REPORT: Chargers go out with a bang!

REAL MINI COMPANY Oxford Chargers powered by SD Timmo Car Sales completed their season with a fabulous 50-39 victory against the Scunthorpe Stags at the Eddie Wright Raceway in North Lincolnshire last night (Friday).

The victory means Chargers have every chance of finishing in second place behind champions Leicester in the final table. Either the joint Scunthorpe/Sheffield side or Belle Vue Colts would need to win all three of their remaining meetings – including picking up two away wins – to pip Chargers to second place.

Chargers went ahead in Heat 2 after Declan Killeen – the other brother of Luke Killeen – won his first-ever race in the National League in just his second meeting, while fellow reserve Senna Summers started an impressive night’s work by passing Jamie Etherington for third.

Stags then moved into a 16-14 lead, before a decisive Heat 6. There was a collision between Scunthorpe team-mates Nathan Ablitt and Mickie Simpson on the opening bend. Simpson was excluded from the re-run, although he would not have been fit in any case since he was withdrawn from the meeting due to injury, while Ablitt was thrown out of the race due to a lack of dirt deflector. It meant an uncontested 5-0 for Jody Scott and Summers, while Chargers moved into a lead that they never surrendered.

Chargers’ guest Arran Butcher and Declan Killeen moved Chargers further ahead with a 4-2 in Heat 8, before Scott won Heat 9, after an impressive charge around Ace Pijper on the opening lap.

The meeting was more-or-less settled when race-leader Ablitt – having overtaken Ashton Vale – crashed out on the final lap of Heat 10. Vale and Jacob Clouting – who had passed Kean Dicken earlier in the race – took a 5-1.

That placed Oxford into a nine-point lead. That lead became 13 points after Chargers took a further 5-1 in Heat 12, with Clouting winning the race and Summers taking second after a very impressive swoop around Stene Pijper.

A second place for Luke Killeen in Heat 13 secured victory for Chargers, while the final two races were shared with the Oxford riders packing into the minor places.

Scott (10), Luke Killeen (9) and Clouting (8+3) were the leading scorers for Chargers, but every Oxford rider scored at least paid seven in a superb all-around performance. In contrast, Stags relied mostly on maximum man Luke Harrison (12) and Ace Pijper (13).

Jacob Clouting said: “I started off slowly tonight, but got more into the meeting as it went along and ended up having a good meeting. It was nice to be rewarded with an extra ride in Heat 15 – it’s always nice to be given that and have a bit more bike time.

“We’ve had fun with the Chargers this year and it’s a good group of lads and we get on well. We’ve had a few injuries and we weren’t able to bring home the title again this season, but there’s a good chance that we’ll finish second and we’ve done as well as we can.

“There’s not many teams in the National League this year and we could do with a few more meetings. There’s no play-offs this season either – it’s just the 10 meetings. I could have done with more, especially at the start of the season, when it took me a while to get going. It’s not easy when you’re only riding once or twice a month, especially when you compete against riders who are riding more regularly.

“But I’m happy how things have progressed as the season has gone on. I feel I’ve got more dialled in at Oxford, while it was good to end with a decent meeting at Scunthorpe tonight.”

The next action at Oxford Stadium is next Wednesday (September 4) at 7.30pm when Monarch Oxford Cheetahs face Redcar Bears in the first leg of the Cab Direct Knockout Cup semi-final. Tickets are on sale at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Scunthorpe Stags 39: Nathan Ablitt 4, Mickie Simpson 0, Stene Pijper 5+3, Ace Pijper 13, Luke Harrison 12, Kean Dicken 5+1, Jamie Etherington 0.

Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by SD Timmo Car Sales 50: Luke Killeen 9, Arran Butcher 5+2, Jacob Clouting 8+3, Ashton Vale 7, Jody Scott 10, Senna Summers 5+2, Declan Killeen 6+2.

PHOTO: Sanna Summers tracking down Stene Pijper in Heat 12 (pic: Ian Rispin)