Birmingham speedway get first points

Birmingham 52 Lakeside 40

Birmingham captain Krzysztof Kasprzak scored a brilliant paid maximum to inspire his side to their first Elite League points of the new season.

Kasprzak put in a stunning display at Perry Barr with reserve Kevin Wolbert also in terrific form.

The 12-point win put the side in good heart for the trip to Coventry tonight. Birmingham have accepted the fixture at short notice following the return of the Bees and Peterborough to the Elite League.

Unusually for a Friday, the Brummies' former Coventry man Ben Barker is available. Barker, who doubles up with Plymouth, would normally be on duty with the Devils but they are racing a junior-level match against the USA Tourists.

Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: "It was a hard-earned victory with some great racing and we will head to Coventry feeling much better about things."

The Kasprzak-Ales Dryml combination provided two maximum heat wins, the second arriving as the Hammers' Adam Shields came to grief on the second lap of heat 10 as the home duo were moving inside him.

Kasprzak's win over the double-points Lee Richardson in Heat 13 made sure of match victory, but there was more action in the penultimate race with Wolbert taking his third win of the night and Daniel King surging inside Kyle Legault into the last bend.

Ex-Brummies rider Legault fell as King crossed the line in third, which was enough to clinch all three points with Kasprzak wrapping up his maximum in the final race.