Scunthorpe 53 Newcastle 37 – full report

GREAT NIGHT OF ACTION AT THE EDDIE WRIGHT RACEWAY

SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 53 NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS 37 (LEAGUE CUP)

A FANTASTIC, last bend, around-the-outside charge by Finnish teenager Nike Lunna, ignited the Eddie Wright Raceway crowd, as the FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions, backed by Henderson Insurance, scored a hugely satisfying 53-37 win over the Newcastle Diamonds last night (Friday).

The atmosphere for the previous home meeting against Sheffield had been a little flat, due to the Tigers soon taking control of the meeting, but last night was a totally different proposition, with supporters enthralled by a meeting containing the best of both worlds… a Scorpions victory and some stupendous action.

Scunthorpe took control with a 9-3 lead after two races, thanks to a comprehensive 5-1 from David Howe and Theo Pijper in Heat 1, followed by Lunna’s late charge in Heat 2 to snatch victory from Lewis Rose, in a race that also saw Ellis Perks pass Simon Nielsen.

The Scorpions never let the lead slip, although the margin see-sawed thanks to the excellence of Newcastle’s middle pairing of Anton Rosen and Lewis Kerr, who scored three heat advantages.

For the Scorpions, the top five were rock solid, each scoring at least paid nine. Both Pijper and Alex Davies were completely transformed riders from the previous home meeting, while Howe also put in easily his best performance of the season, after reverting back to an old set-up for his silencers.

Howe and Josh Auty scored two 5-1s from the ‘heat leader’ races (Heats 13 &15), while Carl Wilkinson not only continued his consistent start to the season, but also displayed some fine team-riding skills.

Lunna is really capturing the hearts of the Scorpions’ fans with his never-say-die efforts, and Perks also contributed, defeating both Newcastle reserves.

There was some great racing throughout the night, but there’s no doubt that Heat 10 was a little bit special. It’s almost impossible to describe all the action over these four laps, since places were exchanged on a regular basis, while at times the proverbial blanket could have been thrown over the four riders.

Kerr was the early leader of the race, before being overhauled by Pijper, while Rosen battled past Howe into third. The two Diamonds then found a way past Pijper. But just when it looked like a 5-1 to the visitors, Pijper burst around Kerr on the final bend, and the Flying Dutchman grabbed second place in a photo finish on the line.

There were plenty of other highlights, such as: Davies forcing a way past Christian Henry to join Wilkinson for a 5-1 in Heat 5; Auty throwing everything including the kitchen sink in a battle for second place with the impressive Rosen in Heat 7 (Auty got through at one stage, but Rosen soon hit back and then held off a final, determined effort from Auty); Lunna’s gutsy ride in Heat 12, where, not being satisfied at passing Rose, he tried to go around Kerr as well, ended up back in last place, and then found the air fence trying another outside swoop; Perks leading Rosen for half a lap in Heat 14, and then Wilkinson shepherding Perks home for the 3-3; and Auty getting revenge on Rosen by winning a battle for second place in Heat 15, with both right on Howe’s exhaust, as Rosen’s unbeaten status was finally ended.

WHAT THEY SAID:

THEO PIJPER –

“I was really happy with my own performance in this meeting.

“For the previous home meeting against Sheffield, my engines weren’t set up for the Scunthorpe track, which has plenty of dirt. I went back to Holland for a week-and-a-half, and I’ve changed bikes, and they work much better.

“I think the whole team really were desperate to all get amongst the points, and we put in a big effort. The track was absolutely perfect. It’s the first time I’ve ridden it at night-time as a Scunthorpe rider and it was spot on.

“I think we’re all getting there, as we get more meetings under our belts, and I hope we have good meetings at Berwick and Newcastle.”

ALEX DAVIES –

“I was so frustrated by my performance against Sheffield, when I didn’t score.

“I’ve being doing a lot of practice at Scunthorpe in the last week and I’ve sorted out a lot of the problems I had with my bikes. Mostly just little things. And also it was just getting in riding time for myself.

