Freddy Hodder put a frustrating Championship debut season behind him, dropping just one point as he won the latest round of the NLRC Series at Berwick on Saturday night.
The 18-year-old from Rugby is a firm favourite with the Berwick Bandits fans despite struggling for points but on Saturday, wearing the colours of Belle Vue Colts, he beat some of the best of the National League.
It was a timely reminder of his raw talent, the only setback coming when he was headed home by eventual runner-up Connor Coles.
The race win reinvigorated the challenge of Coles, last year’s Bandits and Bullets rider of the year after he had earlier been headed home by former Berwick team-mate Luke Crang.
A further second place to pre-meeting favourite Jake Mulford in his final ride ended Coles’ bid to force a run-off for victory on his 30th birthday.
Mulford’s hopes of taking top step on the podium ended before they began when he picked up too much grip and crashed in his first outing leaving Hodder to race home unchallenged.
The Redcar and Belle Vue Ace eventually completed the podium after winning a run-off with Mason Watson, the local hero ending the night in an untidy heap on the back straight after thumping into the second bend fence in an effort to force his way past the 20-year-old after the pair tied on 11 points.
It was a night of drama with another fancied pre-meeting, Dayle Wood, came to grief in his first ride chasing Coles while Jacob Clouting and Oxford Chargers’ team-mate Jody Scott – selected as most exciting rider of the night by meeting sponsor Terry Straughan – both ploughed through the tapes.
Oxford look to have tapped into a rich seam of young talent and two of their teenagers, Ashton Vale and Senna Summers, produced one of the best races of the night, albeit for the minor placings.
Former Bullet Jamie Halder showed that he hadn’t forgotten how to ride Shielfield Park with a typically solid eight-point haul.
But in truth all 16 riders on show proved that there is plenty going on below the top two tiers in British speedway.
None more so than Hodder, who, along with British under-21 Champion Sam Hagon and Joe Thompson, is the round winner of the new competition.
His smile said it all.
Scores: Freddy Hodder 14, Connor Coles 13, Jake Mulford 11, Mason Watson 11, Dayle Wood 10, Matt Marson 9, Luke Crang 8, Jamie Halder 8, Ace Pijper 8, Jody Scott 7, Jacob Clouting 5, Stene Pijper 4, Ashton Vale 4, William Hocaniuk 3, Senna Summers 3, Arran Butcher 1, Kieran Douglas (Reserve) 1
Race Report by George Dodds – Berwick Speedway – Images by Taz McDougall
