The rigors of a weekend feeling distinctly ‘second hand’, suffering badly from influenza type symptoms took their toll on Kent’s skipper Luke Bowen at Leicester on Sunday (24/9) when he finished in 10th. place in the National League Riders’ Championship [NLRC].
Bowen who had heroically led his charges to another brilliant away win to finish joint top of the Travel Plus National League [TPNL] table at Stoke on Saturday night despite his considerable ailment (and then for his troubles, the subject of a nasty assault from members of a Potters’ rider’s pit crew after completing the TPNL match) was quickly back in the saddle in the East Midlands on Sunday afternoon. But a fall on a very slick track with little in the way of passing lines early in proceedings in his opening ride effectively scuppered any hopes the Harlow-based racer had of taking the division’s individual crown.
As it was, the battling Bowen produced some brilliant racing in all his rides, throwing his machine around in breath-taking style, trying in vain to get past opponents and leading the eventual champion, Dan Bewley for over three laps in heat 19. And his final total of seven points was scant reward for providing the lion’s share of entertainment for a large crowd gathered for one of the TPNL’s big days of the season.
The Belle Vue Colts’ Bewley was, in truth, in awesome form – the World Under 21 Team Cup rider showing he is very much up there on top as the future of the sport in the UK with a performance culminating in two third to first displays in his final two races. Surprise-packet Matt Williamson maintained Buxton’s fine record in this competition taking second; and two Birmingham Brummies filled places three and four courtesy of Liam Carr and Tom Bacon. Kent’s former skipper and winner of this event in 2015, Ben Morley narrowly missed out on a fourth NLRC rostrum position in a row.
Bewley and Morley will resume acquaintances in the TPNL Play Offs this coming Friday when it was announced soon after the end of the meeting, that the Manchester side who pipped Kent to top spot in the qualifying table on ‘points difference’ have selected fourth placed Lakeside Hammers as their pick in the Semi-finals. That means the SLYDE Kings face Eastbourne– the second year running the two local rivals have met at this stage. Details of the two legs between the Kings and the Arlington-based Eagles should be available later on Monday (25/9)
NLRC score chart 1. Jon Armstrong (Mildenhall) 2 0 0 3 3 8 8th. 2. Chris Widman (Isle of Wight) 1 0 1 0 NS 2 15th. 3. Ryan Terry-Daley (Stoke) 0 2 0 1 0 3 12th.= 4. Liam Carr (Birmingham) 3 1 2 3 3 12 3rd. 5. Ben Morley (Lakeside) 2 2 3 3 1 11 5th. 6. Josh Bailey (Eastbourne) 1 3 1 1 2 8 9th. 7. James Cockle (Isle of Wight) Lpd 0 R 0 X 0 16th. 8. Matt Williamson (Buxton) 3 3 3 2 2 13 2nd. 9. Alfie Bowtell (Lakeside) 2 1 2 2 2 9 7th. 10. Adam Roynon (Plymouth) 1 2 1 R R 4 11th. 11. Tom Bacon (Birmingham) 3 3 2 1 2 11 4th. 12. Luke Bowen (Kent SLYDE Kings) F 2 2 2 1 7 10th. 13. Dan Bewley (Belle Vue) 3 3 3 3 3 15[M] 1st. 14. Tom Woolley (Buxton) 0 1 1 1 0 3 12th. = 15. Luke Harris (Cradley) 1 1 0 0 1 3 12th.= 16. Jordan Jenkins (Mildenhall) 2 0 3 2 3 10 6th. Track reserve: 17. Connor Dwyer (Cradley) 1