BRITISH SPEEDWAY OCTOBER 14, 2022

(SPEEDWAY 1)

BELLE VUE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

BELLE Vue ended a 29-year wait for a top-fight title as they were crowned Premiership champions with a gripping Grand Final victory over Sheffield.

The Aces were beaten 50-40 at Owlerton on Thursday but successfully defended their 12-point advantage gained in Manchester, sealing the crown with a 3-3 in the penultimate race when Tom Brennan and Norick Blodorn kept Tigers skipper Kyle Howarth at the back.

As in the first leg, there were incidents and talking points galore with Aces skipper Brady Kurtz disqualified in Heat 1 for bringing down Lewis Kerr, whilst Sheffield’s Adam Ellis was thrown out of Heat 3 after a first-bend incident with Brennan.
Ellis crashed out of Heat 5 himself but the Tigers gradually applied the pressure and a 4-2 in Heat 10 took them ten points up on the night, and to within two points on aggregate.

But another massive moment came on the last lap of Heat 11 when Kurtz hit the deck under the challenge of Tobiasz Musielak, and it was the Pole who was disqualified to hand the Aces a 5-1.

The visitors, who only won four heats but defended resolutely though a series of crucial shared races, maintained their advantage with 3-3s in Heats 12-14 which put the tie beyond the Tigers.
Sheffield finished with a consolation 5-1 from Jack Holder and Musielak in Heat 15, but it was Belle Vue’s title for the first time since way back in 1993 – long before the current play-off system was implemented.

(SPEEDWAY 2)

ECSTATIC Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon paid tribute to his team on-track and the team behind the scenes as the Aces were finally crowned Premiership champions.

Lemon had taken the Manchester side into three previous Grand Finals, missing out in 2015, 2016 and 2021 – but on this occasion they got the better of Sheffield in the decider to bring the silverware back to the National Speedway Stadium.
The Aces boss had to juggle his resources in the play-offs, even after signing Robert Lambert as an injury replacement for Max Fricke, as both Charles Wright and Jye Etheridge crashed out in Monday’s first leg.

Lemon said: “The feeling is elation beyond belief. I just didn’t think this could happen, and so much hard work has gone into it. This is our fourth Final, and I couldn’t bear coming here and losing another one.
“The fans have waited 29 years for this moment and they deserve it, they’ve been great. There are so many people we have to thank, including our owners Tony Rice and Robin Southwell, and get well to Robin.

“We’ve had ups and downs over the years, we’ve worked really hard, and credit to Adrian Smith our former CEO who put the ship back in place, and ATPI and Rentruck have been backers for years and years.
“The boys just rode their socks off tonight, and all season. We lost Charles and Reggie and our backs have been against the wall every time we’ve gone away, rider replacement has been tough.

“We lost Max and I thought, ‘oh no, here we go again, déjà vu’ but fortunately we brought Robert in as replacement for a long-term injury, and he’s been a star.
“Credit to Sheffield who have come back to the top-flight, well done to them and their fans, and obviously Ipswich and Wolverhampton making the play-offs, but what a year – I can’t believe it.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

SHEFFIELD manager Simon Stead was left frustrated by key decisions in the Grand Final which he believes cost his side the chance to win the Premiership title.
Stead’s Tigers topped the regular league standings before easing past Wolverhampton in the play-off semi-finals.
But they lost the first leg of the Final 51-39 at Belle Vue and were just unable to claw back that deficit at a packed Owlerton on Thursday, with both Adam Ellis and Tobiasz Musielak suffering disqualifications in much-debated on-track incidents.

Stead said: “I couldn’t have asked for anything more from the boys, they’ve given it absolutely everything.
“Unfortunately, the team have been robbed and the Sheffield supporters have been robbed of at least a grand finale in Heat 15 because it really could’ve gone down to that.

“I would’ve been quite happy seeing the lads battle it out for the win and I would’ve taken it on the chin at that point if we weren’t good enough.
“But I felt we were good enough and it’s just some poor decisions which have gone against us and cost us, which is a real shame.”
 
(FIXTURES)
 
SATURDAY OCTOBER 15:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Leicester v Mildenhall 7pm
FAREWELL TO ARMADALE – RATHO COACHES SCOTTISH OPEN: Edinburgh 6.30

SUNDAY OCTOBER 16:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Mildenhall (43) v Berwick (46) 3pm

MONDAY OCTOBER 17:
LEAGUE CUP FINAL 1st leg: King’s Lynn v Sheffield 7.30
LADBROKES OLYMPIQUE FINALE: Wolverhampton 7.30