Ty Proctor regains the Jack Young Cup - January 2015

January 25, 2015 by Gillman Media

Victorian rider Tyron Proctor, having his first meeting since being injured in England in July, regained the Jack Young Cup at Gillman Speedway last night.

Proctor had previously won the Cup in 2013 but as unable to defend it last season because of a neck injury.

2013 winner Robert Branford finished second, Robert Medson third and New South Wales rider Kieran Sproule fourth.

Those four riders dominated the meeting and always looked likely to be the four finalists.

Proctor and Medson top scored in the heats with 14 points each with Branford and Sproule a point behind on 13.

Proctor lost his only point in his first ride, heat 2, when he was outpaced by Branford, while Medson was beaten by Proctor in the last few metres of heat 13 after leading all the way. Medson was the early points leader when the four first round winners — Cooper Riordan, Branford, Medson and Sproule — were drawn together in heat 8, and it was Medson who won from Sproule and Branford after Branford fell (and remounted) on the first lap and Riordan was excluded for touching the tapes. This was Branford’s only dropped points and he was the third rider (with Proctor and Medson) to go into the final ahead of Sproule on countback.

The Semi-Final was an exciting race with Riordan, Sproule and Arlo Bugeja three wide on the third lap before Riordan fell going into turn three. The race went into a fifth lap so was declared with Sproule the winner ahead of Bugeja and Jason Stewart.

Riordan, Stewart, his son Jordan Stewart, Bugeja and visiting Danish rider Peter Karger all had their moments during the heats, as did Arthus Sissis and Blake Ridley to a lesser extent.

Karger looked good in his first ride which he led early before being passed by Riordan, but crashed heavily in his second ride while attempting to pass Bugeja, and again in his last ride in almost identical circumstances while trying to pass Jordan Stewart.

Sissis, whose has made a slow and steady start to his senior speedway career, showed improved form on previous meetings, and improved form throughout the night and went close to beating Bugeja and Sproule in his last two rides.

Russell Mitchell/Tom Adams (11) top scored in the group 1 Sidecars ahead of Shane Rudloff/Damian Egan (8), and Ricky Fechner/Justin Richards (11) top scored in Group 2 ahead of Dean Hobbs/Andy Westover.

The 125cc Junior Solo races were plagued by an unusually high number of crashes which saw each of the three races abandoned. Unfortunately in one of the crashes Fraser Bowes suffered a bad foot injury.

Top photo: Ty Proctor (red) leading Robert Branford (yellow) and Robert Medson (blue) in the CBS Bins Jack Young Cup final. Photo by Judy Mackay.