LEICESTER skipper Max Fricke was in action for the first time this season in the Peter Craven Memorial at Belle Vue on Monday.
Fricke, whose Australian Championship challenge earlier in the year was ended by injury, scored nine points from his five qualifying rides at the National Speedway Stadium.
That took him into the semi-final where he finished second to progress into the six-rider Final, albeit going off gate five with the outside gates proving disadvantageous.
Having initially held third place, he dropped back to fourth before retiring from the race at the start of lap three, and was classified sixth overall. The meeting was won by home captain Brady Kurtz ahead of Chris Holder and Dan Bewley.
Two more Watling JCB Lions racers were on track over the weekend with Sam Masters scoring nine points from four rides and Ryan Douglas adding seven in Niels-Kristian Iversen’s Testimonial at King’s Lynn.
Both Leicester riders were representing their former club Wolverhampton, and Masters went on to compete in the Final where he finished fourth.
Lions are now preparing for press and practice at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park on Thursday with riders on track from around 6.30pm and supporters are welcome to attend.
Picture: IAN CHARLES
