BRITISH SPEEDWAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2024

(SPEEDWAY 1)

COOK SIDELINED

BEN Cook has been ruled out of Grand Finals for both of his clubs next week following his crash at Sheffield on Thursday.
The Australian thankfully avoided serious injury in the Heat 10 accident with scans coming back all clear, but he will be missing for at least nine days due to a heavy bout of concussion.

That puts him out of Belle Vue’s ROWE Motor Oil Premiership title decider against Leicester, as well as Poole’s upcoming clashes with Oxford in the Cab Direct Championship.
Pirates promoter Dan Ford said: “We are obviously disappointed for Ben but I am thankful that he’s avoided serious injury. He has been fantastic for us all season, both as a rider and a leader.

“It’s a big loss not to have him on the track for the Grand Final but he’ll still be there in the pits, supporting the team.
“We’re hoping to have him back for the other Finals, but sadly he will miss both legs against Oxford. We will have to bring in guest riders to cover but we will be giving it everything.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

SCUNTHORPE booked their place in the BSN Series Final with a 48-42 home win over Edinburgh for a 15-point aggregate success.
The Scorpions will now face Poole in the Final, and dates have been confirmed with the first leg to take place at the Eddie Wright Raceway next Sunday (September 29, 5.30pm) and the return at Wimborne Road on Wednesday October 2.
Monarchs No.1 Josh Pickering starred in the second leg of the semi with a 15-point maximum but the Scorpions produced a stronger all-round display.

Youngster Luke Harrison excelled with 11+2 and Jake Allen added 10+1 with the Scorpions now earning another clash with the Pirates after exiting the Cab Direct KO Cup to the same opponents.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We’d love to finish the season with another trophy in the cabinet, after we won the Cup last season. It would be a fitting reward for our efforts throughout the season.
“I feel we’ve been a bit unlucky elsewhere, but we’ve got a chance to finish the season on a high for the second successive year.

“It’s been a pleasure to watch Luke’s progress this season – he’s still only 17 years old and he’s just passed his driving test. This season, a number of teams put in youngsters like Luke on a two-point average and I believe British Speedway will reap the rewards in the years to come.”
Pickering said: “For me my goal was to go out making a statement, everyone knows I am dropping this league and for a reason, to focus and progress even more, so to end on a full 15 and go out on a good note, I can’t be unhappy personally.
“A lot of what ifs this season and unfortunately there were too many nights we haven’t performed as a full 1-7, and the damage was done in the first leg at home.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

EDINBURGH moved up to fourth place in the WSRA NDL with a dramatic 46-44 win at Middlesbrough.
Home racer Ben Trigger completed a 15-point maximum in the final race, which looked to heading towards a 5-1 and a Super Heat until Danny Phillips slowed with a puncture and Monarchs Academy guest Jacob Clouting took the vital second place.
Clouting and Dayle Wood both scored 10 for the Academy with Wood crashing out of the initial running of Heat 15, whilst Phillips backed up Trigger with 11 for the Tigers but Jake Mulford, who won his first three rides, missed the closing stages as he was feeling unwell.

Edinburgh boss Scott Wilson said: “I think this is the result we’ve deserved all season. We got one or two breaks during the meeting, but I do feel that we deserved to win.
“We started well and built up a good lead, but we knew Middlesbrough would come back at us, which they did.
“We looked to have it all sewn up in Heat 15 and then things got a bit more dramatic with a coming together and an exclusion for Dayle. Fortunately we got over the line in the re-run.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)
 
WSRA NDL champions Leicester have the opportunity to complete a 100 per cent season when they complete their campaign at Edinburgh tonight (Saturday).
The Lion Cubs clinched the league title last month and have won all nine of their fixtures so far.
But the Monarchs Academy go into the meeting in good sprits after winning at Middlesbrough on Friday, and they bring in Harry McGurk to guest for Mason Watson who is out with rib injuries.

There is one change to the Leicester line-up with Luke Crang absent due to work commitments, and his place is taken by Lee Harrison.
Academy manager Scott Wilson said: “It presents a tough task for us as Leicester arrive already crowned as league champions and have won every match so far this season. Only we can stop them recording a perfect season!
“I’m sure the team will use this as extra motivation and battle hard to end the season with a win.”

(FIXTURES)

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Edinburgh (34) v Leicester (56) 7pm

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22:
BRITISH UNDER-19 FINAL: Oxford 3pm

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 23:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Belle Vue v Leicester 7.30

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Oxford v Poole 7.30