While his Buxton team-mates were being washed out in Derbyshire, New Zealand ace Jade Mudgway took part in the World Under 21 Championship as he contested the qualifying round at Rye House. The Redcar-based youngster, in only his second season of racing in the UK, came up against a strong field including several who regularly compete at both Premier and Elite League level in this country as well as some talented riders from Poland and elsewhere.
In his opening race, Heat 4, he took third place behind home track rider Robert Mear and King’s Lynn Stars man Kozza Smith. Mudgway fell on the final turn but remounted to gain a point as American Tim Gomez had fallen at the start of the lap. Two races later he was out again and he moved his total onto three as he came home second behind Lee Smart but ahead of fellow Kiwi Grant Tregoning and Czech racer Pavol Pucko. The win over his fellow countryman would have brought a little bit of satisfaction as ex-Hitman Tregoning won the NZ Under 21 when Mudgway had bike problems on the day.
Out again in Heat 11, Mudgway ran a last in his third programmed ride but it wasn’t surprising as he faced Tai Woffinden, racing from Wolverhampton in the Elite League, Darcy Ward who currently sits at the top of the Premier League averages and another Elite League rider in Coventry’s Ricky Wells. At that stage of the meeting Woffinden and Ward were both unbeaten while Wells had a win and a third place in his two rides.
As before he didn’t have to wait long to be out on track again as his fourth ride came two races later. After a tight opening to the race, Polish rider Pawel Zmarzlik squeezed ahead along the back straight and Mudgway held off Jamie Courtney for second to move on to five points and stay on the fringes of a place in the next round. With six riders to qualify for progression in the championship Mudgway needed nothing but a win in his final race to be in with a chance. Having waited from Heat 13 until Heat 20 to ride again, it wasn’t to be as Eastbourne’s Lewis Bridger, the current British Under 21 Champion, took the win and Mudgway had a great tussle with Artur Mroczka for second with the Polish rider coming out on top. The Buxton man finished in tenth place with a creditable six points, which was good considering his lack of experience at that level of speedway.
After top scoring for the Hitmen in their win over the Plymouth Devils, Mudgway will be back in league action on Sunday and hoping to continue in the points against Scunthorpe when the tapes go up at 3pm for this National League meeting.
See also
- Mudgway off to a flyer in UK
