Close meeting with never more than 2 points in it until Heat 14. The lead
switched one way then the other but the Buxton heat leaders always looked like coming out on top.
As you would expect, Premier League rider Jon Armstrong (in for the injured James Mann) was
unbeatable and only dropped points in his first ride when his motor died on
the last turn when miles in front. Mark Steel was impressive with four wins including a couple from the back but it all went wrong in the last race.
He nearly
looped at the start and had to chase hard to catch but was fortunate that the Fen
Tigers' skipper Dean Garrod slowed up and blocked partner Gavin Hedge.
Armstrong slowed tactically on the back straight of the last lap to hold up Hedge and allow Steel to come through but he overcooked the last turn and
reared awkwardly and fell.
After the race, the Mildenhall skipper jumped the safety fence and rushed up to the Referee's box. Garrod was furious, as he claimed he saw a red
light on the home straight but Referee Dave Dowling said he hadn't put them
on.
Buxton had clinched After 12 races, Mildenhall lead by two but a Painter/Armstrong maximum over a disappointing Knowles and Garrod restored the Hitmen's lead. A win by Adam Allott in the next with Moss in third was enough for the Challenge Trophy to reside in Derbyshire for a while.
| HITMEN | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Total | BP | FEN TIGERS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Total | BP | |
| Neil PAINTER | 3 | 2 | 1' | 3 | 9 | 1 | Phil KNOWLES | R | 0 | 1' | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Paul BURNETT | 1 | 1' | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | Gavin HEDGE | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | |||
| Mark STEEL | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | F | 12 | Garry SWEET | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1' | 8 | 1 | |||
| Adam ALLOTT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | Chris SWEET | 0 | 1' | F | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Jon ARMSTRONG | 1' | 3 | 3 | 2' | 3 | 12 | 2 | Dean GARROD | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | R | 8 | ||
| Richard MOSS | E | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Mark THOMPSON | 2' | 0 | 1' | 2 | 5 | 2 | ||||
| Daniel HODGSON | 1 | 2 | 1 | F | 4 | Andrew MOORE | 3 | X | 2' | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 |