West Cumbrian star Dan Bewley took a heavy fall riding for Belle Vue last night and was unable to complete his programmed rides at Wolverhampton.
The Wolves had fought back from six points down to edge out the Aces 47-43 in an incident-packed Sports Insure Premiership match at Monmore Green.
The Aces led 33-27 after Heat 10 but the meeting began to turn in the next race when number one Bewley was involved in a spectacular collision with home reserve Zach Cook.
Both riders walked away but Bewley did not race again as a precaution and Wolves levelled with a 5-1 in Heat 13 – with the Aces then hit by mechanical trouble for Charles Wright in Heat 14 and Jaimon Lidsey just prior to the last race.
Both Bewley and Wright are former Workington riders with GP star Bewley based in his home town of Maryport.
Sam Masters won the decider for Wolves with Rory Schlein third, although the league leaders did take consolation with the aggregate point to go eight points clear at the top.
Belle Vue skipper Brady Kurtz said: “Losing Dan in Heat 11 was a massive blow for us. It was just a racing incident and the fact that he was able to walk away, and Zach too, was a big relief.
“Then both Charles and Jaimon having bike problems in both their final rides compounded the damage but we kept the pressure on right to the end.
“Had we been at full strength going into Heat 15 I believe we could’ve won, and this result just proves that we can be just as strong around here as Wolves are.”
Bewley had a win and second in his first two rides before falling and being excluded in the third. Wright scored five plus two bonus points.Workington’s current number one Connor Bailey was in the side at reserve and led heat two until slipping back to third when he fell.
He got up quickly so the race was able to continue but did not score in his subsequent two outings.
