BAILEY BAGS BRITISH UNDER-21 TITLE IN GLASGOW

Belle Vue racer Connor Bailey has been crowned British Under-21 champion after making a triumphant return to former Cab Direct Championship home track Glasgow on Sunday.

Bailey, who also rides for Championship club Redcar and National League side Workington, won the Grand Final ahead of SGP2 series reserve Anders Rowe, Dan Thompson and Dan Gilkes.

King’s Lynn and Poole rider Rowe topped the heat score chart over the qualifying heats with a 15-point maximum, but he was denied by Bailey when it mattered most.

Bailey bagged 13 points over his five heats to join Rowe in qualifying automatically for the Grand Final.

Gilkes triumphed in the last-chance race ahead of Thompson, with Drew Kemp placed third and Jason Edwards fourth.

Edwards piled up 12 points over five rides to finish third on the heat scorechart, before suffering heartbreak in the last-chance race. Gilkes and Thompson both registered 11 apiece in the qualifiers, with Kemp making the semi on 10, pipping Wolverhampton and Berwick favourite Leon Flint in countback. Sam Hagon fell just short of the semis on nine.

BRITISH UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL HEAT SCORES: Anders Rowe 15, Connor Bailey 13, Jason Edwards 12, Dan Gilkes 11, Dan Thompson 11, Drew Kemp 10, Leon Flint 10, Sam Hagon 9, Nathan Ablitt 8, Ashton Boughen 6, Sam McGurk 5, Ace Pijper 3, Ben Trigger 3, Jody Scott 2, Mickie Simpson 2, Freddy Hodder 0.

SEMI-FINAL: Gilkes, Thompson, Kemp, Edwards.

FINAL: Bailey, Rowe, Thompson, Gilkes.

PHOTO: Ian Adam