Defiant Bob Dugard insists he has no regrets about his extraordinary pre-match verbal attack on a rival club.
The Eastbourne Eagles promoter took the microphone minutes before his side raced against star-studded Coventry Bees to accuse the visitors of damaging the Elite League with their team-building policy.
He then looked on proudly as his side led from heat one and scored a 49-41 success before a season’s best crowd of more than 1,500.
Lukas Dryml, the man who arrived in Sussex this year as a rider who apparently could not fathom small tracks, led the hosts with paid-16 including two key wins in the last three heats.
It was an extraordinary night at Arlington and Dugard’s pre-match tirade contributed.
He told fans: “You can rest assured Coventry will pull every stroke in the book.
“They are renowned for that.”
He went on to accuse the Bees of stealing Edward Kennett and attempting to steal Simon Gustafsson from Eastbourne.
Referring to a line-up which included four top-line riders in Kennett, GP duo Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris and Aussie star Adam Shields as guest for Rory Schlein, he said: ”The repercussions of what they have done here today will go through the whole of the sport.
“They have done so much damage to the sport and don’t even realise that.
“Next season will show how much damage they have done.
“We said in the winter it would a very tough economical season and we should really look to work within our means and possibly even try to run at a small loss.
“What Coventry have done here today, if anyone wants to compete against them they have got to find £50,000 or £70,000 to strengthen their team.
“Other clubs can’t do that but Coventry can.
“I think they deserve to win the league because they have bought and paid for it.”
He added: “None of my anger is directed towards the Coventry riders or their supporters.
“It’s purely against the management and I think they have done so much harm to the sport and they are not even bright enough to realise it.”
Eagles fans cheered Dugard’s comments but must have also wondered whether he just given Coventry the ultimate motivational team talk.
Instead, the hosts led all the way with Dryml and fit-again Simon Gustafsson in superb form.
Dryml only dropped points in one of his six races and Gustafsson would have been close to a maximum but for a disqualification in a messy start to heat 12.
As if the meeting was not tough enough, Eagles found themselves racing against three Arlington experts in Kennett, Nicholls and Shields.
But Eastbourne grabbed an early six-point advantage and hung in there.
The hosts led 37-35 after Kennett out-manoeuvred Lewis Bridger off bend two in heat 12 for a Bees 4-2.
Dryml, though, kept the lead intact by beating Harris and Nicholls in heat 13, then Gustafsson made the gate in the penultimate race.
When Cameron Woodward challenged Shields for second, the Bees guest went down and was disqualified by referee Dan Holt.
The subsequent 5-1 over young reserve Josh Auty in the re-run assured victory.
Full points were banked as the gutsy Woodward claimed third, between Harris and Shields, in a thrilling heat 15 won by Dryml.
Dugard savoured the result and said: “It’s better than money, better than winning the pools.
“I didn’t dare even think we could win like that but the lads did me proud.”
He defended his pre-match comments, saying: “It's the only chance I ever get to tell my people what I really think.
“This was the perfect opportunity to actually tell them the truth.”
Coventry co-promoter boss Allen Trump played down Dugard’s criticism, saying: “I don’t think you can criticise a club for trying to put out their strongest team.
“Bob is an old hand at this. He got the crowd and the riders whipped up.
A great atmosphere too and despite some banter on the home straight I saw no trouble, must of just been confined to a few
I would agree with you MrB just friendly banter on the home straight, supporters there understand the etiquette required by true followers unlike the members in the "other house" who let the club down by brawling... Still thats what happens when pensioners have too much sun and then get hold of alcohol.
Joking Aussie
OAP's know how to behave, unlike some of the generation in their 20's & 30's. It was no joke being in the grandstand when the fighting erupted. This is my final comment on the above.
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It was no joke being in the grandstand when the fighting erupted. 
This is my final comment on the above. 