FORMER British Speedway Champion Charles Wright and Jake Allen could face a governing body rap after a huge brawl.
The pair clashed during the Cab Direct Championship clash between Redcar and Scunthorpe on Friday night.
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Wright, 36, crashed into Allen after Heat 6 at the Teesside circuit.
Aussie Allen got up and confronted Wright before punching him.
The pair then got involved in a full-on scrap before falling onto the track where it took several officials to pull them apart.
Allen, 30, said: “I’ve won the race. I’ve rolled off the throttle and Charles has misjudged his trajectory and hit me, it’s through no fault of my own.
“I held my line and rode up the inside of the track and rode up into me. He just said to me ‘I thought there was another lap’.
“I’ve been friends with Charles since my first season in the UK. That doesn’t change.
“He didn’t apologise straight away. That annoyed me a bit more as well.
“We are good friends but there’s no excuse for getting knocked off after a race. I don’t think anyone can blame me for that situation.
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“I’ve just come back from injury with my scaphoid and now it feels exactly the same again.
“There’s also £1,500 worth of damage and the helmet’s knackered as well. My head bashed the ground as well.
“People don’t understand the costs that come with that.”
Scunthorpe boss David Howe managed to separate the rivals during the incident.
Howe said: “The race was over. From what we can gather Charles hadn’t realised the race had stopped.
“Jake was quite wide and that’s where Charles races and he gives everything he has got.
“Charles hit Jake and he did go down pretty hard, he went into the fence bad.
“I think in the aftermath, the anger and initial frustration from Jake was probably one look at his bike and it was wrecked.
“Jake had blown an engine in his first ride and was winning that race and then that bike is wrecked. He wasn’t even under full speed after the race had finished and written the bike off.
“I think it was just one of those heat of the moment things. He even gave his own mechanic a good shove out of the way.
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“Charles went to Jake after the incident because he’s made a mistake.
“I was trying to separate them on the track. But I thought I’ve got to genuinely look like I’m trying to break it up and not be involved so I don’t get fined!”
It’s like that both riders will face disciplinary action from the Speedway Control Bureau on Monday morning.
But Howe is hoping that can be avoided as it was just a racing incident.
He added: “I imagine they will get fined. I think it’s a real kick in the teeth for Jake. He’s blown an engine, bent a bike, hurt his shoulder and then on Monday morning he’ll probably get a fine.
“I think the SCB should consider this. They are best mates, it was a heat of the moment thing and a genuine mistake from Charles that caused it.
“The referee Craig Ackroyd came down and spoke to Charles, Jake, myself and Redcar boss Gavin Parr to sort it out.
“The ref explained it was a red card offence. But Charles and Jake are best mates and had already calmed down by the time they got to the pits.
“I don’t think this is bad for the sport in any way. I really hope they don’t get fined. It was just a racing incident and there’s no malice now.
“They race against each other next Friday but there won’t be any problem.”
In 2023 Charles Wright had to be rushed to the hospital following a horror crash that needed surgery and he’s since then maintained a low profile off track until this incident.
