BRITISH SPEEDWAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2023

Date: Friday September 8, 2023

NOTE CONFIRMED FIXTURES FOR THE SPORTS INSURE PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS:
Monday September 18: Belle Vue v Ipswich
Thursday September 21: Ipswich v Belle Vue
Monday September 25: Wolverhampton v Sheffield
Thursday September 28: Sheffield v Wolverhampton

(SPEEDWAY 1

PETERBOROUGH DOES IPSWICH A FAVOUR

IPSWICH are celebrating having secured the final Sports Insure Premiership play-off place – thanks to a huge favour from local rivals Peterborough.

The Panthers raced to a huge 58-32 win over Leicester at the East of England Arena on Thursday, denying the Lions the aggregate point they needed to move back ahead of the Witches into fourth spot.
Leicester had taken a 24-point lead into the meeting and remarkably the aggregate position was level with one heat remaining – and with tension high, Artem Laguta completed a paid maximum for the Panthers whilst team-mate Vadim Tarasenko overtook Richard Lawson on the third lap to resolve the issue without the need for a Super Heat.

Disappointed Leicester boss Stewart Dickson said: “I said before the meeting that we couldn’t afford to let them get off to a flying start, the momentum would be high in their pits.
“I’m not going to have a pop at my riders, they gave everything all season and they’re all very disappointed, as the supporters are and I went over and spoke to them after Heat 15.

“I’m disappointed myself – we wanted to get into the play-offs, of course we did, although you have to say on tonight’s performance we didn’t deserve it.
“But we’ve still had a good season. It’s been difficult at times, and unfortunately we just ran out of steam at the vital time.”
Panthers manager Rob Lyon said: “The first main focus was to win the meeting to continue this winning run we’ve been on, and that was the main focal point.

“We did make it a point that Leicester needed to get into the play-offs, and to make it right for every team we needed to be out there fighting for every point, and they were all fully aware of the situation.
“If we’d started with this team I think it would have been a play-off team, it would have been a possible championship winning team – but that’s not happened, it’s hindsight and we are where we are. Our focus was to win the majority of our remaining matches with this team, and I think we’ve pretty much done that.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

SHEFFIELD rounded off their regular league campaign with a solid 54-36 win over Wolverhampton – the team they will now face in the Sports Insure Premiership play-off semi-finals.
Tobiasz Musielak (14), Josh Pickering (12+3) and Chris Holder (12+1) were all in the major points for the Tigers, although they did miss out on the aggregate point.

Musielak crashed out of Heat 15 and the re-run saw Wolves duo Ryan Douglas (9+1) and Luke Becker (7) grab a 5-1 to give their side some reward.
Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “That was a good display from the lads and we were well worth that margin of victory.
“It was the sort of performance we were looking for and it keeps our good run going here at home ahead of the business part of the year.”

Douglas said: “It wasn’t our best night. One of my good engines broke down after my first race, it was rattling, so I rode a spare engine which isn’t really suited around here.
“So I was kind of battling that all night and then I had problems with that too so jumped on Stevie’s (Worrall) for the last one.
“There’s definitely more to come from us in the play-offs so we won’t worry too much about tonight.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)
 
IPSWICH promoter Chris Louis says there will be additional incentive to win the Premiership KO Cup when the Witches meet Sheffield next week.
The Suffolk side are suddenly in the mix for a league and Cup double after unexpectedly making it into the title play-offs with a strong late-season run and Leicester’s failure to overhaul them on Thursday.
The first leg of the Cup Final takes place at Owlerton on Monday with the Foxhall return on Thursday as the Witches chase their first win in the competition since way back in 1998.

Louis said: “I have many reasons to want to beat Sheffield. They beat us in the Championship play-off Final back in 2017, dancing around at our place after winning it. I don’t want that happening again. Revenge would be very sweet.
“This season we’ve stuck by our riders, even though we cop a lot of flak for doing so, while they have made multiple changes. It would be good to show that a bit of loyalty does pay off.

“As a team we have entertained people up and down the country, including Sheffield, with our top two riders in the country in Emil (Sayfutdinov) and Jason (Doyle) bringing in the crowds.
“Our fans have been superb all season. They deserve the glory, as does the team.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

OXFORD have the chance to finish top of the Cab Direct Championship tonight (Friday) – but in order to do so, they have to win at third-placed Glasgow.
League leadership comes with the prize of picking group opponents in the play-offs, and the Cheetahs find themselves two points behind reigning champions Poole as they head to Ashfield.

