BRITISH SPEEDWAY MARCH 19, 2024

(SPEEDWAY 1)

KURTZ WINS PETER CRAVEN MEMORIAL

BELLE Vue captain Brady Kurtz made the perfect start to the season with victory for the first time in the Peter Craven Memorial at the National Speedway Stadium.

The Australian headed up an Aces one-two in the Final with Dan Bewley taking second place, whilst Leicester skipper Max Fricke was third on his old home track.
There was drama in the early stages of the deciding six-rider race when four-time event winner Jason Doyle clashed with Fredrik Lindgren and was forced to pull out before completing a lap, with Kurtz celebrating his triumph shortly after.
Kurtz said: “It was almost as if the stars aligned for me! In past years, I’ve been close, I’ve made it into the Final or at least onto the podium, but I’ve never been able to get the win.

“This is a very special moment for me. This meeting is probably one of the most high-profile individual events in British Speedway, and definitely one of the most prestigious.
“It’s surreal to think that my name is on the same trophy that riders like Ivan Mauger and Ove Fundin have won, and it means a lot to me to win, especially here at Belle Vue.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

SHEFFIELD get their title defence underway later this week – and co-promoter Damien Bates feels they’ve given themselves the best chance possible to retain their crown.
The Tigers head to Oxford for their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership opener on Thursday in their first league fixture since lifting the top-flight trophy last October.
They track a familiar line-up led by Grand Prix duo Jack Holder and Tai Woffinden, and with former World Champion Chris Holder also included as third heat-leader.

Bates said: “It’s one of the easiest teams I’ve ever managed to put together.
“It was all done, sorted and sealed so early as well and I’m more than happy with the seven riders we’ve got at Sheffield again this year.

“With a top five like we’ve got, we’ll always have a chance of winning meetings and that takes a bit of pressure off the two reserves but as we saw last year, they are already at a stage where they can score points at this level.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

IPSWICH manager Ritchie Hawkins says he wants his side to pick up this year from the progress they made in a dramatic 2023 campaign – and keep the entertainment coming.
The Witches went agonisingly close to taking the league title last autumn, and now they launch their new ROWE Motor Oil Premiership campaign on Thursday with a home clash with Belle Vue.

Hawkins said: “I feel like we have built another exciting team for everyone to watch, similar to last year which proved successful.
“They provided so much entertainment every week at Foxhall, so going into the new season I am massively excited to carry that on and entertain.

“We have kept the riding order the same as last season, just with two new riders slotting into the positions of the riders they replaced essentially.
“We want to carry on from last year by keeping things the same and I’m sure it will change throughout the season, but I feel that is the best way to go for now.”

(FIXTURES)

THURSDAY MARCH 21:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Ipswich v Belle Vue 7.30, Leicester v King’s Lynn 7.30, Oxford v Sheffield 7.30

MONDAY MARCH 25:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHP R1: Birmingham v Sheffield 7.30