REACTION: “Of course, it’s always more enjoyable when the team is winning, but it’s a good bunch of boys and that makes it enjoyable too. When you’ve having fun, you score points and we’d like to keep it that way.”
TOP-of-the-table OXS Oxford Spires made it three wins out of wins in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership with a 48-42 away victory at Birmingham last night (Easter Monday) that also secured an aggregate bonus point.
Spires headed into the meeting without No 1 Maciej Janowski, who was racing in a World Championship qualifier in Poland. But the other Oxford riders covered him well and scored 6+2 in Janowski’s rider replacement outings.
Skipper Chris Harris came into Heat 1 and joined Charles Wright for a 5-1. But Brummies – buoyed by having Scott Nicholls at reserve – levelled the scores in Heat 2 with a 5-1 of their own, despite the best efforts of Lewis Kerr who initially led the race.
Rohan Tungate and Kerr put Spires back ahead with a 5-1 in Heat 6, after Kerr steamed around the inconsistent Vaclav Milik on the second bend, before a run of five shared races heading into the interval. Those races included their fair share of excitement, such as when Harris won a battle for third place with Steve Worrall in Heat 7, and Ashton Boughen reclaiming third on the line from after a photo-finish with Leon Flint in Heat 8.
After the break, Spires thudded in two match-winning 5-1s, the first from Nicolai Klindt and Kerr in Heat 12 to end a run of four successive heat wins for Nicholls – who was in his last appearance for Brummies as a temporary replacement for Piotr Pawlicki, before concentrating his efforts for the rest of 2024 on Oxford Cheetahs in the Championship, plus his TV commitments.
In Heat 13, Tungate flew around the outside on the opening lap and jetted away for victory, while Wright just held off tactical substitute Tom Brennan for second place, as Spires moved 45-33 ahead with just two races remaining.
Brummies restored some pride with heat advantages in the final two races.
Rohan Tungate, who top scored for Spires with 14+1, said: “It was another good meeting for us. We’re all getting on well and doing our job. We’ve got a very well balanced team, while all the boys put in 100 per cent effort.
“Of course, it’s always more enjoyable when the team is winning, but it’s a good bunch of boys and that makes it enjoyable too. When you’ve having fun, you score points and we’d like to keep it that way.
“I’m happy with my night and I was pleased with my score. It was the first time I’ve raced at Birmingham since 2013 when I was riding for Poole.
“I was pretty impressed with the track. There were plenty of racing lines and I enjoyed the meeting.”
Birmingham Brummies 42: Vaclav Milik 4, Wiktor Lampart 2, Zach Cook 3+1, Tom Brennan 13+1, Steve Worrall 2, Scott Nicholls 15+1, Lean Flint 3+2.
OXS Oxford Spires 48: Maciej Janowski R/R, Charles Wright 11+2, Nicolai Klindt 6+1, Chris Harris 10+1, Rohan Tungate 14+1, Lewis Kerr 6+3, Ashton Boughen 1+1.
PHOTO: Rohan Tungate (pic: Steve Edmunds)