By Isle of Wight Observer
A night of fast-paced racing – and emotional tributes – took place at Smallbrook Stadium on Tuesday, as three teams close to former Warriors team manager, Steve Piper – who passed away over the winter – battled it out in front of another bumper crowd.
Cradley started strongly, with James Shanes and Charlie Wood taking a 5-1 win after home-rider Ben Morley’s bike gave out on the first lap. Warriors’ decision to loan Darryl Ritchings to Weymouth proved costly, as he raced to a series of dominant wins.
Young Warrior, Ryan Ingram, impressed with a well-earned win in heat five, showing confidence and speed around the track. But Cradley hit back in heat six with another 5-1 to take the lead.
Racing remained tight throughout, with several heats shared or narrowly won. Heat 12 was a standout moment; a re-run after Cradley’s Charlie Wood crashed on the first bend. He returned to the restart, only to slam into the safety fence on the final lap after a thrilling chase, suffering broken fingers and suspected rib and shoulder injuries.
Ritchings secured his fifth straight win in heat 13, while Shanes clinched Cradley’s overall victory in heat 14 with another decisive pass. Weymouth’s Mitchell Cluff won the final heat to seal second place.
Steve Piper’s son presented the evening’s awards, as fans and teams alike paid tribute to a much-missed figure in Island speedway.
Earlier, Dean Felton won the British JAP championship, with Graham Knowler second and Keith Cornell third.
More racing returns on Tuesday, with the Best Pairs and Women’s British Championship.
Final scores: Cradley 33, Weymouth 30, IOW Warriors 29.
Top scorers: Cradley – Shanes 14; Weymouth – Ritchings 15; IOW – Morley and Ingram 9 each.
Isle of Wight Observer