With the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels contesting the first leg of the Premier League Playoff tie at Edinburgh’s Armadale, the action at the Oak Tree Arena turned to the future stars of British Speedway, with the staging of the Somerset Junior Championship. A good field contested this event, including up and coming riders, Darcy Ward, Mark Baseby, Jerran Hart, and Ben Hopwood.
Rob Smith is another rider who would fall into that category, and in Heat 1 he showed he could be a contender for this title, with a good opening win after an early battle with Aaron Baseby over the first two laps, before he pulled away. Baseby lost out in the late stages, as Jerran Hart took second late on.
Mark Baseby opened his account in Heat 2; with an easy win after swapping place in the early stages with Coventry based youngster Andy Braithwaite. Baseby recorded a quick 59.29 sec return in accounting for Braithwaite. If Baseby’s time was fast, Darcy Ward was stellar in Heat 3. He broke level with the rest of the field from the tapes, but was in front before the first bend, winning by a good margin from Ben Hopwood, who had to come from behind Terry Day on the final lap to grab second. Ward’s time of 58.42 sec, would have won many a race in this seasons Premier League fixtures here this year.
Gareth Isherwood has been recording some great scores for Buxton this season, and he showed why, taking Heat 4 with a wide outside sweep around the first two turns, after a level break. Once in front he won unchallenged. Luke Priest took second in equally easy style, leaving Harland Cook, and Jay Pickard to fight a close battle for third place.
Mark Baseby kept up the pressure in the second round of rides, taking Heat 5 after a close battle with Ben Hopwood over the opening lap. Baseby had held a narrow lead at the first turn, only for Hopwood to pass on the wide outside line of the second bend. Baseby cut back inside on the third turn to take back the lead, and then had to hold off a determined challenge from Hopwood before easing out a narrow lead, which he held to the chequered flag, again returning a sub 60 second time.
Rob Smith kept his unbeaten status in Heat 6. Leading off the line, for an unchallenged win. Luke Priest got close, but never looked like providing a real challenge, as the pair pulled clear of Gary Cottham, and Andrew Aldridge. Darcy Ward showed his fast opening time was no fluke when he returned another fast clocking in Heat 7. His 59.78 proved too fast for Matt Bates, as he led all the way for a bloodless victory. The main interest was the battle for third place, as Jay Pickard, and Michael Bovis passed and re-passed each other for the whole four laps, with Pickard just getting to the front at the right time.
Jerran Hart put his disappointing opening ride behind him, as he took Heat 8, holding off the early attentions of the useful Gareth Isherwood, cutting inside at the second bend to grab the lead. Andy Braithwaite came out on top off a closely fought battle for third place, as he demoted Terry Day to last place. Isherwood had no time to reflect on his defeat, as he was straight back out in Heat 9, but was unfortunate to come up against the flying Darcy Ward, and had to make do with second place again. Ward led off the line, with Aaron Baseby providing the early challenge. After the first turn Ward was beyond recall, and Isherwood accounted for Baseby on the second turn to take an easy second place. Baseby held a late challenge from Gary Cottham, as Ward demonstrated his dominance by winning by the length of a straight, and once more in a fast time.
Mark Baseby’s challenge remained on track as he took Heat 10, after making the best of a level break to lead at the first turn. Terry Day and Rob Smith swapped places a couple of times in the first three laps, with Day eventually getting the nod. Baseby never looked back from the opening turn, winning with some ease, in a time almost equalling that of Ward in the previous heat.
Ben Hopwood kept himself in the reckoning, taking his first win of the night in Heat 11. He bolted from the traps to lead all the way, despite a challenge from Luke Priest at the end of the opening lap. Hopwood pulled out a good lead after that, leaving Priest to fend off a late challenge from Andy Braithwaite. Jerran Hart put himself right back in the mix, with his second win on the spin in Heat 12. His only challenger was Harland Cook, but he held him with ease, to win with something in hand. Any chance Andrew Aldridge had of taking third place went when he locked up late in the race whilst delivering a challenge to Michael Bovis.
Luke Priest put his first win on the board in Heat 13, leading before the first turn. Behind him Michael Bovis came out at the front of a three abreast battle, with Terry Day and Aaron Baseby around the opening turns. Day hit back on the second lap, taking Bovis with a neat outside move, leaving Bovis and Baseby to a tight struggle in the closing stages of the race, with Baseby charging up the inside of Bovis entering the final lap to grab third place. Rob Smiths challenge for the title came to an abrupt halt in Heat 14 when he was excluded as he cut inside Andy Braithwaite on the first turn of lap 2, forcing Braithwaite very wide, and causing him to fall. In the re-run Braithwaite showed no ill effects of his tumble, taking a second place, albeit a distant one, behind the peerless Darcy Ward. Braithwaite had made a terrific start to lead the young Australian, but Ward powered around the outside of the first two turns to go clear. Harland Cook took the final point on offer.
