BRITISH SPEEDWAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

(SPEEDWAY 1)

A WITCH HUNT

IPSWICH seized control of the first Sports Insure Premiership play-off semi-final with a stunning 54-36 home win over league leaders Belle Vue.

The Witches maintained their excellent form in the closing stages of the season to leave the defending champions with a major fight on their hands to overturn the position on their own track next Monday.
Emil Sayfutdinov led the scoring for the Foxhall side with 14 points, beaten only by Brady Kurtz in Heat 15, whilst guest Chris Harris (10+3) and skipper Danny King (10+1) both chipped in with double figures, and Keynan Rew added paid-11 at reserve.
Aces skipper Kurtz notched 10 with Tom Brennan next in line on 8+1, and both won races in the closing stages to keep their side in the tie.

Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “It was as good a performance and result as we could have hoped for. We had two guests come in who both performed very well and fitted straight into the team.
“We have built up some great momentum here at Foxhall and some home track advantage. Conditions were wet from all the rain we have had but we showed our determination to get stuck into the dirt and race for the cause.
“I’m delighted with every single one of them and it was a brilliant result.”

Belle Vue manager Mark Lemon said: “Disappointed I don’t think quite covers it. We really want to retain our title in 2023 and we’ve worked really, really hard to get to this point. 
“Thursday, unfortunately, didn’t go as planned, there’s no two ways about it. Ipswich were very good on their home track and showed us why they deserve to be here in the play-offs.
“We had a dreadful night, nobody needs to tell us that and we’re not taking this defeat lightly. We still believe we can do it; this is something we really want and we’ll be going all out to win.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

SHEFFIELD have secured the services of King’s Lynn No.1 Robert Lambert as a guest for Monday’s (September 25) Sports Insure Premiership play-off semi-final first leg at Wolverhampton.
The Tigers have recently been dealt a double blow at the top end of their team with Tobiasz Musielak’s season coming to a premature end with a broken tibia last weekend, whilst Tai Woffinden has been on the sidelines with broken bones in his hand sustained at the beginning of September.

The Brit has, however, been named in Wroclaw’s Polish Ekstraliga title decider line-up this Sunday ahead of his anticipated comeback date and Sheffield will monitor his progress.
They have booked Richard Lawson as a guest for Monday though, with former Wolf Drew Kemp also deputising for Claus Vissing at reserve who continues to struggle with a knee injury.

(SPEEDWAY 3)

SCUNTHORPE host Poole tonight (Friday – UK time) in a massive meeting in Group A of the Cab Direct Championship play-offs.
The Scorpions collected a point from Wimborne Road last week and know two wins this weekend against the Pirates and then at Edinburgh on Saturday would take them into the Grand Final – putting the defending champions out.
Both sides are set to be at full strength, and Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “I’ve played the meeting out in my head and it is going to be tight, no question about it.

“I’ve played it out that we are going to win, because I don’t want to be thinking about the other possibility!
“It’s going to have to be a whole team effort again with every point counting. We benefitted from a great team effort down at Poole, which was phenomenal and really great to see, so I want to see that again although we do need a bit of luck and nothing to go wrong, as everyone does.

Pirates promoter Dan Ford said: “We had hoped to have been going there with a lead to defend, but our result at Wimborne Road last week has changed all that. Effectively it is a winner-takes-all match on Friday for, without being disrespectful in any way to Edinburgh, I do believe that whoever wins this meeting will go on to win the group. 
“There is no question, we have a very high mountain to climb as we all know how well Scunthorpe go on their home track, although of course, we have won there this season in a thrilling match back in August – although it will be argued that Scunthorpe are a bit stronger this time around.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

REDCAR kick off their Cab Direct Championship play-off programme at home to Oxford tonight (Friday – UK time).
The teams are scheduled to meet twice in three days with the return fixture taking place at Cowley on Sunday.
The Bears call in Kyle Howarth to replace the injured Charles Wright, whilst Luke Harrison again stands in for Jake Mulford. The Cheetahs, who defeated Glasgow in their group opener, name a full-strength side.

Redcar star Jason Edwards said: “It will be nice to start our play-offs at home and hopefully we can start off on the right foot against Oxford.
“Nevertheless, wherever we are, we just need to score points to try and win as many meetings as possible to top the group.”

(SPEEDWAY 5)

EDINBURGH complete their home NDL campaign against Mildenhall tonight (Friday – UK time) with the Fen Tigers still having an outside chance of a top two finish.
Both sides are hit by injuries and absences with Luke Killeen and Mark Parker coming into the Monarchs Academy team, whilst the Fen Tigers bring in Sam Ward and Laylan Richardson at reserve.

Ward is looking to make a comeback to the sport at the age of 25 after previously racing for Stoke and Buxton back in 2014.
Fen Tigers boss Jason Gardner said: “We have a very solid top five and by pulling together I’m sure we can deliver just the result we need to keep pressure on Oxford who have two matches like us to go in the chase for the play-offs. 

“It’s certainly a long shot that we can make the top two but a win on Friday will certainly show both Oxford and our great rivals Leicester that we really mean business.”
Edinburgh’s Mickie Simpson said: “It has been a real eye-opener this year being at Edinburgh, it has been amazing, the whole team, the fans and everything at Edinburgh goes well, from the start I felt welcome, and there is always someone there to help if you need it.
“I never feel like I have to be quiet, I can be myself and it is always a good atmosphere.”

(FIXTURES)

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF GROUP A: Scunthorpe (45) v Poole (45) 7.30
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF GROUP B: Redcar v Oxford 7.30
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Edinburgh (41) v Mildenhall (48) 7.30

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF GROUP A: Edinburgh v Scunthorpe 7pm
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF GROUP B: Glasgow v Redcar 2pm
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Berwick (29) v Belle Vue (61), Leicester (39) v Oxford (50) 7pm

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 24:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Workington 2pm
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF GROUP B: Oxford v Redcar 5.30