BEES extended their lead at the top of the Elite League with 47-43 win over Belle Vue in a last-heat decider at Brandon Stadium on Friday night, writes Observer Speedway reporter Robin Allen.
It was the visitors who made an excellent start to the meeting with guest and former Bee Aaron Summers taking the win ahead of Grand Prix star Matej Zagar for an opening 5-1.
Bees hit back straight away, as Jason Garrity made a superb pass on Steve Worrall on the first lap. And then guest Lewis Rose followed Garrity’s example by passing Worrall on the next lap securing a 5-1, which put the scores level at 6-6.
And if anyone wondered how evenly matched the two sides were, they only needed to look at the scorecard with six shared heats in a row keeping the scores level.
But that did not mean there was no entertainment as Belle Vue looked set for a 5-1 in heat five until Stuart Robson passed Worrall, while Garrity left it late but managed to grab third place on the last lap.
In heat seven, home captain Chris Harris was pushed wide by Josh Grajczonek on the first turn but Harris never gave up as he passed the Belle Vue man on the final bend to take the victory.
The deadlock was finally broken in heat nine, as the visiting duo Grajczonek and Stefan Nielsen gated on 5-1 only for Robson to sneak between them on the back straight to take the lead. Garrity then made an excellent move on the third turn; passing the Belle Vue pair for a Bees’ 5-1, with score now 29-25.
But it seemed the interval had re-energised the visitors who got back-to-back heat advantages in heat 11 and 12. However they were helped by Garrity getting disqualified from the second reserves race after taking down Worrall on turn four; handing the Aces a 5-1, putting them two points up.
In heat 14, Bees brought the scores back level after Joonas Kylmakorpi had a great battle with Grajczonek for the lead, with the Bees man taking the win. While Danny King secured third place for a 4-2 taking the meeting to a last-heat decider.
The nerves were showing in the final race as Zagar jumped the start; causing the race to be stopped. In the rerun, Bees’ duo Kylmakorpi and Harris made a superb gate putting them on 5-1 to the delight of the home crowd. Harris guided his partner home with some excellent team riding which secured the win for the home side.
“I always thought it was going to go right down to Heat 15, but what can I say – Chrris Harris was Captain Fantastic again.” said Team Manager Gary Havelock.
“Chris went off the worst gate and he let Joonas have the best one, and he pretty much shepherded him home. But It was a sensational meeting, and I think everyone who witnessed it will certainly have gone home thinking they got their money’s worth.”
Havelock added “We battled on Monday when Jason did his small-track engine and had to borrow bikes, we still got two points, and to come back like that tonight with a 5-1 in Heat 15 was sensational for the fans.”
