Sheffield Speedway Match Reports 2004

Key: * = Tactical ride for double points and    ! = Golden Double Tactical Substitute from a 15m handicap
Sheffield 'PIRTEK' Tigers v Glasgow 'Travel Inn' Tigers Premier League 10th June
Rider010203040506070809101112131415Tot+Bp
André Compton © 9.31 3 2 3 1' 9+1
James Birkinshaw 5.50 0 1' 0 1 2+1
Ricky Ashworth 8.06 2' 3 1 3 2 11+1
Andy Moore 8.00 3 1 3 3 1' 11+1
Simon Stead (g) 2 3 3 2 10
Richard Hall 5.19 3 2' fx - 5+1
Ben Wilson 4.14 1 1' 2 1 2' 7+2
3 4 5 3 4 3 5 2 4 4 3 4 3 5 3
Sheffield 'PIRTEK' Tigers 3 7 12 15 19 22 27 29 33 37 40 44 47 52 55
Glasgow 'Travel Inn' Tigers 3 5 6 9 11 17 18 25 27 29 32 34 37 38 41
3 2 1 3 2 6 1 7 2 2 3 2 3 1 3
George Stancl © 9.21 2 2 1' 0 5+1
Graham Jones 7.59 1' 0 6* 2 0 9+1
Paul Bentley 8.86 1 1 2 2 6
James Grieves 8.16 0 0 0 0 0
Shane Parker 10.00 3 6* 2 3 3 17
Corey Blackman 3.12 0 0 0 - 0
Eric Carrillo 9.00 2 0 1 0! 1 4
Heat
times
01020304050607 0809101112131415
62.463.860.661.661.5 61.561.263.161.462.1 62.563.062.064.163.1

André and James gated poorly in heat 1 and while James made up no ground André swooped past Graham Jones on the first turn of lap 2 and set off in pursuit of George Stancl. George looked to have it in the bag until he made an error on the last bend of lap 3 as a result of which André was able to make a decisive inside pass on the first turn of the last lap.

Heat 2 saw the Owlerton debut of American Eric Carrillo. Richard Hall sped to the front while it took Ben Wilson a couple of laps to pass Corey Blackman who was riding some wild lines. Eric grabbed a handful of throttle and passed both Corey and Ben on the third lap.

Andy and Ricky won heat 3 from the tapes with James Grieves half a lap behind. Shane Parker claimed heat 4 ahead of Simon Stead but Ben gained his revenge by beating Eric Carrillo convincingly. Ricky trapped to win heat 5 from George Stancl while Andy Moore squeezed past Graham Jones on the third turn of the second lap for third place. Shane Parker took six points from his tactical ride winning heat 6 from the tapes.

Simon Stead and Richard Hall both made poor starts in heat 7 and although they had both passed James Grieves by turn 2 there seemed to be confusion about who should have the first crack at Paul Bentley. Simon wasted no time flying into the lead on the third turn while Richard switched back to pass Paul on the inside exiting turn 2 on the next lap. Heat 8 is sure to feature in the highlights tape being the race of the season so far. Graham Jones on a tactical ride sped into the lead while behind him Ben and James attempted to contain Eric Carrillo. Ben insisted on the inside lines leaving Eric opportunity to draw level exiting turns but losing the advantage into the next turn, with James frustrated right on their back wheels. Eric switched to the inside line off the last bend of lap 2 and Eric, Ben and James ran line abreast into the first turn. Ironically this time Ben took a wide line effectively baulking James but allowing him back into contention with Eric. All three of them were tripping over themselves on the last lap and their pace was such that they were now catching the race leader, but as they crossed the line it was Grahame Jones from Ben, Eric and a very frustrated James. Classic speedway!

Andy Moore trapped to lead heat 9 from Shane Parker. Shane dived past on the first turn of the second lap but Andy's outside line carried him back into the lead off turn 2 after which he pulled away. André and James were again last from the tapes in heat 10. André wasted no time passing James Grieves by turn 2 and switching back under Paul Bentley off the last turn, while it took James Birkinshaw until lap 3 to slip past Grieves out of turn 2. Richard Hall tumbled on the second turn of heat 11 and hurst his wrist, but Simon entertained us in the rerun bursting from 3rd to 1st in a third bend dive in the rerun. Grahame Jones sneaked past back into the lead off the fourth bend but Simon blasted around him on the second turn and left him trailing.

Desperate measures saw Eric Carrillo starting off a 15m handicap in heat 12. He finished more than 15m adrift after 4 laps. Ricky won from Paul Bentley who just held out the pushing Ben Wilson. Shane won heat 13 from Simon while slow starting André eventually passed George Stancl around the first turn on the last lap to share the heat. James Grieves trapped to lead heat 14 but Andy Moore passed him out of turn 2 and Ben into turn 3. Eric Carrillo soon moved into 3rd and his outside lines carried him closer and closer to passing Ben until he had a nasty moment on the back straight on the last lap (clipped the fence?). Shane Parker dominated the nominated heat but Ricky and Andy were more than a match for Graham Jones to share the points.

The racing was far better than the scoreline suggests with the English Tigers often having to make up ground lost at the starting gate. Good to see Simon Stead back on track and he rode well only dropping points to Shane Parker. Ben Wilson had his best meeting this season at Premier League level. I hope Richard's wrist is soon better and that James can get back amongst the points. Ricky was going well and Andy was the only rider to head Shane Parker, but André made some terrible starts. Shane looked almost unbeatable but lacked any kind of backup. Graham Jones was their only other heat winner, and two thirds of his score came from his tactical ride in heat 8. George Stancl and Paul Bentley failed to win a race and their only other scorer was Eric Carrillo. James Grieves thankfully returned to his usual Owlerton form failing to score despite twice being in the lead.

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