BRITISH SPEEDWAY JUNE 3, 2024

(SPEEDWAY 1)

HAGON IS THE CHAMP

SAM Hagon was crowned British Under-21 Champion with a superb performance to take the title at Glasgow on Sunday.
Hagon, who had come through the qualifying round at Plymouth earlier in the season, upstaged pre-meeting favourite Leon Flint in the Final for the biggest result of his career.

The Leicester, Poole and Belle Vue Colts rider made it through to the Final on 13 points with Flint leading the scores on 14 – dropping his only point to Hagon – and they were joined from the semi-final by Ashton Boughen and Joe Thompson.
Hagon made the start in the decider with a dramatic first lap seeing Boughen bouncing off the fence before Flint came through for second place.

Said Hagon: “I’m a bit speechless, but I knew I was quick enough after beating Leon, who was the best one and was unbeaten apart from that. “Thanks to everyone who has sponsored me and helped me, I’m just over the moon. I wanted it so badly, and I got it.”
The defeated semi-finalists were Luke Killeen and surprise package Vinnie Foord, whilst another of the favourites Dan Thompson was ruled out with illness after two rides.
 
(SPEEDWAY 2)

IPSWICH manager Ritchie Hawkins hopes Jason Doyle can still have an influence on the Witches’ title challenge in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.
Doyle announced over the weekend that he will miss the remainder of the season as he undergoes surgery on his shoulder following his crash at King’s Lynn last month.

It’s a massive blow for the Foxhall club, who are currently top of the league table, and it also takes the Australian out of the battle for the World title.
Hawkins said: “All of us at the club are gutted with the news on Jason’s injury, not just for us but for him personally.
“He has started the season flying and was really looking set to attack the Grand Prix and fight for another World title.
“He was in superb form all over the world and it is a huge loss for us, but I’m sure he will stay around the team and the club because his influence and presence will still contribute and be a bonus for the team.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

OXFORD meet Leicester in a big ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash tonight (Monday) involving teams either side of the play-off line.
The Lions won 54-36 when they met in the East Midlands last week, moving them level on points with Spires and into fourth place with a match in hand.

A home win is therefore crucial for Oxford, who bring Lewis Kerr back into the side with Erik Riss moving to reserve – whilst ironically Kerr’s temporary replacement Craig Cook makes a rapid return to Cowley as he now rides for the Lions.
Spires manager Peter Schroeck said: “Our main aim will be to make sure that we win the meeting. It’s too early to be looking at the league table in too much detail, but at the same time, we know it’s important to beat them.
“That’s your bread and butter in any case – to win your home meetings.

“We will also go into the meeting seeking the aggregate point. I’m not naïve and I realise that overturning 18 points at this level is going to be tough, but if the opportunity comes to grab that extra point, we’ll take it.”
Lions boss Stewart Dickson said: “We’re 18 points up from last Monday which obviously puts us in a decent position for the aggregate point.

“But it’s a big, big meeting for us and if we can get a win on the night as well it could be very significant for the play-offs.
“We were disappointed to go out of the Cup last week but now it’s about moving on to Monday night. We have riders who know the Oxford track and can go well there, and it’s definitely one we want to win.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

BIRMINGHAM and Ipswich kick off their Premiership KO Cup semi-final with the first leg at Perry Barr tonight (Monday).
It will be the Witches’ second visit to the West Midlands in the space of eight days, but once again they are forced into changes due to their injury crisis.
Scott Nicholls and Norick Blodorn guest for Danny King and Adam Ellis, with rider replacement in operation for Jason Doyle.
The Brummies also operate rider replacement as skipper Steve Worrall is ruled out with illness, whilst new averages have Polish star Piotr Pawlicki racing at reserve.

Birmingham boss Sam Ermolenko said: “We showed what we’re capable of against Ipswich last Monday and we’re looking for something similar this time around.
“The new riding order is interesting shall we say, and to have someone like Piotr at reserve could make us stronger.
“We want to be in that Cup Final, we want to do it for the club as whole and of course for the supporters, so hopefully they come out and get behind the riders and it should be another exciting race meeting.”
Ipswich manager Ritchie Hawkins said: “We struggled last Monday but this is a Cup semi-final now and we want to retain that trophy. We were so proud to win it last year and we want to keep hold of it.

“It is a big week for the boys, and we are determined to qualify, and I feel we are in a better position this week than we were last week, a few of the boys being there recently should help them and we have the team line-up better this week.
“After our performance last Thursday which I thought was brilliant in the circumstances hopefully we can carry on that confidence, and we are going there looking to win the meeting and set ourselves up for Thursday.”

(FIXTURES)

MONDAY JUNE 3:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Oxford (36) v Leicester (54) 7.30
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Birmingham v Ipswich 7.30

TUESDAY JUNE 4:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Plymouth v Redcar 7pm

WEDNESDAY JUNE 5:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Oxford v Scunthorpe 7.30, Poole v Redcar 7.30

THURSDAY JUNE 6:
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Ipswich v Birmingham 7.30; 1st leg: King’s Lynn v Sheffield 7.30