LEON Madsen celebrated his dramatic rise to Grand Prix wild card status by producing his most swashbuckling Pirates performance so far in their big win over Belle Vue.

On a night when Poole Castle Cover chief Matt Ford revealed Wimborne Road attendances were higher than they had attracted in their 2008 title-winning campaign, a bumper 4,000 crowd meant the start time was put back 15 minutes.

But Madsen, who sizzled to three superb race wins on his way to 11 paid 12, and the rest of the Dorset side weren’t fazed by the enforced delay, which allowed latecomers to get inside the stadium in time for heat one.

Aces, with only six men after Tobias Kroner quit the club, put up a spirited fight and only trailed 38-30 with four races to go.

Then rampant Pirates, who lost Davey Watt to concussion following a nasty heat four tumble on the first bend with Jason Doyle, banged in two 5-1s to kill off Belle Vue’s challenge.

And it was Madsen, who booked his place in the Danish GP at Copenhagen on Saturday by winning the first round of his national championship, who pulled off a fantastic win over Aces star Hans Andersen in heat 13 that confirmed Poole’s ninth home success in a row.

The Dane, who has had to play second fiddle to the amazing daredevil exploits of Artur Mroczka at reserve for much of this season, was out-trapped by the former Pirates rider.

However, fast-gating Madsen, on fire all meeting, just blitzed under the Ace on the second bend and roared on to take the chequered flag in spectacular style.

Then Chris Holder, forced to switch to his second bike after blowing up his number one engine making a practice start on parade, also dived brilliantly past Andersen on the back straight of the third lap to join Madsen out front.

The Pirates duo received a standing ovation from Poole’s fans in a bumper crowd, who don’t seem to be put off by their team’s run of big wins and almost complete dominance of the top flight this term.

It had been two weeks since the Dorset side’s last home meeting, and it could be that fortnight intervals between matches could become the norm in the Elite League in future if last night’s attendance is anything to go by.

‘Less is more’ being the mantra at British Speedway Promoters’ Association headquarters as they try to work out a way to get top stars like Nicki Pedersen, Jason Crump and Tomasz Gollob back into league speedway on these shores.

• Poole clerk of the course Paul Applin and start marshal Rob Wadham will carry out those roles at the British GP next month.