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Last Updated: Nov 28th, 2010 - 10:22:29 |
“If you build it, they will come”. The line comes from the famous movie “Field of Dreams”, but it also applied to Rye House Stadium on Sunday, as the crowds descended on Hoddesdon for the season opening Ben Fund Bonanza.
The meeting had been built in the press since early in the New Year as the biggest ever staged at Rye, with two multi-time World Champions and a string of other Grand Prix and Elite League stars in the field. The result was an influx from the moment the stadium doors opened at 11.30 in the morning, and which built to a standing room only audience some three hours later. There were supporters from as far north as Scotland and as far west as Plymouth.
It all added up to a massive income boost for the Speedway Riders’ Benevolent Fund, the registered charity established to support riders suffering substantial or long term injuries.
It also added up to the first title of the season for three-time World Champion Nicki Pedersen, who went undefeated in his four programmed rides before wrapping up the event with a further victory in the Grand Final. The Dane endured a painful start to the afternoon, disappearing through the fourth bend safety fence and onto the outlying former greyhound circuit after a coming together with Leigh Adams in an awarded Heat 1, but then rattled off victories in his remaining outings to complete a faultless display.
Despite having a British base at nearby Stevenage, it was Pedersen’s first ever visit to Rye House, and a more than successful one. As he said afterwards, “I can’t really complain about anything today. We have been trying a few new things because I wasn’t as good on slick tracks last year as I should have been. This is the perfect track to try those sorts of things out.”
About the opening race incident, Pedersen admitted that it could have meant an early end to his racing day. “It’s always awkward when you land on the dog track, but it’s one of those things that happen. Leigh pushed me a little bit, and I was feeling a bit of pain in my backside afterwards, but I didn’t want to let the boys or the fans down. I thought that I would take one more race and see how it went, and then I carried on from there”.
It was certainly the ideal scene setter for Pedersen’s forthcoming Grand Prix series and aspirations for title No.4. “I’m going to do my very best. I just take everything as it comes, but “so far so good”.”
Pre-meeting dark horse Krzysztof Kasprzak of Lakeside – a former World U-21 Champion and 2008 Grand Prix rider – finished second, dropping his only programmed point to Pedersen in Heat 8 and then suffering a repeat defeat by the Dane in the Grand Final. Wolverhampton’s Grand Prix star Freddie Lindgren placed third.
“Mr Unfortunate”? That dubious “honour” was probably shared between reigning World Champion Jason Crump and exciting Brit Edward Kennett. Crump looked impressive in reeling off victories in his first three rides, but then tasted defeat against Pedersen in Heat 17 and was left at the rear of a powerful field in the Final. Kennett, meanwhile, also started with three straight successes before being kept in third place in both that Heat 17 and his subsequent Semi-Final.
There were no such frustrations for Rye House representative Chris Neath, however, who looked more than comfortable amongst Elite League opposition. The Silver Ski Rockets did the home fans proud by being the only Premier League rider to reach the Semi-Final and then pushing Freddie Lindgren all the way in the race for a Grand Final spot.
The 2010 British Speedway season is certainly off and running. The next stop for Rye House is a team opener for the new-look Rockets against Leicester on Saturday (March 20th, 7pm start).
Meeting scorers (main 20 heats):
Nicki Pedersen 12, Jason Crump 11, Krzysztof Kasprzak 11 (all through to Grand Final), Edward Kennett 10, Freddie Lindgren 10, Chris Neath 7, Ben Barker 7 (through to Semi-Final), Steve Johnston 7, Rory Schlein 6, Scott Nicholls 5, Niels Kristian Iversen 5, Tai Woffinden 4, Leigh Adams 4, Kevin Doolan 4, Daniel King 4, Adam Shields 3, Craig Watson 3, Filip Sitera 3, Viktor Bergstrom 1, Tomas Topinka 0.
Meeting reserves Kurt Shields and Kyle Hughes did not ride.
Semi-Final (winner through to Grand Final):
Freddie Lindgren, Chris Neath, Edward Kennett, Ben Barker
Grand Final:
Nicki Pedersen, Krzysztof Kasprzak, Freddie Lindgren, Jason Crump
Next in Town: Leicester
The Silver Ski Rockets make their first team appearance of the 2010 campaign on Saturday night (March 20th, 7pm start) with a new-look side that mixes the not-so-old with the familiar with the new. Back from 2009 are team captain Chris Neath, back-to-back rider of the year Luke Bowen and Swedish U-21 Bronze medallist Linus Sundstrom. The “familiar” comes in the form of late season guest Kyle Hughes and – returning after a year’s absence – the North Star Stefan Ekberg. The “new boys” are Jordan Frampton and Kurt Shields.
Providing Saturday’s opposition is a special set of visitors. The new decade marks the return of the sport to Leicester after a 27 year absence. A delayed start to building work may have ruled the Midlanders out of official competition in 2010, but they will still feature heavily in challenge action, starting at Rye.
Masterminding the Lions is “Sudden” Sam Ermolenko, and the 1993 World Champion has based his team selection around a number of Rye House track specialists, starting with the leadership of former Grand Prix Wildcard – and Leicester-born - David Howe and also including 2009 World U-21 Finalist Ludvig Lindgren, double former British U-15 Champion Josh Auty and ex-Rye captain “The American Express” Brent Werner. Long-time Sheffield Tiger Paul Cooper, the currently unattached Chris Mills and Kart Raceway Cobra Jamie Smith complete the septet.
Forthcoming Fixtures at Rye House
Saturday, March 20th Rockets vs Leicester (Challenge) 7.00pm
Saturday, March 27th Rockets vs Somerset (Premier Trophy) 7.00pm
Saturday, April 3rd Cobras vs American Dream Team (Challenge) 7.00pm
Monday, April 5th Rockets vs Birmingham (Premier League) 7.30pm
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