Last updated 07:42, Friday, 28 March 2008

CARL STONEHEWER turned the clock back on Monday as Workington Comets opened their home programme with a 53-40 win over Berwick Bandits.

In his first meeting at Derwent Park for eight months, the Comets legend raced to a 15 point full maximum – and admitted he had never been as nervous in Workington colours.

He said: “I don’t know why but I was more nervous before that meeting than at any time I’ve ridden for the Comets since 1999.

“Maybe it was because I was coming back from a serious injury and didn’t know what to expect on a new track.

“The only time I have been as nervous as that was when I competed in my first British Grand Prix.”

An estimated 2,500 crowd saw Stonehewer win all five of his races in a remarkable return. He had scored nine in Saturday’s 46-44 win at Shielfield.

Last July Stonehewer suffered a broken bone in his back after a fall at Edinburgh and which finished his come-back season.

He had not ridden in 2006 because he suffered a badly burned arm in July 2005.

He said: “I couldn’t have dreamed of a better night.”