Mixed Night for Tigers Duo
(Posted 08/09/07)

Shane Parker and Trent Leverington had mixed fortunes when they turned out for the Kangaroos side in a challenge meeting against the Bravehearts at Armadale this evening (Click here for full scorecard).

Trent failed to score in the meeting in his three rides. His opening ride saw him in third place for the majority of the race but James Wright tracked him the whole way, passing on the old Peter Carr inside line on the second bend of the final lap. Heat 5 did not get any better for Trent as he was again last, with all eyes on an excellent battle at the front between Doolan and Tully.

When your luck is out, nothing goes your way and it proved that way for Trent in his third and what was to be his final heat, heat 8. the first running of the heat saw Trent sweep round the outside of the opening bend into the lead although Sneddon was not far behind. However Sean Stoddart fell on the opening bends of the second lap and although the referee left the decision as long as possible, the red lights came on as Trent was about to cross the line at the start of lap 3. The re-run gave Tigers fans in the crowd something to worry about as Trent had a nasty looking fall on the opening bends, coming off over his handlebars after trying to stay on his out of control bike. The Aussie humour shone through however after he got to his feet when Scott Wilson asked if his new brace had prevented a collar bone injury, Trent quickly pointing out that it was a neck brace, nothing to do with the collar bone.

However although Trent seemed in good spirits and walked back to the pits he took no further part in the meeting.

Shane Parker also had a poor start to the meeting, trailing in well off the pace at the back in heat 3. It therefore came as a surprise to many that he came out as a TR in heat 7 but he won the heat easily from the gate. his third outing saw him miss the gate and by the time he got round the outside of Sneddon and his own partner Katajisto, James Wright was well clear and Shane had to settle for second place. There was no settling for second place in his next outing in heat 12 however. The Kangaroos brought Kevin Doolan in as a TS to ride alongside Shane, Shane making an excellent gate and getting ahead of Laukkanen. Although Doolan was able to pass Stoddart quickly, he was unable to make the required inroads into the gap Laukkanen had ahead of him and Shane was unable to slow the race down enough to help him but did record the win ahead of the Bravehearts Fin.

The Doolan Parker partnership was renewed for Shane's final ride of the evening in heat 15. Shane again missed the gate but used the inside line on bend two to slip through into second behind partner Doolan and they went on to record a comfortable 5-1.

A copy of the full scorecard from tonight's meeting can be viewed here.

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