Leigh Lanham, who is set to start his sixth season for the Arena-Essex Hammers in the forthcoming season, started 2003 by finishing runner-up in the annual New Year's Classic meeting at Newport.
He joined 11 other competitors on a dry but cold afternoon in the series of fifteen qualification heats to decide the top four, who progressed to the final.
Top qualifier with an unbeaten 15 point maximum was Wolverhampton's Elite League star, David Howe.
He was followed by American Brent Werner, who rode for Rye House in 2002, with 14 points. The two remaining qualifiers for the final were Leigh on 11 points and former Hammer Shaun Tacey on 10 points.
Howe outgated his three opponents in the final and was followed by Werner but the American had bike problems which forced him leaving Lanham to come through and take the runners up place with Tacey in third place.
Having been thwarted in his bid to sign Joe Cook from Kings Lynn to fill one of the reserve places in the Arena Essex team for 2003, co-promoter Ronnie Russell has moved swiftly to sign Jason King on loan from Swindon on a three-point average.
The 17 year-old gained some limited but valuable Premier League experience last year, but Russell believes that the Maidstone-based rider will prove a shrewd capture.
Published Tuesday, January 7, 2003
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