Redcar Cub Benji Compton won the Conference League Riders' Championship at Rye House Speedway on Saturday evening with a 14 point tally. Runner-up was Byron Bekker of Scunthorpe Saints on 13 points.

Benji follows in the tyre tracks of Andy Howe who won the inaugural Championship at this Divisional level for the Cleveland Bays in 1994.

Benji has been doubling up with the Redcar Bears in the Premier League this season where he has been appearing at reserve and this national title will no doubt allow him to stake a claim for a permanent place in the senior team for the 2009 season.

Benji will be on parade on Thursday evening at the South Tees Motorsport Park at 7.30pm when the Redcar 'TLS' Bears will face the Reading Racers in the first leg of the Jack Young Shield Quarter-Final. The Bears beat the Birmingham Brummies in the Grand Final in late October 2007.

The second leg against Reading will be at the Smallmead Stadium on the evening of Sunday October 5th at 6pm.

The late Jack Young won the World Speedway Championship as a Second Division rider with the Edinburgh Monarchs and the next season became the first rider to win consecutive individual titles as a rider with the West Ham Hammers in the First Divsion.

"Courtesy Steve Harland/Redcar Speedway"