BRITISH SPEEDWAY APRIL 19, 2024

(SPEEDWAY 1)

IPSWICH PREMIERSHIP LEADERS

IPSWICH moved to the top of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership with a 45-39 win over Oxford at Cowley.
The Spires remained in touch despite the non-arrival of Rohan Tungate due to travel issues in Poland, and the Witches were never allowed to build a large advantage.

They eventually went six points clear with a 5-1 from Emil Sayfutdinov and Jason Doyle in Heat 13, and although guest Scott Nicholls won Heat 14 as a tactical substitute the visitors only fielded one rider so the Ipswich win was assured – with the meeting then abandoned due to rain before the final race.

Doyle (9+2) and Sayfutdinov (9) led the scoring for the hosts whilst Nicholls top-scored for the Spires with 12 and Charles Wright picked up 10.
Ipswich manager Ritchie Hawkins said: “Really tough night for us with the conditions and against a very strong Oxford side but I’m very proud of the boys for how they battled and coped with everything.

“There was no complaining about the conditions, it was head down and we did what we needed to do. Oxford were very good, certainly missing Rohan weakened them, but we needed to take advantage and we did.”
Oxford boss Peter Schroeck said: “It’s been one of those days today. Rohan did everything he could to get over here. There was a traffic hold-up in Poland and, as a result, he missed his flight. After that, he drove 200km to another airport, only for the same to happen to him again.

“I think it’s important to also focus on the positives and there were plenty of those. Erik (Riss) put in a very encouraging debut for Spires from reserve and he was on for a double-figure score until the conditions started to deteriorate.
“Ashton (Boughen) put in an unbelievable ride to leave Jason Doyle – a former World Champion – in his wake in Heat 4. That was an incredible way to win his first ride at the top level and shows how fast he is and how talented he is.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)
SHEFFIELD were emphatic 58-32 winners over a depleted King’s Lynn side in the first fixture of the season at Owlerton on Thursday.
Jack Holder scored a 10+2 paid maximum from four rides for the Tigers with fellow heat-leaders Tai Woffinden (12+1) and Chris Holder (12) also in good form, for a result which extends their unbeaten run against the Stars to 17 matches in the top-flight.
Former Sheffield star Tobiasz Musielak top-scored for the visitors with 12+1 but they were without both Niels-Kristian Iversen and Benjamin Basso after crashes in Denmark this week, and heat-leader Vadim Tarasenko endured a disastrous meeting failing to score.

Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “It’s always a difficult one when you’re coming back for a home meeting after six months or so and you’ve not even had chance for a practice or anything.
“It would’ve been quite easy to come unstuck but the fact that the boys got their heads down, rode like they’ve never been away from the place and carried on their momentum with a really convincing win was everything I could’ve asked for and more really.”

King’s Lynn co-promoter Rob Lyon said: “Tobi had a good night, but you would expect him to come here and get dialled in pretty quick. But we struggled as a team and Vadim had an absolute nightmare.
“There’s not a great deal I can say about it and there’s not a great amount of positives to come out of it.
“We’ve got to move on and try and regroup as a club, to get seven riders on track would be nice, and now we’ve got Monday to put things right against Sheffield again.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

MAX Fricke stormed to a 15-point maximum against his former club as Leicester secured their first home league win of the season with a 53-37 result against Belle Vue.
The Lions skipper reeled off five wins out of five as his side put in their most convincing performance of the season, taking 12 of the 15 heat victories.

They even came close to challenging for the aggregate point despite an 18-point defeat in Manchester last week, but Ben Cook’s Heat 14 win gave the Aces some consolation even though they then conceded a 5-1 in the last race.
Sam Masters (10+1) and Ryan Douglas (9+1) backed up Fricke’s unbeaten show for the hosts, whilst Jaimon Lidsey top-scored for the visitors with 12+1 from six rides.
Leicester manager Stewart Dickson said: “It’s been a much better week for us. We had a good, positive two points at Birmingham, and tonight again a good performance and two more points.

“Around Heat 8 or 9 we were looking at it and saying can we get the aggregate point – Belle Vue held on for that, but I think the most important thing was the overall performance.
“There are still one or two riders to go into another gear, but when your No.1 is scoring a 15-point maximum and you have 12 race winners at home, it’s a really good sign for us.”

Belle Vue reserve Connor Mountain (4+2) said: “I’d agree it was something of a mixed night for us. A few of the boys struggled but at least we didn’t come away empty handed.
“Every meeting we go into, we intend to win it but Leicester were a very tough team and we expected them to put up a challenge after the Manchester leg.
“Of course we’re disappointed to lose on the night but we can at least be pleased with the aggregate point.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

GLASGOW have called up former favourite Claus Vissing to make a guest appearance in tonight’s (Friday) BSN Series clash with Berwick at Ashfield.
Vissing, who was part of the Tigers’ title-winning squad of 2023 although he was injured at the time of the Grand Final, stands in for Leon Flint who is away with GB at the European Under-23 Team Championship semi-final.

