BRITISH SPEEDWAY APRIL 20, 2024

(SPEEDWAY 1)

SCORPIONS’ UNBEATEN START TO SEASON

SCUNTHORPE completed a BSN Series double over Redcar with a 48-42 win at the ECCO Arena to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

Michael Palm Toft was unbeaten once again for the Scorpions, this time going through the card on his old home track with 14+1 as the visitors came back from an eight-point deficit after six heats.
The home side still led 40-38 with two races remaining but captain Charles Wright had crashed out in Heat 7, and Palm Toft teamed up with youngster Luke Harrison and then Kyle Howarth for 5-1s to turn the match in Scunthorpe’s favour.

Jason Edwards impressed for the home side with 11+1 but the Bears are still searching for their first win of the season.
Scunthorpe manager David Howe said: “It was a proper team effort tonight. Obviously, Michael’s performance stood out with another maximum, but all the boys chipped in.

“I am proud of the way kept on battling away. This was the first time we’ve really been put under pressure this season and the boys came through.”
Redcar boss Gavin Parr said: “Nobody is more frustrated than me at the moment, we are desperate to win meetings and I don’t think we are too far away from that happening.”
 
(SPEEDWAY 2)

GLASGOW are off the mark in the Northern section of the BSN Series courtesy of a win and a vital aggregate point over Berwick.
The Tigers defeated the Bandits 50-40 at Ashfield, overturning a six-point margin from their recent clash at Shielfield Park, with their matches against Edinburgh still to come.

Guest Claus Vissing made an impressive return for his old club with 13 points, whilst captain Chris Harris added 12+1. Drew Kemp won three races for the Bandits and scored nine.
Glasgow manager Cami Brown said: “We always knew that it was going to be tough. But we had to battle hard to get the win we so badly needed.

“Berwick had a couple of trump cards in Drew Kemp and Bastian Borke. However, we dug deep when we had to. Thankfully our guest Claus Vissing was outstanding.”
Berwick boss Stewart Dickson said: “It’s disappointing that our winning run has ended but I think we kept our heads down and battled hard even when things weren’t going well for us.
“Drew and Bastian (Borke) were especially impressive, but it now becomes a question of how we respond at Edinburgh next Friday.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

WSRA National Development League champions Oxford made a dream start to 2024 with a 45-44 win in an eventful clash at Edinburgh.
Jody Scott was the hero for the Chargers as he got the better of home duo Dayle Wood and Max Perry in a last heat decider after his team-mate Luke Killeen had fallen.

Scott scored 13 points from five rides whilst Killeen won his first three outings to finish on nine. Wood scored 13 for the Monarchs Academy.
Scott said: “Along with winning the league at the end of last season, that’s the most amazing feeling I’ve had riding speedway. To go out in the last-heat decider and win the race is amazing – I am buzzing.

“I didn’t know Luke had come down on the second bend. I just knew if I could get into the lead and then keep it, then that would be enough. I was elbow-to-elbow with Dayle and managed to get ahead and then I made sure I stayed on the right line.”
Wood said: “A few silly points thrown away by the team but that’s all part of racing.
“I felt really good on the bike, everything was working well which makes it easier – I hope to push on like that for the rest of the season.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

WORKINGTON look to do the double over Redcar when the sides meet in the BSN Series today (Saturday).
The Comets produced a stunning comeback on Teesside last week and are now going for a home victory which would enable them to keep pace with Scunthorpe at the top of the Northern group.

Workington promoter Andrew Bain said: “We go into today’s BSN Series meeting on the back of a fabulous win at the Bears’ ECCO Arena eight days ago, a thrilling victory and a wonderful way to get over the line with a 5-1 in the last heat decider.
“It just shows what we have the potential to do this year, but we know that the Bears will be smarting and eager to seek some revenge today.”

Meanwhile Redcar have booked Justin Sedgmen to guest for Charles Wright, who is out after suffering a shoulder injury in a crash last night.
Manager Gavin Parr said: “The BSN Series (for Redcar) is over, so hopefully the boys can go out on the bike, relax and get the result we want.
“Jonas (Knudsen) should love the track. Workington’s track is a bit like Poland with big, open spaces so he should really go well today!”

(SPEEDWAY 5)

PLYMOUTH race at home for the first time in 2024 when they host Scunthorpe in the Cab Direct KO Cup tonight (Saturday).
The Scorpions, who are the defending Cup holders, are strong favourites to progress to the quarter-finals following their 32-point margin of victory at the Eddie Wright Raceway last week.

They will once again track Jack Smith at reserve as he stands in for the injured Nathan Ablitt.
Scunthorpe manager David Howe said: “It’s fantastic that we’ve started the season with three wins, and we’d love to keep the momentum going at Plymouth in the cup match.
“We’ve got a 61-29 lead from the first leg and our main objective is to win to aggregate. But we’ll look at the score after six or seven races down there, and see if it is possible to go for the victory on the night as well.”
 
(FIXTURES)

SATURDAY APRIL 20:
CAB DIRECT KO CUP Q/F 1st round 2nd leg: Plymouth (29) v Scunthorpe (61) 7pm
BSN SERIES: Workington (46) v Redcar (44) 3pm

SUNDAY APRIL 21:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester v Middlesbrough 3pm, Oxford v Edinburgh 3pm

MONDAY APRIL 22:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Belle Vue (39) v Ipswich (51) 7.30, King’s Lynn (32) v Sheffield (58) 7.30