Saturday, 29 March 2014

Leicester Lions vs. Wolverhampton Wolves

Well today I travelled to Leicester - the home of the Leicester Lions speedway team who have just this season joined the Elite League by making their way up from the Premier League, although without knowing this before I got to the track as the reason I went was to see my favourite rider Tai Woffinden race for the Wolverhampton Wolves.

The track for the Leicester Lions was actually quite surprising - you could get so close to the action! Literally, only 1m away from the track, and I managed to get to front of the 'fan protection barrier' so I could see every part of the track which was cool. Also, an advantage (well, for me) was that you were so close to track, standing on the first corner you got hit with the flying gravel as the riders went past. The reason I say that was a good thing is because it felt like you 'a part of the action'.


Unfortunately, for the 2013 World Speedway GP rider, Tai Woffinden, he was involved in 3 major crashes out of his four heats. Firstly, the first lap of the first heat, Tai pushed into the crash barrier by J. Doyle cause a leg injury for Tai, but still continued to ride in his upcoming heats. All four riders were in the re-run of the first heat.


In the 11th heat, Tai was leading, however, coming up on the third lap he lost control as he went round the last corner and fell also taking Lion rider Mads Korneliussen with him.

and finally, in heat 15, Tai was picked to race in white, but before the heat could finish, Mads Korneliussen took the last corner wide, leaving no where for Tai to go except into the back of him, leaving Tai bouncing off the track and his bike going straight over the air-barrier and into the spectator fence, also Mads taking Doyle out at the same time, however both Lions riders were okay but Tai was taken off in an ambulance with back and leg pain. Mads Korneliussen was disqualified from the re-run of heat 15 due to him being the one who caused the stoppage.

Also, for the Wolves, Ty Proctor was disqualified in heat 8 and 11 for being the primary stoppage - both for taking it too wide on the first corner and sliding into the air-barrier.

Until heat 15, both the Leicester Lions and the Wolverhampton Wolves were drawn on 42-42 meaning heat 15 was the decider of who would take the win or whether the teams would draw.

Heat 15 was definitely action-packed, due to Tai being taken to hospital, he was unable to compete in the re-run so Jacob Thorssell took his place, with teammate Chris Harris and Lion, Jason Doyle. Up until the last couple of metres of the last lap, Doyle was leading but guest, Chris Harris gave the heat everything, and got across the finish line first, winning the meeting for the Wolverhampton Wolves.



Final totals of: Leicester Lions 44 - 46 Wolverhampton Wolves


You can see the heat winners below:

Heat 1 Ljung, Thorssell, Doyle and Woffinden
Heat 2: Jacobs, Perry, Morris and Cleg
Heat 3: Korneliussen, Hougaard, Harris and Proctor
Heat 4: Thorssell, Stead, Perry and Morris
Heat 5: Hougaard, Doyle, Wells and Proctor
Heat 6: Woffinden, Harris, Korneliussen and Stead
Heat 7: Wells, Ljung, Jacobs and Clegg
Heat 8: Korneliussen, Thorssell, Stead (Proctor DISQUALIFIED)
Heat 9: Morris, Jacobs, Clegg and Perry
Heat 10: Harris, Doyle, Ljung and Proctor
Heat 11: Korneliussen, Hougaard, Wells (Woffinden DISQUALIFIED)
Heat 12: Ljung, Thorssell, Morris and Perry
Heat 13: Woffinden, Harris, Doyle and Hougaard
Heat 14: Wells, Stead, Perry (substitute for CLEGG) and Jacobs

Heat 15: Harris, Doyle, Thorssell (substitute for WOFFINDEN) (Korneliussen DISQUALIFIED)
  red = Korneliussen 
  blue = Doyle
  white = Woffinden
  yellow = Harris


Rider Points Total:
Jason Doyle - 8
Peter Ljung - 11
Mads Korneliussen - 10
Simon Stead - 5
Patrick Hougaard - 5
Tom Perry - 4
Max Clegg - 1

Tai Woffinden - 6
Jacob Thorssell - 10
Ty Proctor - 0
Ricky Wells - 8
Chris Harris - 11
Joe Jacobs - 6
Ashley Morris - 5

Friday, 28 March 2014

Lakeside Hammers vs. Swindon Robins

The 2014 Speedway Season is now well under way with the first Lakeside Hammers Elite League meeting of 2014 against the Swindon Robins.

