BRITISH SPEEDWAY AUGUST 29, 2023

(SPEEDWAY 1)

LIONS WANT KERR

LEICESTER have moved to sign Lewis Kerr following his release form Sports Insure Premiership rivals Sheffield.
Kerr joins the Lions for their final two matches as they look to cling on to a play-off place, with Craig Cook making way.
Manager Stewart Dickson said: “Lewi is experienced and he knows what he has to do, he needs to help us win at Wolverhampton next Monday ideally, and if we get in the play-offs we know he rides Leicester well.
“It’s all amicable with Craig, I had a chat with him and he understands our position. The important thing for him is that he gets back to scoring points with Edinburgh, and who knows what the future may hold.”
 
(SPEEDWAY 2)

BELLE VUE slammed Leicester 61-29 to complete their home Sports Insure Premiership programme in devastating form.
The Aces are virtually certain to finish top of the table and achieved the result with 14 of the 15 race winners, Australian star Jaimon Lidsey scoring a 12-point maximum.

Brady Kurtz (13+1) and Dan Bewley (12) were also unbeaten from their first four rides before Max Fricke finally gave the Lions a consolation win in Heat 15.
Meanwhile CLRC winner Charles Wright overcame a broken finger to score 7+3 – and he says the Aces are in fine shape.
He said: “This was a brilliant result for us. It was so crucial not only for us to get the win over Leicester but that aggregate point was a must, and going into it 14 points was a lot to overhaul.

“But we not only achieved that, we went onto win by 18 on aggregate which is phenomenal and sends a very clear message to the other clubs before the play-offs.
“It’s been a tough 24 hours for myself, but very rewarding too. Winning the Championship Riders Individual at Redcar on Sunday was very special and the result at Belle Vue was the icing on the cake.”
The defending champions now await their play-off opponents and will race the home leg of their semi-final on September 18.

(SPEEDWAY 3)
 
WOLVERHAMPTON sealed their Sports Insure Premiership play-off place with a thumping 55-35 win over Sheffield.
Ryan Douglas raced to a 12+3 paid maximum for the Monmore side, and his middle-order paring with Luke Becker paid huge dividends as the American notched 11+1.     

The Tigers have still to mathematically clinch their own top four finish, with their team set to undergo changes before Thursday. Tai Woffinden top-scored on his old home track with 9+1.
Douglas said: “To do that against Sheffield at this stage of the year was really good. Even with Sam (Masters), who normally leads from the front, probably not having his best night, that goes to show how strong a team performance it was.

“I find when myself and Becker go well in the middle there and when one of the reserves is going well, we can beat anyone.
“I wouldn’t say it’s extra pressure but it does also remind us what this team can do if we’re firing.”

Tigers boss Simon Stead said: “I’m glad that one’s over. That was a tough night for us and I think it was always going to be.
“But it’s finished and gone and with the team changes now made, it means we can look forward to a really important home fixture against King’s Lynn on Thursday knowing that we’ll have a full 1-7.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

LEICESTER gave their play-off hopes a boost with a 57-33 victory over King’s Lynn to end a seven-match winless run.
The Lions are now back in the top four of the Sports Insure Premiership but may still need points on the road next week at Wolverhampton and/or Peterborough depending on how rivals Ipswich fare at King’s Lynn.
Max Fricke scored 13 from five rides against the Stars with Richie Worrall chipping in with 11+2 whilst Dan Bewley made a guest appearance and scored 11+1.

Robert Lambert racked up 16 for the visitors, including four wins, and he ended Fricke’s maximum chances with victories in Heats 13 and 15, whilst skipper Simon Lambert scored 6+1 and took the scalp of Bewley in Heat 9.
Leicester boss Stewart Dickson said: “That was much more like it, and it was the sort of performance we’ve been needing to get the confidence levels up right through the whole team.
“Everybody contributed, which is good from a team manager’s point of view, and we’re pleased to get the three points which puts us in the play-off spots – and that’s where we hope to stay.”

(SPEEDWAY 5)

IPSWICH are through to the Premiership KO Cup Final after restricting Peterborough to a 48-42 win in the second leg at the East of England Arena.
The Witches led the semi-final tie by 24 points from the earlier Foxhall meeting and were never seriously threatened after Jason Doyle and Erik Riss took a 5-1 in Heat 5, and they now face Sheffield in the Final.
Panthers captain Chris Harris put on a great show with 13+1 from five rides including wins over Doyle and Emil Sayfutdinov, with the Witches’ big two scoring 12 and 10+1 respectively.

Reserve Ben Cook weighed in with 12+1 for the Panthers but weekend signing Artem Laguta scored just one.
Ipswich manager Ritchie Hawkins said: “A good performance again against a really strong Peterborough team now. We didn’t let ourselves get into a position to worry and I leave the meeting very happy with the team.
“It is nice to see Keynan (Rew) and Erik doing well and I thought Danyon (Hume) rode better than his two points. Everyone contributed to the aggregate win, and we keep going on into the Cup Final, and it keeps morale high going into the massive meeting next week.”

Panthers boss Rob Lyon said: “With a six-point lead after four races I thought we could chip away and possibly have a chance of going through.
“Unfortunately they got a 5-1 in Heat 5 which was the turning point, and they kept themselves in the match enough to get the overall victory.
“It was the Bomber of old tonight, and we still know what he’s capable of at 40 years of age. He can still turn it on, that’s the way he is, and it was a great performance.”

(SPEEDWAY 6)

PLYMOUTH host Edinburgh tonight (Tuesday) with the Monarchs looking to go clear in the race for a top six place in the Cab Direct Championship.
The visitors currently hold the final play-off position and this their match in hand over Birmingham, who are level on points.
Meanwhile the Gladiators are chasing just their second win of the league season as they look to move above Berwick and keep their own outside chances alive.

(SPEEDWAY 7)

BERWICK owners Scott and Jamie Courtney have confirmed they will be back for an eighth season in charge next year.
The Bandits have suffered a disappointing campaign but are committed to running in 2024, although the club will step away from involvement in the National Development League.

Scott Courtney said: “After three seasons of competing in the NDL, the club will be taking a break from that level.
“The Bullets have been almost entirely funded by me and Jamie with the level of support nowhere near to covering the costs of the experiment.

“After an incredibly demanding season on and off the track, we have made the decision to channel our attention towards the Bandits and a revamped youth system for 2024 and moving forward.
“The reality is that Berwick Speedway has always been more than just a team that enters a league year in year out. Berwick Speedway is bigger and more valuable to the sport than we are all probably feeling right now.”

(SPEEDWAY 8)

THE third round of four in the FIM European 250cc Pairs takes place at the Marketa Stadium in Prague this afternoon (Tuesday) where Great Britain will again be represented by William Cairns and Cooper Rushen.
In the first two rounds in Slovenia and Sweden the British team were unfortunate not to have made the latter stages, which would have enabled them to challenge for a top three finish, but with rounds this afternoon and then on Thursday in Bydgoscz, Poland the GB team needs a strong finish to this series to have any hope of challenging for the bronze medal overall.
The Young Lions would like to thank the British Youth Sponsors for their support of supplying tyres for these events.
 
(FIXTURES)

TUESDAY AUGUST 29:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Plymouth v Edinburgh 7pm

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 30:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Poole (54) v Birmingham (36) 7.30

THURSDAY AUGUST 31:
SPORTS INSURE PREMIERSHIP R2: Peterborough (45) v Wolverhampton (45) 7.30, Sheffield (57) v King’s Lynn (33) 7.30

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 1:
CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRS: Oxford 7.30