Georgie bounces back
Georgie Wood experienced the highs and lows of speedway, all in 24 hours.
On Friday might he had a torrid time racing at Mildenhall as a guest for Kent in the first leg of the National League semi-final.
He burned out a clutch and then blew his engine, leaving him with a huge bill.
His only available bike was now out of action – a worrying prospect as he left the Fens to head home to Kent.
His Forman IT Eagles had a vital tie the next evening against Kent at Arlington in the second league of the KO Cup.
Team manager Connor Dugard loaned Wood a motor for the match and there was plenty of work going on around his bike before the start of the cup match on Saturday night.
Wood said: “It has been a bit up and down and a bit emotional. I have tried my hardest all year and you get to the end of the season and you need your equipment to be on top form after it has had its ‘neck wrung’.
“It failed me last night but I bounced back tonight after I borrowed another engine from Eastbourne.
“They got me out of the mess and helped me race tonight.”
Wood struggled in his first race against Kent at Arlington, eventually pulling up.
“It was a different engine, a different clutch and it was like riding someone else’s bike.
“I went back to basics and got our feet back on the floor and put a few more points on the board.”
Wood admitted that it was a tough night.
“It was all about gating tonight. I said to the boys that it doesn’t matter how fast you are, you have to make the gate. Gating is key. It was hard to overtake.
In heat 13, the most exciting race of the evening, he passed Drew Kemp to follow team-mate Tom Brennan home for a crucial 5-1.
“I ran underneath him (Kemp) but I gave him plenty of room. I would do to others which I would wish done to myself.
“We are all here, we are not on very good money. We have families and jobs to go back to.
“There is no point risking it for the money we are on.
“I left him plenty of room. I was in full control, he was in full control. There were no cross-words.”