John Branney, the Buxton Hitmen speedway rider came out on top in the Greggs Northwest-sponsored Junior Championship at Belle Vue last Wednesday by taking the title in dramatic circumstances.

Branney, who joined the Hitmen at the start of the season, had finished runner-up in the competition three years ago and wasn’t one of the more fancied of the competitors but was more than capable of coming out with a good result. He was out in the opening heat and led away from the start. As he entered the third turn, he carried a little too much speed and ran slightly wide and this allowed former Buxton rider Aaron Summers top pass him. Summers then held off Branney’s challenge to take the race win.

He then had to wait until Heat 7 before taking to the track again and this time, from the outside gate, he swept across the other three riders to lead. South African racer Byron Bekker, who rides for Scunthorpe in the Premier League, pushed hard but didn’t have the speed to pass Branney as the Cumbrian notched up his first win to move onto five points. In his third outing, Branney faced Buxton team-mates Ben Taylor and Gareth Isherwood along with Daniel Halsey who was unbeaten at that stage. Branney and Halsey made the better starts and were neck and neck going into the first turn but with Branney on the inside of the Rye House rider, he managed to push Halsey wide and edge in front. Taylor took advantage of this and moved into second before putting in four good laps to keep Halsey behind him.

With two rides each to go, Summers led on nine points, one ahead of Branney who was tied on eight along with Adam McKinna and Peter Juul Larsen. Behind these were Benji Compton and Halsey on seven points and Taylor on six. Off gate 2 in his fourth race, Branney held off the challenge from Compton on the first turn to record his third straight win but Summers defeated McKinna and Taylor to remain one points ahead with one more race to go. In the final series of races Branney was the first to go out on track and he faced a touch line-up with Juul Larsen, still level with Branney on 11, and McKinna on 10. Fortunately the Buxton rider had the inside gate position and hit the first turn ahead of the others. While they squabbled over second place, Branney rode four perfect laps to take the win and finish on 14 points.

All that was left was the final heat and Summers, unbeaten on 12, needed a win to take the title or second place would mean a run-off with Branney, who could do nothing but sit and wait. The line-up was just as strong in this race with Halsey and Compton on nine points each, both looking for a win to push for a rostrum place. As the tapes rose, Summers didn’t get away too well from the outside gate and he went too wide on the first turn as he tried to go around Halsey and Bekker. Halsey managed to eek out a slight advantage but Summers and Bekker were locked in an almighty tussle for second. Summers drew level on several occasions but couldn’t quite find the speed to pass the Scunthorpe man. He made one last dash off the final turn but Bekker held on and Branney had won the title.

Branney finished on 14, Summers was second with 13 and Halsey took third after a run-off after three riders tied on 12. Of the other Buxton riders, Taylor netted 10 points for sixth place overall with a win in his final outing and Isherwood did likewise to end on six. Afterwards Branney said, “After winning my last race, all of the pressure was on Aaron. It is great to win this. I came close a few years back so to win this time is fantastic.” Ben Taylor also left with a trophy as he was voted ‘Most Entertaining Rider’.

This Sunday, it is back to team action for the riders as the Boston Barracudas come to Hi-Edge for their Conference League encounter. The two sides have already raced each other this year when Boston won the Conference Trophy tie on aggregate. The meeting at Buxton back in May ended with a narrow 49-41 win for the Hitmen after they had trailed 34-36 with just four races to go. This Sunday’s meeting, which starts at 3pm, promises to be just and just as entertaining. The track is next to the stock car stadium, one mile off the A53 Buxton to Leek road at the Dalehead turn-off.