SPEEDWAY: CONFERENCE League riders champion James Wright won the Pride of the Conference individual meeting at Loomer Road on Saturday.

But Justin Elkins was left to rue what might have been after a chain snapped while on the start line in his semi-final, writes Neil Evans.

'This is not the first time it has happened to me this season and I'm bitterly disappointed that my night has ended like this,' said Elkins, who had equalled the CL track record in heading Wright in Heat One and scored a maximum 12 points prior to the semi-final stage.

After winning his opening ride, Jack Hargreaves took a bad knock in Heat Six and had to withdraw from the meeting with hand and wrist injuries.

Daniel Giffard reached the semis with eight points picked up from his last three rides. But the former Stoke rider could only finish third, behind Rob Grant Jnr and Benji Compton who were joined in the final by Wright and Brown after Luke Priest and Rob Hollingworth lost ground.

The final was hotly contested but Wright made a clean break and Brown emerged the top home rider after passing Grant Jnr on the third lap.

'Reaching the semi-final stage was the first target and I felt I got better as the meeting wore on,' said the 20-year-old Welshman who earned a late call-up to ride in the Euphony Classic at Reading on Sunday.

'Once I'd reached the final, I really went for broke and, though I made a poor start, I caught Rob within two laps and knew that I had the racing line to get by if I could keep it going.

'So to do that, finish second and be the top home rider on the night is probably better than I could have expected to be honest with you.'

He added: 'On a different note, I'd like to send my best wishes to the lady who was taken ill on the terraces during the meeting.'

Having drawn in a big crowd at Conference League level for the meeting that brought the curtain down on a successful Stoke season, promoter Dave Tattum was pleased with the outcome.

He said: 'Everyone tried hard and we saw some terrific racing. We had a really good turnout and I hope they enjoyed what they saw. I know the riders appreciated the noise being made and it was a good way to go into the close-season.'