BELLE Vue youngster Will Cairns kept up his tremendous recent run by negotiating Sunday’s British Semi-Final in dramatic style at Leicester.
Cairns booked the last place in the British Final, which will take place at the National Speedway Stadium on August 15, by winning a run-off for sixth spot.
That race saw him go up against his predecessor as Rising Star for the ATPI Aces, Jake Mulford, who had won his previous three rides – but Cairns made a flying start from the inside to dominate the race.
It was a tremendous comeback from Cairns who had suffered the blow of a last place in his opening ride, and he had to win a loaded Heat 20 to go level with Mulford in joint sixth.
He did so in a race which featured the previously unbeaten Jason Edwards, podium finisher Craig Cook, and Dan Gilkes who also had the chance of a place in the top six.
Cairns’ victory in that heat set things up for the run-off decider and he now joins meeting winner Anders Rowe, Edwards, Cook, Drew Kemp and Jody Scott as qualifiers.
SCORES: Anders Rowe 13, Jason Edwards 12, Craig Cook 12, Drew Kemp 11, Jody Scott 10, Will Cairns 9 (all qualify for British Final), Jake Mulford 9, Dan Gilkes 8, Ace Pijper 7, Joe Thompson 6, Luke Killeen 5, Freddy Hodder 5, Luke Harrison 5, Jordan Jenkins 3, Ryan Ingram 3, Sam Hagon 2, Eli Meadows (res) 0.
Meanwhile Ben Whalley was the winner of the JR Ashworth & Sons Colts Academy Individual at the National Speedway Stadium on Sunday.
Whalley won a re-started Final ahead of Seth Norman and Jordy Loftus after Charlie Southwick had been disqualified.
The honours at 125cc Youth level were taken by Fraser Buckle in the A class, and Aston Knott in the support.