BRITISH SPEEDWAY JULY 23, 2024

(SPEEDWAY 1)

SHEFFIELD’S WINNING RETURN

SHEFFIELD ended a four-match losing sequence on the road with a hard-fought 47-43 win at Birmingham on Monday.
The result narrowed the gap at the top of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership with the defending champions now five points behind leaders Ipswich with one match in hand.

They had to overturn an early deficit at Perry Barr and were taken to a last-heat decider after a Brummies 5-1 in Heat 14.
But the visiting pair managed to keep home captain Fredrik Lindgren at the back of Heat 15 to secure the away victory.
Lindgren had earlier scored 13+1 for the Brummies with guest Zach Cook notching 10, whilst Max Fricke stood in for Tai Woffinden for Sheffield and scored 12.

Tigers boss Simon Stead said: “I felt having gate choice in Heat 15 could prove vital and that did prove to be the case.
“We just had to make sure we didn’t finish last and Jack and Max rode well together to make sure that didn’t happen and got us over the line.
“It is difficult getting the right guests but it’s something we’ve been doing pretty well lately; Max was brilliant for us and he fitted into the team really well.”

Birmingham manager Sam Ermolenko said: “Freddie had the choice of taking gate two or four in Heat 15, he let Zach have two which was the better gate and he did great. Freddie battled hard but just couldn’t get over.
“We’re still working on building a solid team and when you’re patching things up with guest riders and not having your 1-7 it is hard.
“It’s hard to get it consistent at the moment, we’re still working on it, and when it does click we’ll be a force.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

BELLE Vue stars Brady Kurtz and Dan Bewley conjured a big finish for the Aces to secure the aggregate point against Oxford.
Kurtz and Bewley combined for 5-1s in Heats 13 and 15 of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash as the home side won 54-36, overturning a 16-point deficit from their defeat at Cowley last week.
The final race of the night was a thriller with the Aces riders coming from the back against Spires duo Maciej Janowski and Rohan Tungate.

Kurtz and Bewley both scored 13+1 for the hosts who saw Jaimon Lidsey walk away from a heavy crash in Heat 3 and continue in the meeting, whilst Tungate scored ten for the Spires.
Said Kurtz: “They have a lot of class riders in their team so beating them is never easy. We really wanted that aggregate bonus point, especially after last Thursday I think we redeemed ourselves.
“It was a real team effort to get this result. Everybody chipped in and did their bit, and that’s what we really need to be doing as we get closer to the play-offs.”

Oxford manager Peter Schroeck said: “It’s very deflating to come here with a 16-point lead and not take away the aggregate point.
“We didn’t really lose it in Heat 13 or 15, you know what can happen in those races around here with Belle Vue have their big guns out. The last race was exciting to watch for the supporters, with the wall of death stuff from Brady Kurtz.
“We lost the aggregate point in other races where we should have scored more. It could prove costly at the end of the season and we need to make up for it elsewhere.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

POOLE promoter Dan Ford says the events of last October will be a motivating force in Wednesday’s Cab Direct KO Cup semi-final clash with Scunthorpe.
The Scorpions secured the trophy with a superb display at Wimborne Road to defend a 47-43 first leg lead, and the clubs now meet again in the last four of the 2024 competition.

Ford said: “I don’t think we will ever be able to erase the memories of that night, to be honest.
“They just stubbornly refused us to get any consistency in our scores to be able to pull back the first leg deficit, which to our credit we had been able to hold to just four points.
“Meeting Scunthorpe again and with a Final waiting around the corner, I believe that we have all the motivation we need.”
 
(FIXTURES)

WEDNESDAY JULY 24:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Oxford v Berwick 7.30
CAB DIRECT KO CUP SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Poole v Scunthorpe 7.30

THURSDAY JULY 25:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: King’s Lynn v Ipswich 7.30, Leicester (42) v Belle Vue (48) 7.30, Sheffield (42) v Oxford (48) 7.30

FRIDAY JULY 26:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh v Berwick 7.30, Glasgow v Poole 7.30, Scunthorpe (39) v Workington (51) 7.30
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Middlesbrough (34) v Oxford (55) 7.30
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP: Redcar (follows NDL fixture) (500cc/125cc support)