2000 North American Archive of International Speedway

Message Section
April 15, 2000

From: johnlowe@callnetuk.com
To: "Internet Speedway Fan Club List" 
Subject: Match Report: Edinburgh 48: Jawa Czech Republic 41
Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2000 02:47:12 +0100

Edinburgh Monarchs 48: Jawa Czech Republic 41 

International Challenge
Lothian Arena, Armadale 
Friday 14th April 2000 

Edinburgh had a comfortable win over the touring Czech side. The Monarchs'
heat leaders were virtually unstoppable with only two points dropped
between them. 
Brian Turner did return after injury but Ross Brady missed out after
breaking two toes in an accident on a trials bike. Rider replacement
operated for Brady with Derek Sneddon coming in at number 8. Sneddon took
all four of the rider replacement outings. 

The day was cloudy but the rain held off. The track was in reasonable
condition, especially considering the extreme weather earlier this week. 
Peter Carr lost the toss and gate position B was used with Edinburgh off 2
and 4 for the first heat. 

Heat 1: Kevin Little, Michal Makovsky, Blair Scott [59.6] 
Kevin Little made the gate but Adrian Rymel appeared to have passed him on
the outside when the Czech pulled up with a smoking engine. Blair Scott
missed the start and tried, without success, to get past Makovsky. 
(4-2) (4-2) 

Heat 2: Robert Kral, Brian Turner, Christian Henry, Josef Franc [61.1] 
Brian Turner made a fair start but seemed to be apprehensive and was passed
by Robert Kral with an outside swoop. Christian Henry held third place and
was pressured by Josef Franc. This pressure was rewarded when Franc slipped
inside Henry on the last lap, only for the Monarchs' reserve to come back
on the outside through the last bend. 
(3-3) (7-5) 

Heat 3: Peter Carr, Tomas Topinka, Richard Wolff [58.7] 
Topinka made the start but Carr blasted around the outside on the back
straight as if Topinka was stationary. Derek Sneddon, in as rider
replacement fell and retired when in touch. 
(3-3) (10-8) 

Heat 4: Robert Eriksson, Robert Kral, Pavel Ondrasik, Christian Henry [58.3] 
Robert Eriksson swept ahead to win by a huge margin. Christian Henry
harried Ondrasik all the way. 
(3-3) (13-11) 

Heat 5: Peter Carr, Michal Makovsky, Adrian Rymel, Derek Sneddon [58.5]
This produced another commanding win while Derek Sneddon looked impressive
and pushed Rymel all the way.
(3-3) (16-14) 

Heat 6: Pavel Ondrasik, Kevin Little, Blair Scott [60.3] 
The Czech pair gated but Franc fell on the second bend. Kevin Little and
Blair Scott were unable to pass Ondrasik. 
(3-3) (19-17) 

Heat 7: Robert Eriksson, Richard Wolff, Tomas Topinka, Brian Turner [59.5] 
Eriksson had a commanding win over Wolff and Topinka. 
(3-3) (22-20) 

Heat 8: Robert Kral, Christian Henry [61.2] 
Blair Scott was clearly shunted into the second bend fence after being
sandwiched. There were cries of disbelief when it was announced that Scott
had been excluded. This ruling was changed with Rymel being excluded. In
the rerun Kral nearly put Blair into the fence once more, but he managed to
take avoiding action but dropped way behind. Blair set off after Kral and
Henry. He eventually managed to pass Christian, and then had a real go at
Kral. As Blair tried an outside pass on the third bend, the Czech moved out
and Blair was again fortunate to stay on. Blair made one last attempt on
the last bend but ended up in the fence. 
(2-3) (24-23) 

Heat 9: Peter Carr, Pavel Ondrasik, Josef Franc [58.8] 
Peter Carr was well ahead of Ondrasik with Sneddon holding a comfortable
third place when Derek suffered a puncture and fell. Carr won the rerun. 
(3-3) (27-26) 

