The staging of the biggest Coventry junior Cycle Speedway finals at Bretford Playing Fields last Sunday has been hailed a great success – and there were shocks galore on-track with the fledgling host club providing two age group category champions.
Heavy overnight rain gave way to a fine sunny day as the biggest local entry list for 40 years assembled to battle for the honour of being Coventry champion in under 8, under 11 and under 16 finals. The meeting was sponsored by Inspire Insurance.
The revived Brandon Bees track, at the idyllic rural Brandon Road venue, looked in superb condition. The circuit has been lovingly refurbished in the past six months by former rider Rob Hardie. Special spectator facilities had been laid-on in a gala afternoon for the resurgence pedal sport in the Coventry and district area.
Youngsters in the under 8s final were first to take centre stage, cheered on by parents and relatives. They put on a splendid show, with many of them racing in their first major event.
The first shock of the day soon unfolded. Pocket dynamo Louis Westhead, a product of the hugely popular `Dirt Bike Club` at Brandon this summer, raced to four qualifying heat victories to reach the grand final.
The 7-year-old, who attends the Grangehurst school in Longford, scorched from the outside gate in the final to post a stunning win. He beat the hard chasing Jude Willcockson – the pre meeting favorite – and Finn Yousen both of the Coventry club.
Coventry Cycle Speedway Under 8s Final
Sponsored by Inspire Insurance
Point scorers:
Louis Westhead (Brandon Bees) 16, Jude Willcockson (Coventry) 16, Autumn Smith (Coventry) 14, Lincoln Collins (Brandon Bees) 13, Finn Yousen (Coventry) 13, Alex Cunningham (Coventry) 9, Leo Brown (Coventry) 8, Alex Jones (Coventry) 7, Alfie Brown (Coventry) 7, Shivam Patel (Coventry) 6, Dylan Savage (Brandon Bees) 5 and Ruary Hughes (Coventry) 5.
Grand Final: 1 Louis Westhead (Brandon Bees). 2 Jude Willcockson (Coventry). 3 Finn Yousen (Coventry).
There was an even bigger surprise in the Coventry under 11s final when Brandon Bees newcomer Jony Middleton stormed to victory – just 10 weeks after taking up the sport.
Mounted on a brand new machine, Jony left all his opponents trailing in his wake to score a superb win. The 11-year-old beat many riders with vastly more experience in the final. He showed brilliant race tactics around the tricky Brandon Bees track.
Jony, who attends the Rugby Free School, raced through his qualifiers before lining up on grid two in the final. With tension rising, he jetted from the start to lead all the way to land a brilliant victory.
And, to complete a successful day for the Middleton family, who hail from Daventry, Northamptonshire, younger brother Lewis also reached the final before finishing fifth. Looking on were proud parents David and Sherry.
Jony said: “I love this new sport of Cycle Speedway which I had never heard of until this summer. I enjoy all the training sessions and have made lots of new friends and I get to race for the new Brandon Bees team.
“It was amazing to make the final on my new bike as one of the highest point scorers and going onto win. I am really proud of my little brother Lewis who made the final despite being one of the youngest riders in the competition”.
The speedy Wyatt Jacobs (Coventry), who had raced unbeaten in the qualifiers, took second place overall whilst the stylist Jack Reynolds, also of Coventry, took the bronze medal. Both riders are destined for the sports highest honours at their current rate of progress.
Coventry Cycle Speedway Under 11s Final
Sponsored by Inspire Insurance
Point scorers:
Wyatt Jacobs (Coventry) 16, Jony Middleton (Brandon Bees) 15, Jacob Slezak (Coventry) 14, Jack Reynolds (Coventry) 13, Lewis Middleton (Brandon Bees) 12, James Morris (Coventry) 11, Lewis Fry (Coventry) 9, Adam Butler (Brandon Bees) 8, Thomas Pearson (Brandon Bees) 7, Liam Jones (Coventry) 6, Harry Hibbert (Coventry) 5 and Sarah Butler (Brandon Bees) 4.
Grand Final: 1 Jony Middleton (Brandon Bees). 2 Wyatt Jacobs (Coventry). 3 Jack Reynolds (Coventry).
Jimmy Wassall of Coventry, recovered brilliantly after a first heat fall to win the Coventry under 16s final in an explosive meeting full of thrills and spills.
Wassall crashed spectacularly in heat one, also bringing down Ollie Morris. This left the flying Ben Wells to race unchallenged to the chequered flag. Wassall`s championship hopes appeared to be in tatters as he forlornly made his way back to the pits.
However, he rallied to score 11 points to reach the final alongside the previously unbeaten Wells, Brandon Bees hotshot Cameron Gill and top girl racer Sammi Marsh (Coventry).
