GLASGOW will go up against the new British Champion this Friday after Charles Wright took the glory at the National Speedway Stadium tonight.
The Redcar and Peterborough star stormed to his first national victory over the Tigers’ own Craig Cook, along with Danny King and Chirs Harris, in the final in Manchester.
Cook won two of his qualifying races to make the final automatically, and even though he made a good start from gate one in the last race, he didn’t have enough to hold back former Glasgow rider Wright who powered round the outside and raced clear to claim gold.
The Tigers’ bigger worry is over the fitness of Paul Starke, whose night came to a premature end after he collided with Wright in his fourth race and was sent bouncing down the back straight.
After some treatment he managed to take his place in the re-run but then withdrew with an arm injury, though appeared to be smiling in the pits afterwards, and will hope to be ready for Wednesday’s trip to Somerset in the SGB Championship.
The most memorable moment of the night came from another former Tiger in Danny Ayres, who overtook Chris Harris on the outside in his last race and led the former World No 6 for three laps before losing control in the final bend. He managed to hold on to his bucking bike but Harris grabbed the win.
QUALIFYING SCORERS: Danny King 14, Craig Cook 12, Chris Harris 11, Charles Wright 11, Steve Worrall 11, Lewis Kerr 8, Rory Schlein 8, Richard Lawson 7, Josh Auty 7, Scott Nicholls 6, Edward Kennett 6, Danny Ayres 6, Paul Starke 6, Dan Bewley 3, Kyle Newman 3, Simon Lambert 1, Kyle Bickley (res) 0, Leon Flint (res) 0.
SEMI-FINAL: Wright, Harris, Worrall, Kerr.
GRAND FINAL: Wright, King, Cook, Harris.