Mike's Jottings:

Mike

Harold Wilson once famously said, ‘A week is a long time in politics’. It’s a quote that can quite easily be applied to Speedway as well as politics, as the fans of the Somerset ‘Dickies’ Rebels will confirm. Just a week ago they were in despair, having slumped to their third home defeat, after easily leading the Brummies at the halfway stage. Their number one rider was suffering from a total lack of form. They were, not for the first time this season, using rider replacement, and the knives were out on the internet forums, for other members of the team.

Just one week later a full strength Rebels team produced an emphatic victory against the Berwick Bandits, Christian Hefenbrock made his Rebels debut, in place of the released Lobos Tomicek, scoring 8 paid 10, the reserves gave a great performance, and all is well in the Rebels world. Being a Somerset Rebels fan isn’t bad after all; ask the England football fans about that.

For all intents and purposes Ritchie Hawkins has been riding as the ‘Number One’ for several weeks now, and he continued in the same vein as he blasted away from the tapes in Heat 1. The difference being, some great support in the shape of Rebels debutant, Christian Hefenbrock. As Hawkins pulled out a lead, Hefenbrock came storming through the inside of the second bend, to pass Adrian Rymel inside the very next turn. Once at the front the Rebels pair quickly put the race to bed to give the Rebels the maximum start.

The latest release of averages saw the Berwick captain, Paul Clews; drop to the reserve berth, giving them added fire power in that department. As the tapes rose in Heat 2 Clews shot from the tapes, with Mark Baseby matching him wheel for wheel to the first turn. Clews just managed to shade the run into the bend, but Baseby was not done. He powered around the outside throwing in a strong challenge at the next bend, but once more Clews held him off. Baseby was all over Clews for the whole race, and pressured him all the way to the flag, but eventually had to give best to the Berwick man. James Holder easily took third place to share the points.

The Rebels might have added a second 5-1 in Heat 3 had it not been for Sam Masters catching a huge lift off the start. Shane Parker broke quickly to take an early lead unchallenged. Meanwhile Masters had the bike down and running in a flash, but the damage was done, as he now had both Berwick riders to overcome. He was quickly on terms with Michal Rajkowski, cutting inside him on the opening turn. He then set off to chase down Lee Complin, and by the fourth bend he was on the Cowling born rider’s tail. For the next three laps he was all over Complin, exploring every line around the Highbridge circuit, but Complin held firm. Masters conjured up a storming run into the final bend of the race, and as they ran to the line he was gaining with every turn of the wheel, but the line came just too early for the Rebels youngster, as he failed by inches to get up.

Cory Gathercole made his return to the team a winning one as he stormed to victory in Heat 4. Flying of the gate he was never troubled, leading every yard of the way. Behind him, Mark Baseby had out-trapped Michal Makovsky, but couldn’t hold off the powerful outside run of the former Czech Champion on the second curve. Although Paul Clews tried hard he could never chase down Baseby’s third place, as the Rebels took another heat advantage.

Denied a 5-1 in their previous ride, the Masters/Parker combination made no mistake in Heat 5, but they didn’t have it easy. Adrian Rymel broke quickly to lead early in the piece, with Sam Masters close behind. Masters charged through the inside of the second bend to take up the running from Rymel, who then had Parker to contend with. Parker worked the track, and swallowed up Rymel off the last two bends of Lap 2. Once at the front the Rebels pair pulled out a good lead to take the full house, putting the Rebels 12-points to the good.

Heat 6 saw the Bandits temporarily stem the flow as they shared the points. Ritchie Hawkins and Christian Hefenbrock got what appeared to be great starts, only for Mick Posselwhite to call them back. In the re-start the inevitable happens, as the Bandits pair made the better start. Hawkins made a slow start, but was soon in third as he cut inside Paul Clews in the second turn. Hefenbrock was challenging Michal Makovsky at the same point, but couldn’t make the move stick. The pair harried Makovsky, until Hawkins took up the chase at the start of the third lap. Although he chased hard he could never get to Makovsky, and the points were shared.

The Rebels hammered straight back with another 5-1 in Heat 7, as Cory Gathercole added his second win of the night to his tally, foiling the Bandits tactical ride in the process. He broke alongside Michal Rajkowski, taking up the running as he powered around the boards to lead into the second turn. James Holder was soon in the mix, throwing in a big challenge on the second bend. As they reached the third turn, Holder powered through the Bandits pair, completing the move as they approached the first bend of Lap 2. Gathercole was now away and gone, as the Rebels took a tremendous maximum advantage. Lee Complin, carrying the ‘Black and White’, never got into the race, finishing last.

Michal Rajkowski showed that he can occasionally do the business at the Oak Tree Arena, when he took Heat 8 with some ease. Leading off the first turn, with his partner, Jade Mudgway in attendance, he pulled clear to win unchallenged. The Rebels pair of Hawkins and Baseby were left flat footed at the gate, with Hawkins recovering to run down Mudgway, passing him on the opening band of the second lap. Baseby also chased him down, and just failed to make a great late charge pay, as Mudgway held on at the line, giving the Bandits their first heat advantage of the night.

