LATEST NEWS ~ JULY 2010

COBRAS vs NEWPORT - OFF
By Rye House Speedway ~ Thursday 29th July 2010
Because of huge interest in Great Britain's involvement in the World Cup Final it has been decidedto postpone Saturday's scheduled National League fixture between the Kart Raceway Conras and Newport. A new date - likely in September - is yet to be confirmed.
 

SCARBORO IN FOR UNLUCKY MORLEY
By Rye House Speedway ~ Thursday 29th July 2010
The Kart Raceway Cobras have moved to cover for Ben Morley’s injury by bringing in experienced veteran Ricky Scarboro as cover. The 6-times East Midlands Grasstrack Champion – 34 this Saturday – has already had a brief shale run with the Isle of Wight this season, replacing Danny Hodgson in the Islanders line-up last month but then recently losing his own place to Lee Smethills. His previous teams include Boston, Mildenhall, Oxford and Sittingbourne.

Morley, meanwhile, has been released from hospital today (Thursday) following an operation on his broken ankle. He is due back in front of the medics in two weeks’ time for a fresh plaster cast, which will then remain in place for a further four weeks. Allowing for physiotherapy, it will be mid-to-late September at the earliest that the 16 year old can contemplate a return to action for the Cobras.
 

NEWS ROUND UP
By Rye House Speedway ~ Sunday 25th July 2010
Saturday night (July 31st), the Kart Raceway Cobras remain on centre stage to face National League leaders Newport in another fixture critical to the race for the Championship play-offs. The Cobras will once again be naming a guest for injured No.1 Jamie Smith, and with Marc Owen still sidelined and Kyle Hughes away with the Rockets, they will be sweating it out that Ben Morley comes through a positive outcome on an x-ray on his ankle.

Meanwhile, despite a home reverse against Buxton on Friday, the Hornets continue to maintain a healthy advantage at the top of the table. They will be bringing the likes of highly rated teenager and doubling-up Newport Wasp Todd Kurtz, fellow Australian Mark Jones – a former double U-16 Champion – and former World Longtrack Finalist and British Grasstrack Champion Tony Atkin. Also set to feature is doubling-up Birmingham Brummie Kyle Newman, who is aiming to complete a hat-trick of League titles having won back-to-back third tier crowns with Weymouth and Bournemouth. The action starts at 7.00pm.
 

COBRAS BUCKED BY BUCCANEERS
Rye House 42 Bournemouth 48 (National League, Saturday July 24th 2010)
By Rye House Speedway ~ Sunday 25th July 2010
The Kart Raceway Cobras fell to their first home League defeat of the season at the hands of the defending National League champions – but only after a brave and battling effort. Already without the injured Jamie Smith and Marc Owen, and with Kyle Hughes committed to the Silver Ski Rockets at Workington, their cause was further disrupted by the early loss of Ben Morley, who aggravated an ankle injury suffered at Newport.

Throw in a number of lost point opportunities and you can see where this one was always headed. Morley was holding third place in Heat 3 when forced to withdraw with his injury, while guest Jerran Hart locked up on the second bend of Heat 8 to quickly relegate himself from first to last.

Lee Strudwick appeared en route to inflicting what would have been James Brundle’s only defeat of the night in Heat 13, only for the visitors’ Danny Halsey to fall and cause the race to be stopped. Brundle made no mistake in the re-run. Shane Hazelden also suffered two exclusions to mar an otherwise exceptional performance.

Special mention should be made of regular No.8 Tom Stokes, who stepped into a reserve slot for the night. The 16 year old won Heat 2 and finished the night with 4 points, a total which belies his underlying contribution and 100% effort.

An awarded 5-1 secured by Hazelden and Lee Strudwick after race leader Danny Halsey had fallen in Heat 4 gave the Cobras an early 14-10 advantage, but thereafter never more than 2 points separated the sides until after the final race. The Cobras led 40-38 heading into the penultimate heat, but a third bend fall by Hazelden left them on the wrong end of a 5-1 as the Buccaneers re-took the lead.

