REIGNING Premiership Champions Belle Vue have their work cut out in their Knockout Cup quarter final against Wolverhampton, after the Black Country outfit took the lead 46-20 at Monmore Green.
The home leg at the National Speedway Stadium on the morning of April 10 was postponed because of persistent, heavy rain, with a re-staging date set for Monday, May 8 at 12:00pm.
It was touch and go in the West Midlands after intermittent showers also plagued the area, but the sun broke through for the tapes up and the action got underway.
But the ATPI Aces struggled to get out of the gate and land a blow against a powerful on-track onslaught from the Parrys international Wolves.
The home team dominated, picking up from where they left off against King’s Lynn last week to take full control of the meeting and put the brakes on any attempt from the visitors to gain a foothold.
As the points continued to elude Belle Vue, the clouds gathered once again and a heavy downpour brought proceedings to an abrupt halt after Heat 11, with the result standing.
Tom Brennan topped the score charts for the ATPI Aces with 4+1 while skipper Brady Kurtz added 4 to his tally and Charles Wright, returning from illness, contributing 3+1.
Wright said: “It wasn’t the best night for us at all. None of us seemed to be able to get the set-up and no matter what we did nothing was working for us and we just weren’t gating.
“I think I, and maybe a few of the other lads, chose the wrong engines for this meeting. The track was riding very well but it was quite slick, especially when the rain came down.
“I think we were running engines that were too powerful and too strong for the track conditions but it’s a lesson to take away from this, but now we must move on.
“Anything can happen in Speedway. We know Wolverhampton are good around our track and the second leg will be a challenge to pull back 26 points, but nothing is impossible.”
The ATPI Aces will have to learn quickly as the away meeting come thick and fast throughout April, with trips to Ipswich, Peterborough, and Leicester in the next 10 days.
They return to league action at home on Monday, April 24 against the Peterborough Panthers at the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester.
