Suffolk cycle speedway racers Josh Brooke and Pierce Bacon once again took home the top cash prizes in the third round of the HSBC UK Elite Grand Prix series at Great Blakenham on Saturday.
Brooke came from behind to win a key heat off the outside of Lukas Nowacki and Paul Heard in the fourth round of races, which set the Great Blakenham rider up for victory, eventually finishing on 19 points.
Coventry’s Myke Grimes secured second after dropping two points to Brooke and another Suffolk rider Lewis Osborne, in heat 11, to finish on 18.
Series leader Ben Mould joined Osborne on 17 points, forcing a run off for third, with Mould taking victory from the inside grids. Ipswich’s Ashley Hill capped off a good day by taking the final prize money in fifth.
Ipswich’s Pierce Bacon raced to a 20-point maximum on his way to victory in the Elite Junior Class, his second victory on the spin after winning at Swindon.
He won what turned out to be a crucial heat six, heading home Kesgrave’s Lewis Brinkoff and Sheffield’s Ed Morton, who dropped their only points in that race and ultimately decided their final placings.
Fourteen-year-old Brinkoff impressed against riders many years older than him, underlining his great potential, while Morton had to make do with third after being drawn on the outside of his main rivals.
It sets up a showdown in Manchester next month at Astley & Tyldesley, where the Gin Pit Raceway is the setting to find out who will take the junior crown between Bacon and Morton. Harrison Bacon was another who had a good afternoon, taking fourth, with Adam Watson getting in the prize money in fifth.
Meanwhile, the Home Internationals take place at Bury, near Manchester this weekend and Suffolk riders are well to the fore with their national sides.
Brooke and Osborne represent England in the Senior clash, while Ipswich’s Leon Mower represents Ireland in the same event, in a meeting that also features Scotland and Wales.
Pierce Bacon wins another England cap, his good season form seeing him representing England Juniors.
It’s a full day’s racing at Bury, with Vets and Women’s competitions too.
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