Josh in the mix in Manchester

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions’ star Josh Auty produced a great performance in the SGB Premiership Riders’ Individual at the National Speedway Stadium at Belle Vue in Manchester last night (Saturday).

Strictly speaking, Auty was representing his SGB Premiership club, King’s Lynn. He was drafted into the meeting, as a late replacement for Robert Lambert.

Auty was involved in some superb racing, getting the better of former British Champion Chris Harris in a Heat 8 duel for second place, and had also gained the upper hand against the previously unbeaten Max Fricke in Heat 9, when Fricke accidentally sent Auty tumbling on the final lap. With Fricke excluded, Auty was awarded the race win.

In the end, Auty was edged out of qualifying for the semi-final on countback, after five riders all finished on eight points.

An engine failure in Heat 4, after passing Josh Grajczonek for third place, ultimately proved costly for the Yorkshireman.

A measure of Auty’s performance was that he finished one point ahead of Jason Doyle, the current leader of the World Championship Grand Prix series.

Grand Prix star Freddie Lindgren eventually retained his title, after heading home World Under-21 Champion Max Fricke and British Champion Craig Cook in the final.

SGB PREMIERSHIP RIDERS’ INDIVIDUAL, Belle Vue
QUALIFYING SCORES (After 20 heats): Craig Cook 13, Freddie Lindgren 11, Hans Andersen 10, Josh Grajczonek 9, Max Fricke 9, Jacob Thorssell 8, Chris Harris 8, Josh Auty 8, Nick Morris 8, Scott Nicholls 8, Jason Doyle 7, Brady Kurtz 7, Kim Nilsson 5, Richard Lawson 5, Danny King 2, Thomas Jorgensen 2, Rob Shuttleworth 0 (reserve).
SEMI-FINAL: Thorssell, Fricke, Andersen, Grajczonek.
GRAND FINAL: Lindgren, Fricke, Cook, Thorssell.

* Lewis Kerr will be Scunthorpe’s representative in the SGB Championship Riders’ Individual at Glasgow next Sunday (September 24).