Action 1
Action 2
BELLE Vue fought back from eight points down to overcome Ipswich 51-39 in a dramatic ROWE Motor Oil Premiership opener at the National Speedway Stadium.
The Witches stunned their hosts with back-to-back 5-1s in Heats 4 and 5 to go 19-11 up with Rising Star Jason Edwards defeating World No.3 Dan Bewley.
But the Aces came roaring back with Brady Kurtz in sensational form, and they took the lead for the first time in Heat 10.
Both teams used tactical substitutes during the meeting but whilst Tom Brennan won Heat 14 for the Witches, a 3-3 ensured a home win before Kurtz and Bewley wrapped things up with a last race 5-1.
Kurtz piled up 17 points from six rides for the Aces with Bewley on 10+3, unbeaten after his first ride. Brennan scored 11 from six for the Witches, and Danny King added 9+2.
Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said:
“Ipswich got off to a great start and that was a little bit concerning, I’m not going to lie, and having to use a tactical in Heat 7 wasn’t the plan!
“I wasn’t feeling too optimistic that we could turn it around in a heartbeat, and the resistance that Ipswich put up against us was a good effort.
“But we came good at the end and obviously we had Brady and Dan performing like they have, which is fantastic, but we don’t want to be relying on those guys week in week out.”
Edwards said:
“For me personally, it was my best meeting at Belle Vue. It’s always a really tough place to go.
“The nice thing is everywhere I am going at the moment, I am improving a lot from what I did last year and gradually getting there, so that’s a really positive step.”
OFFICIAL REFEREE SCORECARD
Available here
Photo credit: IAN CHARLES
Results & Scorers
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP
BELLE VUE 51: Brady Kurtz 17, Dan Bewley 10+3, Zach Cook 8, Peter Kildemand 6+1, Norick Blodorn 4+2, Tate Zischke 4+1, Will Cairns 2.
IPSWICH 39: Tom Brennan 11, Danny King 9+2, Tobiasz Musielak 6+1, Jason Edwards 6+1, Richard Lawson 6, Philip Helstrom-Bangs 1+1, Scott Nicholls 0.
Courtesy of BRITISHSPEEDWAY.CO.UK
Action 1 - Photo Courtesy of BRITISHSPEEDWAY.CO.UK
Action 2 - Photo Courtesy of BRITISHSPEEDWAY.CO.UK
