Super Second For Sam

NEWS Sunday 11th September 2016, 8:47pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Sam Masters finished a superb second to home man Simon Stead in today's Premier League Riders' Championship, after leading the final for the first couple of laps.

It took a brilliant ride by Stead to squeeze by, and Sam still kept right on his tail till the flag. Third was David Bellego, fourth Richard Lawson.

The last two heats were the best of the day, Sam also being passed in the semi by David Bellego. Sam thus narrowly failed to complete his full hand of PL trophies in our colours, although of course he won this meeting as a Somerset rider in 2011. 

Racing was generally poor prior to the closing stages, everyone sorted by the second bend and the only overtakes coming against the riders who wouldn't move off the inside line. The inside got slick quickly, the dirt being from mid-track outwards, resulting in numerous processional heats. Riders at the back were routinely pulling out on the last lap. 

David Bellego did pull off one very good inside pass on Howarth in heat 16 but generally it was the outside line which gave you a chance.

Sam's heats went like this:

Heat two, gate one, fast start. Danny King two or three lengths back all the way but looked a comfortable win for the captain.

Heat five, decent start from gate three but speedy David Bellego rounded him up on the first half lap and raced away. 

Heat nine, Sam's most impressive yet though he was warned for a slight movement at the first attempt. Second time he dominated the first turn and won comfortably from Craig Cook (having a tough time on slow-looking machinery) and Josh Grajczonek.

Heat fifteen, a very tough one for Sam's gate four heat. He didn't get to the first corner in good position and was out of it against Lawson, Holder and Wells.

Heat twenty, lightning start from gate one, pulled well clear of home men  Stead and Howarth before cruising the last couple of laps.

Semi final, very good heat.   Sam led it from the start and settled in front with Bellego chasing. The Frenchman was diving in hard on every turn on the inside, with Sam having to squeeze by again at the end of the corner. At the final turn he decided to go in tighter to block Bellego's run, but Bellego just made it and won a fine heat.

The final was even better with Sam trying everything to hold off Stead, but the extra track knowledge paid off for Simon who won the title for the second time.