BRITISH SPEEDWAY OCTOBER 22, 2023

(SPEEDWAY 1)

SCORPIONS ARE KO CUP TITLE WINNERS

SCUNTHORPE are celebrating a sensational Championship KO Cup triumph after lifting the trophy at Poole on Saturday.
The Scorpions took a narrow four-point lead into the second leg and defended superbly to pull off a 45-45 scoreline for their second visit in succession to Wimborne Road – and secure their first silverware for 11 years.

Skipper Simon Lambert gave an immense display, winning his first four rides as he finished on 12 points, whilst former Pirates rider Drew Kemp again haunted his former club with 10+2, and Ryan Douglas signed off for the Scorpions with 9+2 and a major trophy.
Lambert said: “This is an unbelievable feeling. I’m the proudest man in the world right now.
“To be captain and lift that Cup means the world to me. I’ve also had a good night myself. Poole isn’t my favourite track, but it was a big occasion, and I’ve managed to step up to the plate.

“I was making some good starts tonight, while I also came last to first in one race (Heat 8). It wasn’t easy to do that tonight, but I had one of those nights when it was all going right.
“I wanted to win the Cup more than anything. I brought me little boy Kai with me, despite it being a five-hour journey. He’s got a gold medal to wear around his neck on the way home, while I’ve got the Cup and Rob (Godfrey, Scunthorpe promoter) isn’t having it back until March!”

Meanwhile Richard Lawson top scored for the hosts with 10, including three wins, but he was left to rue a costly incident in Heat 10 which had a major bearing on the tie.
Lawson said: “When you are on a 5-1 it is so frustrating, and it always seems to happen that way.
“My cut-out came out and I have never had that happen in my whole career, and it had to happen tonight in a Final. When every point is vital it is just so hard, so hard to swallow.
“We were all so bitterly disappointed after last week and we all wanted to bring this back so much, but we’ve come up short and it’s horrible.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

POOLE captain Steve Worrall has announced he will leave the club this winter after three successful seasons at Wimborne Road.
Worrall joined the Pirates in 2021 and was involved in the team winning major silverware in every year over that period, although they lost their grip on the Cab Direct Championship and KO Cup trophies this month.
He said: “I have really loved my three years at Poole, but with the way things have to be in speedway with the points and averages then there comes a time when you have to move on, and my time is next season.
“I am so gutted that I do so without having lifted either of the last two trophies.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

WOLVERHAMPTON will welcome back several former favourites both on and off track for the last-ever fixture at Monmore Green on Monday.
The hosts will take on a ‘Wolves at Heart’ team made up of riders with connections to the club, including Swedish star Jacob Thorssell and Kyle Howarth, who were both involved in the league title victory of 2016.
Wolves have raced at Monmore since 1928, making it the oldest speedway track in the UK – but they received a shattering blow earlier in the year when Entain Group informed bosses that their tenancy agreement would not be extended beyond the end of this season.

Promoter Chris Van Straaten said: “I still don’t think it’s quite sunk in properly yet to be honest.
“We’ve all had some unforgettable memories at Monmore Green, and it will be a night full of emotion without doubt.
“Our Monday nights will never be the same – at least for the foreseeable future.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

OXFORD and Leicester are set for further talks to determine re-arranged dates for the National Development League Grand Final.
Both scheduled legs of the decider this weekend were postponed as the tracks at Cowley and Beaumont Park had not recovered sufficiently from heavy rain in previous days.
New dates are therefore required, and the Lion Cubs also need to run the second leg of their KO Cup Final against Mildenhall which was scheduled to be the second part of a double header on Sunday.

(FIXTURES)
 
SUNDAY OCTOBER 22:
NDL GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Leicester v Oxford OFF
NDL KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Leicester (49) v Mildenhall (38) OFF

MONDAY OCTOBER 23:
FAREWELL TO MONMORE – WE’LL MEET AGAIN TROPHY: Wolverhampton 7.30

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 25:
BRITISH UNDER-19 FINAL: Birmingham 7.30
CHAMPIONSHIP JUBILEE LEAGUE FINAL: Poole v Leicester 7.30