Bryn shares this latest from the Island Speedway. Ed
After Tuesday emphatic home win over the King’s Lynn Young Stars (see below for report on that), two Wight Warriors ride at Swindon’s circuit tonight that is being used by the Wiltshire club’s management as a test to see if it would be viable for them to enter a Swindon Sprockets side in next year’s National League in addition to their Robins septet in the 2017 Elite League.
Lee Smart and Nathan Stoneman are those two Warriors and there are also unconfirmed reports that a third, namely Chris Widman, could be called upon to ride for the home side too against Coventry to replace Kent King Danno Verge who has pulled out after blowing an engine to pieces on Monday.
Warriors shoot down the Norfolk young stars
The Wight Warriors romped to a comprehensive 53-37 home win over visitors King’s Lynn on Tuesday to complete their 2016 home league campaign and will bring the curtain down on this year’s home speedway competitive action with a special challenge match next Tuesday at the Andrew Younie Smallbrook circuit details of which will follow when finalised.
Back to this Tuesday’s emphatic win over the visiting Norfolk club’s Young Stars whose own cause wasn’t helped with them forced to bring in replacements for regular team members of their side.
One of those replacements namely Darryl Ritchings, in for the injured King’s Lynn no.1 Josh Bailey, thankfully was able to walk away from a high speed heat five last lap crash but being battered, bruised and a little groggy, was unable to take any further part in the meeting.
Their teenage reserve Lewis Whitmore was also ruled out one race later having aggravated a recent injury he’d sustained, and it was left in the main to their skipper Scott Campos and Nathan Greaves to do their best to keep the Warriors margin of victory within reason if at all possible.
The Warriors septet totally dominated the match from start to finish to win comprehensively despite the trio of Layne Cupitt, Chris Widman and James Cockle all being handed a 15 metre handicap in one of their heats by the meeting referee for trying to anticipate the start in those and hitting the tapes before they rose.
The final result sent most in the stadium home happy except perhaps the King’s Lynn fans who’d travelled down from Norfolk to cheer the Young Stars on.
Final score
Wight Warriors 53 King’s Lynn 37 (National League)
Warriors: Mark Baseby 13 Chris Widman 10, James Cockle 9+1 Lee Smart 6+3, Layne Cupitt 6+1, Nathan Stoneman 5+2 Kelsey Dugard 4
King’s Lynn: Nathan Greaves 15, Scott Campos 13+1, David Wallinger 5+1, Taylor Hampshire 2, Darry Ritchings 2, Lewis Whitmore 0, Rider replacement for Tom Stokes.
Curtain falls on this year’s home matches next Tuesday
With the tremendous efforts of all involved in backing the Warriors management head duo of Barry Bishop and Martin Widman bringing speedway back to the Isle of Wight this year, next Tuesday (September 13th) sees the staging of this year’s final home meeting at the Andrew Younie Smallbrook stadium — and then the hard work, that has already started, is moved up through the gears involved in preparing for next year!
Next week’s 2016 finale will see the Wight Warriors take on a GB Young Lions Under 23 side, details of which will be released once finalised as anticipated will be this weekend in addition to a report on our away match at Coventry tomorrow.
Image: Lee Jordan under CC BY 2.0
