SPEEDWAY by Alan Goodman

PICTURED: Bees’ team for 2016 (from left) Gary Havelock (team manager), Krzysztof Kasprzak, Chris Harris (Capt on bike), Kacper Woryna, Danny King, Jason Garrity. (Front) James Sarjeant, Josh Bates.

The Speedway season opened on Saturday with the BEN fund Bonanza meeting at King’s Lynn.

This fund provides support for injured riders and its hard work was rewarded by a large crowd enjoying some excellent racing on a well-prepared circuit.

Bees had five riders in the field and experienced some mixed results.

Chris Harris stormed to two good wins in his opening races but hopes of a rostrum place vanished with an uncharacteristic last place in his third ride. With a closely matched field this left him needing at least a second place to reach the semi-final. This he achieved but a last place in the semi led to an early exit.

Krzysztof Kasprzak was less fortunate, a second ride spill saw him taken to hospital with a suspected broken collar bone. Fortunately he was found to be OK so will be fit for the opening team matches.

Danny King had a low key meeting with just three points but it was the form of Josh Bates who impressed the large number of Bees fans in attendance. After being excluded after a collision with Simon Stead in his opening ride he came last in his next before reeling off two straight wins and looks set to carry on the good work in the reserve spot vacated by Jason Garrity.

Kacper Woryna was meeting reserve and took two points from three rides.

The eventual winner was Craig Cook with Rory Schlein second and Bjarne Pedersen third.

Preview

Bees’ first meeting is on Friday (18th) when they meet Poole in the second leg of The Elite Trophy, the first leg, hopefully, should have been ridden on Wednesday. Interest will centre on the quick return to Brandon of Hans Andersen, whose controversial winter move to Poole was not well–received by local fans. The visitors also have Chris Holder, Davey Watt and Krzysztof Buczkowski in what looks to be another strong Dorset outfit.

The meeting starts at 7.30pm.

Bomber’s Big Bang

Chris Harris is staging his testimonial meeting at Brandon on Sunday.

There is a main event with a 16-rider field run on the old GP system with 20 heats and four (A,B,C and D) finals.

There will also be junior racing.

The gates open at 12noon, with the main event starting at 2pm.

Attempts to stage this event last year were thwarted by the weather so he will be hoping for better luck on Sunday.

Alan Goodman