Team effort of the Diamonds is not enough
NEWCASTLE BTS Diamonds’ wait for another Four Team Championship victory goes on after a disappointing performance in this year’s event at Redcar.
The Diamonds’ foursome mustered just nine points between them, meaning they finished second bottom in the qualifying stage with only Scunthorpe (seven points) below them.
Things looked reasonably rosy when skipper Stuart Robson finished second in the opening race - but the next Diamond in action was Ashley Morris who fell, remounted and then retired from his first outing.
Tero Aarnio and Matej Kus emulated Robson with second places but, with only six points after half of their races, the writing was virtually on the wall for Newcastle’s chances of reaching the final.
Aarnio finished third in a tough 14th race and when Kus ran a last in the next heat it was game over for the Diamonds for another year.
It became a black day for North East speedway when hosts Redcar (10 points) and Berwick (11) also failed to make the cut.
Defending ‘Fours’ champions Peterborough, who won the title on their own track last year, made light of the fact it was being staged on the much smaller Redcar circuit and won the qualifying stage with 18 points.
They were joined in the final by Edinburgh (17), Glasgow (13) and Lakeside (13).
The Panthers then went on to retain the title, finishing with 22 points, three clear of Edinburgh (19), while Glasgow were denied the runners-up spot by a last-lap bike problem for Chris Harris.
Qualifying round: Peterborough 18; Edinburgh 17; Glasgow 13; Lakeside 13; Sheffield 13; Workington 11; Berwick 11; Ipswich 10; Redcar 10; Newcastle 9 (Aarnio 3, Robson 2, Morris 2, Kus 2); Scunthorpe 7. Final: Peterborough 22, Edinburgh 19, Glasgow 17, Lakeside 14.