So, our slim chances of getting to the Championship playoffs ended last week. A slow start to the meeting cost us, and the mini fightback staged in the middle of the meeting wasn’t quite enough to stop the Bandits coming away with all four league points. Once again the racing was close all the way through, and at any point in heat 15 you could have thrown a blanket over Scott and Chris Harris, with Scott coming out on top by less than a bike length. Dillon again fought hard fpr every point, and Aaron isn’t riding like someone who got his bikes out of storage halfway through the season. All in, the meeting was a lot closer than the end result showed, and another six points over the 15 heats would have seen us pick up the win. Alas, it was not to be, but we still have one more piece of silverware to fight for.
Tuesday sees our first fixture in the Championship Jubilee league, as the Summer trophy has been rechristened. It means the return of our friends from up the M40, the Birmingham Brummies. The brummies have already been to Sandy Lane once this year, where they took us to a last heat decider before winning 42-48. Then, the following night we went to Perry Bar and took them to a last heat decider, before winning 47-43. Although the Brummies won the two legs on aggregate (remember when that was a thing…?) their winning margin over 30 heats was all of two points, so we should be in for another pair of fantastic meetings. Last time in both home and away meetings there was heavy rain. I’m not sure that’s going to be a problem this week…
Of course, there’s a good chance you’re reading this on Wednesday when the Cheetahs are away, and Chargers are at home to the Lion Cubs of Leicester. In fact there’s probably a better chance you’re reading it Wednesday, as you’ll have read the interesting columns last night. It’s a top of the table clash in the NDL, with a new look – and very powerful – Chargers line up taking to the track for the first time. Henry Atkins will be here for his first home meeting as a Charger, and Jody Scott joined the official 1-7 as a three point reserve last week at just the right time, as his average more than doubled on Monday as a result of all his guest bookings. The Lions are a few points ahead f us tonight, but the Chargers will surely give them a run for their money.
Jody joins the Chargers in place of poor Luke Killeen. If Luke didn’t have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all. His two outings with the Cheetahs cost him a blown engine every meeting, and he’s now broken his leg riding for the Wolf cubs and is likely out for the season. Between the late passport, the machinery failures and now his leg, we’ve only seen a fraction of what he’s capable of – I think he completed all of six riders for the Chargers, but those rides netted him paid fifteen points. Hopefully we see him back next year, fully fit, passport in hand, and ready to go for it from day one.
But that’s next year. This year we still have business to attend to. It’s time for the Oxford Speedway Summertime Special. Let’s make it a summer to remember.
Go Cheetahs
Go Chargers