WYRE Forest Cycle Racing Club's Phil Blacker was the star when he produced his best track racing performance ever in the Halesowen Track League at the Manor Abbey Stadium.

In his first race, the eight-lap (two-mile) scratch race, Dave LeGris, the former national sprint champion and current World Masters champion, made his effort with 200m to go, closely followed by Blacker who went straight past him with a terrific sprint to win by a wheel length.

In the 500m handicap race, Blacker started from the scratch mark and just failed to make up the deficit to finish a close second by half a wheel.

Blacker's best performance came in the final 40-lap (10-mile) scratch race when he won the intermediate sprint. He broke away from the pack with eight laps left, quickly gaining half a lap advantage and despite the best efforts of the chasing bunch, won by the length of the home straight.

Steve Burns made a good return to racing after a recent illness when he rode into fourth place overall in the Heanor Clarion 10-mile time trial at Etwall, near Derby.

He powered round to finish in a season's best time of 21 minutes 44 seconds behind overall winner Stuart Walker with 20-48.

Andy Convery rode to a new personal best time of 23-13 in the Rugby Velo 10-mile time trial, beating his previous best time by 44 seconds.

Mick Gray rode to a season's best time despite riding off course for a short way and crossed the line in 27-53. Sue Middup-Jones did another solid ride when she improved by 1-30 to achieve a new season's best time of 30-05.

Wyre Forest riders rode to some excellent times despite some stiff crosswinds in the Mercia CC 25 mile time trial at Burton-on-Trent. Dave Barnes finished in 57-45, Gary Bartram managed 58-58 and Richard Pedersen crossed the line in 1 hour 2 minutes 12 seconds behind overall winner, John Surtees of LUK Racing with 54-33.

Bartram continued his run of good form when he took his first victory in the club time trial competition on the tough undulating 14-mile Astley circuit.

He finished in a fine time of 35-42, closely followed by Dave Wood with 35-48 and John Parker with 35-51.

Other times were: Convery 37-04, Joe Rowe 37-19, Peter Keron 37-29, Jon Higgins 39-21, James Smith 39-46, Brian Clarke 39-57, Ruth Finney 41-15, Pedersen 41-25, Phil Tranter 41-46, Gray 45-11.

Finney and Blacker rode their tandem to a time of 36-39 while Middup-Jones and Alan Griffiths finished their tandem ride in 45-23.