BRITISH SPEEDWAY PREMIERSHIP SOUNDBYTES
In two of the most exciting Premiership Grand Final meetings seen for many years, Peterborough raced to their first league title since 2006 with a 95-85 aggregate win against Belle Vue.
Picture: IAN CHARLES
HERE’S our latest soundbytes and fixtures from around the tracks up and down the country.
PREMIERSHIP SOUNDBYTES…
BELLE VUE
“I can’t fault the guys in 2021. Their fortitude, desire and commitment all season has been brilliant. They worked as a cohesive group and improved which was evident coming into the finals, they deserved better.”
Aces boss Mark Lemon praised his side for their efforts throughout the campaign, which ended in a third runners-up spot in six seasons for the club – whose title wait goes on.
NEXT HOME: Peter Craven Memorial, Sat Oct 23
PETERBOROUGH
“It feels fantastic. It’s been a juggle ever since Ulrich (Ostergaard) was injured and we’ve been covering him in all of our matches, but we got there, we got over the line and we deserve it – the boys have been absolutely fantastic all year. It’s a very sweet moment, and I can’t thank the promotion and the track staff here at Peterborough enough.”
Delight for the Panthers and boss Rob Lyon on his return to domestic team management with the club securing their first league title since 2006 after a memorable Grand Final against Belle Vue.
WOLVERHAMPTON
“This season has been difficult physically with my back and my knees and my shoulder as well. Not many people know but I’m actually due a shoulder op because I’ve only got one tendon in there. So it’s been difficult this season, especially with how busy we’ve been in such a short space of time.”
The clock is counting down towards retirement for skipper Rory Schlein, who staged a successful Farewell Meeting at Monmore on Monday and has one final engagement for the club in next week’s Olympique.
NEXT HOME: Olympique, Mon Oct 25
CHAMPIONSHIP SOUNDBYTES…
EDINBURGH
“The whole 1 to 7 did their job tonight, no-one was being carried. Anders (Rowe) had a tough day on the road, missed Heat 1 then came to out to win his next race – unreal! I’m a happy captain.”
Skipper Sam Masters praised the full team effort as the Monarchs put Glasgow out of the KO Cup by overturning a 16-point first leg deficit, and they now prepare for this week’s play-off battles with the Tigers.
NEXT HOME: Glasgow, Fri Oct 22, Play-off semi-final
NEXT AWAY: Glasgow, Thur Oct 21, Play-off semi-final
GLASGOW
“We put in a hell of a lot of work as a management team behind the scenes, so tonight’s result is not for the want of trying. We’re up against it but we’re going to come out fighting. If all our guys could up their scores by just two points we’ll be OK and they’re all more than capable. That’s the way we have to look at it.”
Tigers boss Cami Brown knows there needs to be an all-round improvement when his side visit Edinburgh in the play-off semi-finals after suffering KO Cup disappointment at the same venue last Friday.
NEXT HOME: GB v Poland (Test Match), Wed Oct 20
NEXT AWAY: Edinburgh, Fri Oct 22, Play-off semi-final
LEICESTER
“We will make comparisons to 2019, that’s what I’m doing, we never came up to the standards that we set. But we have had a decent season overall and there has been a lot of entertainment which is what speedway is all about too.”
Lions boss Stewart Dickson was in philosophical mood after seeing the club’s reign as champions ended by Poole’s 50-40 win at the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena last Saturday, taking the Pirates into the Grand Final.
POOLE
“He showed true commitment to our club tonight and was so important in the pits too. He played a great role as team motivator and so influential in the team. The teamwork and camaraderie in this side is unbelievable and tonight it was unlike anything I have seen previously this season.”
Pirates promoter Danny Ford heaped praise on Rory Schlein following his performance to score 11 points in the Pirates’ weekend win at Leicester which ensured a place in the Championship Grand Final.
NEXT HOME: Edinburgh, Wed Oct 27, KO Cup Final
NEXT AWAY: Edinburgh, Sat Oct 23, KO Cup Final
REDCAR
The line-up for the final meeting of the season at the Media Prima Arena, the Teesside Silver Helmet, will be unveiled on the Official British Speedway Podcast, ‘No Brakes, No Fear’ on Tuesday evening from 8pm.
NEXT HOME: Teesside Silver Helmet, Fri Oct 22
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE UPCOMING FIXTURES…
ARMADALE
NEXT HOME: Mildenhall, Sat Oct 23
NEXT AWAY: TBC
BELLE VUE
NEXT AWAY: Leicester, Sat Oct 23
KENT
NEXT HOME: Mildenhall, Tues Oct 19
LEICESTER
NEXT HOME: Belle Vue, Sat Oct 23
MILDENHALL
NEXT AWAY: Kent, Tues Oct 19
FIXTURE PICTURE…
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 20:
TEST MATCH: Great Britain v Poland, Glasgow 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 21:
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF S/F 1st leg: Glasgow v Edinburgh 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 22:
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30
TEESSIDE SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30
SATURDAY OCTOBER 23:
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Edinburgh v Poole 2.30
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Armadale v Mildenhall (follows above fixture), Leicester v Belle Vue 7pm
PETER CRAVEN MEMORIAL: Belle Vue 7.30
MONDAY OCTOBER 25:
OLYMPIQUE: Wolverhampton 7.30
TUESDAY OCTOBER 26:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Kent v Belle Vue 6.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 27:
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Poole v Edinburgh 7.30
NO PRESSURE ON ZMARZLIK AFTER LATVIAN GP WIN