BELLE Vue dug deep to record what could be a vital aggregate point from a 50-40 defeat on a tough night at Ipswich.
Skipper Brady Kurtz and super guest Chris Harris combined for two late 5-1s to reduce the arrears at Foxhall, backed up by a brave effort from Norick Blodorn in Heat 14 as he returned to the track after a big crash earlier in the meeting.
It meant the ATPI Aces, who were without both Jason Doyle and Zach Cook, came back from six points down on aggregate to take some reward from the trip to Suffolk.
Harris, standing in for Doyle, was superb as he totalled paid-15 from six rides, whilst Kurtz led from the front with four unbeaten rides and just one blip when he was taking a tactical substitute outing.
But rider replacement for Cook accounted for just three points, and a series of incidents throughout the meeting forced the Aces into a rearguard action as they looked to salvage the win on aggregate.
Kurtz and Tate Zischke were impressive winners of the opening two races, and Heat 1 might have been better still for the Aces only for Danny King and Tom Brennan to force their way inside Blodorn who hit mechanical trouble, whilst Zischke neatly moved inside Jason Edwards to win the reserves’ race.
Ipswich gained a fortunate 5-1 in Heat 3 when second-placed Peter Kildemand fell on the last bend, and they added a 4-2 in the next with Harris splitting Tobiasz Musielak and Edwards on the back straight of lap one.
The next two races were shared with Kurtz and Harris both taking wins, Harris quickly doing enough to see off King’s outside run in Heat 6.
But there was a major problem at the start of Heat 7 when Blodorn straightened on turn two, as did Philip Hellstrom-Bangs behind him, with the Swede piling into the German and both riders going into the fence.
Blodorn was judged the cause and was disqualified, but Hellstrom-Bangs was withdrawn from the remainder of the meeting. The Belle Vue rider took an ambulance trip back to the pits but an hour or so later he would put in a vital ride for his team.
Prior to that, Edwards replaced Hellstrom-Bangs and partnered Musielak to a 5-1 in the re-run of Heat 7, and 4-2s in the next two races took the Witches ahead on aggregate with Zischke making a good start in Heat 9 but crashing into the fence on turn two whilst Richard Lawson got the better of Harris for the win.
The Aces looked to respond with Kurtz coming in as a tactical substitute in Heat 10, but King was the key man for the Witches as he clamped the Belle Vue captain from gate two before then blocking the challenge of Kildemand, enabling Brennan to follow him through – and an Ipswich 5-1 made them strong favourites for the aggregate point.
Belle Vue, though, showed true fighting spirit in the closing stages with Heats 11 and 12 both shared as Zischke took an important point over Edwards in the latter.
Then it was game on as Kurtz gated in Heat 13 whilst Harris threaded his way through on the first two bends to defeat Brennan and Musielak and bring the Aces back to within four points on aggregate.
Heat 14 still appeared to favour the Witches on paper but Blodorn returned to the track and made an excellent start – and whilst he was quickly passed by Scott Nicholls, Blodorn and Will Cairns held on for a crucial 3-3 ahead of Edwards, with Cairns picking up his first point of the meeting at a vital time.
That meant a 5-1 from Heat 15 would see the Aces secure the aggregate point, with a 4-2 needed for a Super Heat, and as Kurtz dominated from the start Harris produced a vintage ride to get his wheels in the dirt and blast around the outside for a superb maximum advantage.
It was a thoroughly deserved point under the circumstances with the Aces showing battling spirit against adversity throughout the team, and it keeps them three points ahead in the league standings.
Manager Mark Lemon said: “We came here with rider replacement for Zach, which always puts pressure on, and then a few niggling incidents and accidents doesn’t help things.
“But we battled on knowing there was an aggregate point at stake, and we chipped away I wouldn’t say elegantly – but grittily, to fight for it to the last race.
“Thankfully Brady made the start and Bomber (Harris) did a great job to join him, and we have to say thanks to Bomber for taking the booking and riding so well.
“Jason was 50/50 about racing tonight and we wish him well, and hopefully he will be back in the saddle come Monday.”
Next up for the ATPI Aces is a home clash with King’s Lynn – led by former favourite Max Fricke – at the National Speedway Stadium on Monday (June 29). Tickets and hospitality available from https://www.bellevue-speedway.com/tickets .
IPSWICH 50: Richard Lawson 11+1, Danny King 10, Tobiasz Musielak 9, Scott Nicholls 8+1, Jason Edwards 6+1, Tom Brennan 5+3, Philip Hellstrom-Bangs 1+1.
BELLE VUE 40: Brady Kurtz 14+1, Chris Harris 13+2, Peter Kildemand 5, Tate Zischke 4+1, Norick Blodorn 3, Will Cairns 1+1, Zach Cook r/r.
Belle Vue win the aggregate point
Pic: Steve Waller