Heat by Heat Results - September 1983
September opened with the World Final at Norden, Germany. With Carter going as one of the favourites hopes were high, but on the day nobody could compete with home star Egon Muller, who won the title with a fast-starting 15 point maximum, on a track which offered no chance of passing. Carter managed a creditable 10 points, finishing in joint 4th place, with Erik Gundersen, and behind Muller, Billy Sanders and Michael Lee.
Kenny Carter returned to The Shay to a hero's welcome, and put his Norden experience behind him with a 12 point maximum against Birmingham, as the Dukes returned to winning ways. Carter was well supported by Pendlebury who scored 10 points from reserve, and a returned-to-form Doug Wyer. Steve Finch returned after his crash against Belle Vue but was clearly struggling for fitness. For the Brummies, Nielsen and Grahame predictably scored the bulk of their points, but even with Ondrasik and Jorgensen picking up points at reserve, they ran out of options as the Dukes pulled away.
Halifax slipped to yet another home defeat in another last heat decider to Ipswich. In a close contest, the Dukes led by 2 going into heat 13, but World number 2 Sanders and Sigalos teamed up for the vital 5-1 to win the match for the visitors. Halifax reintroduced Swede Mats Olsson, but he was out of touch in his 2 outings, and the remainder of the Dukes were inconsistent, Finch winning 2 races, but then coming last in heat 10, and Pendlebury struggling all night. The Dukes provided only 5 heat winners all night, and that was their undoing, as the Witches continued their recent good record at The Shay.
Another heavy defeat for the Dukes away from home, as they slipped weakly to a 28 point loss at Birmingham. Carter and Baker provided limited resistance as the Brummies won easily, the margin of victory would have been greater but for Evitts' engine failure in heat 7. Carter was the only Duke to beat Nielsen or Grahame, but even the Dukes number one was frustrated, beaten by Nielsen in heat 1, and then left hopelessly at the tapes in heat 11. Again, the bottom of the Halifax team were out of touch, by comparison the Brummies reserves scored 15 points between them!
The Dukes returned to winning ways, easing to their second biggest victory of the season against a Sheffield side lacking the injured Shawn Moran. Although David Bargh and Phil White battled hard for the Tigers, Halifax were comfortable from the moment Carter and Olsson won heat 1, and the result was never in doubt. Olsson showed his best form since his return to the side, and with Carter scoring a maximum, and the other Dukes all scoring well, the Dukes supporters were able to forget recent losses. Halifax would have topped 50 points but for an exclusion for Wyer in heat 3.
Notes: Yellow box/number indicates home match/programme number. Score highlighted in Gold indicates full maximum. Score highlighted in Silver indicates a paid maximum.