Spring Trophy

Lothian Arena, Armadale

Friday 26th March 1999

Edinburgh opened their 1999 season at Armadale with a stuttering win over Premier League newcomers Workington. Monarchs suffered from a number of engine problems as well as a tape exclusion and two falls.

One day before the season was due to start, the clubs were informed that due to production problems, speedway would revert to the hard compound tyres last used in 1997. There were two brands available: Dunlop and Barum. Monarchs used Dunlop tyres but found them slower out of the gate than the Barums used by the visitors. Monarchs had to win a lot of races from the back.

The evening was dry but rather cold. The track looked to be in good condition and passing was possible although never easy. The crowd was big including a sizable contingent from Glasgow.

Gate position B was in used with Workington off 1 and 3 for the first heat after Carl Stonehewer won the toss.

There was a buzz of anticipation waiting for the tapes to go up in the opening heat. This was met with anticlimax when Blair Scott nudged forward stopping them from rising. Scott was excluded and David McAllan came in. The first heat was well worth waiting for. Stonehewer gated and resisted all attempts by James Grieves to pass. Grieves appeared to have edged inside Stonehewer but failed to hold on. Meanwhile McAllan swept past Birkinshaw from gate 4 and held on despite repeated surges from the former Sheffield junior.

(3-3) (3-3)

This looked like a home maximum after Ross Brady and David McAllan gated. Brady soon built up a big lead as McAllan came under pressure from Powell. Brady then pulled up with an engine failure and Powell then passed McAllan. The Monarchs reserve tried a bit too hard to get back and fell on the third bend gifting a 5-1 to the visitors.

(1-5) (4-8)

Little and McDonald gated and then showed great team riding to resist several surges from Peter Scully to level the scores.

(5-1) (9-9)

Brent Werner made the gate as Peter Carr was slow away. Carr pursued Werner for three laps before forcing his way past. Geoff Powell fell while he was fourth.

(4-2) (13-11)

Stonehewer gated from Little. Stewart McDonald missed the start and cut inside Birkinshaw who then went into the fence. Birkinshaw looked rather annoyed and walked away leaving his bike on the track even though his team captain was leading. The race was stopped and Birkinshaw excluded. He probably got a roasting for that as Kevin Little gated and won the rerun from Stonehewer.

(4-2) (17-13)

Grieves again missed the start and tried everything to get past Werner. The American rode an impecible line and seemed to hanging on when Grieves surged past him on the last bend.

(4-2) (21-15)

Peter Carr gated from trap 1, McAllan cut inside on the second bend and seemed to have got ahead of Scully on the backstraight.  Scully picked up grip out wide and hit the third bend just ahead of McAllan. They then collided on the third bend and the race was stopped. It seemed a difficult one to call but Scully was excluded. His injuries kept him out of the meeting. In the re-run, Carr suffered engine problems at the start leaving MacDonald to head McAllan.

(2-3) (23-18)

Carr's engine failure in heat 7 cut the margin to 5 and prevented a possible 'Golden Double'. Ross Brady made a very fast start and won with ease. Blair Scott had an ultimately unsucessful effort to pass Birkinshaw. Geoff Powell fell again while trailing.

(4-2) (27-20)

Workington brought in Stonehewer as a tactical substitute. After Little fell, McDonald was left alone to face the two top visitors. He held on well for a significant victory.

(3-3) (30-23)

Brent Werner came in as a tactical substitute for the injured Peter Scully. He held off James Grieves to record his first win of the night.

(2-4) (32-27)

Peter Carr used Stewart McDonald's bike and gated to win from Stonehewer. Ross Brady in as a reserve change for McAllan made a good start from gate 4 and appeared to have swept past Stonehewer until he went rather too wide on the second bend and nearly did a 'wall of death' around the boards.

(4-2) (36-29)

Ross Brady suffered another engine failure, this time on the line. Kevin Little missed the start and took some time to pass Mark Blackwell.

(3-3) (39-32)

Stonehewer and Werner gated but Carr blasted inside the pair of them on the back straight. James Grieves also passed Werner.

(4-2) (43-34)

Grant MacDonald came in as a tactical substitute for Scully. Ross Brady had another impressive win in a very fast time. Stewart McDonald fell while fighting for second place.

(3-3) (46-37)

Peter Carr missed out on the nominated heat, presumably due to bike problems. Stonehewer and Werner made the start but Grieves fought back to win.

(3-3) (49-40)

Stewart McDonald make an encouraging start including a great win over Stonehewer and Werner. By contrast, Blair Scott had a miserable night. He will not be pleased after losing to Grant McDonald and James Birkinshaw. Blair felt that he had used incorrect pressures for the hard compound tyres.

David McAllan looked competent. He had a great ride in heat 1 but was passed by Geoff Powell and then fell in heat 2. Ross Brady was sensational. He had two wins and was denied a certain win in heat 2 by an engine failure. His gating was electric and he was as fast as anyone on the track. He was only beaten by two Workington riders, Brent Werner in heat 4 and Carl Stonehewer in heat 11.

Carl Stonehewer had a great ride in heat 1 but looked rather subdued after that and was beaten from the back on a number of occasions. Brent Werner produced his usual Armadale form. Grant MacDonald scored well but only actually beat David McAllan, Blair Scott, and Stewrt McDonald (after a fall). Birkinshaw had a good win over Blair Scott but was not really on the pace. The two reserves picked up gift points when offered.

Most exciting rider: James Grieves

Next meeting: v Workington, Return Leg of Spring Trophy, Derwent Park,
Saturday 27 March 1999

John Lowe

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