The home side also bring in Sam Hagon to replace the suspended Lee Complin at reserve as they look for the win and the aggregate point after a six-point defeat at Shielfield Park.
Manager Cami Brown said: “Overall it’s been an eventful start to the campaign for the right and wrong reasons.
“The truth is that we need to get meetings under our belt, some of the boys need races to get sharper.

“(Berwick manager) Stewart Dickson knows Ashfield very well and he has assembled a very solid team for 2024. At this moment they are unbeaten this season and will arrive at Ashfield with lots of belief. That means we are in for another very tough test.”
The visitors track Justin Sedgmen as a guest for the injured Lewis Kerr, and they have juggled their riding order with Jye Etheridge going to No.5 and Rory Schlein teaming up with Danyon Hume in the middle-order. Bastian Borke is fit to ride after his crash last week.

Dickson said: “I put a lot of thought into my line-ups and position the riders where I think they can hurt the opposition most.
“Safe managers maybe let things run their course and hope for a bit of luck but I’m never afraid to back my instincts.

“Glasgow is the toughest test so far and I am sure some people will be looking to judge how good we are on our performance on Friday.
“That’s fine. The riders know what is expected from them and I think our fans are appreciating the effort they have put in so far. Friday night needs to be another of those big-hearted performances.”

(SPEEDWAY 5)

REDCAR manager Gavin Parr insists his side can still reach the BSN Series semi-finals – but they need a big performance at home to Scunthorpe tonight (Friday).
The Scorpions raced to a 52-38 win at the Eddie Wright Raceway when the sides met a fortnight ago, so the Bears have a big task on their hands to take maximum points.

Parr has switched his riding order after a shock home defeat to Workington last week, whilst the visitors bring in Jack Smith to guest for the injured Nathan Ablitt at reserve.
Said Parr: “If we can beat Scunthorpe and Workington and overcome both aggregate deficits then we can qualify!
“I know it will be difficult, but it all starts tonight, we need a big home performance.

“If you look at last week’s match, we know it was not a good performance but if Charles (Wright) was six inches to the left we would have won. We know we have riders in our side who are not firing at the moment, but Friday is about winning and getting a smile back on people’s faces.”
Scorpions promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We’re still in complete control of our destiny in the BSN Series group.  

“We’d love to win at Redcar to match what Workington did, while we’re definitely in a good place to win the aggregate point against Bears, with a 52-38 lead from the first leg.
“We’ve shown what we can do at the Eddie Wright Raceway this season with good wins over Redcar and Plymouth and this is our first chance to show what we are capable of on our travels.”

(SPEEDWAY 6)

EDINBURGH open their home NDL campaign tonight (Friday) with the visit of defending champions Oxford to Armadale.
Both teams are substantially changed from 2023 and the Monarchs Academy were beaten in their first fixture at Leicester, whilst the Chargers are in action for the first time.

Former Edinburgh rider Alex Spooner is ruled out for the visitors as he is not ready to resume after last year’s injuries, so Lee Harrison steps in.
Monarchs Academy captain Connor Coles said: “I need to lead by example. I am always hard on myself, so I kind of think who am I to tell them what to do if I am not doing a good job?
“So I will make sure I am performing, then I will feel more comfortable if I need to give the boys a bit of a talk at any point.
“I really feel this will be a good year though, we have a good team and I am really looking forward to leading them.”

(SPEEDWAY 7)

JACK Smith has joined the combined Scunthorpe/Sheffield team in the WSRA National Development League with Nathan Ablitt on the injury list.
Ablitt faces a period on the sidelines after cracking a bone in his ankle in a crash last week, and the move also enables Smith to stand in for him in the Scunthorpe senior team.

Promoter Rob Godfrey said: “Although Nathan has competed for Scorpions this season, he hasn’t ridden for the National League team we are running alongside Sheffield because we haven’t run a meeting, and therefore a facility wasn’t available for Nathan at that level.
“So we’ve signed Jack for that side, until Nathan is fit, and that also enables Jack to guest for Scorpions.
“It makes sense for both parties. Jack is a rider who can score and win races at Championship level, and he’s a top rider in the National League, while he has the perfect opportunity to put his name in the shop window by showing what he can do.”
 
(FIXTURES)

FRIDAY APRIL 19:
BSN SERIES: Glasgow (42) v Berwick (48) 7.30, Redcar (38) v Scunthorpe (52) 7.30
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Oxford 7.30

SATURDAY APRIL 20:
CAB DIRECT KO CUP Q/F 1st round 2nd leg: Plymouth (29) v Scunthorpe (61) 7pm
BSN SERIES: Workington (46) v Redcar (44) 3pm

SUNDAY APRIL 21:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester v Middlesbrough 3pm, Oxford v Edinburgh 3pm