Ipswich Witches skipper Danny King reflects on finishing second in the British Final and a big night ahead for the Witches

East Anglian Daily Times: Danny King on the phone to the ref after being excluded last week. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.comDanny King on the phone to the ref after being excluded last week. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.com (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

Well, I'm not British Champion!

But I gave it a go.

It was a long night on Monday at Belle Vue and I felt I dealt with it all well.

But as we know almost all speedway individuals these days are decided by a winner-takes-all final and I've been the benefactor of it before.... On Monday I was on the receiving end.

East Anglian Daily Times: Cameron Heeps and Chris Harris on their way to a big 5-1 in the rain, in heat six against Wolves. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.comCameron Heeps and Chris Harris on their way to a big 5-1 in the rain, in heat six against Wolves. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.com (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

It was nice to top the scorecharts in the heats before the final itself. I chose gate two in the final and, as I have said, I felt it was the right choice. I just didn't make a good start.

Congrats to Charles Wright, a worthy winner. He's been in good form this season but it all still left me disappointed and frustrated.

Still, this time last year I was wondering if I would ever ride again after my arm injury, so I must remember that.

But the British Final is over and done with now and it's time to get back to league racing.

The Witches are still sitting pretty in second place in the Premiership and tomorrow night we entertain Belle Vue at Foxhall Stadium.

What a big clash that is.

If we win, we put five points between ourselves and the Aces who are currently third. It would be a huge result.

East Anglian Daily Times: Chris Harris suffers an engine failure in heat one of the Wolves meeting. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.comChris Harris suffers an engine failure in heat one of the Wolves meeting. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.com (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

And we must be on our game.

Our home form really hasn't been as good as our away form to be honest. We are not hitting sides hard enough early on in my opinion because when we have done in the past we have gone on to win well.

Last week against Wolves was a case-in point.

We never got off to a good start and Wolverhampton were always in it until the meeting was rightly called off after heat 13 with us two points ahead.

East Anglian Daily Times: Krystian Pieszczek takes the chequered flag to win heat 11 of the Ipswich v Wolverhampton meeting. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.comKrystian Pieszczek takes the chequered flag to win heat 11 of the Ipswich v Wolverhampton meeting. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.com (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

It was a hot, hot night, brought to an abrupt end by a thunderstorm that ended the action.

It was strange to see the bikes racing around the track with lightning accompanying them!

Hats off to Kristian Piszczek who won heats 11 and 13 last week. It was a great effort from our Pole and won us the meeting.

He's getting used to British speedway now!

East Anglian Daily Times: Danny King on the inside of Charles Wright and Ben Barker and on his way to a new Peterborough track record in heat three. Wright is the new British Champion. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.comDanny King on the inside of Charles Wright and Ben Barker and on his way to a new Peterborough track record in heat three. Wright is the new British Champion. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.com (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

At Belle Vue a few weeks back it started raining and we carried out. Kristian came over and said to me, "But we would never ride in this rain in Poland."

I told him we do here!

Kristian is down to reserve this month and has a huge role to play from that position.

If he can continue to ride as he has showed and has extra rides, he can be a key rider for us.

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I was asked last week who decides on gate positions if we win the toss. Is it just my decision as captain?

Well, actually it's not.

Before the meeting we all have a chat but as far as I'm concerned it's down to whoever is No.1 to decide what they want to do. They are in the first heat and they are going off either gate three or four.

So, at the moment I ask 'Bomber' (Chris Harris) what he prefers and he usually says he doesn't mind as he can't gate anyway! No, only kidding, he doesn't say that - well not every time!

Anyhow, if Bomber or whoever is No.1 does have a preference, then we take it.

If he says he's really not worried, I'll defer to heat 15 where we then have the choice.

When I was at No.1, I often took the outside gate four. Mainly because I don't mind gate four at Ipswich as I always feel I can get out of there.

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I endured two rain-offs this week for Sheffield.

The first one was last Friday away at Redcar. I got exactly 1.3 miles away from the track before I got a call saying it was off. A crappy four hour trip and I just turned round and went home.

I was asked if I wanted to look at the track. I don't know why... Anyhow, I didn't!

That's not as bad as my worse rain-off ever.

That was when I was riding for Lublin in the Polish League. It was an 18-hour drive to the track which is on the far east of Poland.

Yep, the sun was shining when I got there but the track was mysteriously under water!

I still have no idea what happened.

Suffice to say I was told to turn round and go home.

Ha! Ha! How I laughed!

See you at Foxhall tomorrow

DANNY

AS TOLD TO MIKE BACON