The brightest of floodlights shone out like a beacon on the future of dirt track motorcycle racing in the Principality on Saturday (7/6) night: with a large crowd absorbed in the conclusion to the Silkolene Short Track Championship Round Two at the awesome Amman Valley track in the former South Wales coalfields country. 

The trotting circuit, staging its second half-miler event (unique as a dirt track motorcycle racing discipline in the UK) is attracting unprecedented investment currently, including track lighting from the same US suppliers of no less than the Losail International Racetrack venue of the MotoGP in Qatar; and with the promise of perhaps a new grandstand coming soon, the circuit truly represents the place with the biggest potential in oval racing on horse or using mechanical horse-power in the UK. 

Reveling under such splendid illumination was a true Italian master, Marco Belli holding off current series leader, former Isle of Man TT rider, Pete Boast in the Grand Final.  Boast had fought a classic battle with British Under 21 Speedway international Adam Allott in the semi - the one-time World Ice Racing rostrum man prevailing to line up on the front of the grid alongside Belli in the 12 rider Grand Final.

It was Boast who made the hole-shot but Belli passed him down the back straight. The popular Boastie hung on to the back of the Varese racer (winner at last year's inaugural half-miler at Amman Valley) for three laps before the Italian Stallion, now riding for the CCM Works Team, pulled away for a decisive high-speed victory.

Yorkshireman, Steven Hall had followed on from his victory in the Champions of Champions event at the BMF Show in Peterborough in May by dominating the qualifiers; but after being baulked badly by a crashing rider in his semi, found himself unsuccessfully playing catch-up in the crucial business-end of the proceedings. 

Hall did eventually claim third place after a terrific scrap with Lincolnshire-based Glynn Pocklington, who with Boast had recently carried the GB flag for Short Track at Daytona Beach: the pair reveling in the not-far-off Florida type weather. Further down the field, the man Hall had pipped at the BMF, Aidie Collins, Welsh national skipper, Tim Greig and KTM-mounted Mick Janson were battling wheel to wheel.  In a breathtaking final lap denouncement, Collins rounded Greig to complete a marvelous and dramatic night's entertainment for a good-sized crowd.

The outcome of it all is that long-time rivals Belli and Boast share the lead in the overall STUK Championship - with Redcar up next in July.

The companion Thunderbike class had its largest entry of the season, with 20 riders using the opportunity of riding the 1/2 mile track to really get the higher capacity, multi-cylindered monster machines opened up!  The extraordinarily high-speed final saw Ammanford first-timer the Swiss, Jan- Willam Jansen on his XR1200cc Harley Davidson push Boast on the Suzuki Twin for top spot - with reigning champ, Boast just able to assert the British upper hand!  Jon "Captain Highside " Lee brought his 700cc Honda twin home into third spot.  Local hero Guto Llewellyn came in sixth.

The enterprising Jansen deservedly found himself awarded the HelmetsRu Rider of the night award.

In the juniors the still unbeaten (after well over a year now) Tom Wooley won yet again with his nearest challenge coming from up-and-coming youth Road Racer, Joe Moore.

There was four-wheeled action too courtesy of the Welbourns ST Quads - with Kent star Jim Penfold emerging triumphant.

Silkolene ShorttrackUK Championship Grand Final Results
1st) 1 Marco Belli            520 CCM
2nd) 54 Peter Boast        450 Team Suzuki
3rd) 77 Steve Hall            525 MRS KTM
4th) 71 Glyn Pocklington        450 Helmet4u Honda
5th) 90r Aidan Collins        450 BuckinghamVans Honda
6th) 10 Tim Greig        550 asr Aprilia
7th) 14r Adam Allott        450 Joe Booth Racing Honda
8th) 15x Jan-Willem Jansen    1200 Sundance Harley-Davidson
9th) 16x Mick Janson        525 KTM
10th) 15 Victor Bull        450 No Bull Yamaha
11th) 8 Jon Bell            525 KTM
12th) 84 Justin Harrgate    450 Helmets4u Honda

Thunderbike Championship Grand Final result
1st Pete Boast        650 Team Suzuki
2nd Jan- Willam Jansen        1200 Sundance Harley-Davidson
3rd John Lee    700 Skooter Farm Honda
4th Mario Muggler    600 Harley Davidson
5th Kevin Armstrong    600 C&J Rotax
6th Guto Llewellyn    600 Husaberg

Juniors
1st Tom Woolley.....230 CCM
2nd Joe Moore........230 CCM
3rd Ben Baker.........230 CCM
4th Tom Welbourn..230 CCM

Welbourns Quads
1st Jim Penfold.................350 Banshee
2nd Charlie Welbourn.....525 Outlaw
3rd Craig Morgan.............350 Banshee
4th Mark Graves...............500 Polaris