REPORT: Chargers go four points clear, after maximum points against defending champions
REAL MINI COMPANY Oxford Chargers powered by AW Mobbs put in two magnificent performances to take two victories over reigning champions Leicester Lion Cubs in the WSRA National League yesterday (Sunday) – including becoming the first-ever away team to come away from Leicester’s Beaumont Park with a win against Lion Cubs.
Chargers took all five points on offer across the two meetings. A hotly-contested meeting at Beaumont Park in the afternoon resulted in a dramatic 44-44 draw, with Oxford winning the subsequent Super Heat by 5-4, while Chargers registered a resounding 55-35 over Lion Cubs at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium in the evening that also secured the aggregate bonus point.
Leicester had won both their previous two meetings in the 2025 WSRA National League – both away from home. But Chargers have moved back to the top of the league and have opened up a four-point gap to second-placed Edinburgh Academy. Leicester (2022 and 2024) and Oxford (2023) have won the last three NL titles between them.
Lion Cubs have a very impressive record around Beaumont Park since their formation in 2019. There were three home draws during 2021, otherwise they have boasted a 100 per cent around their home track until Chargers’ heroics in yesterday’s meeting up in the East Midlands.
After an exciting afternoon’s action, it all boiled down to Heat 15, with Chargers four points in arrears.
Leicester guest Ben Morley – in for Ben Trigger, who was out with an aggravated shoulder injury but still fit enough to travel across to Poland for an Ekstraliga Training Camp – had four wins in his previous four races. Morley again led in Heat 15, but Darryl Ritchings flew around him after a lap and Chargers’ skipper Jody Scott also rounded him on the third lap, with the Oxford pair then team-riding to a 5-1.
Both teams already had a point for a draw, but the Super Heat had an extra point on offer. Morley again trapped, while Ritchings and Scott knew that second and third places would secure a 5-4 victory under the 4-3-2-0 scoring for this race. But 15-year-old wonderkid Cooper Rushen had previously scored 18+1 from seven outings from the reserve berth and was a formidable opponent to have behind in fourth place.
Rushen flew under Scott for third place on the second bend of the second lap, but Scott had the momentum and moved back inside Rushen on the third bend. Rushen went for a big move around the outside on the fourth bend, but ran out of room and came down. There appeared to be no contact and referee Gary Allen awarded the race as a 5-4 to Chargers.
Ritchings – at reserve for the two meetings due to a quirk of the official Green Sheet averages – scored 13+2 from seven outings and defeated Rushen three times towards the end of the meeting – in Heat 12, Heat 14 and the Super Heat. Incredibly, Ritchings took FIVE rides on the trot at the conclusion at the end of the meeting. Apart from falling and remounting at the back in Heat 13, he did well in all of them.
Earlier, Chargers had moved in front for the first time with a 5-1 from Scott and Senna Summers in Heat 5, that placed them 15-14 ahead, and likewise a 4-2 from Arran Butcher and Ashton Vale in Heat 7 also placed them a point ahead.
A lengthy track grade of over 15 minutes after Heat 7 did little to help the Leicester track surface, with several rides getting into trouble on the resumption of racing. Lion Cubs Sonny Springer and Max Perry collided in Heat 9 and both were ruled out of the rest of the meeting, while Chargers’ Jacob Clouting suffered a wrist injury in the re-run that also ended his participation on the day.
Lion Cubs went six ahead with a 5-1 in Heat 10, but skipper Scott passed Max James on the final bend in Heat 11, as Chargers pulled back a 4-2. That was also the scoreline in Heat 12, as Ritchings inflicted Rushen’s first defeat.
Leicester grabbed a 4-2 in Heat 13 to move four ahead, although Scott again passed James to limit the damage.
Lion Cubs had victory in the bag in Heat 14, after Rushen swept around Ritchings on the third bend of the final lap. However, the youngster appeared to celebrate prematurely before he crossed the line. The next moment he reared, and Ritchings stole the race win in a finish so tight that the referee had to check the transponder times. The 3-3 kept Chargers in the hunt and forced the last-heat decider.
If the meeting in the afternoon was dramatic, the return fixture at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium in the evening resulted in a far more routine victory for Chargers – although some of the racing was out of the top draw. Freddy Hodder was drafted in to replace the injured Clouting, while Lion Cubs were also forced into a couple of late changes.
Another close contest seemed to be on the cards early on. Scott overtook Morley on the second lap to win Heat 1, while Ritchings passed Ryan Ingram in Heat 2 to avoid a 5-1 to Lion Cubs.
