A BRILLIANT 15-point maximum by Jason Crump steered Belle Vue to a superb Elite League victory last night - but he was just as pleased for the rider he recommended to the club.

Czech Ales Driyml finally came good at home after a torrid start with the Aces and his 10 points from reserve helped clinch Belle Vue's second league win of the season.

When promoter John Perrin was team building in the winter, he suggested several possible names to captain Crump, who told him to go for Driyml, who was with Oxford last season.

It's taken time for the 23-year-old to show his true potential - he had scored just six points in total in his previous six home league matches - but last night he proved a match-winner.

He won the penultimate heat after replacing fellow reserve Chris Manchester, and with Denton-based Carl Stonehewer third the Aces were home and dry with a race to spare.

Comfort zone

"I've been used to racing on big tracks but I changed a few things on my bike and adjusted my style and felt a lot more comfortable," said Driyml, who was celebrating finishing fourth in the world championship semi-final in Italy at the weekend to put himself just one meeting away from qualifying for next year's Grand Prix series.

Crump, meanwhile, was simply awesome and equalled his own recently established track record of 58.08 seconds as he beat British Grand Prix winner Nicki Pedersen in their first clash in heat six. The Aussie added further victories over the Dane in heats 13 and 15, the final one from the back after he missed the gate.

"Jason really is on top of his form around Belle Vue and was so confident he would win the last race that he told me to give Steve Johnston the easier inside gate position," said Perrin.

"Jason and the rest of us are also delighted that Ales has finally conquered his home track after some good away performances for us."

Jason Lyons satisfied himself during an afternoon practice session that he was fit to ride after recent groin and foot injuries, but suffered more bad luck when his fuel line came off when he led Oxford's top two Pedersen and Todd Wiltshire in heat 11.

Fortunately, the other riders were able to avoid hitting him as he stopped, though teammate Manchester slowed to a near standstill, gifting Oxford their only 5-1 heat advantage of the meeting.

BELLE VUE 49: J Crump 15, A Driyml 10 + 1 bonus, S Johnston 8 + 1, C Watson 6 + 1, C Stonehewer 6, C Manchester 2 + 1, J Lyons 2. OXFORD 41: N Pedersen 14 + 1, T Wiltshire 9+ 1, C Boyce 5, S Ulamek 5, J Staechmann 3 + 2, N-K Iversen 3 + 1, T McGowan 2.

THE Alan Wilkinson Benefit meeting, postponed because of a water-logged track last month, will now be staged at Kirkmanshulme Lane on Sunday, August 3 (2.30pm).