REPORT: Cheetahs tumble out of the MAXiCab Knockout Cup
SD TIMMO CAR SALES Oxford Cheetahs were eliminated from the MAXiCab Knockout Cup at Poole’s Wimborne Road last night (Wednesday). Poole Pirates won 55-34 on the evening, and progressed to the semi-finals by 104-73 on aggregate.
Tracks conditions were not ideal at Wimborne Road, including a large rut on the opening bends, which caused issues for a number of riders, including Cheetahs’ Dayle Wood, whose chain was thrown off while he was second in Heat 2 and caused a spill. The damage to his bike forced the Australian to change to his second machine for the rest of the evening.
Guest Nick Morris and Anders Rowe won Heats 3 and 4 respectively for Cheetahs, despite a worrying moment for Rowe in the latter race, when he hit the rut, but he managed to right himself.
Less fortunate was Poole’s Fraser Bowes, who was leading Heat 6 when he lost control and ploughed heavily into the second bend fence. The unfortunate Australian – who had just returned from an off-track eye injury – was taken to nearby Poole hospital by ambulance with reported back injuries. Oxford Speedway wishes Fraser a speedy recovery.
By the time the ambulance returned, remedial work had carried out to the track, while nearly an hour had passed, with Heat 7 resuming at around 9.20pm, with Poole ahead by 20-15.
The rest of the meeting was also eventful, with Heat 12 needing to be started four times. Mitch McDiarmid – who had started his evening with a fall – registered a fine win over the in-form Lewis Kerr, after a good run around the outside on the second turn.
Poole gradually increased their lead, with a brief respite for Cheetahs when Morris won Heat 10, and prevented a maximum for home No 1 Richard Lawson. Heat 15 was eventually concluded at almost 10.20pm.
Oxford Charger Senna Summers – making his official debut at this level as a guest replacement for Darryl Ritchings – rode sensibly and picked up a commendable 3+1.
Both Ritchings and Luke Killeen were with the rest of Cheetahs in the pits last night and both will be back for Cheetahs at home to Edinburgh at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium next Wednesday (May 27). Rider replacement for Killeen scored just two points at Poole.
Cheetahs’ manager Peter Schroeck said: “We didn’t come down here for the flogging that we got tonight. Our boys didn’t enjoy that – and I didn’t enjoy it.
“It’s always a tough place to come down to and then we had all the stops and goes during the meeting. The track was very grippy early on, and even the Poole boys weren’t happy about it. But that’s not an excuse – it was the same for both teams.
“At one stage, it didn’t look too bad for us and we were staying with them. If we could have pinched a win on the night that would have been nice. But Poole were firing on too many cylinders and it ran away from us.
“We just weren’t good enough and you’ve got to say well done to Poole and take it on the chin. That’s not because the effort wasn’t there, because it was, but it’s what can happen down here sometimes. It was just one of those nights when it wasn’t working for us.
“Senna (Summers) did his job and he was getting better with each ride. He stayed on his bike and ended with 3+1 and I’m pleased he got that.”
The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium is next Wednesday (May 27) at 7.30pm, when the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs take on Edinburgh Monarchs in their opening home meeting in the Cab Direct Championship. Tickets are on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/
Poole Pirates 55: Richard Lawson 13+1, Fraser Bowes 2+1, Lewis Kerr 10, Kyle Newman 6+2, Zach Cook 12, William Cairns 11, Charlie Southwick 1+1.
SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs 34: Sam Masters 8, Luke Killeen R/R, Mitch McDiarmid 6, Nick Morris 10, Anders Rowe 6, Dayle Wood 1, Senna Summers 3+1.
PHOTO by Steve Edmunds