Captain Richard Hall lopped an incredible half a second off his own track record at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Monday afternoon whilst the Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions got back to winning ways with a 54-39 victory over the Glasgow Tigers. 

With the Tigers’ Shane Parker largely untroubled on his way to a paid maximum it was the Scorpions strength in depth which built an early lead and held on to claim the league points.

The Scorpions recorded three 5-1s and two 4-2s in the first six races to open up a commanding sixteen point lead (26-10).  Hall and Viktor Bergström claimed two of the maximum heat wins including one in Heat 1 when Hall scorched away to eclipse his own track record by 0.51 of a second.  The new four lap record is 56.39 seconds with one previous holder, a certain ex-Scorpion Tai Woffinden, set to return on 12th September.

The impressive Parker was headed by Magnus Karlsson in heat 3 as the Scorpions’ Swede blasted around the Australian in turn two but, when the Tigers’ young Dane Anders Andersen fell on the third turn, Parker made no mistake in the re-run.  The Tigers did have Josh Grajczonek in their ranks just ten days after he recorded two heat wins for Sheffield before crashing heavily with Bergström.  Thankfully, like Bergström, he was fit to ride but Carl Wilkinson and Byron Bekker rode superbly to pass him in heat 4 to give the Scorpions’ their second 5-1.

Parker produced a six-point tactical ride in heat 7 to narrow the gap but Bekker and Bergström recorded another 5-1 for the Scorpions in heat 8 to take the scores to 33-18.  Karlsson claimed a second heat win in heat 9 whilst Emiliano Sanchez won a terrific battle with Trent Leverington for third place.  Three riders unbeaten by an opponent went to tapes in heat 10 with Scunthorpe’s Hall and Bergström taking on Parker.  A great three rider battled ensued but it was the Tigers’ number five who came out of it with his paid maximum intact.

Heat 11 saw Wilkinson produce a great ride to pass Robert Ksiesak and with Ben Powell keeping the improving Mitchell Davey at bay the Scorpions had opened the gap to nineteen (44-25).  Davey came out in the next race to combine with Parker for a Tigers 4-2 but the Scorpions claimed one of their own in a great heat 13 which saw all four riders in close contention.  Powell topped off a decent afternoon’s work by winning heat 14 before the Tigers wrapped things up with a consolation 5-1 in heat 15.

Powell’s fellow reserve, Byron Bekker, was pleased with his own efforts after his recent return from injury “It was good to get back to fitness.  I rode against Sheffield but I was struggling for fitness.  I’ve done some swimming and other stuff and my fitness was back at Weymouth.  I just had some nerves there but I seem to have settled them too today.  On Friday we have got Stoke.  Andy (Moore) and Emiliano (Sanchez) will probably be wanting to prove a point.   It will be a good meeting.  Every meeting here is a good meeting.  We won well today but even though the gap was bigger than normal the racing was still good.  It’s just a brilliant track and everyone just seems to come here and love the place”.

The meeting Bekker referred to was the Scorpions’ next home match which takes place on Friday, 29th August, (start time 7.30pm) when the Stoke Potters visit.  The Potters were edged out just 47-43 in the Premier Trophy meeting earlier this season when former Scunthorpe Stag, Mark Burrows, registered a double figure score from reserve.  The meeting will also see former-Scorpion Andrew Moore return to the Eddie Wright Raceway whilst Emiliano Sanchez, the rider the Scorpions took in the swap deal, will also take on his former club.

Scunthorpe Scorpions 54
Richard Hall 11 (4 rides), Viktor Bergström 7+4 (4), Magnus Karlsson 11 (5), Emiliano Sanchez 3+1 (4), Carl Wilkinson 7 (5), Ben Powell 9 (4), Byron Bekker 6+1 (4)

Glasgow Tigers 39
Robert Ksiesak 10 (5 rides), Lee Dicken 1 (3), Shane Parker 17+1 (5 rides, including a six point tactical ride), Anders Andersen 2 (3), Trent Leverington 1 (4), Mitchell Davey 4+1 (6), Josh Grajczonek 4 (4)