Coventry Bees Speedway Team went down to a 40-49 defeat to Birmingham Brummies on Friday night at Brandon.
Fielding Bjarne Pedersen as a guest, Martin Smolinski took the opening heat for a 4-2 for the visitors.
With Nico Covatti excluded for failing to make the two minutes, Adam Roynon and Arron Summers rode to a 5-1 in a re-run heat.
Heat three finished 3-3 before Scott Nicholls' bike packed up and former Bees rider Chris Harris rode to a 4-2.
That had the scores level at 12-12 but in the next heat, Jason Doyle fell in front of Smolinski and both were excluded. Zengota's bike failed but he was able to limp round and ensure that the Bees took a 5-0 heat win.
That was the last heat The Bees would win until heat thirteen. A 4-2 to Birmingham in heat six was followed by a 5-1, a 3-3, a 5-1, two 3-3's and a 5-1 to see Birmingham lead 40-31.
Scott Nicholls and Pedersen took a 5-1 but a 5-1 to Birmingham and a 3-3 gave the Brummies the win.
Coventry BEES 40: Scott Nicholls 10, Bjarne Pedersen 9+1, Stuart Robson 6, Adam Roynon 6, Grzegorz Zengota 3+2, Aaron Summers 3+1, Michal Szczepaniak 3.
BIRMINGHAM 49: Danny King 12+1, Chris Harris 10, Nico Covatti 8+3, Ben Barker 6+2, Martin Smolinski 6+1, Josh Auty 4+1, Jason Doyle 3.