Track League racing returns tomorrow, Weds 22nd July
Track League racing returns tomorrow, Weds 22nd July. After a week’s break from racing, Track League returns for its eleventh evening of racing. When we last met, 8th July, we were missing a few key riders all of whom usually shake up the Senior racing. Some of these were at the Guildford Town Centre races, notably Raphael Vesey-Holt and Thomas Dewey in the Under 14s, Jack Patten and Harley Clarke in the Under 16s. Results haven’t been posted for the Senior races yet, but I am unaware of any of our League riders who took part. The significance of this is most felt at the top of the League. The week before we last met Nathan Cozens was able to gain the lead at the very top of our league table, relegating Jack Patten to second place. This lead was short lived as both Nathan and Jack did not return on the 8th, which was the week we introduced our new league points structure and more formally A/B and B/C category racing to allow Seniors more choice in how and who they race. Add in our Points Championship race and the table was tilted, shaken and reset, for the intervening two weeks at least. When we start racing tomorrow our own SCRL Chair, Freddie Hick, will be topping the League and Clive Spicer will be in second place, followed by Nathan Cozens and Jack Patten. The leading 8 riders who complete the remainder of the racing this season, only five more nights including this week, all stand a chance of finishing on the league podium, though for some only if others are absent for one or more nights. Other notable ‘winners’ from the racing on the 8th July are Kevin Phillips and Angelo Davis in the Bs and Howard Griffin our top ranked C rider.
In the Youths, for the Majors Luke Spicer likely has an unassailable lead but 2nd to 4th place sees Jack Harris, Charles Frank and Edie Hibberd all grouped closely in total points. Whilst the Youth Minors is perhaps the closest fought of the League categories with the top four places all able to change, this covers the riders Desmond Harris, Thor Spicer, Ed Frank and Felix Harding.
This week’s racing sees a classic programme of Scratch, Elimination, Points, Dash and Block Handicap. This includes separate races for Minors, Majors, Cs, Bs and As and also combined races of Youths, B/Cs and B/As. As July soon ends, we will see shorter nights and races will either reduce in number, or in length.
It is a timely moment to ask you to put our end of season Open Omnium in your diaries, Sunday 13th September, racing starts at 10:30. The details of this event are yet to be pinned down by the Committee but we expect competitive exciting racing, some prizes and a party atmosphere; see you there.