BELLE VUE boss Mark Lemon hailed his side’s “grit and determination” after a catalogue of setbacks.
The ATPI Aces beat Oxford 53-37 in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership at the National Speedway Stadium on Monday night.
But it was achieved on the backdrop of injuries and issues which made the result all the more impressive.
Dan Bewley had to pull out after one ride with a back injury while Norick Blodorn was also far from fit.
Lemon admitted: “It was a bit of a worry in the morning. I had a couple of phone calls that made me pull my hair out.
“Jaimon had an issue with traffic in Poland, he and his family were coming over and they missed their flight.
“Then Norick was struggling with injury, he was not too keen on racing. So he did an amazing job to perform like he did.
“To then lose Dan after one race after jarring his back. He was in considerable pain.
“I was wondering what next. But these boys rallied. The resolve they showed with grit and determination was outstanding.
“It’s a good win. We just want momentum. Nothing is won in March or April. I won’t keep harping on about it.
“I’m pleased with the performance at Leicester. There was a bit of heat in the meeting. But we battled hard at a difficult place.”
Captain Brady Kurtz was outstanding with a paid maximum, including a stunning last-to-first final heat classic.
He added: “I was super-happy today, the bikes were really good and all the boys chipped in.
“It wasn’t nice to see Dan drop out. All the boys had to find a little bit extra. Jaymo was on fire and good to see Zach get a couple of wins. Things are looking good for us at the moment.
“I don’t think there are too many teams who can cover for Dan Bewley. We managed to pull it off. It would have been a disaster to let that one slip.
“It was cool to see Norick make a start in heat 1. I was pleased to tuck in behind, it’s great to begin the meeting with a 5-1.”
Zach Cook also stepped up to the plate after Bewley was ruled out with a couple of stunning rides.
He said: “I made a few changes and definitely felt better. I’ve been struggling so far to find a set-up I’m comfy with.
“This track if you’re a little bit off, you’re a long way off. It’s just working that out and I’m learning with each meeting.
“It’s a good group and everyone has been here for so long. We can bump ideas off each other.
“It’s been easy to slot in here. Everyone is here to help so it’s pretty good.”
Jaimon Lidsey delivered a huge 16-point haul, one of his best-ever performances for the ATPI Aces. He only missed out on a maximum in the epic final heat.
He continued: “It’s been a while since I’ve been in the front so often. I’m feeling very good out front. Everything seems to be working well. So far so good.
“You have to have the head focused and look forward. I think I made the right changes during the winter. But you can always be better.
“It was a good win tonight but hard to lose Dan. But we’ve got a strong team and we managed to cover for him. Hopefully he’s fit and well and ready for next Monday.
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1
BELLE VUE 53: Jaimon Lidsey 16, Brady Kurtz 14+1, Norick Blodorn 8, Zach Cook 7+1, Tate Zischke 3+1, Dan Bewley 3, Jake Mulford 2+1.
OXFORD 37: Charles Wright 9+1, Dan Thompson 7+2, Rohan Tungate 6, Maciej Janowski 4+2, Francis Gusts 4, Luke Killeen 4, Erik Riss 3+2.
Image by Eddie Garvey.