Super Scorpions duo qualify for British Final

JOSH Auty and Lewis Kerr will represent Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions in the British Final at Belle Vue on June 19, after both qualified via a very hard-fought semi-final at Sheffield last night (Thursday).

Auty and Kerr both finished on 10 points apiece after finishing first and third respectively in an ultra-tough Heat 18, in which seven times British Champion Scott Nicholls finished last.

Kerr had earlier defeated three-time champion Chris Harris on his way to victory in Heat 5.

Meanwhile, Auty recovered brilliantly from a last place in Heat 1. He produced a number of stunning passing moves during the evening, culminating in coming out on top in a battle with meeting winner Kyle Howarth in Heat 18.

Going into Heat 20, Scunthorpe’s other two representatives, Carl Wilkinson and Stefan Nielsen, still had hopes of qualification. But Nielsen, a superb winner of his second and third outings, fell and was excluded from the re-run, thereby dashing his hopes.

Wilkinson finished second in the re-run, and therefore qualified for a three-man run-off for the final two places at Belle Vue, alongside Lewis Bridger and Stuart Robson.

Wilko was in a ding-dong battle for second place with Robson, but Wilko lost control and both took a heavy tumble. Both riders got to their feet, but Wilko’s exclusion light came on and his hopes were extinguished.

Scorers: Kyle Howarth 12, Scott Nicholls 11, Craig Cook 10, JOSH AUTY 10, LEWIS KERR 10, Chris Harris 10, Lewis Bridger 9, Stuart Robson 9, CARL WILKINSON 9, Edward Kennett 8, STEFAN NIELSEN 7, Josh Bates 5, Simon Lambert 5, Robert Branford 3, Adam Roynon 2, Adam Ellis 0, Jack Parkinson-Blackburn (reserve) 0, Joe Lawlor (reserve) 0.

Riders in bold qualify for British Final at Belle Vue on June 19.