In the deciding Grand Final, it was the dashing Gill who briefly led but Wassall powered to the front and held on for four laps, despite the constant attention of Wells, with Gill in third place.
Coventry Cycle Speedway Under 16s Final
Sponsored by Inspire Insurance
Point scorers:
Ben Wells (Coventry) 16, Cameron Gill (Brandon Bees) 13, Sammi Marsh (Coventry) 12, Tom Savage (Brandon Bees) 11, Ollie Morris (Coventry) 11, Jimmy Wassall (Coventry) 11, Owen Gregory (Brandon Bees) 10, James Bridge-Wilkinson (Coventry) 7, Jacob Clifford (Coventry) 9, Lee Gregory (Brandon Bees) 8 and Amy Baynes (Brandon Bees) 5.
Grand Final: 1 Jimmy Wassall (Coventry). 2 Ben Wells (Coventry). 3 Cameron Gill (Brandon Bees).
PUBLIC MEETING CALLED ON FUTURE OF DIRT BIKE CLUB
A Public Meeting is to be staged in the Rugby area next week to discuss the future of the hugely popular `Dirt Bike Club` - which has proved a massive hit with Rugby youngsters this summer.
Youngsters have been flocking to the Saturday morning bike club in increasing numbers since the club was launched in early July. The Dirt Bike Club is staged at Bretford Playing Fields, Brandon Rd, Bretford (CV23 0LA), from 10am-11.30am.
Riders learn bike handling skills, race tactics and a chance to race for the new Brandon Bees junior Cycle Speedway team. Its increasing popularity has already seen the Dirt Bike Club extended beyond its initial six weeks run.
Now the organisers, the booming Coventry Cycle Speedway club, are to stage a Public Meeting to discuss the future of the club. They are calling upon local residents, parents and former Cycle Speedway riders to attend the meeting.
The Public Meeting will be held this Tuesday evening, 20th September, at 7.30pm at the White Lion Public House, 32 Broad Street, Brinklow, Warwickshire. Under 18s can only attend with their parents.
Andy Drewett, a spokesman for the Coventry Cycle Speedway club, said: “We are both delighted and staggered with the huge success of the Dirt Bike Club. Youngsters have attended in ever increasing numbers and we have been congratulated by many local parents.
“We have literally taken scores of local youngsters off the streets in the long school summer holiday period and introduced them to a thrilling, healthy and exciting cycle sport. They have loved it.
“However, we are all volunteers and we already run a thriving club in Coventry. We are urging everyone with an interest in this amazing new youth provision in the Rugby area to come along to the meeting and have their say.
“We wish to chart the next development of this outstandingly successful venture. It will be for local people and parents to decide the best way forward at the meeting.
“We are hoping that the parents of the new riders and local volunteers will play an increasing role in the running of the activities – but it is for them to decide at what level they wish to get involved. At all times, they can be assured of our full support”.
Organisers and volunteers have rescued the formerly defunct track, returned it to pristine condition and originated the highly successful Saturday morning `Dirt Bike Club`, which has won support from the Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull Sports Partnership and British Cycling.
Staged at its picturesque location, and spurred on by the national boom in cycling and Britain’s cycling medal successes at the recent Olympic Games, it has attracted youngsters from Rugby and its surrounding villages – and as far afield as Hinckley, Stratford Upon Avon and Daventry.
Meanwhile, the Dirt Bike Club continues this Saturday (17th September) for the penultimate scheduled staging of the club. For more information on the Brandon Bees Cycle Speedway club and the Dirt Bike Club, please ring: 07400 993999.
CHAMPION TEAM WHOBERLEY WITCHES RE-UNITED
Coventry`s only British team champions – the Whoberley Witches – were reunited at the Coventry junior finals day at Bretford Playing Fields last Sunday. Five members of the Witches looked on as the present day Coventry `skid kids` raced for individual glory.
Ex Coventry Bees Speedway star Frank Smith, Roger Adams, Ray Dennis, Witches captain Rob Hardie were joined by John Harrison – who had flown in from New Zealand to join the reunion.
The Whoberley Witches, forerunners of the present day Coventry club, raced their matches at Hearsall Common. They beat Manchester club Blackley Flyers in the 1965 National Junior Team Final. They remain the only team from Coventry to win a national team final.
Now all in their late sixties, they spent hours at the revived Brandon track – and several more in the Queens Head pub afterwards – recounting the glory days of the sport in the mid-1960s when every district of Coventry had a Cycle Speedway team.
Their presence at the Coventry junior finals was fitting as they watched another chapter in the resurgence of the former `bombsite sport` in the city. Last Sundays entry list produced the highest number of riders at any meeting in Coventry since the Witches were national kingpins.
Looking on, Smith, a five times Coventry individual champion, said: “This really is a wonderful day for us. Not only are the Witches team back together again but to see the sport thriving again in Coventry is marvelous”.