No fun at the fair as Wolves crash

Visitors to the East of England Showground last night arrived to find the speedway track flanked by funfair rides including an old-style motorcycle Wall of Death.

After this emphatic defeat one or two of the Wolves riders might consider that an easier way of making a living.

Star man Fredrik Lindgren romped home in the very first race, and with Ty Proctor fending off Ales Dryml for third the Parrys International Wolves could hardly have started better.

However, it was a little matter of TEN more heats before a Wolf was once more first to the chequered flag on a slick and quick surface - and every one of those races saw a home heat advantage.

Granted, heat 11 was worth the wait for the travelling faithful.

Lindgren, on a double-point tactical ride, roared clear with Proctor in close support for a heartening 8-1 over home hope Troy Batchelor.

But by that time Wolves were intent on damage limitation.Lindgren was their only heat winner and they also suffered the indignity of seeing Nicolai Klindt unable to derive any benefit from their first use of the black and white helmet colour.

Mind you, it wasn't for the want of trying and Klindt, who got better as the night progressed, was but a whisker away from salvaging second spot from superb reserve Krzysztof Buczkowski with a gallant outside run off the final bend.

The Dane also got the better of a splendid tussle with Dryml in heat 10 where the advantage changed hands three times.

Proctor and Tai Woffinden offered gritty support, the Parrys International Wolves skipper very brave in heat 13 to get across Batchelor and wrest third place from him.

And Ludvig Lindgren, curiously the only visitor to dent the scorechart of the flying Buczkowski, was on the pace throughout and denied an extra point in heat eight by the faintest of errors which let Dryml through.

For number eight Richard Lawson it's about gathering experience and he showed all the reflexes at the tapes of his distinguished father Steve to lead heat 12 for the best part of a lap before Buczkowski and Lewis Bridger blasted through.

But Joe Screen had a dismal night in failing to trouble the scorers and will need to get straight back on his game for the Monmore return on Monday.

The focus of attention for Panthers fans was Kenneth Bjerre, surprise winner of the Swedish Grand Prix, who arrived to a standing ovation before rattling off a six-ride maximum and breaking Darcy Ward's track record to boot.

Top scorer Lindgren remained unruffled by the loss.

"We can't think too much about this," he said.

"We don't normally go well at Peterborough, although we have won in the past and I've had some good meetings here.

"We've got to return the favour on Monday and beat them by more than six points and we'll be all right.

"After a few more away meetings we'll see where we're standing."