Heat by Heat Results - June 1975

Halifax's cup campaign started in south London, as a weakened Dukes side slipped to a 20 point defeat to the Dons.  Already lacking the injured Pusey, the Dukes were further set back when France pulled out on the morning, having aggravated a shoulder injury, a legacy from his World Championship rounds earlier in May.  With no guests available, Halifax used rider replacement, but with Plant having bike problems, the Dukes ran out of steam late on, despite the efforts of Charlie Monk.  Cartwright and Kroeze weighed in with valuable points, but Halifax now had a lot to do to stay in the cup...

...which remarkably they did!  The Dukes swept aside the Dons in the second leg, wiping out the 20 point deficit after 8 races, and completing a battering of Wimbledon with a further 5 heat advantages.  Guest Dave Morton and Charlie Monk scored full maximums, whilst the returning Rick France and Graham Plant were also unbeaten by an opponent.  Wimbledon will look to the absence of Tommy Jansson, away for the Intercontinental Final, as a major cause of their defeat, but the Dukes were too powerful, and it is doubtful Jansson would have changed the outcome.

Halifax were unlucky to go down to a 4 point defeat in a close match, on a greasy track, at King's Lynn.  Rick France and Charlie Monk came to grief in the first attempt to run heat one, with the skipper's bike badly damaged, and that effectively ruined the Dukes chances.  Pusey, Cartwright, Plant and Monk all contributed well, and a handful of points from France would have surely seen the Dukes win.  Pusey fell in heat 12 when his bike stopped suddenly, leaving the Stars 4 in front, and Kroeze and Cartwright were unable to catch Middleton in the decider, as King's Lynn hung on.  But Halifax would quickly have a chance for revenge...

Back on functioning machinery, Rick France powered to his first full maximum of the season, and with Ian Cartwright's highest score so far, the Dukes defeated the Stars by 6 points, to stay on the heals of Belle Vue.  The margin would have been greater but for niggling engine problems for Gatenby and Kroeze, with Pusey also having issues in the final race.  Stars guest Eric Broadbelt carried the main threat, although ex-Dukes second halfer Billy Burton chipped in with 6 points, whilst there was a first appearance for teenage sensation Michael Lee.

The Dukes controversially lost in a last heat decider at Wolverhampton courtesy of some debatable refereeing decisions.  Halifax sensed victory when Monk and France put them into the lead with only 2 races to go.  Pusey and Plant could not get the better of Hunter in heat 12, leaving France and Cartwright to try to see the Dukes home.  In the decider, Wolves guest Wyer (in for Olsen, at Newport for the Golden Helmet) ran France into the fence, the Dukes skipper expecting the race to be stopped - but the referee saw nothing wrong and the Wolves pairing got the 5-1 to snatch victory.  Henny Kroeze was missing, trying to get his recent mechanical issues sorted before the next glut of fixtures.

The 1975 Dews Trophy boasted a field which could rival the World Final itself for quality.  Phil Crump won the trophy with a 15 point maximum, his revolutionary 4-valve engine giving him too much power for his rivals.  Ole Olsen could have taken the crown again, but was excluded for unfair riding in his clash with Crump.  Chris Pusey continued his recent form at the Shay with five second places to come a distant third.

In the context of the battle for the league title the Dukes found themselves in, an away draw at Hull might be seen as a disappointment.  It should have been a win, as Rick France injured an ankle in the first attempt at heat one, and took limited part thereafter.  Pusey and Plant combined for a 5-1 to draw the Dukes level with a race to go, but Gatenby and Cartwright could not defeat Beaton in the decider.

Halifax moved to the top of the league table with a comfortable victory over the returning 1973 champions Reading.  World Champion Anders Michanek was in dominant form, but was sensationally beaten by Graham Plant in heat 5, and that win spurred the Dukes on to consecutive 5-1s in the next two races to pull clear.  Five of the Dukes managed heat wins, with only Hiftle and Gatenby struggling.  Michanek was offered minor support from Davis but little else.