Heat 10: Kevin Little, Blair Scott, Tomas Topinka, Richard Wolff [59.8] 
Monarchs finally made the breakthrough with an impressive 5-1 from Kevin
Little and Blair Scott over Tomas Topinka.
(5-1) (32-27) 

Heat 11: Robert Eriksson, Michal Makovsky, Adrian Rymel, Brian Turner [59.2] 
Robert Eriksson missed the start for once but carved his way through the
field for another massive win. 
(3-3) (35-30) 

Heat 12: Peter Carr, Tomas Topinka, Robert Kral, Christian Henry [58.7] 
Vaclav Verner brought in top scorer Robert Kral as a reserve change to join
Topinka. Carr had no problems winning and Christian Henry looked impressive
despite trailing. 
(3-3) (38-33) 

Heat 13:  Robert Eriksson, Kevin Little, Michal Makovsky [59.4] 
Eriksson and Little were set for a maximum when Ondrasik fell and brought
down Makovsky. There was a rerun with Ondrasik excluded, which produced the
same result. 
(5-1) (43-34) 

Heat 14: Tomas Topinka, Robert Kral, Brian Turner, Derek Sneddon [60.1] 
Edinburgh resisted the temptation to use Kevin Little or Blair Scott as
rider replacement and gave Derek Sneddon a fourth ride. Verner put in
Topinka as a tactical substitute to join Kral. The Czech's delivered the
expected 5-1 over Turner and Sneddon to bring them back within five points
of Monarchs' total.
(1-5) (44-39) 

Heat 15: Robert Eriksson, Tomas Topinka, Peter Carr, Robert Kral [58.5] 
Topinka made the start but Eriksson always had the line to pass on the
outside. Peter Carr tried everything to pass the vastly improving Topinka
but had to settle for third place. 
(4-2) (48-41) 

Edinburgh Monarchs					 	 	 	 
Kevin Little		3	2	3	2*	 		10+1
Blair Scott		1	1*	F	2*	 	 	4+2
Peter Carr		3	3	3	3	1	 	13
Ross Brady	 	Rider replacement		(0)
Robert Eriksson	3	3	3	3	3	 	15
Brian Turner		2	0	0	1	 	 	3
Christian Henry	1*	0	2	0	 	 	3+1
Derek Sneddon 	F	0	X	0	 	 	0
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
Jawa Czech Republic					 	 	 	 
Michal Makovsky	2	2	2	1			7
Adrian Rymel		E	1*	X	1*	 	 	2+2
Tomas Topinka	2	1*	1	2	3	2	11+1
Richard Wolff	1*	2	0		 	 	3+1
Pavel Ondrasik	1*	3	2	X	 	 	6+1
Josef Franc		0	F	1*	 	 	 	1+1
Robert Kral		3	2	3	1*	2*	0	11+2

The Czechs produced a better performance than in their previous match at
Exeter. Despite not being noted short track specialists most of their
riders were competitive although they made little impression on the
Monarchs' heat leaders. Kevin Little had by far his best match of the
season. Carr looked unstoppable until his last ride while Eriksson gave one
of his best ever Armadale performances. 

Blair Scott had few breaks once more and was on the wrong end of some hard
riding in heat 8. Despite a nasty fall, he came back to beat Topinka in
heat 10. Brian Turner managed to get through four rides with no mishaps but
he looked a bit tentative at times, perhaps with some justification.
Christian looked much more comfortable than his previous Armadale
appearance. He failed to make any starts but was always on the pace. Derek
Sneddon failed to score on his debut but was never out of contention. 

Of the visitors, Kral was first into his stride but Topinka looked a class
act once he had come to terms with the track. Berwick target Michal
Makovsky looked as if he would have been a fair scorer in the Premier
League had the authorities allowed him to ride.

Man of the match: Robert Eriksson 
Most exciting rider: Blair Scott 
Next meeting: versus Workington, Armadale on Friday 21st April 2000 

John Lowe
http://johnlowe.net
Edinburgh Monarchs Official Website
http://www.edinburghmonarchs.org.uk/