ACES WIN DESPITE FRICKE MASTERCLASS
BELLE Vue fought off a strong Leicester challenge for a 50-40 win at the National Speedway Stadium, although it was the Lions who came away with the aggregate point in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.
The dominant run of Aces skipper Brady Kurtz came to an end as he suffered his first defeat in 20 league races in Manchester at the hands of visiting skipper Max Fricke in Heat 1.
Fricke went on to put in a brilliant display on his old home track to keep his side in touch, scoring a massive 19 points from seven rides – although he was overtaken by a spectacular last-bend move by Kurtz in Heat 15.
The other rider to take points off Fricke was Zach Cook, who continued his recent upturn for the Aces with 11+2 as he was unbeaten prior to the last race, whilst Kurtz scored 13.
Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “Leicester were a real handful. Max Fricke’s performance was sensational.
“What I liked about the result tonight was the collective. The whole team chipped in, a team effort. That’s vital moving forward.
“Our away form has been there or thereabouts. When we were at Leicester we didn’t have Brady and we got a bit of a pasting.
“Our performances haven’t been great but it’s a long season. The key is to get it right at the end of the season.”
Stand-in Leicester boss Jen Crossland, who took charge with Stewart Dickson stuck in a motorway closure, said: “They all dug deep and did really well, and I did think at one point we could have won it, but it just sadly slipped away from us.
“Max was absolutely inspirational and he’s such a great team player. He’s found his form at the minute, I know Brady got the better of him in the last one but he’s been brilliant.
“Every point counts now, we’re in that crunch time at the business end of the season, so absolutely every point is important and we’ve got another one here tonight.”
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Photo credit: IAN CHARLES