Tonight was quite lucky - there weren't any serious crashes!

Final Totals of: Lakeside Hammers 47 - 44 Swindon Robins




The heat winners are as follows:

heat 1: LAWSON, Kildermand, Klindt and Karlsson
heat 2: ELLIS, Morley, Ritchings and Williamson
heat 3: WATT, Batchelor, Bridger and Morris
heat 4: BECH, Klindt, Morely and Williamson
heat 5: BRIDGER, Batchelor, Karlsson and Gustafsson
heat 6: BECH, Morris, Kildermand and Watt (KILDERMAND rode tactical)
heat 7: LAWSON, Gustafsson, Ellis and Ritchings
heat 8: WATT, Batchelor, Klindt and Bech
heat 9: MORLeY, Ritchings, Williamson and Ellis
heat 10: BATCHELOR, Morris, Karlsson and Lawson
heat 11: KILDERMAN, Watt, Bridger and Gustafsson
heat 12: LAWSON, Morely, Klindt and Ritchings
heat 13: KILDERMAND, Morris, Bridger and Karlsson
heat 14: BECH, Gustafsson, Williamson (replacement for RITCHINGS) and Ellis

heat 15: KILDERMAND, Batchelor, Watt and Bech
  red: Mikkel Bech
  blue: Davey Watt
  white: Peter Kildermand
  yellow: Troy Batchelor

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Lakeside Hammers Press & Practice

Today was the Vortex Lakeside Hammers Press & Practice where from 6pm, fans can meet riders and have a chance to get photos and autographs with the riders.

The 2014 Vortex Lakeside Hammers:


During the evening, I managed to get an autograph from Lewis Bridger and also a photo with Peter Karlsson.


 
 
During parts of the evening supporters could get into the pits, allowing fans to see what goes on 'behind the scenes'

Bring on Friday - when the Vortex Lakeside Hammers home season starts!

Sunday, 23 March 2014

Elite League Riders' Championship

What a lovely day it turned out to be - sunny and very little clouds. Thankfully being out with the family for the weekend, we were very close to the Brandon Speedway track (home track to the Coventry Bees).

A great line-up:
1. Danny King (Brummies)
2. Peter Karlsson (Hammers)
3. Craig Cook (Belle Vue)
4. Niels-Kristian Iversen (Stars)
5. Hans Andersen (Bees)
6. Tai Woffinden (Wolves)
7. Rory Schlein (Stars)
8. Troy Batchelor (Robins)
9. Matej Zagar (Belle Vue)
10. Fredrik Lindgren (Wild Card)
11. Peter Kildermand (Robins)
12. Darcy Ward (Pirates)
13. Bjarne Pedersen (Eagles)
14. Christ Harris (Bees)
15. Kenneth Bjerre (Stars)
16. Mads Korneliussen (Lions)

17. Stefan Nielsen - reserve
18. James Sarjeant - reserve


However, half-an-hour before the tapes were supposed to go up, the meeting was called off due to a poor track. A lot of angry fans I can tell you, all demanding money back which after a couple of gruelling hours they did by sending off their tickets in the post (address and information on the Speedway GB website).

Even though the meeting was called off, I did manage to get to meet my hero and inspiration .. Yes! The one and only TAI WOFFINDEN - 2013 Speedway Grand Prix winner. Not only did he sign my programme, take a picture with me but I got home to find I was on Sky Sports 2 coverage of the cancelled meeting getting my photo with Tai!
 

To add the brilliant evening, I also got my photo with another Speedway Grand Prix rider, DARCY WARD as well as an autograph!

 

So all-in-all, for me a brilliant evening, although I am sad and annoyed that the meeting was called off due to poor track conditions, if it wasn't I wouldn't of got to meet my two favourite GP riders!

Hopefully, I'll get to re-scheduled meeting!