And they face a Tigers side who give a debut to star signing Vadim Tarasenko, the man who they hope can boost their own title challenge in the play-offs.
Oxford boss Peter Schroeck said: “We’ve overcome some huge challenges this season. But I’d say this is one of our biggest, and the boys are bang up for tackling it head on.

“Glasgow’s home record speaks for itself and they’ve got a strong team from top to bottom. They’ll enter the meeting full of confidence just like ourselves, so the ingredients make for what should be a fantastic meeting.
“Finishing the season top of the league would complete part of this club’s incredible story and its rise from the ashes.
“There is an advantage also as you get to pick your play-off opponents, but we fear no team and believe in our ability to match any opposing one to seven at this level.
“Before we can think about any of that, we have one final job to do and preparation has mirrored every other meeting we’ve started this year.”

(SPEEDWAY 5)

EDINBURGH host a double header against Plymouth and Birmingham tonight (Friday, 7pm) which will decide the final Cab Direct Championship play-off qualifiers.
The Monarchs start the meeting one point and one place outside the top six, but they can overhaul the Brummies by beating the Gladiators first, which would be worth three league points and would force the West Midlands side to notch a big victory of their own.

Richard Lawson guests for the absent Craig Cook for the home side, whilst Plymouth bring in Justin Sedgmen, Jason Edwards and Sam Hagon to fill their multiple gaps. Birmingham track Kyle Howarth as a guest at No.1.
Monarchs boss Alex Harkess said: “Our whole season revolves round Friday. If we fail then that’s it, the season is over, and we don’t want that.
“We are absolutely determined to win and urge all Monarchs’ supporters to come out and support the team.”

(SPEEDWAY 6)

SCUNTHORPE warm up for the Cab Direct Championship play-offs when they host Berwick at the Eddie Wright Raceway tonight (Friday).
The Scorpions are fifth in the table and a win coupled with the aggregate point would lift them above Redcar into fourth, with the Bears due to face Glasgow on Sunday.

The home side are at full strength whilst the Bandits track Luke Harrison at reserve as a guest for the injured Connor Coles.
Scorpions promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We’ll certainly be looking to complete our regular 16 Cab Direct Championship fixtures with a win over the Berwick in readiness for the start of the play-off semi-finals.

“It certainly won’t be a walkover – Bandits have experienced a difficult season and will want a positive result in their final away meeting of their season. ~
“But if the lads are firing, I am confident that we can take all three points on offer. Last time we were at home, we took a very good result against Glasgow and we’d like to continue in a similar vein.”

(SPEEDWAY 7)

BELLE Vue and Leicester are level on points in the NDL ahead of tonight’s (Friday) meeting at the National Speedway Stadium.
It’s a must-win encounter for the Colts who only have two matches remaining, whilst the Lion Cubs still have three to go at home in the race for a top two place, with Oxford currently five points clear at the top.

Both sides are forced into changes due to injuries and senior commitments, with the Colts calling up Sam McGurk to guest for Sam Hagon, whilst they will operate rider replacement for James Pearson.
Meanwhile the Lion Cubs bring in Ben Morley to replace injured No.1 Dan Thompson, and Danny Phillips guests for Ashton Boughen.

Colts co-boss Steve Williams said: “This is our final home match of our regular fixtures before the play-offs and I don’t think there’s any better way to finish than with a ‘must-win’ meeting against the reigning NDL champions.
“The final outcome of our NDL play-off hopes may be out of our hands but we’ve done, and will still do, everything in our power to have as big an influence over our destiny as we can.”
 
(FIXTURES

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 8:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh (46) v Plymouth (44) 7pm, Edinburgh (54) v Birmingham (36) (follows previous fixture), Glasgow (38) v Oxford (52) 7.30, Scunthorpe (43) v Berwick (47) 7.30
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Belle Vue (39) v Leicester (51) 7.30

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick (44) v Plymouth (45) 7pm
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester (39) v Workington (50) 6.30
NDL KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Leicester (53) v Workington (37) (follows previous fixture)

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Redcar (39) v Glasgow (51) 5pm
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Kent (37) v Edinburgh (52) 12pm, Mildenhall (49) v Workington (41) 4pm