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A glorious sunny afternoon greeted the riders for the 11th annual Astley
& Tyldesley Cycle Speedway Festival meeting at Gin Pit on Saturday. Not so
glorious was a long list of late withdrawals and non-arrivals, particularly for
the junior event, which forced organisers to hastily re-schedule the format.
However, this did not detract from a still healthy turn-out of riders and two
exciting events.
16 qualifying heats were held in the Junior event to determine the 8
semi-finalists, with A & T's Rob Longworth, Marvin Kinlock and newcomer
James Griffin all making it to the last 8. Longworth and Kinlock were
then eliminated, but a fine race by Griffin saw him make it to the final. The
Junior Final was won by Sandwell's Paul Bird, ahead of Tame side's Chris Eaton, Bury's Tom Doyle, with Griffin 4th.
Pictured are the junior finalists receive their awards from sponsor Steve Mills
of Eagle School of Motoring, Astley.
From left
to right: Chris Eaton,
James Griffin, Steve Mills, Tom Doyle and Paul Bird
Wednesfield's England rider Lee Aris set the pace in the Senior event,
winning all his qualifying races and semi-final, as well as recording the
fastest time of the season so far at Gin Pit, less than 1 second off the track
record. No A & T rider qualified for the semi-finals - best score was by
skipper Damien Hack, who recorded 10 in the qualifying heats. The event
hotted up with plenty of action packed racing as the meeting drew to a climax.
Aris stormed from the start to win the Senior Final, ahead of Bury's Paul Dyson,
Wednesfield's Chri s Jewkes, with Bury's Rob Pearce 4th. Unbeaten all day, Lee
Aris proved to be a most worthy winner.
Pictured are the senior
finalists receive their awards from sponsor Steve Mills of Eagle School of Motoring,
Astley.
From left
to right: Lee
Aris, Paul Dyson, Steve Mills, Chris Jewkes and Rob Pearce
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