Reading's Family Open Day certainly caught the imagination, as a healthy Bank Holiday attendance converged at a sun-drenched Smallmead Stadium to see the Racers take on King's Lynn in the Premier League.

And, in a gripping encounter, the lead fluctuated several times before the match ended in an honourable draw.

Once again, Ulrich Ostergaard was the star of the show for the Racers, fairly ripping to a five-ride maximum with typical flamboyance. Regrettably, the Main Dane lacked solid top-end support, although the remainder of the side chipped in and played a part in the thrilling proceedings.

The original running of heat one saw Kevin Doolan come down in a tight run to the first bend. With no exclusions, the re-start saw Tomas Suchanek use his favoured inside line to great effect as he romped to victory from Shaun Tacey and Doolan, while his skipper, Mark Lemon, brought up the rear.

The reserves' race resulted in a 5-1 to the visitors, as John Oliver and Kozza Smith took advantage of Reading's injury problems to defeat the guest duo of Jamie Courtney and Andrew Bargh.

Following Simon Lambert's close inspection of the second bend safety fence, a re-run heat three featured Ostergaard at his brilliant best, as, after being blocked by Tomas Topinka around turns one and two, the ‘Big O' came storming around the Czech ace on the fourth turn for a flying victory.

Rusty Harrison won a hairy heat four after Tom P. Madsen had lifted alarmingly exiting the fourth bend on the first lap. The Aussie subsequently forged a route past the Dane and, with Smith finishing third, the Stars extended their lead to 14-10.

Ostergaard crafted a second superb win in heat five, blasting to the flag from Doolan. Meanwhile, a hard-earned third place from Chris Mills brought the Racers to within 2 points of the Norfolk outfit.

Lemon surged through to pass fellow Aussie Harrison for victory in heat six, whilst Suchanek turned it into a 4-2 and levelled the score at 18 points apiece.

The Stars responded immediately, however, as Topinka and Lambert carded a 4-2, with Madsen providing the sandwich filling in between.

Bargh produced a ride from nothing to triumph in heat eight, but with Suchanek finishing at the back, behind Tacey and Smith, the Kiwi's efforts were nullified and the King's Lynn remained 2 points ahead, at 25-23.

Ostergaard completed a hat-trick of wins in heat nine and, making the race even more memorable, Mills superbly followed him home for a 5-1, giving Reading the lead for the first time in the match.

With Lemon a faller on the first corner of heat ten, the meeting's third re-run saw Topinka repel the home captain to post a fine success, while Smith's third place again tied up the score at 30-30.

Doolan took a shared heat eleven from Madsen and Bargh, as the sides remained at parity, ensuring an exciting climax.

The quite brilliant Ostergaard stormed to his fourth straight success ahead of Topinka in the next race and, with Smith blowing his engine at the start, Courtney claimed the odd-point to again put the Racers ahead.

Doolan collected his second successive win in the anti-penultimate race, while Madsen and Lemon held Harrison at bay to split the points and maintain the Racers' slender 2-point advantage.

Heat fourteen required a couple of re-runs, prior to Lambert producing his best ride of the meeting to take a crucial win. Mills came through superbly for a crucial second place, while Smith claimed third spot, having taken falls in the first two attempts to run the race.

Amid great tension, the nominated race only reached the first bend, as both Doolan and Topinka came down in the battle for position. With a full complement permitted for the re-start, it was Ostergaard who quickly took control but, with the visiting duo packing the minor scoring positions, Lemon was always going to find it tough to make an impression.

That's how it stayed and a draw was, perhaps, a fair reflection of what had been an action-packed evening of racing.

READING
Mark Lemon (C) 0 3 2 1* 0 - - 6 (1)
Tomas Suchanek 3 1 0 0 - - - 4
Ulrich Ostergaard 3 3 3 3 3 - - 15
Chris Mills 1 1 2* 2 - - - 6 (1)
Tom P. Madsen 2 2 2 2 - - - 8
Jamie Courtney 1 0 1 - - - - 2
Andrew Bargh 0 0 3 1* 0 - - 4 (1)

KING'S LYNN
Kevin Doolan 1* 2 3 3 1* - - 10 (2)
Shaun Tacey 2 0 2 0 - - - 4
Tomas Topinka (C) 2 3 3 2 2 - - 12
Simon Lambert X 1 3 - - - - 4
Rusty Harrison 3 2 1 0 - - - 6
John Oliver 3 0 0 - - - - 3
Kozza Smith 2* 1 1* 1 R 1 - 6 (2)