MICHAEL Palm Toft insists King’s Lynn will keep pushing to maintain SGB Premiership status under their own steam despite a 54-39 defeat at Belle Vue.
Palm Toft registered 16-paid-17 at the National Speedway Stadium, including three extra for winning a tactical ride, and led two out of the three heat advantages achieved by the Trucks R Us Stars.
The Aces were 14 to the good halfway through the programmed rides before in-form Thomas Jorgensen and reserve Simon Lambert bagged a 5-1 with some strong team riding to see off the challenge of Steve Worrall.
Palm Toft took the tactical in heat 10 and King’s Lynn were briefly on an 8-1 but Kai Huckenbeck got passed by Rohan Tungate then Steve Worrall within the opening two laps.
Palm Toft then won heat 12 to reduce the arrears to seven points, and that could have been even better had Josh Auty managed to overhaul Richie Worrall in second having gained on his rival throughout.
Jorgensen put up a great fight in second before being passed by Craig Cook as Belle Vue stamped their authority with a 5-1 in heat 13 and a pair of 4-2s finished off the away side’s resistance.
Bottom club Leicester lost 49-41 at home to Wolverhampton with the Lions' trip to Rye House on Monday now their last chance to overhaul the Stars but Palm Toft says the team is determined to get over the line through their own efforts at Wolverhampton and in the still-to-be-rescheduled home clash with Rye House.
“Belle Vue are fast here, that’s for sure,” said Palm Toft. “I had a good meeting but their boys were dialled in so it was tough, as you’d expect.
“We don’t want to finish bottom and want to make sure it doesn’t happen by putting in good performances and getting the points for ourselves. It is tough but I’d like to think we are showing the club we want to race and keep us in this league.”
BELLE VUE 54: Craig Cook 16+2, Rohan Tungate 15, Steve Worrall 10+2, Richie Worrall 7, Jan Graversen 4, Jack Smith 2+1, Kenneth Bjerre R/R.
KING’S LYNN 39: Michael Palm Toft 16+1, Thomas Jorgensen 8+1, Kai Huckenbeck 5+1, Josh Auty 5+1, Simon Lambert 4+1, Tomas H Jonasson 1, Robert Lambert R/R.