Gareth Isherwood brought his total to 10-points, and kept his chances alive by winning Heat 15 with an all the way win. Mark Baseby threw away his unbeaten status grabbing a big lift off the line that saw him exit the opening turn in third place. He was quickly on the wheel of local rider Matt Bates, but could not find away passed. Their battle carried them close and closer to Isherwood, and going down the back straight for the final time they were within striking distance. Baseby went for a big blast around the outside, swooping passed Bates on the third and fourth bends, and flashing over the line alongside Isherwood. Unfortunately for him, his pulsating run had come just too late, as Isherwood held on by the narrowest of margins.
Ben Hopwood was another to total 10-points at the end of four rides, with another win in Heat 16. He had to do it the hard way as Jerran Hart lead before the first bend, after a level break. Hopwood was soon chasing, and threw in a challenge on the final bend of Lap 2. He could not make the move stick that time, but repeated the move, cutting up the inside of Hart in the same place on the very next lap, pulling out a small lead he held to the line.
Heat 17 proved to be eventful for the wrong reasons, but it started quietly enough, with Andrew Aldridge leading from the tapes. Behind him Andy Braithwaite got the better of Jay Pickard on the opening bend. He was chasing Aldridge, when he lost a primary chain exiting the final bend of the second lap, and was thrown to the floor. Pickard was battling Aaron Baseby for third place close behind, when they came across the prostrate Braithwaite. Baseby managed to pick his way passed, but Pickard had nowhere to go, and hit Braithwaite, and his machine, and was thrown him into the safety fence. It was a nasty looking crash for both riders, but thankfully they both regained their feet, and walked back to the pits under their own steam, after being attended by the medical staff for some time. In the re-run Aldridge again made a quick start and won easily to put his only points on the board in his last ride of the night.
Heat 18 gave Ben Hopwood a guaranteed place on the podium; with a win; following a three abreast battle around the opening turn, with Rob Smith and Gareth Isherwood. He pulled away from the pair, with Smith getting the better of Isherwood, who was seeing his title challenge evaporate, after they had negotiated the back straight. Heat 19 had no effect on the final result, but it gave Matt Bates a victory on his home track. He was quickly away alongside Gary Cottham, with Terry Day losing his chance, with a big lift of the line. Bates was soon in front, and never looked back, despite a late challenged from the recovering Day, who’s big run on the last lap saw him close the gap on the run to the line.
The final Heat 20 could mathematically seen three of the four riders finish on 13-points, and provide a four way run off with Ben Hopwood, but Darcy Ward was never going to let that happen. Although not the quickest away, he was soon in front after a level break. Going to the first turn alongside Mark Baseby, he turned on the powered to flash around the outside line. Once in front he pulled out a long lead, leading by the distance of half the straight before the end of the first lap. Baseby took second place, and a place on the podium, holding off a challenge from Luke Priest in the process. Jerran Hart finished his night’s work with a disappointing last place.
Although the podium places were settled, the order was not, with Ben Hopwood and Mark Baseby finishing on the same 13-point tally. The final result was settled with a Heat 21 run off between the two. Mark Baseby broke first, with Hopwood throwing in an early challenge on the first bend. He drew alongside entering the home straight for the first time, cutting up the inside of Baseby off the fourth bend. He gave Baseby racing room, and could never quite get his nose in front as the pair slugged it out. Baseby just eased in front in the latter stages of the second lap, and pulled out a small lead he never relinquished.
So the final places were settled, with Darcy Ward giving a faultless display of power and track craft to record a flawless maximum 15-point tally. On the odd occasions he missed the gate he just stuck his head down and got on with it without any signs of panic or anxiety. Much has already been written about young Ward and it is easy to see why he is held in such high esteem. With his signature already on a contract with Kings Lynn for next season, it looks as though the Saddlebow Row outfit have got themselves a winner.
Baseby has had some hard knocks in his brief forays into the Premier League, but here he showed that he is a more than useful rider who, if he can curb his tendency to over try in higher company, could make a useful reserve at Premier League level. Ben Hopwood battled all night to fight his way into a challenging position, and his another who’s future may lie at another level.
Those who ventured out on a bitterly cold evening had been treated to some great racing and a highly entertaining meeting. They had also been treated to the sight of a rider, who may in the future be destined to great things.
Somerset Junior Championship - Individual Scores:
1. Aaron Baseby – 1, 0, 1, 1, 2 = 5
2. Rob Smith – 3, 3, 1, exl, 2 = 9
3. Matt Bates – 0, 2, 0, 1, 3 = 6
4. Jerran Hart – 2, 3, 3, 2, 0 = 10
5. Mark Baseby – 3. 3, 3, 2, 2 = 13+3
6. Gary Cottham – 0, 1, 0, 0, 1 = 2
7. Michael Bovis – 1, 0, 1, 0, 0 = 2
8. Andy Braithwaite – 2, 1, 1, 2, flx = 6
9. Ben Hopwood – 2, 2, 3, 3, 3 = 13+2
10. Andrew Aldridge – 0, 0, 0, 0, 3 = 3
11. Darcy Ward – 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 15
12. Terry Day – 1, 0, 2, 2, 2 = 7
13. Harland Cook – 1, 1, 2, 1, 0 = 5
14. Luke Priest – 2, 2, 2, 3, 1 = 10
15. Jay Pickard – 0, 1, 0, 1, 1 = 3
16. Gareth Isherwood – 3, 2, 2, 3, 1 = 11
R17. James Williams – DNR