On the face of it, the Rebels 5-1 in Heat 9 looked easy, but nothing could be further from the truth, just ask Shane Parker. The field broke level, but the Rebels pair soon found themselves at the rear as Michal Makovsky ran Parker and Masters wide in the first two turns to allow Paul Clews through. Sam Masters came barrelling around the outside, passing the whole field as they ran down the back straight. Parker was now in last place, battling with Makovsky. As they ran onto the second lap, Parker was up the inside of the Czech, only for Makovsky, and not for the first time in the race, to unceremoniously slam the door shut in his face, in a very harsh move. Parker dropped back, and then produced a stunning run to blast passed both Bandits men in one move as the second lap ended. The Rebels then ran out easy winners, and on the slow down lap Parker told Makovsky exactly what he thought of the Bandits man’s tactics.

There have been occasions over the last few weeks where tight first bend battles have not been met with relish by the Rebels number one rider, but Heat 10 was a different story. Christian Hefenbrock broke level with Lee Complin, and a tight first bend battle looked on the cards. Hefenbrock stuck his head down, and wound on the throttle, powering right around the outside of Complin as they ran onto the back straight, before pulling away for a bloodless victory. Behind him, Ritchie Hawkins accounted for a fast starting Michal Rajkowski on the back straight, before setting of in hot pursuit of Complin. He caught him, in the opening turns of the next lap, and was all over Complin’s back wheel for the whole of the remaining laps. Try as he might he could not find a way into second place. Hawkins threw in a big last gasp challenge up the inside of the final bend of the race, with Complin doing exceptionally well to hold him off to the line.

David Peet sent out Adrian Rymel on a tactical in Heat 11, but met with only partial success, as Cory Gathercole once again foiled the move. After a level break, Rymel looked to have got the better of Gathercole as he led off the first turn. Gathercole was not to be denied, storming up Rymel’s inside on the next bend. Rymel would not let the place go lightly, as he harried Gathercole until the third turn. With Rymel up his inside, Gathercole stuck it in the dirt, and sailed off the final turn of the lap on the wide outside to take a decisive lead he was not to lose. Gathercole powered clear to record his third win, with James Holder easily taking third to share the points, 4-4. At 44-24 the match was now virtually over, although it was still possible for the Bandits to draw, as long as the Rebels did not provide a finisher in any of the last four heats.

Sam Masters added his third win in Heat 12, as he made the better opening bend after breaking level with Paul Clews. Mark Baseby recovered from a slow start, cutting inside Michal Rajkowski on the third turn. Rajkowski didn’t let Baseby get away, until his challenge was ended as Baseby cleverly ran him wide at the same bend next time round. Baseby wasn’t done yet, setting off with great gusto after Paul Clews and the second spot. He chased him down to such effect that he got in a charging late run, just running out of laps, and failing by the narrowest of margins at the line.

Christian Hefenbrock must have been eager to impress, as he clearly moved early at the start of Heat 13. The field were called back to try again, this time producing a level break. Adrian Rymel was first to show, leading of the first turn. Michal Makovsky ran Cory Gathercole almost onto the first bend banking, as he took him wide. Gathercole was not fazed, making a superb cut back to stick it up the inside of Makovsky on the next bend. As Gathercole powered down the back straight he first accounted for his team-mate, Hefenbrock, before setting off in chase of Rymel. He hunted him down, and as they reached the final bend of Lap 3 he came with a wet sail to sweep around the current Argentine Champion. Hefenbrock came late on the scene, but could never quite get on terms with Rymel.

Heat 14 proved to be an easy 5-1 for the Rebels, as James Holder broke quickly to lead from the line, and was joined by Shane Parker before they reached the first turn. Once the pair were at the front, Parker rode shotgun for Holder, as the pair took the easiest of maximums. Jade Mudgway took the minor place, in front of an ineffective Lee Complin.

In the nominated race the Bandits tracked the only two riders to score any meaningful points, in Rymel and Clews. The Rebels gave Christian Hefenbrock the chance to put in some extra laps around the Oak Tree, as he took his place alongside Sam Masters. In the event the Bandits took only their second advantage of the night as they ran out 1-5 winners, but that was not before Sam Masters had provided the home fans with an exciting ride, as he tried all lines to find a passage passed the fast starting Rymel, who had taken Hefenbrock wide early bends. Desperate to add a fourth win to his tally, he came into the penultimate bend challenging up the inside. He came in very hot and tight to the kerb, as Rymel defended his line. There were a few pairs of closed eyes as Masters threw it in, but he just managed to avoid maximum contact, clipping Rymel’s back wheel, and getting out of shape, before falling, to give the Bandits the 5-1. Clews just held off Hefenbrock for third.

It was a great all round team performance by the Rebels, with Cory Gathercole taking a full, four ride, maximum. Shane Parker took a paid maximum, and all the rest contributed good points to the tally. Both reserves rode well, with James Holder heading the pair. Sam Masters looked fast all night, and Ritchie Hawkins put in his usual hard working performance.

As for Christian Hefenbrock, he produced a pleasing debut, especially as he had never seen the track before Heat 1, and topped of his night with a ride in Heat 15, and the ‘Rider of the Night’ award from meeting sponsors, Holly and Steer Solicitors. Hefenbrock said that he was pleased with his debut, and praised the fans, the track, which he described as ‘awesome’, and couldn’t believe the spirit in the pits, saying he had never experienced a team spirit like it anywhere else. Despite the score the watching crowd were served up with some great racing, and a lot more excitement than that served up several thousand miles away in South Africa.

The well being of the Rebels will be tested to the full in their next home match, when they once again take on last week’s conquerors, Birmingham, in the first round of the Premier League Knock Out Cup. After tonight’s victory the mood in the camp is good and that can only bode well for the future. Bring on the Brummies!

Report courtesy Dave Thompson