BRITISH SPEEDWAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

(SPEEDWAY 1)

DOYLE AND WITCHES TEAM FACE ULTIMATE TEST

IPSWICH star Jason Doyle says the club and its supporters deserve their sensational climax to the season – with one big test to come.

The Witches host Sheffield on Monday in the first leg of the Sports Insure Premiership Grand Final after making their way into the play-offs in the closing stages of the regular campaign, and then putting out champions Belle Vue in the semi-finals. They are also chasing a double after securing the KO Cup earlier this month – ironically against their opponents in the league decider.

Doyle said: “The Ipswich club and Witches fans deserve this after so many years of heartache, not winning any silverware.
“To finally get silverware this year with the Knockout Cup is great, now we have the chance to make it a double. It would be amazing.
“I can honestly say – and I mean this – I have never ridden in a team where the atmosphere has been so good.

“It showed at Belle Vue when we were up against it, and it meant so much when we made it into the Final. It wasn’t just for the riders on the track, it was for the mechanics, the whole outfit in the pits, the fans, everyone. The amount of support we have and especially from the fans is something special.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

SCUNTHORPE gained the upper hand in their Championship KO Cup semi-final with a 54-36 home win over Redcar in the first leg.
The Scorpions were held to just a two-point lead in the first half of the meeting but stretched clear from Heat 9 onwards to build a sizeable advantage.
Ryan Douglas scored 14, going unbeaten after dropping a point to Danny King in his first ride, whilst Michael Palm Toft scored 9+2 and Jake Allen 9+1 in a solid display for the home side. King top-scored for the Bears with 9+1.
 
(SPEEDWAY 3)

POOLE completed an unbeaten run in Group A of the Cab Direct Championship play-offs with a 54-36 win at Edinburgh.
The Pirates again displayed a liking for Armadale with Kyle Newman again in great form at reserve with 14+3, whilst Steve Worrall (12), Richard Lawson (11+2) and Zach Cook (11) joined him in double figures.
The result was made more empathic by the visitors securing 5-1s in each of the last three races.

Josh Pickering scored 15 for the Monarchs as a tough season comes to an end, whilst Poole await news of their Grand Final opponents, with Group B to be resolved between Glasgow and Oxford next Tuesday.
Pickering then confirmed to the home supporters that he will be moving on in 2024 after seven seasons at Armadale.
Newman said: “It was a great night for me, good night for the boys, we got the win we came for, a debut win for our stand-in team manager (Stephen Allen) so good all round and sets us up for the Finals.

“I know Ben (Cook) had a few mechanical problems but hey, it’s best to get them out the way in a meeting like this and not in the Finals.”
Edinburgh boss Alex Harkess said: “Up until Heat 12 we were making a real fight of it. The lads were really trying hard and there was some great racing.
“If we had had a No.1 scoring double figures it could have been a much closer match, that was the problem we had.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

LEICESTER warmed up for two big NDL Finals next month with a 61-28 win over Mildenhall in their final regular league match of the season.
The Lion Cubs are still unbeaten at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena, Beaumont Park since joining the league in 2019, and they have finished four points clear at the top of the table.
Max Perry top-scored with 15 points from six rides and Ashton Boughen added 14, with guest Max Clegg on 12+2.
Alfie Bowtell scored 11 for the Fen Tigers, who face the same opposition in the KO Cup Final next month.

Leicester boss Dave Howard said: “There was some really good racing and great performances by all the guys, so it keeps us in that positive mindset for the Cup Final and league Final to come.
“Vinnie was on a paid maximum from his first three rides and Max James again had some great rides, Ashton had a great meeting and Max Perry is just coming on so fast around this track.
“Tom Spencer got a really good win in his last race, and Max Clegg was really good as our guest at No.1, so it was a positive night for everybody and that’s what we want to take into the two Finals.”

(SPEEDWAY 5)

REDCAR have brought forward the start time for Stuart Robson’s Farewell Meeting which will now take place at 2pm today (Saturday).
The schedule has been advanced by three hours in a bid to beat the weather with rain forecast for later in the day, in a meeting which has already been called off on several occasions.

Robson’s former team-mates Chris Harris and Danny King lead the line-up for an Individual event which also includes Youth and Upright demonstration races.
He retired at the end of the 2018 season after a career spanning 25 years, including extensive spells with Coventry, Newcastle, Rye House and Lakeside, as well as a season at Redcar in 2015.

Robson said: “I can see Chris Harris, Danny King and Norick Blodorn fighting for the title. Danny obviously has home track knowledge, Norick could go well but I think Chris is the clear favourite.
“Hopefully a few of the younger lads will cause some upsets! We have riders such as Freddy Hodder and Ashton Boughen in the meeting and hopefully they can learn and make an impact.”

 (FIXTURES)

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 30:
STUART ROBSON FAREWELL: Redcar 2pm

MONDAY OCTOBER 2:
SPORTS INSURE PREMIERSHIP GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Ipswich v Sheffield 7.30

TUESDAY OCTOBER 3:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF GROUP B: Glasgow (40) v Oxford (50) 7.30