A HORROR crash involving Belle Vue's British international Simon Stead marred another commanding performance from the Ipswich Witches in a 65-25 win at Foxhall Stadium last night.

By Mike Bacon

A HORROR crash involving Belle Vue's British international Simon Stead marred another commanding performance from the Ipswich Witches in a 65-25 win at Foxhall Stadium last night.

The Witches romped to another comfortable home win but it was the heat five spill of Stead that spoiled another excellent night's entertainment.

The Aces' captain was taken to hospital with abdominal and back injuries after he lifted alarmingly at the end of the back straight going into turn three and both he and his bike catapulted through and over the Foxhall safety fence in dreadful fashion.

There was a long delay as Stead was attended to and he is likely to be kept in Ipswich Hospital for observation, perhaps for a night or two.

But that takes nothing away from the Witches who rattled up another 65 points and won every heat as Fortress Foxhall appears to be taking on that name once more.

The visitors failed to win a heat and so Chris Louis, Robert Miskowiak and Adam Shields were all unbeaten on the night.

It was a long night for the Foxhall fans but they were hardly short-changed in an incident-packed encounter.

The Witches got just the start they wanted with Kim Jansson putting paid to Stead down the back straight with a determined ride as Jansson's partner Adam Shields came through.

Ryan Fisher took a tumble on the final lap in the reserves' race with Tobi Kroner, back from a foot injury, winning impressively.

Chris Louis and Suchecki romped to a comfortable maximum in the next and although Adam Skornicki passed Kroner in heat four, Robert Miskowiak made a determined start to lead all the way.

After Stead's horrific spill in heat five it was more than half-an-hour before racing recommenced but Jansson was straight on the gas as he and Kevin Doolan battled side by side with the Ipswich man coming out on top as the Witches thumped home their fourth 5-1 in the first six races.

Ipswich were in complete control and with Stead out of the meeting for the visitors it was already a case of how many points the home side could rattle up.

Miskowiak flew up the inside of James Wright on lap two and Belle Vue's night was summed up in heat eight when Skornicki, on a tactical ride, finished last as the Witches scored another maximum.

Louis won the next with Jansson's unbeaten run coming to an end in heat 10.

There was another awful-looking incident in heat 11 as Wright and Rempala got entangled coming out of turn two and although both riders eventually got up Wright was ruled out of the rest of the meeting looking decidedly the worse for wear as he was led back to the pits.

The re-run saw the Witches stretch their lead to 28 points with Kroner again winning well.

The visitors' luck really was out as Skornicki seized an engine going down the back straight with partner Doolan going into the back of him, although fortunately not at too much speed.

If it wasn't so disappointing for the Aces it was almost comical.

The Witches piled on the agony with another maximum in the re-run.

Skornicki was excluded as Belle Vue began to run out of riders but still the action came thick and fast as Rempala dived up the inside of Kaj Laukkanen on the second lap.

n Witches speedway asset Daniel King has been named one of the reserves for the British Grand Prix at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Saturday, June 30.

This follows his good performance in the British Final at Wolverhampton on Monday. Poole youngster Edward Kennett reached the final in that event, and is the other reserve.

David Howe, after finishing runner-up to Chris Harris in the British Final, has been confirmed as the wild card entry.