Sunday, July 12, 2026
OXFORD SPEEDWAY
CheetahsOxford Speedway

REPORT: Sam Masters in brilliant form at Berwick, while Cheetahs pay for a slow start

RPOxfordSpeedway

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC Sam Masters took a brilliant 17-point tally for the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs at Berwick last night (Saturday). But it was home side Berwick Bandits who won the Cab Direct Championship clash by 53-37.

Berwick have been in rampant home form around the unique challenge of the fast but narrow Shielfield Park in recent weeks and Bandits had despatched Scunthorpe (56-34) and Poole (55-35) in their previous two home meetings, dumping Poole out of the MAXiCab Knockout Cup in the process.

Bandits started against Cheetahs in storming fashion, slamming in four 5-1s on the way to a 30-12 lead after seven races, with only Masters stemming the flow with wins in Heats 1 and 5.

An eventful Heat 8 required four starts. The unlucky Luke Killeen led the first two, only to hit the tapes at the third attempt. The first start was typical of Cheetahs’ luck with Killeen and Dayle Wood both trapping, only for Reid Battye to fall on the first turn, with all four allowed in the re-run. Eventually Darryl Ritchings and Wood salvaged a 3-3, while Berwick’s Jye Etheridge picked a knock to his elbow in the attempted second staging.

Killeen was the third Cheetah to be penalised for touching the tapes, following Dayle Wood in Heat 4 and Anders Rowe in Heat 6.

Cheetahs outscored Bandits by 22-20 in the last seven races. Oxford manager Peter Schroeck brought in the imperious Masters into Heat 9 as a tactical substitute and he joined Rowe for a 5-1.

Cheetahs also continued to battle for points. Edward Kennett fought around Victor Palovaara to win Heat 12, while 18-year-old Mitch McDiarmid looked spectacular all night and his reward was a superb third to first in Heat 14, as he picked off Jordan Jenkins and then Jack Smith in thrilling fashion.

Masters trapped in Heat 15, but both McDiarmid and Berwick’s Nick Morris came down in a tangle of bikes on the first corner. Peter Kildemand got the better of Masters in the re-run, as Masters missed out on an 18-point maximum. But it was a great performance from the Oxford skipper, who showed his mastery both from the tapes and also around the opening bends, sweeping past Palovaara early in Heat 5 and Morris in Heat 11.

Sam Masters said: “I don’t enjoy this track, but do enjoy it at the same time! It’s hard to explain. It’s tiring and hard work and you have to race close to the fence, but I can make it work around here and walk away with a few points. I enjoyed my evening, getting a few race wins.

“Berwick have a very good side this season, especially around here. It took a while for our boys to find their feet tonight. It’s a very daunting track and it’s not easy and it’s fast. You’ve got to grit your teeth and put the bike in the dirt. The boys showed towards the end what they can do.

“We’re working hard but it’s pretty frustrating at the moment and we do need to start getting some points on the board, starting with beating Plymouth around our place on Wednesday. We know we need to win that meeting.”

The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium is next Wednesday (July 8) at 7.30pm, when the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs take on Plymouth Gladiators in a must-win Cab Direct Championship fixture. Tickets are on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Berwick Bandits 53: Peter Kildemand 11+2, Jye Etheridge 5, Victor Palovaara 9, Jordan Jenkins 4+3, Nick Morris 9+1, Jack Smith 10+3, Reid Battye 5.

SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs 37: Sam Masters 17, Luke Killeen 0, Edward Kennett 3, Mitch McDiarmid 7, Anders Rowe 4+1, Darryl Ritchings 5, Dayle Wood 1+1.