BRITISH SPEEDWAY MAY 5, 2023

(SPEEDWAY 1)

THE LIONS ROAR

LEICESTER raced to their second Premiership win of the season by overcoming Wolverhampton 49-41 in a competitive Midlands derby.

The Lions led for much of the meeting with the Max Fricke/Justin Sedgmen combination providing two 5-1s, but Wolves skipper Sam Masters and guest Scott Nicholls kept the visitors in contention.
Home captain Chris Harris clinched the victory in Heat 14 before Fricke went from third to first in the last race to complete his best display for the club.

The Australian top scored with 11+2 with Sedgmen on 9+1, whilst Masters racked up 14 from six rides for Wolves and Nicholls added 10.
Leicester boss Stewart Dickson said: “That was a solid team effort, and that’s the sort of performance that we’re capable of.

“When you look at the riders Wolves came with who’ve raced on this track in the last few years, they had plenty of experience here so we knew it was going to be tough, but our No.1 showed us why he’s a No.1 and the rest of the guys all chipped in and worked hard.”

Wolves manager Peter Adams said: “It was a tough match against tough opposition. We had a few bike issues with one or two of the boys but I thought we fought well, it just ran away from us a bit at the end.
“Eight points is an achievable deficit to overturn for the aggregate point when we face them at home later on in the season in the second leg.”
 
(SPEEDWAY 2)

SCUNTHORPE have made a double team change with Max Clegg and Nathan Ablitt joining the club.
The Scorpions have brought in Clegg to replace Zaine Kennedy, who is unlikely to race this season due to injury, and the implications of the points limit means they have parted company with Joe Thompson, with Ablitt coming in after spending last year with Poole.

Promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It really broke my heart to release Joe, because the lad didn’t deserve it at all. He’s put in a great stint for us, and under usual circumstances, we wouldn’t have replaced him, because he was performing up to expectations.
“But the 28-day-facility for Zaine Kennedy started on Good Friday, which means it expired on Thursday and is not valid on Friday. We had to make a signing, or we would have been left without a facility and been forced to use riders well below Zaine’s average.

“If there was a like-for-like signing, so we could have replaced Zaine and kept Joe, we would have done it, but there simply wasn’t a rider on the right average who wanted to do it. On the other hand, there are riders available around the 5.50 mark, so it became a case of choosing the best one, and then putting in a two-point rider in for Joe.

“Max will slot in at No.3 and push Connor Mountain down to reserve. I think Connor will be down there for at least a month or two and he’ll be a real trump card. It’s how we originally designed the team when we had Zaine.
“Nathan is a talented young British rider, he contributed to Poole’s success last season, and we know he will come in and score points.”
 
(SPEEDWAY 3)

JOSH Pickering has received his injury diagnosis and now hopes to return to racing with King’s Lynn and Edinburgh later this month.
The Australian crashed at Berwick nearly a fortnight ago and has been told he fractured his left scapula close to a nerve, and has also suffered issues with tendons.

He said: “While I currently don’t have an answer on exactly how long I will be on the sidelines, I am hoping it will only be a short couple of weeks.
“Finally having this information on my injury will now allow me to get the correct treatments for the injury.
“I cannot thank Steve Williams (sports physiotherapist) enough for doing everything in his power to get the answers I needed, and to get me back on the track doing what I love.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

SCUNTHORPE take a two-point lead into the second leg of their Championship KO Cup clash with Birmingham at the Eddie Wright Raceway tonight (Friday).
The new-look Scorpions race for the first time with Max Clegg and Nathan Ablitt making their debuts, whilst the Brummies bring in Zach Cook to guest for the injured James Wright.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “I don’t think we can pretend we’re the underdogs for this one. We’ve already beaten Birmingham three times this season and we’ve a got two-advantage from the away leg.

“But it’s certainly not going to be a walkover, and in speedway anything can happen. We cannot afford to be complacent, while the previous home meeting with Brummies contained plenty of decent racing and I’m expecting the same again.”
Birmingham co-owner Nigel Tolley said: “I think it’s going to be a lot closer than a lot of people from the outside are expecting.
“We’re certainly not giving up on progressing in the competition and the Brummies will be giving it their all.”
The meeting also features the opening round of the British Youth Championship (see item 6) in 500cc and 250cc classes.

(SPEEDWAY 5)

EDINBURGH race their second home NDL fixture of the season when they take on Kent at Armadale tonight (Friday).
The Monarchs Academy won their opener against Belle Vue whilst the Royals kick off a Northern tour which also takes in a fixture at Berwick on Saturday.

The visitors include two members of last year’s Edinburgh (Armadale) team as they are captained by Tom Woolley, whilst Danny Phillips guests for Nathan Ablitt who is racing for Championship club Scunthorpe.
Edinburgh star Adam Roynon said: “I think we can definitely be in the play-offs by the end.
“Obviously Kent are in town this week, they’ve got a good spearhead, but as long as we can nullify the rest of the team’s performance we should pick up another home win, which gets the ball rolling for the rest of the year.”

(SPEEDWAY 6)

THE 2023 British Youth Championship gets underway for the 500cc and 250cc classes at Scunthorpe tonight (Friday) after the Scorpions’ Championship KO Cup clash with Birmingham.
The second half event will consist of 13 heats which includes a winner-takes-all Final for each class.

Sonny Springer joins NDL teenagers Max Perry, Jody Scott and Ashton Boughen in the 500cc class, and in the 250cc class seven riders will be competing, including the 2022 runner-up Ashton Vale along with four riders stepping up from the 125cc class – Cooper Rushen, Stene Pijper, Caydin Martin and Seth Norman.

William Cairns and Jamie Etherington continue in the 250cc class hoping to make a rostrum place finish in this year’s Championship at least after missing out in 2022.
The Young Lions would like to thank the Scunthorpe promotion for their continued support of British Youth Speedway.

(SPEEDWAY 7)

LEICESTER have added to their asset base with the acquisition of talented teenager Max Perry.
After turning 16 last weekend Perry, who helped the club’s NDL team to a league and Cup double last season, signed on ahead of the Lions’ Premiership clash with Wolverhampton on Thursday.

Promoter Stewart Dickson said: “Max is one of the best youngsters at his age that I’ve seen in a good while, and there was interest from other clubs, but this is the benefit of having a Cubs team in the National League.
“We’ve looked after him properly, put the work in and given him track time, and Max and his family are happy here.
“I’m sure he’s got a big career in the sport ahead of him, and we’re delighted he’s pledged his future to the club.”

(FIXTURES)

FRIDAY MAY 5:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow v Oxford OFF
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Scunthorpe (46) v Birmingham (44) 7.30
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Kent 7.30
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 1 (500cc/250cc): Scunthorpe (follows KOC fixture)

SATURDAY MAY 6:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick v Scunthorpe 6.30
BSN SERIES: Redcar (52) v Birmingham (38) 7.30
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Berwick v Kent (follows previous fixture)

MONDAY MAY 8:
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Belle Vue (20) v Wolverhampton (46) 12pm
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Peterborough v Ipswich 7.30