Max lifts first UK trophy in style
American ace is Caledonian Riders’champ
Edinburgh Staggs Bar Monarchs ace Max Ruml was crowned Caledonian Riders’ champion on his home track on Friday night.
It was a huge confidence boost for the American ace as he needed to prove against some useful Championshiplevel riders that he is settling in and making progress in the UK.
He certainly managed that in style with a comprehensive victory.
Afterwards, a delighted Ruml said: “Coming into this meeting I hadn’t been scoring big points at Armadale. I made some good times and good starts, gained come confidence and I feel it will do a lot for me in the weeks to come. I don’t know what went on behind me in the final, I was busy looking forward.
“It will be one to remember, my first trophy in Great Britain.”
Tom Bacon may have started the meeting best, Coty Garcia may have gated best (until the final), and Nathan Greaves may have pulled off the best pass, but Ruml was the main man in the end.
After a third place in a tough opening race, he dominated his three remaining qualifiers followed by the semi-final and final, winning each in some style.
Garcia was the top qualifying scorer on 11, with Ruml and Bacon both scoring 10. Garcia and Jordan Stewart went through from the first semi-final, and from the second it was Ruml and Nathan Greaves who went through.
It hadn’t been a great night early on for Greaves, who is a Wolverhampton regular – he had an unlucky fall in heat six thanks to a mechanical defect after going inside Garcia.
However he bounced back with a last-gasp win in heat 12 and a second place in the final. Stewart was third with Garcia fourth after missing the gate for the first time.
Amongst the Scots, Ryan MacDonald won his first ride which was enough to win him the pair of Scott Goggles donated by Bert Harkins.
That prize might have gone to William Lawson had he not lifted and fallen in his first heat. By heat 10 William had remembered enough about riding Armadale to pass Ellis Perks impressively. Each of the younger Scots looked like they had made progress since the previous event.
It may well have been a “Caledonian” event, but the happiest man was definitely American and Ruml will be hoping he can take that form into his Monarchs rides as the season continues.