MASTERS WINS THE TITLE

NEWS Sunday 25th September 2011, 8:03pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Kevin Wolbert scored 7 points in his first PLRC as Somerset's Sam Masters belied recent form to top the qualifiers and then win the final race.

He was a deserved winner, but it would be hard to imagine a more boring speedway meeting. The Owlerton track can provide good racing but three hours of rain in the morning (not forecast) didn't help, and we had a heavy outside and a fairly slick inside.

Racing was fast but with virtually no opportunities to pass, and heats were invariably settled at the second bend.

Kevin opened up with a second place behind Alden, but he was at the back in heat 5 and from then on it was an uphill task.

Seven points was less than he hoped for but a reasonable display. The two riders going straight to the final were Sam Masters (13) and Ricky Ashworth (12) - Ashworth had four wins and a tumble.

In the semi, Ben Barker and Kauko Nieminen went through ahead of Seb Alden. Masters chose the inside gate for the winner-takes-all final, and duly made the gate to win.

In one of the night's few close finishes, Ashworth was given the verdict for second ahead of Nieminen.