A Point at Berwick
(Posted 21/09/09)

After a fairly sluggish start, Tigers clawed their way back into the meeting at Berwick with the help of an excellent tactical ride from Josh Grajczonek and only went down by a single point.

The start of the meeting was definitely worrying for Glasgow with the outcome decided from the gate, as much of the racing was most of the evening. Makovsky led the way but Parker had made a poor gate and despite trying everything he could to get by, Sike held him of to give the home side the opening heat advantage.

Good gates from Lee and Mitchell saw the Tigers into the back straight on a maximum in heat 2.  Lee was flying and quickly well clear but at the end of the opening lap Mitchell went looking for grip that wasn’t quite there and locked slightly and both Bandits riders took full advantage to nip through.

It was all down to gating again in heat 3 and after a false start the Berwick pairing of  Clews and Franc showed just how it should be done, winning the heat easily from Lawson and Conda.

James Grieves and Lee Dicken showed they also knew how to do it as they comprehensively beat Franchetti and Burza in heat 4.

At last there was some genuine passing in heat 5 although the Tigers riders, in particular Shane Parker, didn’t appear too impressed by it. A relatively close gate saw the Tigers marginally ahead but on bend two Paul Clews shot very hard underneath and in particular Josh Grajczonek was forced to shut off with Berwick’s Josef Franc taking advantage of the tussle to nip through into the lead.  It was a lead he was never in any danger of losing but Shane Parker looked like a man on a mission as he buzzed all over the back of Paul Clews, again trying everything he could to get through but with the lack of passing lines Clews was able to hold on to give the home side another 5-1.

Heat 6 was shared from the gate with Makovsky out gating Dicken and Grieves, before the home side hit with another 5-1 from the gate in heat 7.  Once again a faster rider was trapped behind a slower one as William Lawson was all over the back of Sike for almost the entire race but just could not find a line to get through.

Unsurprisingly now that Tigers were 10 down, Josh Grajczonek came out in the black and white helmet in heat 8 partnered by Lee Dicken. It was a move that was to reap rewards as the Tigers pair gated.  Josh pulled well clear whilst Lee settled back and in his own inimitable style held off everything that Stan Burza could throw at him and rode an excellent race to ensure the maximum benefit from the tactical ride.

Clews and Grieves gated side by side in heat 9 but the Berwick rider was  able to take advantage of the outside line to sweep past James into the back straight and from then on the race was relatively processional.

Again it was down mostly to gating in heat 10, William Lawson getting the drop on Michal Makovsky.  Makovsky looked quicker and was all over William but the lack of passing line hindered him.  Frustration probably played its part as an over ambitious attempt by Makovsky to challenge at the end of the third lap which resulted in the Berwick rider falling, giving the Tigers a heat advantage.

Josh Grajczonek was on excellent form and shot from the gate for the heat win in heat 11, looking very impressive as he did so.  For a short spell Tigers were on a 5-1 but Burza, side by side with Parker for most of the opening lap, got the better of the Glasgow captain on the third bend of the opening lap.  Sane never gave up trying to regain position but it was not to be.

Heat 12 was shared from the gate with little competition and although heat 13 was also shared – Shane Parker claiming the all important win – James Grieves spent most of the race pressing Stan Burza for third place.

Every heat was now crucial and Stewart Dickson took the decision to bring Mitchell Davey in for Sandi Conda in heat 14.  Although Mitchell was not having one of his better nights, it was the right move as Sandi had looked very much off the pace.  When the tapes went up, it was Franc who shot from the gate whilst Berwick's newest signing Tamas Sike got the better of the Glasgow pairing on the opening bends and rode a clever race to hold off the persistent attentions of Lee Dicken to ensure the win for the home side.

There was still a single point up for grabs and Glasgow fought hard for it in heat 15 with excellent gates and good team riding from Shane Parker and Josh Grajczonek to hold off stern challenges from Clews, who fell whilst in third, and Franc.

Mitchell was out of sorts and Sandi was unfortunately well off the pace but at the end of the day it was a good effort from the Tigers for whom Josh and Lee were outstanding.

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