Local riders Michael Taylor and Jason Newitt finished fourth in their respective classes in the ‘Bikes Are Back At Oxford’ event at Oxford Stadium on Friday night, writes ROBERT PEASLEY.

The meeting marked the first use of the speedway track at Cowley since the demise of the Oxford Cheetahs following the 2007 season. Bicester-based Taylor is more used to riding Quad Bikes across rough terrain and he recently won a top Supermoto Quad event in Belgium. However, he adapted quickly to oval shale racing and he inflicted a defeat on series leader Carl Bunce in his second outing.

But it was the fast-starting Bunce who prevailed in the final, ahead of Steve Bradbury and Lee Hazelwood, with Taylor left trailing, as Bunce tied up overall victory in the QRA Quad Oval British Championship. In the Dirt Track Solo contest, which featured Grasstrack bikes, former Swindon Speedway star Steve Masters looked the early favourite, but he bowed out with machinery problems in his semi-final.

Top grasstrack rider Tim Nobes, a man with a spectacular style, won the final from Dan Berwick and Gordon Walker.

Newitt, a former Oxford Cheetahs Conference League rider, snatched fourth place on the line from James Peters.

Around 400 spectators, mostly Oxford Speedway fans, braved the weather on a wet and blustery night.

RESULTS Solo Dirt Track British Championship: 1 T Nobes, 2 D Berwick, 3 G Walker 4 J Newitt, 5 J Peters, 6 B Haynes.

2010 QRA Quad Oval British Championship Final Round: 1 C Bunce, 2 S Bradbury, 3 L Hazelwood, 4 M Taylor.

Final Quad Championship Standings: C Bunce 82, L Hazelwood 78, D Smith 74.