COVENTRY completed the double over local rivals Wolverhampton with a strong all-round team effort at Brandon on Friday.
Buildbase Bees skipper Chris Harris was in blistering form, dropping just one point from five rides, and that mark was matched by Kenni Larsen who produced a series of fast starts, whilst Edward Kennett enjoyed his best Elite League display for some time as well.
Bees were without their regular doubling-up riders and could therefore have been vulnerable in the lower-order, but stand-in No.7 David Bellego claimed the shock scalp of Wolves No.1 Freddie Lindgren in Heat 1, heading the Swede for three laps before Lindgren overdid it and fell.
And although Bees did concede a 5-1 in the reserves’ race, Bellego and Richard Hall both acquired further points throughout the evening and more than did their job for the team.
A subdued Lindgren was on the receiving end of a 5-1 for the second time in Heat 5 at the hands of the strong Kennett/Larsen combination, and when Harris snatched victory on the line from Tai Woffinden in Heat 6 Bees were ten points up.
Visiting riders Ricky Wells and Ty Proctor won the next two races but when Wolves deployed Woffinden for double-points in Heat 9 he was beaten by Larsen, although they did gain a 5-3 from the race as Kennett fell.
The Monmore men were sharper from the starts in mid-meeting, forcing Bees to work from the back, and Harris got the better of both Wells and Nicolai Klindt inside two laps in Heat 10, diving inside the Dane as they went into the pits bend and completing the move on the back straight.
The ride of British Champion Scott Nicholls in Heat 11 was even more spectacular, as Wolves seemed set for a 5-1 after Lindgren had got Proctor to the front – but on lap three Nicholls rounded Lindgren off turn two and then shot inside a surprised Proctor into bend three and pulled clear for a terrific win.
A delay followed due to electrical problems which led to the final four races being started using an elastic bungee cord to replace the tapes, and Bees professionally snuffed out any threat of a Wolves fightback.
Highlight of the closing stages was a superb chase and pass by Harris on Woffinden in Heat 13, making his move at the end of the third lap, although a similar race between the two was won by Woffinden in Heat 15 to leave Harris one point short of a maximum – but by then Bees had three points from the meeting well and truly in the bag.
Harris said: “It was a good night, everyone rode well and we got the win which we needed and to beat our local rivals always makes it even better.
“I felt good all night, I was trying hard in the last one but I just ran out of room a little bit. But I can’t complain, 14 points is good and we’ve all gone home safe so we’re happy with the result.â€
BUILDBASE BEES 52: Chris Harris 14, Kenni Larsen 13+1, Edward Kennett 9+2, Scott Nicholls 7, David Bellego 5+3, Richard Hall 4+1, Aaron Summers R/R.
WOLVERHAMPTON 40: Tai Woffinden 14, Ricky Wells 7+1, Ty Proctor 6, Nicolai Klindt 4, Freddie Lindgren 3+2, Pontus Aspgren 3+2, Jacob Thorssell 3.
