If Round Five of this year's Silkolene Short Track UK championship at Peterborough a fortnight earlier had all the autumnal splendour of an Indian Summer then Saturday's visit to King's Lynn's Norfolk Arena for Round Six was more akin to an Indian-style monsoon!
 
The unique combination of Supermoto and traditional dirt track racing supplied by the 'Track and Trial' (TT) round of the STUK championship is capable of withstanding pretty awkward conditions; but not the sort of driving, freezing rain which deluged the Saddlebow circuit from mid-way through proceedings. 

The duality of the meeting with the event for larger bikes, the Sunnydecks Thunderbikes; the junior event, the CCM F.T. Experience Junior Shorttrack Championship; and the four-wheeled action of the Welbourns of Wisbech ST Quads all taking place on the straightforward King's Lynn Speedway oval; whilst the TT traversed both the shale circuit and a passage across the concreted in-field and a single jump - meant that, unusually, the undercard events were all completed before what should have been the denouncement of the main Short Track event.
 
Thus, for a rain-drenched crowd there were finals to see; even though there was no alternative in the end to bring the TT to a premature end with the semis yet to be staged.

Qualifiers for that stage had included STUK debutant, young Aussie, Darcy Ward.  Ward who has been starring for Saddlebow Conference League tenants, the Boston Barracudas in Speedway's Conference League in recent months signed off from his hugely successful first foray into GB motorcycle racing with a win at the Somerset Championship in traditional Speedway on the Friday and then an excellent showing in treacherous conditions in the TT at the Norfolk Arena on Saturday.  Indeed, as he flies home to Oz this week, young Ward's accomplished performance in finishing second behind Aidan Collins in his qualifier turned out to be his last race in England of his hugely successful tour.  The national Under 16s champion at Short Track down under, Ward is likely to be seen here again in both disciplines as one of dirt track's true rising stars of the future in 2009.
 
Far less good news for Britain's own home-grown star of Short Track, with ACU Junior Champion 2008 and inaugural Junior STUK champ of last year's series, Tom Woolley crashing out early on (before the rains came with a vengeance) in practice and suffering a broken collar-bone.  Burton battler Woolley's omission opened the way for nearest challenger on the CCM F.T. Experience Junior Shorttrack Championship leader-board, Ben Baker to grab his second round win of the campaign: the Skegness-based 16-year-old (who also qualified for the semis in the ultimately abortive seniors event) taking the win from 2008 newcomer Adam Thomas of Tameside.  Woolley will now be sweating on his fitness approaching the final round at Scunthorpe on Sunday week with Baker now three points ahead in the overall championship rankings.
 
In the Sunnydecks Thunderbikes, one-time King's Lynn and Boston Speedway club captain. Peter Boast is still on course to defend his title but lost out on the evening, in the closest final of the season to Chorley's Jon 'Captain Highside'  Lee on the giant 710cc Honda; with former Road Racer, Paul Harrison from Leicestershire picking up a useful third spot.
 
Meanwhile, the Welbourns Quad Championship Final was run in the most treacherous of conditions with the rain lashing down and making the Saddlebow track like an ice skating rink!  It was Mark Hooker on his 350cc Banshee who screamed away from the tapes leaving the rest of field in his very muddy wake.  Nearest challenger was Boston-based Chris Wright who did well to hold off the close attentions of the other Hooker brother, reigning champion Alan from Caistor. 

Silkolene Short Track UK championship Round Six
Abandoned due to waterlogged track.  No result; no championship points awarded.
 
Sunnydecks Thunderbikes Rd 6 Final Results
1st 76 Jon Lee......................710 Scooter Farm Honda
2nd 54 Peter Boast..............650 Suzuki
3rd 4r Paul Harrison.............600 Honda
4th 61r Kevin Armstrong.....600 C&J Rotax
5th 80r Tim Stevens...............600 CCM
6th 9r Richard May.................710 Suzuki

CCM F.T. Experience  Juniors
1st 7 Ben Baker..........................230 CCM
2nd 41 Adam Thomas...............230 CCM
3rd 4 Tom Welbourn................230 CCM

Webourn's Shorttrack Quad Championship Final Results
1st Mark Hooker...............350 Banshee
2nd Chris Wright...............350 Banshee
3rd Alan Hooker.................350 Banshee
4th Jason Snaith................450 Yamaha
5th Brendon March............350 Banshee
6th Charlie Welbourn......525 Outlaw