Torrential rain puts brakes on Aces clash with Somerset
THERE was disappointment for Belle Vue as the club was forced to throw in the towel and postpone last night’s mouth-watering clash with Somerset following torrential rain in Manchester.
The forecast for the area had consistently promised light rain in small doses throughout the day, with nothing to suggest a more serious threat until the riders began warming up just after 7pm.
Meeting officials and club management took the decision to delay the start for around 30 minutes to allow time for the worst of the weather to pass which, on this occasion, it failed to do so.
Director of Speedway, Mark Lemon, said: “We’ve had a good run of weather the last few weeks and even coming into this meeting conditions were great with only a couple of showers forecast.
“What makes this all the more frustrating is that the rain that came in was very heavy and wasn’t on any of the forecasts we’d been watching quite keenly throughout the day and into the evening.
“We gave it every chance but there’s no sense compromising safety.
“It was the right call to make in the circumstances. There’s always tomorrow and we can come back and put on a great show.”
The Rentruck Aces make the journey to Wolverhampton on Monday, July 23, before taking on the Parrys International Wolves at the National Speedway Stadium on Wednesday, July 25.
Then, the club celebrates its 90th birthday on July 28 with the ‘Summer of Speed Saturday’, featuring Round 5 of the British youth championship.
Tickets for the Premiership home fixture are now available online at bellevueaces.co and at the stadium box office on race night.
A new date for the Aces v Somerset clash is yet to be confirmed.