FIM SPEEDWAY: BEWLEY RETURNS TO THE TRACK AFTER FOUR MONTHS
Feature photo by: Taylor Lanning
DAN BEWLEY admitted it “stings a little bit” after returning to the track for the first time in four months.
The Cumbrian was back in action for Sparta Wroclaw at Leszno, 109 days since suffering a broken femur and compressed vertebrae in Slangerup.
Bewley, 27, scored paid 12 in a fine display as Wroclaw romped to a 55-35 Ekstraliga play-off semi-final win.
He also passed the milestone of 1,000 points for Wroclaw and said: “Stings a little bit at the moment. Big heart and some balls is better than practice.
“It was a good day and it is good to be back. I had some fun. Won my first race so that’s nice.”
“I don’t know whether (coach) Pepe (Protasiewicz) was trusting me when I said ‘don’t worry about it I’ll practice next week and be good’.
“No stress it’s a good day and thanks to everybody at the club, all the fans and everybody who has supported me.”
Bewley was still clearly limping as the riders went over to their celebrating fans at the end of the meeting.
Brady Kurtz scored paid seven including an engine failure on the last corner when set for a 5-1.
Bewley refused to get carried away with their big win. He added: “It’s tough to say. Every time that’s in the play-offs is strong. Leszno have been good this year at home. We’re a good team, good performance today but we’ve got to keep going.”
There was a controversial moment in the meeting when Ben Cook and Artem Laguta collided, with both riders coming down.
Cook was excluded in the 50/50 incident. He said: “It was a tough decision. He knew I was there, he took the risk to go there.
“There was no malice in it, I didn’t take him out on purpose. To be honest I didn’t really see him there until the last second.
“We both collected each other. It’s the ref’s decision, that’s what he’s done.”
In the other semi-final, defending champions Torun produced a fine 48-42 win at Lublin.
The visitors started strongly to lead 17-7. Led by Bartosz Zmarzlik, Lublin fought back to lead 37-35.
However the hero was Torun’s Norick Blodorn with two crucial late wins, including one over Zmarzlik, on the way to paid 11.
Robert Lambert scored six for Torun while Emil Sayfutdinov picked up paid 12 with Mikkel Michelsen also on 12.
In the big re-match of Zmarzlik against Michelsen, after their angry clash at the World Cup, the Dane ended the night on a high with a Heat 15 win over the Pole to secure the away win.
On Friday night Charles Wright delivered an excellent paid 11 in Gorzow’s 47-43 victory over Zielona Gora.
