In another highly-entertaining meeting, Reading swept to a 22-point league success over a gritty Redcar side, who were paying their first-ever visit to Smallmead Stadium.

The leading lights on the night were Ulrich Ostergaard and Tom P. Madsen, who tallied 14 and 12+1 points, respectively; the former only just missing out on another full maximum when he was passed virtually on the line by Gary Havelock after his bike had started to splutter exiting the last bend of heat fifteen with the fluttering flag in sight

The opening heat saw Havelock call upon all his experience, cutting through on the inside line to firstly oust Chris Mills and then Mark Lemon for a fine win.

Jamie Smith took his comeback outing in the reserves’ race, having not ridden since his heat two fall in the Bank Holiday fixture versus the Isle of Wight on 5 May. But, after making a good start, he was passed by the visiting duo of Josh Auty and Arlo Bugeja, as the Bears forced a second successive share of the points behind impressive winner Nicki Glanz.

Ostergaard dashed around the first bend pack to win heat three from James Grieves and, with Tomas Suchanek in a battling third place, the Racers moved into a slender lead, at 10-8.

Madsen won heat four at a canter, with the exciting Ty Proctor determinedly coming through to fill second spot. Meanwhile, Glanz did well to withstand some late pressure from Bugeja to claim the odd-point.

The meeting’s big-guns clashed in the next race and it was Ostergaard who had the speed and drive to defeat Havelock - but only just. The 1992 World Champion brilliantly squeezed around the Dane on the second bend and the two riders diced for pole position thereafter with never too much between them. Behind, Suchanek picked up another good point after forging a route past Joni Keskinen, as the Racers moved 18-12 to the good.

A re-start was required in heat six after Proctor had hit the deck in a tight first turn. With a full complement of riders, the second attempt produced an exceptional race, complete with a blanket finish. Lemon spent much of the heat team-riding with Mills and it was the home pair who prevailed, just holding off the buzzing Auty on the line, with Proctor only a half-a-wheel adrift, too.

Madsen saw off Grieves’ double-points effort in heat seven, but, at least with Smith in third position, Reading were able to share the spoils.

Under severe pressure from Bugeja, Racers’ reserve Glanz came down on the third bend of heat eight to earn an unfortunate exclusion. The re-run found Mills in sparkling form, as he rode the perfect line to repel Auty and Bugeja. The points-share left the Racers leading 30-20 and well on course to another home win.

A re-run heat nine ended in a home 5-1, as Suchanek found large amounts of inside grip to pass Proctor and join the flying Ostergaard up front.

A Reading 4-2 followed from Lemon and Mills, with Grieves finishing in between after a tidy passing manoeuvre had taken him ahead of the home No. 2 in mid-race.

Madsen continued on his merry way, completing a hat-trick of race wins in heat eleven by beating Havelock with aplomb. Meanwhile, a last-ditch burst saw Smith snatch the remaining point from Keskinen on the run to the chequered flag.

Ostergaard powered to his fourth win of the evening in the next heat, with Grieves and Auty filling the minor scoring positions behind, as the Racers made sure of 2 more league points.

Havelock ended Madsen’s possible maximum hopes with a tapes-to-flag success in heat thirteen, before Suchanek and Smith posted Reading’s third 5-1 of the night in the penultimate race.

The night looked almost certain to end with a Racers’ 4-2 until Ostergaard’s unfortunate gremlins struck, leaving the match to instead close with its sixth share of the points.

READING
Mark Lemon (C) 2 3 3 1* - - - 9 (1)
Chris Mills 1* 2* 3 1 - - - 7 (2)
Ulrich Ostergaard 3 3 3 3 2 - - 14
Tomas Suchanek 1 1 2* 3 - - - 7 (1)
Tom P. Madsen 3 3 3 2 1* - - 12 (1)
Jamie Smith 0 1 1 2* - - - 4 (1)
Nicki Glanz 3 1 X 0 - - - 4

REDCAR
Gary Havelock (C) 3 2 2 3 3 - - 13
Joni Keskinen 0 0 0 - - - - 0
James Grieves 2 4 2 2 0 - - 10
Daniel Giffard 0 0 0 1 - - - 1
Ty Proctor 2 0 1 0 - - - 3
Josh Auty 2 1 2 0 1* - - 6 (1)
Arlo Bugeja 1* 0 1* 0 - - - 2 (2)