REPORT: Richard Lawson Testimonial

1/09/24

Testimonial man Richard Lawson steered his Poole Select side to a convincing 56-34 triumph over the Roger Warnes Transport All Stars and after thanking the crowd for turning out to support him, was immediately offered a 2025 contract for signing.

Scoring paid thirteen from five rides, only beaten by Ashton Boughen, the young Oxford rider managing the feat no fewer than twice, Lawson was clearly overwhelmed by the size of the crowd and said "it has been a long few months and a lot of work has gone into making this day possible and seeing you all guys out there makes me very very thankful and it is pulling at my heart strings to be fair. It is quite emotional I but really appreciate it and there are loads of people involved in putting this meeting on and like Nigel (Leahy) has said all night, my wife Chantelle has been working her arse off. We were up to three o'clock this morning, finishing things off, it has just been a lot of hard work. I can't thank Thermohome enough and David from Wessex Marine. I would be lost without that bloke for sure, and whilst they are the main sponsors there is also the heat sponsors, rider sponsors, the tyre guys, it has just been totally overwhelming and I can't thank them enough."

With the cheers for the 'Rocketman', who has been taken to the hearts of the Poole faithful since first signing for Poole in 2022, still ringing around the Wimborne Stadium, he was presented with his 2025 contract for signing, and he admitted "since the first wheels turned here my career has just gone upwards and that's a lot to do with everyone involved in this club and just being here every week the confidence just grows and I just don't want to be anywhere else."

Speaking of their unprecedented early signing Dan Ford claimed "We don't even know what the points limit is going to be for next year yet but my Dad and I were discussing potential things and we just couldn't see a team, no matter what the points is, be it high or low without Richard in it. We just wanted to get his signature as early as possible. He is a man in demand he is the best rider in the league as it stands at the minute and so to have him back in 2025 is the right thing. It is good to see just how much the Poole supporters have got behind him and I would just like to thank everyone for making him so welcome."

The meeting itself had Lawson's Poole select side beat an All Stars seven by 56-34 and then saw Chris Harris claim the special Dash for Cash heat sixteen race. Poole took four 5-1's in the first five heats, and then added a further three more in the course of the remaining rides but undoubtedly the race of the meeting was between the 'Silver Fox' Scott Nicholls and the brilliant Chris 'Bomber' Harris when they met in heat eleven. Nicholls led for most of the heat and brought out the very best in Bomber who dug in deep and produced one of his trademark rides to overhaul his senior and snatch victory, on his way to a perfect maximum, before then convincingly winning the big money heat.

Poole Wessex Marine Pirates 56
Richard Lawson 2',2,3,2',2=11+2 (5)
Adam Ellis 3,R,0,2'=5+1 (4)
Charles Wright 2',2',2,2'=8+3 (4)
Ben Cook 3,3,1',3=10+1 (4)
Chris Harris 3,3,3,3=12 (4)
Sam Hagon 0,1,0,0=1 (4)
Zach Cook 1,2',3,3,0=9+1 (5)
.
Roger Warnes All Stars 34
Scott Nicholls 0,1,2,0=3 (4)
Troy Batchelor 1,0,2,1'=4+1 (4)
Craig Cook 1,2,1,1=5 (4)
Tobias Thomsen F,0,0,1'=1+1 (4)
Josh Pickering 1,1,3,1,1=7 (5)
Ashton Boughen 2',3,0,0,3=8+1 (5)
Lewis Kerr 3,0,1',2=6+1 (4)
.
Ht 1: A.Ellis, R.Lawson, T.Batchelor, S.Nicholls 5-1 5-1 [59.38]
Ht 2: L.Kerr, A.Boughen, Z.Cook, S.Hagon 1-5 6-6 [60.07]
Ht 3: B.Cook, C.Wright, C.Cook, T.Thomsen [fell] 5-1 11-7 [59.54]
Ht 4: C.Harris, Z.Cook, J.Pickering, L.Kerr 5-1 16-8 [60.5]
Ht 5: B.Cook, C.Wright, S.Nicholls, T.Batchelor 5-1 21-9 [59.53]
Ht 6: A.Boughen, R.Lawson, J.Pickering, A.Ellis [rtd] 2-4 23-13 [59.1]
Ht 7: C.Harris, C.Cook, S.Hagon, T.Thomsen 4-2 27-15 [60.5]
Ht 8: Z.Cook, T.Batchelor, L.Kerr, A.Ellis 3-3 30-18 [60.94]
Ht 9: J.Pickering, C.Wright, B.Cook, A.Boughen 3-3 33-21 [60.63]
Ht 10: R.Lawson, A.Ellis, C.Cook, T.Thomsen 5-1 38-22 [60.69]
Ht 11: C.Harris, S.Nicholls, T.Batchelor, S.Hagon 3-3 41-25 [60]
Ht 12: Z.Cook, C.Wright, C.Cook, A.Boughen 5-1 46-26 [61.56]
Ht 13: C.Harris, R.Lawson, J.Pickering, S.Nicholls 5-1 51-27 [60.6]
Ht 14: B.Cook, L.Kerr, T.Thomsen, S.Hagon 3-3 54-30 [60.82]
Ht 15: A.Boughen, R.Lawson, J.Pickering, Z.Cook 2-4 56-34 [60.75]