ACES LEAVE IT LATE

BELLE Vue’s top two of Brady Kurtz and Dan Bewley saw their side over the line to victory in a tricky clash with King’s Lynn which the Aces won 48-42.

With two 5-1s in the opening three races the Stars led for much of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash in Manchester, with the margin at two points heading into the closing stages.

But Grand Prix racers Kurtz and Bewley combined for 5-1s in Heats 13 and 15 to maintain the Aces’ 100 per cent home record in the league this season.

Kurtz, fresh from winning the Gorzow GP last weekend, raced to a 14+1 paid maximum whilst Bewley missed out in Heat 1 but was then unbeaten on 11+1.

Ben Cook made a successful return for the Stars with 10+1 on his old home track, and Niels-Kristian Iversen picked up nine as they carded a solid scorechart in the absence of flying reserve Jan Kvech.

Aces manager Mark Lemon said: “It was a challenging night. The Stars really put on a show. If they’d had Kvech here at reserve it would have maybe been a tougher assignment. 

“The Stars are underrated in my opinion. They are capable wherever they go.

“But when you have Dan and Brady in Heats 13 and 15 in the form they are in, it always fills you with a lot of confidence. They did the job brilliantly.” 

Stars boss Rob Lyon said: “I’m proud of the boys again. They really put it to Belle Vue but as at Sheffield, it wasn’t quite enough.

“Those two heats, 13 and 15, they really damaged us. Top riders in both of those teams are very difficult to deal with, but fair play to Belle Vue, they just about had enough in the tank at the end.

“Mark Lemon just said: ‘you probably didn’t deserve that’ – but that’s speedway and that’s the way it goes.”

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Photo credit: IAN CHARLES