RECENTLY-named King’s Lynn asset Elliot Kelly secured third place in Sunday’s British Youth Championship round at the Adrian Flux Arena.
The first speedway event of 2020 at the venue, raced in front of a crowd, proved to be a big success with the youngsters putting on a tremendous show.
Kelly, competing in the 500cc category, scored eight points from his four qualifying races, including a win first time out as well as just missing out to Archie Freeman in a fine Heat 10 battle.
Despite that, he had still done enough to reach the Final alongside Leicester’s Thompson twins, Dan and Joe, and Belle Vue rider Harry McGurk.
The Thompsons had both scored 11 in the qualifiers but Dan was left on the line with engine trouble, leaving Joe to take victory whilst Kelly contested second place with McGurk in the early stages before having to settle for third.
It was his second successive top-three finish, as he repeated his result from Leicester last weekend, and it leaves him chasing a place on the overall rostrum, with one more confirmed round to come at Belle Vue in October.
Kelly said: “I’m not as happy as I would have been if I’d won – if you’re not winning, you’re losing!
“But I can’t really be disappointed. It was nice to be in front of a good crowd again, a home crowd who will see me in the years to come, and show them what I’m about.”
The other sections were won by Luke Harrison (250cc) after a sensational race with Max James, Sonny Springer (125cc) and Rico Joyce (125cc support).
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 3, King’s Lynn 500cc 1 Joe Thompson 2 Harry McGurk 3 Elliot Kelly 4 Dan Thompson
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Ashton Vale 4 Jody Scott
125cc (a) 1 Sonny Springer 2 Billy Budd 3 Jamie Etherington 4 Jack Shimelt
125cc (b - support class) 1 Rico Joyce 2 Becky Weston 3 Caydin Martin
