CYCLE SPEEDWAY: COVENTRY Sabres had the chance to try out some of their youngest talent against a powerhouse Wednesfield side at Hearsall Common on Saturday as they slipped to a 40 point defeat.
Without senior racer Myke Grimes, who had commitments racing in the HSBC Elite Series in Ipswich, the Hearsall Common based side tracked five teenagers in their side – including promising youngster Cameron Gill who only took up the sport last season.
Wednesfield were boosted by the presence of European Junior Champion Brandon Whetton while Team GB member Paul Heard and national youngster Lee Kemp were also on hand to guide the Wolverhampton side to a comfortable win.
An early 7-3 for Wednesfield set the tone for the visitors as Paul Heard and Mark Griffiths followed up an opening heat win for Carl Parfitt.
Coventry hit back in heat four as Polish international Dominik Rycharski earned Coventry’s first race win of the afternoon.
Four maximum 7-3 race advantages for Wednesfield followed as they extended their lead to 26 points by heat eight.
Rycharski picked up his second race win of the afternoon in heat nine before Cameron Gill defeated his first opposition rider in his third race of the afternoon.
Rycharski continued to guide Coventry through the meeting as he won his third and fourth rides, eventually ending the meeting as one of two riders who weren’t beaten.
There was success for Coventry’s Sam Hardie in heat 15 as he battled past former British Finalist Mark Griffiths ad Phil Hemmings to bag a deserved win for the determined racer.
Teenagers Dan Drewett and Jake Slatter then earned Coventry their second race advantage of the afternoon in the penultimate race, but by then Wednesfield had already wrapped up the points with a dominant display of team riding – eventually winning the match 68-108.
Picture: Paul Devine.
