Pumas defeat Rockets

PUMAS CLAIM LEAGUE WIN

Pumas claimed their first league victory of the season with an action packed 49-40 win over Rye House. The Rockets were hit by injury, with captain Simon Wolstenholme already out after breaking his scaphoid in the Ace of Herts meeting on Saturday, they were forced to track number 8 Gary Sweet at number 1, and 15 year old newcomer James Cockle at number 8. During the thrilling meeting both Gary Sweet and Daniel Giffard were taken to hospital after Sweet fell on the second bend, Giffard could not avoid him and smashed into the back of Sweet’s bike. Sweet later returned to the track but Giffard stayed at the hospital for checks on an ankle injury.

Pumas already out with broken foot victim Adam Pryer welcomed back Chris Schramm from Premier League duty with Reading. Schramm also took a heavy looking tumble while in third position but was able to walk away and take a rider replacement ride in the next heat. The other Pumas faller was James Horton who fell in his first ride but got up and onto the centre green although after a brilliant win in heat 11, Horton looped up out of the start in heat 14 and fell heavily on his back, he was lying on the track for 5 minutes recieving medical attention, a neck brace was fitted for precauctions but after recieving a check in the ambulance could be seen after the meeting walking around the pits.

For the Rockets their top man was stand-in captain David Mason who scored 17 points from 7 rides it prehaps would have been more if he was not excluded in his first race for not having a dirt-deflector fitted. Mason made the gate and lead throughout but it was the Pumas who secured a 5-0 heat win due to Mason’s exclusion and Nathan Morton’s retirement. Mason was well supported by fellow heat leader Phil Ambrose who scored 12+1 from 7 rides but with the Rockets ending up with only 5 riders the two had little support apart from reserve Darren Andrews who chipped in with 6 points from 5 rides which included a heat 2 victory.

Pumas were lead excellently by captain and new Bronze Helmet Holder Ian Barney who scorched to a 15 point maximum. Barney who had blew his engine the previous night at Hoddeson rode on the tracks spare bike and also defeated Mason a long time holder of the Bronze helmet in the Bronze Helmet Match Race Championship. Barney recieved support from every single member of the Pumas team with reserve Jason King scoring 11+2 from 6 rides and Mark Thompson scoring 10 from 6 rides. Thompson rode excellently all night and and missed out on a heat 15 win by half a wheel. King also rode excellently and had a very good win in heat 4 over the impressive Ambrose.

Pumas Team Manager Gerry Short said, “There was some terrific racing and some brave and very mature riding,” “I felt a win was on the cards and they all chipped in. James Horton had a great win and Jason King is getting better by the week.”

 New Bronze Helmet Holder Ian Barney

PUMAS SCORE CHART