Speedway Star magazine published a table of maximums gained in the Premier League, the Premier National Trophy, the Premier League Cup, and the Young Shield. With only an handful of Young Shield fixures to complete, Peter Carr comfortably tops the table.
Peter Carr has 15 maximums, 9 full and 6 paid, all at Armadale. Second in the table was Sean Wilson with 13 maximums, 6 full and 7 paid, all bar 2 at Owlerton. Third on the list of 'usual suspects' was Carl Stonehewer with 10 maximums, 4 full and 6 paid. Robert Eriksson came 14th in the chart with 1 full and 3 paid maximums. Out of the top-20 is Kevin Little with 2 paid maximums and Blair Scott with 1 full maximum.
Peter Carr came second to Sean Wilson in the Premier League averages and finished runner-up to Stonehewer in the Premier League Riders' Championships. However Carr is the leading point scorer in the Premier League and indeed any League.
The Premier League has a number of quality riders following several defections from the Elite League including Garry Stead, Paul Thorp, Ray Morton, Ben Howe, and Savalas Clouting. This makes it harder for the top riders to continue to pile up maximums and attain high averages. However many of those dropping down a division and expecting to clean up found the Premier League a lot tougher than they would have imagined. Peter Carr, against the odds, has put close to one point on his average and continues to to rack up maximums despite the tougher competition.
On most measures Carr, Wilson, and Stonehewer remain the top three in the league. The strength of the top Premier Leeague riders has been shown by the way that Carl Stonehewer more than held his own in the Grand Prix series and easily qualified again for next year. Sean Wilson was not far off getting a shot at the Grand Prix Challenge, although Peter Carr has long since retired from World Championship qualifiers.
Many protagonists of the Elite League have tended to take a condescending attitute to all Premier League riders. The fact that Stonehewer qualified for and stayed in the Grand Prix may have changed one or two people's opinions but don't hold your breath!
The good news for Edinburgh is that Peter Carr will be back in Monarchs' colours next year.