REPORT: Magic can’t save Spires at King’s Lynn

A VINTAGE performance from Polish superstar Maciej ‘Magic’ Janowski was not enough to save OXS Oxford Spires from a 40-50 defeat at King’s Lynn in last night’s (Monday) televised fixture in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

2022 World No 3 Janowski – who has won the World Cup with Poland three times – put in his best performance to date for Spires, with two second places followed by four classy victories in a 16-point performance.

Spires were hit on the night by mechanical gremlins. Rohan Tungate and Charles Wright took a 5-1 in Heat 1, after Wright battled under Richard Lawson for second place. But, as he crossed the line in first place, Tungate threw a chain.

A further problem with his chain saw the Australian excluded from Heat 5 for exceeding the two-minute time allowance, with Spires’ mechanics then working overtime on his bikes, with the end result that Tungate came out and won Heat 11.

Lewis Kerr was also blighted with machinery problems and ended up on Ashton Boughen’s bike in Heat 7.

After Stars levelled the scores with a 5-1 in Heat 2, Spires were unlucky in Heat 3. Janowski and Kerr were away for a 5-1, when the race was stopped by referee Chris Gay. Replays suggested that while King’s Lynn skipper Nicolai Klindt had moved, the referee was very harsh in also giving a warning to Kerr, whose movement was minimal and caused by the Dane moving first. Jan Kvech, last at the time of the stoppage, came out to win the re-run, as the race was shared.

To rub salt into the wound, Klindt moved early again in both the re-run and in Heat 14 and – despite already being on a warning – avoided exclusion.

That was countered by a moment of good fortune for Spires in Heat 4, when Boughen was not excluded, even though he probably crossed the inside white line with both wheels on the opening bend, as he pushed Benjamin Basso for a notable victory over the Dane. That race also saw Spires’ skipper Chris Harris just miss out on third, after a battle with Basso.

The 4-2 saw Stars take the lead, and Stars then built up a 10-point lead lead with a further four 4-2s in the next five races.

Spires needed heat advantages, but lost out firstly when Wright lost out in a photo-finish to Wojdylo for third place in Heat 11 and also in the following race, when Janowski won a tactical substitute ride, but Erik Riss was passed for third by Anders Rowe.

King’s Lynn clinched all three points, including the aggregate bonus point, with a 5-1 in Heat 13, before Spires concluded the evening with two 4-2s, with Janowski winning both races.

Tungate – despite his mechanical issues – won two races on his way to seven points, while Harris was in the thick of the action all night and six points did not reflect his efforts.

For Stars, Czech Republic Grand Prix star Kvech had an impressive debut in British Speedway, scoring nine points.

Maciej Janowski said: “Everything was working for me from the beginning of the meeting. I found the set-up and that allowed me to relax on the bike and concentrate on my racing. After my first two rides, I started to attack the track more and I enjoyed today and had good fun. But it was a hard night for the team, with problems with the bikes in the pits.” 

Team manager Peter Schroeck said: “I can’t fault the boys for effort, but we had too many machinery problems and that cost us. That’s not taking anything away from King’s Lynn, who put in a good night’s racing.”

Meanwhile, the next action at Oxford Stadium takes place on Wednesday (7.30pm) when Monarch  Oxford Cheetahs entertain old rivals Poole Pirates in a crunch Cab Direct Championship clash.

Tickets are already on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Admission is available at the early bird price of £20 for all adults, which increases to £22 on Race Day. All under-16s go free. A reminder that Oxford Speedway is online ticket sales only – tickets remain on sale on the website until the start-time of the meeting.

King’s Lynn Stars 50: Richard Lawson 6+2, Niels-Kristian Iversen 7, Jan Kvech 9, Nicolai Klindt 6, Benjamin Basso 10+1, Patryk Wojdylo 5+1, Anders Rowe 7+2.

OXS Oxford Spires 40: Rohan Tungate 7, Charles Wright 4+1, Lewis Kerr 1+1, Maciej Janowski 16, Chris Harris 6, Erik Riss 4, Ashton Boughen 2.

PHOTO: Maciej Janowski top scored with 16 points at King’s Lynn (pic: Les Aubrey)