Chargers moved ahead with a 5-1 from Vale and Butcher in Heat 3, and then extended their lead to eight points with a 5-1 to Scott and Summers in Heat 6.
Rushen was again to the forefront of Lion Cubs, winning his opening three outings, before being forced onto a borrowed bike in Heat 8, where Ritchings defeated him for a fourth time on the day.
Rushen touched the tapes in Heat 10 and, surprisingly, was not put back in the race off a 15-metre handicap, as Scott and Summers took another 5-1 and Chargers’ lead became 12 points. Ingram put in an excellent effort for Leicester in Heat 12 and it took some brave riding by Ritchings – using the outside line to excellent effect – to overhaul him. Scott and Hodder clinched victory with a 5-1 in Heat 13.
In a final flourish, Scott moved from last to first to complete a 15-point full maximum in Heat 15. In a nice touch, Ritchings slowed off the final bend, so that his team-mate ended the night with the full rather than paid maximum.
The Oxford track – despite the meeting at Cowley taking place at the hottest point of the day in temperatures of around 30 degrees – was in superb nick with little dust and allowed racing right to the end of the evening.
In addition to Scott’s 15 – his second successive full house at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium for Chargers – Ritchings scored 11+2. But it was a solid team performance, with Vale (8+1), Hodder (also 8+1), Summers (6+2) and Butcher (also 6+2) all scoring well.
And there were no doubting the efforts of Max Broadhurst across the day, as he picked up valuable experience and scored a couple of vital points at Leicester.
Chargers’ skipper Jody Scott said: “We wanted to win at both tracks today and we made it happen. We’re now leading the league table and it’s looking promising for us. We would like to regain the WSRA National League title by the end of the year.
“It was a fantastic victory at Leicester in the afternoon, while it got really tight towards the end of the meeting. Darryl and I needed the 5-1 from Heat 15. I saw Darryl go around Ben Morley and I knew I had to do the same. I stuck to the outside line and it was pulling me around and I managed to get into position with Darryl and we took the result we required.
“In the Super Heat, it got very tight between me and Cooper (Rushen). I was glad he was okay after his crash. I was holding my line in front of him when he came down. It was getting very dusty by that point. I couldn’t see very well and he would have been able to see even less behind me.
“We tied across the 15 races, and all the boys chipped in and every point scored counted towards us getting the result that we wanted – it was a real team effort.
“Best wishes to Jacob (Clouting). He’s got an injury to his wrist and I hope he’s back soon. He was riding well at Leicester before his fall. Also, a big shout out to Freddy Hodder for coming in at late notice and riding for us this evening and doing a good job.
“I was pleased to get a 15-point full maximum tonight and to only drop a couple of points across the day. I didn’t expect to have such a bad gate in Heat 15 tonight. I was riding the outside line and getting as much grip as I could and I got past the Leicester boys. It was nice for Darryl to let me through on the final bend.
“There’s a fabulous team spirit and everyone gets on and we help each other out – it’s working for us.”
A reminder that Wednesday’s (July 2) clash between the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs powered by County Plumbing Supplies and the Workington Comets at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium has been postponed. This follows a decision by British Speedway Promoters Ltd to suspend Workington for seven days due to administrative issues.
The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium sees the BetGoodwin Oxford Spires entertain league leaders Ipswich Witches in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership next Monday (July 7). Tickets are already on the Oxford Speedway website at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/
It is the first of two meetings at Sandy Lane in three days next week, since Cheetahs host Berwick Bandits on Wednesday, July 9. Please note the new date for this fixture, which has been brought forward to three days.
Afternoon result:
Leicester Lion Cubs 44: Ben Morley 13, Harry Fletcher 2, Max Perry 0, Sonny Springer 4, Max James 5, Ryan Ingram 2+1, Cooper Rushen 18+1.
Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by AW Mobbs 44: Jody Scott 13, Senna Summers 4+2, Arran Butcher 6, Ashton Vale 2, Jacob Clouting 4, Max Broadhurst 2, Daryll Ritchings 13+2.
Oxford Chargers win Superheat by 5-4.
Evening result:
Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by AW Mobbs 55: Jody Scott 15, Senna Summers 6+2, Arran Butcher 6+2, Ashton Vale 8+1, Freddy Hodder 8+1, Max Broadhurst 1+1, Darryl Ritchings 11+2.
Leicester Lion Cubs 35: Ben Morley 7, Harry Fletcher 0, Jamie Etherington 2, Sonny Spinger R/R, Max James 5, Ryan Ingram 4, Cooper Rushen 17.
PHOTO: Skipper Jody Scott receives the bumps, after completing a 15-point full maximum in the evening meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium (pic: Steve Edmunds)