Speedway and Motorsport

The Somerset Rebels arrived at Ashfield with a 20-point cushion in their quest for the bonus point, but more relevant was the fact that they were unbeaten away from home in this years Premier League fixtures.

Having said that, they had not yet met a team that had pretensions of remaining unbeaten at home this season. In the Glasgow Tigers they met such a team, and in their previous visit to Ashfield in the KO Cup, the Rebels had suffered a defeat, albeit a very narrow one.

The opening heat showed the Rebels desire to keep their perfect away record intact. Stephan Katt made a flying start to lead to the first turn, and beyond. Rebels skipper, Magnus Zetterstrom was soon on terms with his team-mate, and took up the running on the back straight. Tigers number two, David McAllan took up the chase of the Rebels pair, and over the final two laps put Katt under pressure, but the German ace did not yield, and as many have found before, once he's in front of you, the reigning European Grasstrack Champion is very difficult to pass. George Stancl was at the rear when he lost a chain, and retired on Lap 3. So first blood to the Rebels 1-5.

They might have made it two maximums in a row had the second heat not been called back after Robbie Kessler, guesting in place of Robert Ksiezak who was on U21's duty, fell on the second turn. It wasn't clear if Kessler fell of his own accord, or after contact with one of the Rebels pair, but the Referee felt that all four should go back in.

In the original running the Rebels pair had made a great start, and a 5-1 looked on the cards. In the restart the inevitable happened and the home pair made the best start, with Coles running a wide bend to block Simon Walkers run. Kessler took up the lead off the second turn from Coles, with Walker chasing hard, but never able to get on terms.

The Tigers took Heat 3 with a Shane Parker win, but the Rebels pair of Kramer and Frampton packed the places to share the heat.

Frampton in action

Danny Warwick made a flying start in Heat 4, whilst the Tigers pair of Leverington and Kessler made it hard for Ritchie Hawkins as they executed a pincer movement to block out his run to the first turn. They then set about Warwick, and both passed him out of the second turn. Hawkins followed through on the next lap, but could not stop the Tigers maximum, with Kessler taking the win.

Heat 7 saw the Rebels pull back two more points in the hands of Emil Kramer. Now just one point down, Somerset moved into the lead in Heat 8, despite having to re-start the race after Michael Coles had fallen, seemingly on his own.

The Tigers broke the run of defeats in Heat 12, and inevitably it was Parker who did the business. It was his second meeting with Emil Kramer, and this time he made a better gate, and instead of taking the outside route, he made a superb cutback off the second bend to lead from the flying Swede.

Robbie Kessler took third, but not before he had to hold off a determined Simon Walker. Walker rode a superb last two laps, running so wide that he was almost riding the fence 'Wall of Death' style. His charge just failed to yield any points. It was a brave try by Walker, especially when you learn that he was really under the weather, having been unable to eat and drink properly for several days, and feeling extremely sick. After the meeting he could hardly move off his stool, looking thoroughly drained and exhausted.

Somerset were now in sight of a famous victory, and it came in the next heat. It was fitting that the winning heat should go to two of the lesser lights of the team.

Danny Warwick had a terrible start to the meeting by his own standards, and was upset with his form. But he came good in Heat 8, and he did it here again. He matched Robbie Kessler from the gate, and made a wide sweeping bend to lead off the first turn. Jordan Frampton took third from Lee Dicken on the third turn, and set out after Kessler. Frampton was closing Kessler down when the German's machine gave up the ghost on the final lap. Frampton took second spot giving the full points to the Rebels. That result put the scores on 37-46, and put the match and all of the points out of reach of the Tigers.

The final act was the nominated heat, which whilst meaningless in terms of the match, had significance for the Rebels skipper. He was unbeaten at this point, and one more win would give him his third away maximum on the trot, including two paid maximums, although one of them was in the KO Cup match at Edinburgh. It would also be his second full maximum in two matches.

He made no mistake with a flying start, and lead all the way. Shane Parker and Trent Leverington packed the places to keep Emil Kramer at bay, and share the points.

Whilst Kramer had scored a creditable 10-points on the day, he was unhappy not to have added to that in the final race. It was this attitude that typified the Rebels approach to this match, and one that eventually gave them the victory. In other words, they appeared to be the team that wanted it most, and the rides of Jordan Frampton, in Heat 10, Ritchie Hawkins in Heat 13, and Simon Walkers Heat 12 chase of Robbie Kessler illustrated this for all to see.

It was a performance that everyone contributed to, with the two top men providing plenty of points as usual, but they were backed up by strong performances all down the order.

If they continue in this vein, away win number five is not far away, and who knows how far this unbeaten away run can go. This victory cements the Somerset Rebels third place in the league table, four points off the lead, but with four matches in hand over leaders Sheffield.