The Cases Somerset Rebels skipper Jason Doyle finished as runner-up in the Australian Speedway Championship.

THE Cases Somerset Rebels skipper Jason Doyle made an excellent start to the 2013 Australian Speedway Championship, with a second place finish in the opening round held at Gillman Raceway.

The Rebels other two representatives in the three-meeting series, Alex Davies and Josh Grajczonek, both made solid starts to their campaign.

After the 20 qualifying heats, it was Doyle who headed the score-chart on 14 points, which included a win over championship favourite Troy Batchelor. His only defeat came at the hands of Rebel team-mate Davies in heat 18, but by then Doyle had done enough to ensure his place in the A final.

It was, however, ultimately to be Batchelor’s day as he won the final, thereby gaining revenge for his defeat to Doyle when the pair met in heat nine. The pair were followed home by Rohan Tungate and Micky Dyer, the latter booking his place in the final by virtue of winning the B final.

After a disappointing start which saw Alex Davies pointless after his initial two rides, an engine failure at the start of heat five not helping his cause, he came back strongly to finish on seven points, which included two race wins.

New Somerset signing Josh Grajczonek also finished on seven points from his five qualifying rides, the pair just missing out on a place in the B final by a single point.

Alex Davies and Jason Doyle both qualified for the Australian Speedway Championship by finishing in the top eight at the qualification meeting.

The 20-year-old Davies dropped just three points from his five rides in scoring 12 points to provisionally win the meeting on count-back from Eastbourne’s Adam Shields.

Davies’ defeat of Shields when the pair met being the deciding factor after both riders finished the meeting with an identical record.

For Rebel skipper Doyle, there was a slight wobble when he was excluded from his fourth ride due to a starting infringement, but he came back in style to win his final ride to finish in fourth place overall with 10 points to his name.

Davies and Doyle joined Somerset team-mate Josh Grajczonek in the 16-rider line up, the latter having been seeded directly into the championship by virtue of his win in the Queensland State Championship.