Premier League
Reading Speedway: Racers eclipsed in Workington.
By Admin
May 11, 2008, 00:37

The well-appointed Derwent Park was the setting, as Reading concluded their first Northern Tour of the 08 campaign.

And, after losing by only 6 points the previous evening at the home of highly-rated Edinburgh, the Racers fared somewhat worse, going down by an 18-point margin. Ulrich Ostergaard once more topped the Reading score-chart with 13 points, while Mark Lemon tallied 9 and Tom P. Madsen recorded 8.

The Berkshire side utilized the services of Ross Brady for the second successive evening as the replacement for Danny Warwick, whilst one-time Workington rider Tom Brown filled in for Jamie Smith.

For the Comets, Swindon's James Wright followed-up his guest appearance in place of Daniel Nermark the previous evening at Scunthorpe by again deputizing for the high-scoring Swede, who sustained a hand injury in Workington's league match at Rye House on 5 May.

In heat one, there wasn't much to choose between Lemon and James Wright over the opening lap, before the Racers' skipper eased away for a fine win. Giving the Berkshire boys the lead, Chris Mills capitalized on a mistake from Barry Burchatt on the last lap to surge through for the odd-point.

That lead proved short-lived, however, as both Joe Haines and John Branney were able to catch and pass the faster-starting Brady, who developed mechanical problems as the race went on. Concluding an eventful heat for the Scotsman, the gremlins caused him to impede temporary team-mate Brown, leading to a stoppage and an awarded result.

Home captain Kauko Nieminen rocketed away to defeat Ostergaard in the next race, with Charles Wright holding third position throughout in something of a procession.

Madsen thwarted the early challenge of Workington legend Carl Stonehewer to triumph in heat four, but with Branney comfortably holding third place Reading failed to eat into their 4-point deficit.

Lemon carded his second race win in heat five after superbly passing Nieminen on the second bend of lap two. Meanwhile, Mills grabbed the remaining point to shrink the Comets' advantage to just 2 points, at 16-14.

The home side restored their 4-point lead in heat six, as James Wright out-paced Madsen, with Burchatt untroubled in third position after Brown had fallen on the first bend of lap two.

Ostergaard stamped his authority on an evenly-split heat seven, before the Racers were hit with a body-blow as Branney and Burchatt combined from the gate to register a 5-1 over Mills, after the luckless Brady had retired on the start-line.

A jet-propelled getaway took Madsen to his second race win in heat nine, although Workington stayed 8 points in front through the efforts of Charles Wright and Nieminen in the minor scoring positions.

Ostergaard held off the permanently threatening James Wright to take the flag in heat ten, but, once again, the points were shared with Burchatt defeating the disappointing Tomas Suchanek, who registered his third duck of the evening.

Lemon had his colours lowered for the first time in heat eleven, with Stonehewer taking victory after a lightning burst from the tapes. Behind, Haines held third place, increasing the Comets' lead to 38-28.

After racing at close quarters over the opening lap of heat twelve, Nieminen was able to pull away from Ostergaard for a good win. Brown held third position throughout, with Branney taking a tumble in mid-race before re-mounting to finish.

Lemon took a tactical ride in the next heat, but a clever first turn saw James Wright block across the Aussie on the first corner, allowing Stonehewer to come around the outside and join him on a match-winning 5-1.

Charles Wright came through to join Haines on another home fiver in the penultimate heat after Suchanek had lost second place through a mechanical failure.

The nominated heat saw Ostergaard produce the race of the night to pass Nieminen on the second bend of the last lap for a wonderful victory. Behind, Stonehewer finished in third spot after finding a way under Lemon on lap three.

WORKINGTON
James Wright 2 3 2 3 - - - 10
Barry Burchatt 0 1 2* 1* - - - 4 (2)
Kauko Nieminen (C) 3 2 1* 3 2 - - 11 (1)
Charles Wright 1 0 2 2* - - - 5 (1)
Carl Stonehewer 2 2 3 2* 1* - - 10 (2)
Joe Haines 3 1* 1 3 - - - 8 (1)
John Branney 2* 1* 3 0 - - - 6 (2)

READING
Mark Lemon (C) 3 3 2 1 0 - - 9
Chris Mills 1 1 1 0 - - - 3
Ulrich Ostergaard 2 3 3 2 3 - - 13
Tomas Suchanek 0 0 0 R - - - 0
Tom P. Madsen 3 2 3 0 - - - 8
Tom Brown 1 F 0 1* 1 - - 3 (1)
Ross Brady X 0 R - - - - 0