The Cobras woes continued into the finale. Needing a maximum of their own to sneak the victory, their hopes were quickly dashed when Strudwick was penalised 15 metres for exceeding the two minute allowance. Brundle then made a trademarked lightning start, with partner Halsey joining him at the front ahead of Hart and Strudwick to wrap up a Buccs’ success.
 

RYE ON SATURDAY: WHO'S WHO AND WHERE
By Rye House Speedway ~ Wednesday 21st July 2010
Both the Silver Ski Rockets and Kart Raceway Cobras are in action this Saturday (July 24th), forced into a number of changes for their home fixture against defending National League champions Bournemouth. British U-18 Champion Jerran Hart will guest for Jamie Smith – more about the Cobras’ No.1 – while Rye will also operate Rider-Replacement for Kyle Hughes (with the Rockets at Workington) and call Tom Stokes into a reserve slot alongside the fast-emerging Shane Hazelden.

The latest word on Jamie Smith is unfortunately not promising, with the Cobras‘ No.1 set for an extended run on the sidelines. The 2003 World U-21 Finalist has not ridden since suffering a knee injury in a Heat 15 fall in the Cobras’ 53-40 win at Scunthorpe on July 4th. Doctors originally recommended rest and minimising of any weight-bearing situations while the swelling subsided, but subsequent x-rays at that point have revealed the need for keyhole surgery.

Team manager John Sampford commented, “I really feel for Jamie; he is surely the unluckiest rider in the sport when it comes to injury. It’s also a double whammy for us as a team. Not only are we likely to be missing Jamie until into September but his average will be changing. We have him at 10.34 for our home matches against both Bournemouth and Newport (July 31st), but then he will slip to just below 9 effective the new “green sheets” on August 1st, which will restrict the number of opportunities we will have for a guest.”

Cobras team (alphabetical order):
Jerran Hart (guest), Shane Hazelden, Kyle Hughes R/R, David Mason, Ben Morley, Tom Stokes, Lee Strudwick

Bournemouth team (alphabetical order):
Aaron Baseby, Mark Baseby, James Brundle, Danny Halsey, Kyle Howarth, Karl Mason, John Resch
 

BRING ‘EM ON: BOURNEMOUTH
By Rye House Speedway ~ Sunday 18th July 2010
With the Silver Ski Rockets in Premier League action at Workington, the Kart Raceway Cobras will take centre stage at Rye House this Saturday (July 24th). The Cobras face defending champions Bournemouth in another key battle in the race for the play-offs.

The Buccaneers – buoyed by Friday’s away victory at local derby rivals Weymouth – include former King’s Lynn Star James Brundle, five season Rye House man and former British U-21 international Danny Halsey and long-time Newport man Karl Mason in their line-up. Also set to feature are doubling-up Somerset Rebel Mark Baseby and 2009 British U-18 and U-15 Silver medallist Kyle Howarth. The action starts at 7.00pm.
 

COBRAS UNLUCKY AGAINST HORNETS
By Rye House Speedway ~ ~ Friday 16th July 2010
The Kart Raceway Cobras can consider themselves unlucky not to come away with at least a match point in this battle between the top two teams in the National League standings. True, the Cobras managed only five race wins against the Hornets’ ten, and had little answer for the Hornets’ leading lights of Tony Atkin and Mark Jones. However, they also looked the better team in terms of strength in depth, with six of the side paid for 6 points or more. The home side in contrast certainly had a lopsided look with three riders - half its roster - contributing just 3 points between them.

In the end, the outcome was ultimately decided by a relentless run of misfortune for young Ben Morley. The 16 year old deserved better than four falls when placed for points, as his personal woes ultimately tipped the match the Hornets’ way.

The Cobras trailed by just 3 points at Heat 9, and although a 5-1 from Tod Kurtz and Mark Jones then pushed the home side clear at 33-26, they responded with a maximum of their own – courtesy of Kyle Hughes and guest Adam Allott (in for Jamie Smith) – against the same pair in Heat 13 to bring the score back to 40-37 with just two races remaining. With Atkin (twice) and Jones featuring in those heats, the final advantage was with the Hornets, but the Cobras will be out to even the score when the Welsh team visits Hoddesdon on Saturday, July 31st.

