BRITISH SPEEDWAY AUGUST 26, 2024

(SPEEDWAY 1)

THE CUBS ARE CHAMPS

LEICESTER have been crowned WSRA National Development League champions after a 47-43 win at Oxford on Sunday.
The Lion Cubs still have a 100 per cent record this season as they regained the title they last held in 2022 having missed out to the Chargers last year.

Reserve Max James piled up 16+1 at Cowley with captain Joe Thompson scoring 11 from four rides, whilst Luke Killeen scored 14 for the hosts who suffered a second home defeat of 2024.
Leicester boss Dave Howard said: “It was a great performance to get the win at Oxford – we knew we needed 43 points to get the aggregate point which would give us the league, but to win the whole meeting was fantastic.

“Max and Arran (Butcher) have been great at reserve in these last two matches in particular, but this was about the team overall, and to be unbeaten over the whole season with one match left and to have already won the league is an outstanding effort from the whole team.
“Joe started in the NDL in 2019 and he’s been in the team ever since, and we’re really thankful to him for his performances over the last six years in effect, and he’s also been a really good captain.”

 (SPEEDWAY 2)

BELLE Vue and Sheffield are set for a Bank Holiday War of the Roses double as the fierce rivals meet twice in one day today (Monday).
The action gets underway at the National Speedway Stadium, scene of a Tigers victory on their previous visit in May, at midday, prior to the return fixture at Owlerton at 7.30pm.

Both sides have already confirmed their places in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership, with Sheffield top of the table on 38 points and Belle Vue one of three teams on 34.
The Aces name a full-strength side whilst the Tigers have Tom Brennnan guesting for Tai Woffinden in the lunchtime meeting in Manchester, and Joe Thompson guests for Dan Gilkes at reserve in both.
Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “I want to see some real grit from the boys on Monday. They have been a dominant force on home shale all season long but I need them to really step things up.

“The play-offs are a unique point in any season. It feels like everyone raises their game and while we won’t show all our cards at once, I want to give the champions something to think about.
“We know we have the capabilities to really push them at Owlerton as well, and we’ve seen many other examples across the league of teams picking up points on the road.”

Sheffield manager Simon Stead said: “There was certainly a buzz around the camp after the win at Ipswich on Monday and hopefully we are able to put that to maximum effect heading to Belle Vue.
“We want to finish as high up that league table as we possibly can and there’s not many points at all separating the top four with just a few regular meetings to go each.
“You know what I always say, even more so in these big derby meetings, the volume our supporters make and the atmosphere they help create can play such a big part.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

BIRMINGHAM bid to end their losing sequence when they host injury-hit Ipswich in their final home ROWE Motor Oil Premiership match of the season tonight (Monday).
The Brummies have been beaten in several last heat deciders at Perry Barr recently, but one of their previous successes year did come against the Witches.

Rider replacement will be in operation for Piotr Pawlicki who will not be riding for the club this week whilst the Witches are forced into a staggering four changes.
In addition to their top two of Jason Doyle and Emil Sayfutdinov being out, Adam Ellis is not fit to return after his recent crash against Leicester, and Keynan Rew also misses out after he came to grief at Foxhall last Thursday.
Richard Lawson, Sam Masters, Troy Batchelor and Cameron Heeps take guest bookings for the visitors, who are desperate to see their problems ease in time for the Cup Final and play-offs.
Brummies star Tom Brennan said: “It’s been such a huge shame for the club, but you can clearly see the amount of effort going into this.

“We all know how to ride a bike and we all obviously know how to ride a bike at a very high level – but unfortunately we seem to fire at different stages.
“Everyone is trying really hard and all we can do is try and finish as strong as we can.”
Ipswich manager Ritchie Hawkins said: “We head to Birmingham with a patched-up side full of guests. It is not something we want to be doing, but it is the situation we are in at the moment.
“The main focus is on the Cup Final now, but we have got Birmingham home and away and they have struggled this year.
“We are focused on getting two wins to get back into winning ways before the Cup Final.”

(FIXTURES)

MONDAY AUGUST 26:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Belle Vue v Sheffield 12pm, Birmingham v Ipswich 7.30, Sheffield v Belle Vue 7.30

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 28:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: King’s Lynn (37) v Belle Vue (53) 7.30

THURSDAY AUGUST 29:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Ipswich v Birmingham 7.30, King’s Lynn (31) v Sheffield (58) 7.30, Oxford (37) v Leicester (53) 7.30

FRIDAY AUGUST 30:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh (40) v Poole (50) 7.30, Glasgow (40) v Redcar (50) 7.30, Scunthorpe (34) v Oxford (55) 7pm
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Edinburgh 7.30, Scunthorpe v Oxford (follows Champ fixture)
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP: Belle Vue (prior to NDL fixture) (250cc/125A)