Nick Simmons Testimonial Meeting

Nick Simmons Testimonial
Sunday, March 16
Newport
Report: Jason Harrold

Billy Janniro 2, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 14
Mads Korneliussen 3, 3, 2, 3, 3 = 14
Chris Harris 2, 3, 3, 3, 2 = 13
Lewis Bridger 3, 1, 3, 1, 3 = 11
Niels Kristian Iversen 3, 2, 1, 3, 2 = 11
Leigh Lanham 3, 1, 1, 2, 3 = 10
Krzsystof Stojanowski 1, 2, 2, 2 1 - 8
Rusty Harrison 1, 2, 3, 0, 1 = 7
Tony Atkin 2, 0, 2, 1, 2 = 7
Marek Mroz 2, 1, 2, 2, R = 7
Michael Coles 0, 3, 0, 1, 2 = 6
Chris Schramm 1, 0, 0, 2, F = 3
David Mason 1, 1, 1, 0, 0 = 3
Chris Mills F, 2, 0, 0, 0 = 2
Karl Mason R, R, 1, 1, 1 = 3
Paul Fry X = 0
Referee: Chris Durno

Heat 1: 60.99 Lanham, Atkin, Schramm, Coles
Heat 2: 60.02 Korneliussen, Harris, D Mason, K Mason
Heat 3: 59.99 (re-run) Iversen, Mroz, Stojanwski, Fry (F.exc)
Heat 4: 59.81 Bridger, Janniro, Harrison, Mills (f)
Heat 5: 59.31 Harris, Iversen, Bridger, Atkin
Heat 6: 60.73 Janniro, Stojanowski, Lanham, K Mason
Heat 7: 63.36 Coles, Mills, D Mason (three riders only)
Heat 8: 61.302 Korneliussen, Harrison, Mroz, Schramm
Heat 9: 61.84 Harrison, Atkin, K Mason (three riders only)
Heat 10: 60.75 Harris, Mroz, Lanham, Mills
Heat 11: 59.90 Janniro, Korneliussen, Iversen, Coles
Heat 12: 59.06 Bridger, Stojanowski, D Mason, Schramm
Heat 13: 60.58 Janniro, Mroz, Atkin, D Mason
Heat 14: 60.40 Kornelussen, Lanham, Bridger (three riders only)
Heat 15: 60.22 Harris, Stojanowski, Coles, Harrison
Heat 16: 59.31 Iversen, Schramm, K Mason, Mills
Heat 17: 60.77 Korneliussen, Atkin, Stojanowski, Mills
Heat 18: 60.52 Lanham, Iversen, Harrison, D Mason
Heat 19: 60.52 Bridger, Coles, Mroz (ret), K Mason (f.ns)
Heat 20: Awarded Janniro, Harris, Schramm (f)
Final: 60.40 Bridger, Harris, Janniro, Korneliussen

He was wearing the number 13, he just made the last qualifying place and had no choice of gate position, but Lewis Bridger had the right amount of luck and judgement to take the main prize in the Nick Simmons Testimonial.

Overnight the meeting may have been in some doubt, but weather held off, the track stayed smooth and all the riders gave a great show for one of speedway's nice guys.

It was Newport first-timer Billy Janniro who, along with former Newport rider Mads Korneliussen, head the qualifiers, Janniro ironically suffered his only defeat to the Eastbourne star but then beat off all comers to look unstoppable and was on course to take the crown.

Korneliussen had his colours lowered by the American in a very hard first corner in Heat 11 which saw the Dane come off second best.

The race also included another ex Wasp in Niels-Kristian Iversen, who just missed out on a final place when Bridger took heat 19.

Harris, the winner of the last open meeting at Newport in January, did his stuff the hard way. He was beaten by Korneliussen in his opening ride and then was left behind by Iversen, Marek Mroz and Krzsystof Stojanowski in his next three outings, but managed to pick them all off before Janniro showed some determination to win Heat 20.

Bridger also knew what was at stake when he took the flag in Heat 19, a much-needed win after two thirds against his name earlier in the day.

Mroz, added to the line up after Craig Watson's withdrawal , acquitted himself well and would have scored more points but for a retirement in his last outing.

Leigh Lanham made double points, proving himself again at the Hayley Stadium, but not such a happy afternoon for Paul Fry another former Newport rider who was leading his opening ride when he locked up on the third turn. Iversen manage to avoid the Isle of Wight rider, but he was just clipped by Mroz leaving Fry with a painful foot and a limp aback tot he pits and straight off to hospital.

The final took two attempts, the first being short-lied when both Korneliussen and Janniro ended up under the boards. At the second attempt, it was Bridger who seized the initiative from the inside leaving the others training in his wake for a tapes-to-flag victory.