Brilliant Linus blows away Brandonapolis field
Sunday, March 18, 2012
10:20 AM
PANTHERS star Linus Sundstrom made a stunning start to the season with victory over a top-class field in the Brandonapolis at Coventry on Friday.
PANTHERS star Linus Sundstrom made a stunning start to the season with victory over a top-class field in the Brandonapolis at Coventry on Friday.
Sundstrom, who impressed at the Midlands venue in his Elite League appearances last season, headed home former Peterborough skipper Hans Andersen and home man Scott Nicholls in the Final.
The young Swede was a consistent scorer in a wide-open meeting, reeling off three second places in his first three outings before coming under some pressure when he was passed for second by Chris Harris in Heat 16.
But he hit back with a fast start to win Heat 17 and qualify for the semi-finals with ten points – and in the process help to put out multi World Champions Greg Hancock and Nicki Pedersen, who both scored nine and were eliminated on count-back.
Sundstrom had a stroke of fortune in the semi-final as he was at the back in the early stages when Harris crashed heavily trying to pass his Bees team-mate Edward Kennett.
But Sundstrom made no mistake in the re-run to follow Kennett home – and then in the Final he made a flying start from gate two to lead on the first lap. Kennett’s challenge faded with a broken seat-bracket, but there was still a fierce threat from Andersen to hold off, with Sundstrom riding all the right lines to capture the trophy.
He said: “It’s a very good way for me to start my season. It’s always hard in the first couple of meetings but I felt like I got into it fairly quickly.
“I only won my last race in the qualifiers, but I was consistent and that was enough. I was a bit lucky when Chris came off, but I didn’t have any gate pick for the Final, I got gate two and there was nothing wrong with it!”
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