“I had a problem at the start in my first race, but after that, I got it going and had a good night. I feel a lot happier and relieved that it worked.

“I do now feel 100% than I did after the last home meeting. I feel I’ve still got a way to go, but these four meetings we’ve got in a row are going to help me a lot. It will get me up to speed, and maybe help the rest of the boys too.

“Everyone gelled as a team and helped each other and spoke to each other, and we seem to be building a good team spirit. Everyone loves winning meetings and hates losing them, so that’s what we want to do, just keep winning meetings.”

DAVE PEET (team manager) –

“I’d delighted and relieved to get our first win. We knew it was going to come, but we just wanted it sooner rather than later.

“We’ve said all along the lads only needed to get a few laps under their belts, and that’s proven to be true.

“I offered Heat 15 to both Alex Davies and Theo Pijper, but both wanted to finish their nights on a high, which is fair enough, so David and Josh went out instead. The top five scored so solidly, I could have put any of them in Heat 15.

“Of our two reserves, Nike Lunna produced a fantastic ride to grab a win at the death in Heat 2, while Ellis Perks has the speed and is picking more experience all the time. Ellis said a big thank you to Carl Wilkinson, after Wilko shepherded him home to second place in Heat 14.”

FLUIDAIR POWER SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS SUPPORTED BY HENDERSON INSURANCE 53
1. David Howe 3 3 0 3 3 (12)
2. Theo Pijper 2* 2* 2 2 (8+2)
3. Alex Davies 0 2* 2* 3 (7+2)
4. Carl Wilkinson 1 3 3 1* (8+1)
5. Josh Auty 2 1 3 2* 2* (10+2)
6. Ellis Perks 1 0 2 (3)
7. Nike Lunna 3 1* 0 1 FX (5+1)

NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS 37
1. Steve Worrall 0 0 0 (0)
2. Christian Henry 1 1 3 2 (7)
3. Lewis Kerr 2* 3 1 1* 0 (7+2)
4. Anton Rosen 3 2* 3 3 1 (12+1)
5. Ludvig Lindgren 3 1 1 1 (6)
6. Simon Nielsen 0 0 0 (0)
7. Lewis Rose 2 0 1 2 FX R (5)

1: Howe, Pijper, Henry, Worrall, 56.98 (5-1) (5-1).
2: (Re-run) Lunna, Rose, Perks, Nielsen, 59.00 (4-2) (9-3).
3: Rosen, Kerr, Wilkinson, Davies, 58.06 (1-5) (10-8).
4: Lindgren, Auty, Lunna, Rose, 57.50 (3-3) (13-11).
5: Wilkinson, Davies, Henry, Worrall 58.00 (5-1) (18-12).
6: Howe, Pijper, Lindgren, Nielsen, 59.63 (5-1) (23-13).
7: (Re-run) Kerr, Rosen, Auty, Perks, 58.93 (1-5) (24-18).
8: Henry, Pijper, Rose, Lunna, 58.32 (2-4) (26-22).
9: Wilkinson, Davies, Lindgren, Nielsen, 60.07 (5-1) (31-23).
10: Rosen, Pijper, Kerr, Howe, 60.38 (2-4) (33-27).
11: Auty, Henry, Lunna, Worrall, 59.32 (4-2) (37-29).
12: (Re-run) Davies, Rose, Kerr, Lunna (fell, excluded), no time – awarded (3-3) (40-32).
13: Howe, Auty, Lindgren, Rose (fell, excluded), no time – awarded (5-1) (45-33).
14: Rosen, Perks, Wilkinson, Rose, 59.25 (3-3) (48-36).
15: (Re-run) Howe, Auty, Rosen, Kerr, 59.44 (5-1) (53-37).

TOP PHOTO: David Howe and Theo Pijper jet from the tapes in Heat 1, to get the Scorpions off to the perfect start.