Rye House scorers
Adam Allott (guest) 9+1 (5 rides), Marc Owen R/R, David Mason 4+2 (5), Lee Strudwick 8 (5), Kyle Hughes 11 (5), Shane Hazelden 7+2 (5), Ben Morley 1+1 (5)

Newport scorers
Todd Kurtz 10 (5 rides), Mark Jones 12+3 (6), Tim Webster 1+1 (5), Tony Atkin 17 (6), Kyle Newman R/R, Tom Young 1 (3), James White-Williams 8+1 (5)

Match points: Newport 3 Rye House 0
 

NELSON NO GO
By Rye House Speedway ~ Monday 12th July 2010
Young Australian teenage sensation Tyson Nelson, who appeared for the Kart Cobras at Scunthorpe, has unfortunately been ruled ineligible to ride in the National League this season. His entry visa is for a tourist and he is therefore unable to race speedway professionally. The UK Border Agency - who oversee all immigration - have ruled that he is ineligible to ride, even as an amateur, in team events, but that he can take part in Individual meetings which are prescribed by the F.I.M..

At present the SCB have ruled that his inclusion in the Kart Cobras team at Scunthorpe was as legal as it could be given the information available at the time, and his 17 points will not be deducted from the score. The Cobras therefore retain the maximum 4 match points that they gained in their 53-40 success in Lincolnshire.
 

OWEN INJURY UPDATE
By Rye House Speedway ~ Monday 5th July 2010
FOLLOWING his serious crash at Scunthorpe last night (Sunday), Kart Raceway Cobra Marc Owen is set to be released from hospital today with x-rays having revealed a clean break to his collarbone. The injury is expected to keep the exciting 15 year old prospect out of action for some four to six weeks, but as team manager John Sampford admits, “In a sense we are quite relieved because it could have been much worse.”
 

NEW MAN NELSON SINKS SAINTS FOR COBRAS
By Rye House Speedway ~ Monday 5th July 2010
Scunthorpe 40 Rye House 53 (National League, Sunday July 4th 2010)
The Kart Raceway Cobras unleashed the secret weapon of Tyson Nelson on an unsuspecting National League, with the Saints feeling the brunt of his stunning debut. The 17 year old Australian – a World U-21 competitor this year – simply rocketed from the gate to reel off five straight wins, and eventually finished with an incredible paid 18 from seven starts.

With ample support from Kyle Hughes (13+1) and Jamie Smith (9+1), plus another steady performance from Shane Hazelden (6+2), the Cobras were in control throughout. They led from Heat 1, with a total of ten race wins – 5 of them from Nelson – ensuring the momentum stayed on their side of the pits.

The one negative came in the unfortunate injury sustained by Marc Owen in Heat 7. The 15 year old was brought down by former League Riders Champion Benji Compton on the fourth bend, suffering a dislocated collarbone in the process. He was taken to hospital in much discomfort.

On a positive note, however, the victory – and 4 match points – reinforces the Cobras’ second placed ranking in the National League table. Newport lead the way with 30 points, with the Cobras 4 behind (with a match in hand), 1 point ahead of both Buxton and Mildenhall.

Rye House scorers:
Jamie Smith 9+1 (4 rides), Ben Morley 1 (3), Lee Strudwick 5+1 (4), Marc Owen 2 (1), Kyle Hughes 13+1 (5), Shane Hazelden 6+2 (6), Tyson Nelson 17+1 (7)

Scunthorpe scorers:
Mark Burrows R/R, Gary Beaton 6 (5 rides), Scott Richardson 7 (4 rides, inc 6 as a TR), Gary Irving 13 (6), Benji Compton 5 (5), Steve Worrall 7+1 (6), Ashley Birks 2+2 (4)

Match points: Scunthorpe 0 Rye House 4