CAMERON Heeps’ first maximum for Oxford Cheetahs maintained their impressive home form in the Championship, as they beat Scunthorpe Scorpions 55-34 at Sandy Lane.

The result puts Cheetahs in a strong position for the aggregate bonus point when the two sides meet in the reverse clash next Friday.

Cheetahs stormed into a 23-7 lead after taking three 5-1s and two 4-2s in the opening five races.

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Luke Killeen took the move from reserve to the tricky No 2 spot in his stride. He won Heat 1, while Sam Masters burst through the middle of the Scorpions on the opening lap and then protected his younger teammate.

Ashton Boughen (Heat 2) and Scott Nicholls (Heat 4) both won races from behind, while Jacob Hook showed his value as a guest booking for the injured Henry Atkins by joining Nicholls for a 5-1 in Heat 4.

Scorpions hauled back five points in a controversial Heat 8, which saw both Oxford riders excluded. Scunthorpe’s Nathan Ablitt led, when teammate Kyle Howarth pushed inside both Cheetahs at the start of the second lap.

It wasn’t entirely clear whether there was contact between Howarth and Hook, although Hook was in no doubt and was left with a hole in his race suit.

What wasn’t in any doubt whatsoever is that Killeen took avoiding action as Hook fell in front of him and ended up crashing into the fence. Oxford fans were incensed when Killeen’s exclusion light came on in addition to that of Hook, while Scorpions took an uncontested 5-0 in the re-run.

Cheetahs quickly reasserted their authority with a 5-1 from Jordan Jenkins and Heeps in Heat 9, after a brilliant outside move by Heeps to snatch second place on the line from Jake Allen.

Scorpions provided three successive heat winners between Heats 11 and 13, with Allen holding off a stern challenge from Nicholls in Heat 11.

But Cheetahs finished the meeting with back-to-back 5-1s. Boughen used the kick board to round Connor Mountain in astonishing style in Heat 14, while Heeps passed Luke Harrison for third place. Heeps pressured Mountain in a mistake on the final bend, and came through to join Boughen for a 5-1 and complete his 10+2 paid maximum.

Masters created an early gap for Nicholls in Heat 15 and the two riders won the meeting with a 5-1.

Heeps received £450 from fans after a collection was arranged by the Oxford Speedway Supporters’ Club after one of his bikes was wrecked in an opening race crash last week.

He said: “I’m very happy with my maximum. We’ve been working hard at it in a lot of ways.

“I had Mick Smith and Matt Marson as my mechanics, and it’s nice for them as it is for me, and thanks also to the other guys who have helped me this season. It’s about having the right people around you.

“Thanks for the Supporters’ Club for the collection. I was stoked about that and it really helps after the damage the bike took last week.”