Vortex Hammers snatch late victory

Against a back drop of lightning strikes around the Raceway, the Vortex Hammer dug deep tonight to snatch a 47-43 point victory with a dramatic comeback over an Eastbourne team who were six points to the good after heat 10.

With Davey Watt returning from injury, the away team took the initiative in a re-run of the very first race with Bjarne Pedersen taking victory over the Hammers skipper, after Richard Lawson had fallen on the third bend in the initial staging. The impressive Eagles Fast Track rider Lewis Blackbird dominated the first reserves race, although Ellis and Morely dug in for a shared heat.

Former Hammer Jonas Kylmakorpi took victory over Lewis Bridger in the following race, with Hammers guest Rory Schlein caught out at the back behind Woodwood.  Returning Hammer Kim Nilsson entered the Raceway in heat 4, taking victory over Lahti and Blackbird who team rode to keep Morley in fourth.

As the black clouds rolled in behind the home straight, Schlein delivered a neat cut back on the second bend of heat 5, to join Watt for the first Hammers heat advantage of the night, and levelling the scores at 15 points a piece.

But the Eagles responded, as first Pedersen and Lahti, followed by Woodward and Blackbird hammered home away maximum heat victories to silence the home crowd, despite the chasing efforts of Bridger in heat 6 and Lawson in heat 7 respectively.

The Hammers  hit back immediately with a 5-1 of their own, with Bridger dominating the first turn of the next race, joined by Nilsson, delivering one of his trademark cut backs. Blackbird notched up another heat victory in the second reserves race, as Halsey got the better of Ellis, to increase the Eagles lead back to six points, an advantage maintained in the 10th as Pedersen again won from the gate.

As lightning struck behind the Raceway circuit, Lewis Bridger pulled off a stunning move in the eleventh heat, sweeping past Pedersen and Woodward on the fourth bend to join Schlein at the front, to narrow the gap to 2 points. The Eagles responded by switching Blackbird in for Halsey in the next race, although the Eagles reserve took a nasty looking first bend tumble.  With all four riders back for the restart, Morley and Lawson kept Lahti at the back to keep the Hammers in the hunt.

The meeting finally swung back in home favour in heat 13, when the Eagles put Halsey in as rider replacement,  gambling on Pedersen taking another victory. Although the Dane did initially gate, first Schlein and then Watt for the Hammers picked him off to open up a two point lead for the first time of the night.

In a pressurised heat 14, Blackbird went through the tapes, to be replaced by Halsey. With Woodward taking victory in the re-run, Nilsson and Morley again packed in behind to take a shared heat, leaving a last heat decider.

As the lightning moved in closer and the heavens began to open, Watt secured the all important heat victory in the nominated race with Schlein following Pedersen home, to give the Hammers victory and two league points on the night.

After the meeting Hammers Co-Promoter Jon Cook commented:

“That was a spectacular comeback, made all the more special played out against the dramatic backdrop of black thunderclouds and lightning rolling in.

Some of the racing was exceptional on a good track, in front of a really good crowd. You don’t always want a last heat decider, but that was top class speedway entertainment tonight to snatch the victory.’

Lakeside = 47

1. Davey Watt 2, 3, 2, 2′, 3 = 12+1
2. Richard Lawson Fx, 1, 1′, 1′ = 3+2
3. Lewis Bridger 2, 1, 3, 2′ = 8+1
4. Kim Nilsson 3, 0, 2′, 2 = 7+1
5. Rory Schlein (G) 0, 2′, 3, 3, 1 = 9+1
6. Ben Morley 1′, 0, 2, 2, 1′ = 6+2
7. Adam Ellis 2, 0, 0 = 2

Eastbourne = 43

1. Bjarne Pedersen 3, 2′, 3, 1, 1, 2 = 12+1
2. Timo Lahti 1, 2, 3, 1, 0 = 7
3. Joonas Kylmakorpi 3, 1, 0, 0 = 4
4. Cameron Woodward 1, 0, 3, 0, 3, 0 = 7
5. Mikkel Michelsen R/R (CW 1, TL 3, BP 3, DH 0 = 7)
6. Lewis Blackbird 3, 1′, 2′, 3, 3, T = 12+2
7. Daniel Halsey 0, 1, 0, 0 = 1

Lakeside win the toss & take the choice of Gates in Heat 15, Eastbourne are off Gates 1 & 3 in Heat 1

Heat Results

Heat 01: Re-run Pedersen, Watt, Lahti 2-4 60.3
Heat 02: Blackbird, Ellis, Morley, Halsey 3-3 5-7 60.4
Heat 03: Kylmakorpi, Bridger, Woodward, Schlein 2-4 7-11 59.9
Heat 04: Nilsson, Lahti, Blackbird, Morley 3-3 10-14 58.9
Heat 05: Watt, Schlein, Kylmakorpi, Woodward 5-1 15-15 58.8
Heat 06: Lahti, Pedersen, Bridger, Nilsson 1-5 16-20 58.7
Heat 07: Woodward, Blackbird, Lawson, Ellis 1-5 17-25 59.3
Heat 08: Bridger, Nilsson, Lahti, Kylmakorpi 5-1 22-26 59.7
Heat 09: Blackbird, Morley, Halsey, Ellis 2-4 24-30 60.0
Heat 10: Pedersen, Watt, Lawson, Kylmakorpi 3-3 27-33 59.2
Heat 11: Schlein, Bridger, Pedersen, Woodward 5-1 32-34 59.2
Heat 12: Re-run Blackbird, Morley, Lawson, Lahti 3-3 35-37 60.3
Heat 13: Schlein, Watt, Pedersen, Halsey 5-1 40-38 58.6
Heat 14: Woodward, Nilsson, Morley, Halsey  3-3 43-41 59.5
Heat 15: Watt, Pedersen, Schlein, Woodward 4-2 47-43 60.4

Updates courtesy of @speedway updates and @lakesidelive

ImageL Davey Watt of Lakeside Hammers – Lakeside Hammers vs Leicester Lions, Elite League Speedway at the Arena Essex Raceway. CREDIT: Rob Newell/TGSPHOTO

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