BRITISH SPEEDWAY WEEKLY BULLETIN 2023 / 30

Feature photo by: Anthony Burchell….GLASGOW celebrated their first league title since 2011 after clinching the Cab Direct Championship at Poole last week. Chris Harris was once again inspirational for the Tigers as they defended their 14-point first leg advantage, restricting the Pirates to a 47-43 win on the night.

HERE’S our latest news and fixtures from around the tracks up and down the country.

SPORTS INSURE PREMIERSHIP NEWSROUND…

WOLVES SAY FAREWELL
WOLVERHAMPTON stage their last-ever meeting at their traditional home next Monday (October 23) with the Farewell to Monmore – We’ll Meet Again Trophy.
Monmore Green is unavailable for speedway from the end of this season leaving Wolves homeless for the 2024 campaign despite the clear need for and viability of the club.
Meanwhile, the popular Olympique Individual had a new winner this week as Australian ace Zach Cook took the title in the unique handicap event.
Cook was joined on the podium by Rory Schlein who equalled his best-ever result in the meeting with second place, whilst Tom Brennan was in the top three for the second year running as he finished third.

CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP NEWSROUND…

TIGERS MADE IT AT LAST
GLASGOW boss Cami Brown was in jubilant mood after the Tigers took the final step to become Cab Direct Championship winners.
The Ashfield side delivered a superb Grand Final display to defeat holders Poole, running up a 14-point in the first leg and never allowing the Pirates back into the tie at Wimborne Road as they won by ten overall.
Brown said: “I can’t explain how much this means for the club, the Facenna family owners and the fans.
“We’ve waited 12 years for this moment and to get the result against the mighty Poole Pirates is just out of this world.
“I’m so proud of every single one of the team, the backroom staff and the volunteers.
“This was the best performance from a Glasgow team I can remember for a very long time.”

PIRATES SEEK CUP CONSOLATION
POOLE star Zach Cook says a good performance at Scunthorpe leaves the Pirates well placed in the KO Cup Final.
Cook scored an impressive 14 points at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Sunday with his side going down to a narrow 43-47 first leg defeat as they look to take some trophy consolation from their league Grand Final defeat.
Cook said: “The good thing about this track is it’s a nice shape and there are plenty of racing lines if you know where to be, and it’s enjoyable.
“We had to put last week behind us but also use it as a bit of fire as well, and we kept it tight so it’s all to play for.”

DOUGLAS LEAVING SCORPIONS
SCUNTHORPE No.1 Ryan Douglas admits he’s had to take a tough decision to step away from the Championship next season.
Douglas has been an outstanding scorer for the Scorpions since returning to the club last year, but will be concentrating on weekend racing in Poland in 2024.
He said: “It hasn’t quite sunk in that I won’t be back for Scunthorpe next season, and it was a bit emotional after the final race, realising that was it. It was good to win that race and bow out with a win. “I’ve always enjoyed racing this track and it was good riding here every week. It wasn’t an easy thing to give up, but I’ve got to take the next step in my career.
“One thing I haven’t done is win team silverware with Scunthorpe, so it would mean a lot to me is to win the Cup with the club in my very final meeting with them at Poole.”

THE WEEK AHEAD… POOLE have delayed the second leg of the Championship KO Cup Final against Scunthorpe until Saturday… Birmingham make another attempt to stage the Alan Grahame Memorial on Wednesday… Redcar wrap up their campaign with the Teesside Silver Helmet on Friday.

ELSEWHERE: WORKINGTON have confirmed they will step up from the National Development League to the Championship next season and bring senior speedway to Northside for the first time.
Promoter Andrew Bain said: “We’re going to take Workington back to where they used to be, where we were at in 2018, so next year we’ll be back in the Championship.

“Everywhere you go you hear fans talking about how good the racing is, and we want to keep on progressing.
“We’ve got brilliant fans, they get well behind the team and they’re good travelling fans as well, so they really deserve it.”

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE NEWSROUND…

TITLE DECIDER THIS WEEK
DEFENDING champions Leicester face Oxford in the battle for the NDL title this week with a close contest expected.
The teams were separated by just one race point over their regular season encounters, and the clubs also have history in the play-offs as the Lion Cubs knocked the Chargers out on their way to the title last year.
Cubs boss Dave Howard said: “These will be massive meetings and a massive challenge for us. We will be giving everything to retain the NDL title as well as the KO Cup.”

Oxford manager Peter Schroeck said: “It won’t be easy – Leicester are a quality outfit and will push us hard in all 30 races. But we’re confident the boys will be in the best position possible to start filling that trophy cabinet.”

CUP FINAL DELAYED

LEICESTER and Mildenhall have still to resolve the NDL KO Cup Final after Saturday’s second leg was postponed due to track conditions at the East Midlands venue.
Co-promoter Stewart Dickson said: “After watching the parade lap, I did say in my track curator’s opinion that the moisture and the cold had set in, and it was too grippy.

“We are very apologetic that we’ve wasted a lot of people’s time, although on a day like today you’ve got try to get it on. I’m pretty sure that if we’d have called it off first thing on a glorious day, there would have been questions too.”

THE WEEK AHEAD… OXFORD and Leicester battle it out for the National Development League title with the first leg of the Grand Final at Cowley on Wednesday, and the return at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena, Beaumont Park on Saturday.

FIXTURE PICTURE…

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18:
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Poole (43) v Scunthorpe (47) OFF (Now Sat Oct 21)
NDL GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Oxford v Leicester 7.30
ALAN GRAHAME MEMORIAL: Birmingham v Cradley Heathens Select 7.30

FRIDAY OCTOBER 20:
TEESSIDE SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30

SATURDAY OCTOBER 21:
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Poole (43) v Scunthorpe (47) 7.30
NDL GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Leicester v Oxford 7pm

MONDAY OCTOBER 23:
FAREWELL TO MONMORE – WE’LL MEET AGAIN TROPHY: Wolverhampton 7.30

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 25:
BRITISH UNDER-19 FINAL: Birmingham 7.30
CHAMPIONSHIP JUBILEE LEAGUE FINAL: Poole v Leicester 7.30