THE Hornets brought the curtain down on their 2009 campaign at Hayley Stadium, where they found the hugely popular tourists simply too strong for them.

With skipper Tony Atkin under- achieving, the home side were always going to struggle on an initial slippery track which dried out considerably as the meeting wore on.

Sam Hurst was his usual hustle- and-bustle self, picking up a couple of heat wins and as many second-place finishes, while the returning Tim Webster looked the part in getting among the Americans in top-scoring for the Hornets with 11 from five rides.

The visitors had wonderfully named Californian Jimmy ‘The Animal’ Fishback in top-scoring form, and he was well supported by another rider with a comic-book handle, Tyson Burmeister.

The last time the Dream Team rode Hayley Stadium, it eventually produced Chris Kerr for senior side Newport Wasps, and it has to be said that anyone of this particular seven could ride Premier League.

There wasn’t a great deal of overtaking in this International Challenge match, but enough brilliant gating, particularly by Hurst, and some hard riding to keep an appreciative crowd interested throughout the whole meeting.

After four races, the visitors only led 13-11. However, by the end of heat eight the gap had widened to 14 points, and even though the Hornets did later rally somewhat, the Americans wrapped up the victory with still two races remaining.

Newport Hornets 40: 1 – Tony Atkin (c) 5(4); 2 – Shane Hazelden 3+1(4); 3 – Tim Webster 11(5); 4 – Shelby Rutherford 4+1(4); 5 – Sam Hurst 10(5); 6 – Marc Owen 7+2(5); 7 – Daryl Ritchins 0(3).

USA Dream Team 52: 1 – Shaun Harmatiuk (c) 6+1(4); 2 – Tyson Burmeister 11+1(5); 3 – Eddie Castro 7+1(4); 4 – Kenny Ingalls 7(4); 5 – Jimmy Fishback 13(5); 6 – Gino Manzares 4(4); 7 – Jason Ramirez 4+3(4).

l Hayley Stadium hosts the final meeting of Newport Speedway’s 2009 season on Sunday, when the inaugural running of the Wales Junior Championship will take place, tapes up at 2.30pm.