reserves race took two attempts to be run, first when Clegg moved at the start, then due to a second bend fall for Bates.  Reserves Adam Ellis and Ben Morely then took control in the third attempt, recording the first 5-1 of the evening for the Hammers.

Karlsson executed a perfect second bend cut back in heat three, to take the lead, although with team mate Mikkel Bech at the back, the heat was shared. Lewis Bridger entered the Arena in the following race producing a great gate to secure a tapes to flag victory.

Heat leader duo Davey Watt and Peter Karlsson, then notched the second 5-1 heat advantage of the night. working the second bend well to shut out Korneliussen.  Ten points down, the Lions introduced Rory Schlein on a tactical in heat 6, a race which produced a sincilating performance from Bridger who pulled a brilliant manoeuvre  on the second lap to take the lead.  With Bech in third place, the Hammers neutralised the tactical threat with a shared heat.

Richard Lawson delivered another consistent heat victory in the seventh, before Bech and Bridger teamed up for a further heat advantage for the Hammers int he eight. Morley and Ellis maintained this in the second reserves race in heat 9, both overtaking the gating Lions by the third bend of the first lap.

The Lions brought Korneliussen in as their second tactical nomination in heat 10, with the Danish star team riding superbly with Schlein to record an 8-1 and first heat advantage for the away team of the night.  Doyle and Bjerre both gated in the next race, but another superb first and second bend by Peter Karlsson helped Bech through and the Hammers pair romped away to take a further 5-1, to the delight of the Hammers faithful.

Lawson again won with ease in the 12th, before Watt and Karlsson secured the sixth maximum advantage of the evening, after Doyle went wide on the third bend allowing Karlsson through to follow his captain home. Lewis Bridger secured another victory in the penultimate race, showing great pace, whilst his team mate Adam Ellis left his machine following a 360 degree spin on the third bend.

Watt rounded off his evenings work with a win in the nominated race, with Karlsson following in second until Schlein found a way through.

On a night when they delivered 14 heat winners, the Hammers will be looking to maintain this form when they seek revenge against the table topping King’s Lynn Stars, who visit The Raceway next Friday, the 20th June.

Scores and heat results.

Lakeside = 59

1. Davey Watt 3, 3, 1, 3, 3 = 13
2. Richard Lawson 0, 3, 0, 3 = 6
3. Mikkel Bech 0, 1, 3, 3 = 7
4. Lewis Bridger 3, 3, 2′, 3 = 11+1
5. Peter Karlsson 3, 2′, 2′, 2′, 1 = 10+3
6. Ben Morley 2′, 1, 3, 0 = 6+1
7. Adam Ellis 3, 1, 2′, F = 6+1

Leicester = 36

1. Jason Doyle 2, 0, 1, 1 = 4
2. Simon Stead 1′, 2, 1, 2 = 6+1
3. Mads Korneliussen 2, 1, 0, 6!, 0 = 9
4. Lasse Bjerre 0, 2, 0, 2 = 4
5. Rory Schlein (G) 1′, 4!, 2′, 0, 2 = 9+2
6. Max Clegg 1, 0, 1, 1′, 1′ = 4+2
7. Josh Bates Fx, 0, 0 = 0

Hammers won toss choose to take gates in Heat 15.
Leicester off 1 and 3 in Heat 1.

Heat Results

Heat 01: Watt, Doyle, Stead, Lawson 3-3 59.0
Heat 02: Re-runx2 Ellis, Morley, Clegg 5-1 8-4 60.3
Heat 03: Karlsson, Korneliussen, Schlein, Bech 3-3 11-7 59.0
Heat 04: Bridger, Stead, Morley, Bates 4-2 15-9 58.8
Heat 05: Watt, Karlsson, Korneliussen, Bjerre 5-1 20-10 58.9
Heat 06: Bridger, SCHLEIN, Bech, Doyle 4-4 24-14 59.0
Heat 07: Lawson, Bjerre, Ellis, Clegg 4-2 28-16 60.0
Heat 08: Bech, Bridger, Stead, Korneliussen 5-1 33-17 59.1
Heat 09: Morley, Ellis, Clegg, Bates 5-1 38-18 60.0
Heat 10: KORNELIUSSEN, Schlein, Watt, Lawson 1-8 39-26 59.3
Heat 11: Bech, Karlsson, Doyle, Bjerre 5-1 44-27 59.4
Heat 12: Lawson, Stead, Clegg, Morley 3-3 47-30 59.8
Heat 13: Watt, Karlsson, Doyle, Schlein 5-1 52-31 59.5
Heat 14: Bridger, Bjerre, Clegg, Ellis fell 3-3 55-34 59.9
Heat 15: Watt, Schlein, Karlsson, Korneliussen 4-2 59-36 59.3

Courtesy of @speedwayupdates

Image: Heat 6: Lewis Bridger (blue) and Mikkel Bech (red) – Lakeside Hammers vs Belle Vue Aces, Elite League Speedway at the Arena Essex Raceway. CREDIT: Rob Newell/TGSPHOTO