BRITISH SPEEDWAY JUNE 9, 2022

Date: Thursday June 9, 2022

(SPEEDWAY 1)

LEICESTER ENDS POOLE’S WINNING RUN AT HOME

LEICESTER smashed Poole’s 23-match unbeaten home run with a 47-43 victory in Wednesday’s top-of-the-table clash at Wimborne Road.

The Lions are now eight points clear at the top of the Championship after their seventh win in succession, and their fourth on the road in that period.

Reserve Dan Thompson was the hero for the visitors as he piled up 11+2, with skipper Kyle Howarth adding 11 as the Lions led throughout the meeting and sealed their win with Thompson’s second place in Heat 14.

Richard Lawson scored 13+1 for the Pirates with Steve Worrall on 12, but Thompson’s dominance at reserve swung the meeting.
Lions boss Stewart Dickson said: “I don’t know if I’m doing a dis-service to my riders to say it’s a surprising result, but it was a really pleasing result and performance.

“We started very strongly, and to make them use a tactical at home says something about the way we’re racing at the moment. 

“I don’t like to single riders out, but Dan Thompson does deserve special praise, especially for Heat 12 when he beat Steve Worrall, and that was the catalyst to get us over the line. To take a scalp like that was very impressive.”

Lawson said: “Sadly it didn’t go our way tonight and I apologise to the fans for that. We were trying everything all night but some things just didn’t happen, but I am sure that we will learn from this and we won’t be repeating this.

“We know what to do and what not to do, and we are determined to put things right.”
“There is no doubt that we are a good team and will be continuing our fight for top spot and we have it in us to achieve that.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

EDINBURGH surged into the Championship play-off places with a big finish to win 50-40 at Birmingham.

The Monarchs trailed by two points with three races remaining but ended with three successive 5-1s, two of them coming from the Sam Masters/Josh Pickering combination, whilst former Brummie Paco Castagna teamed up with guest Jason Edwards in Heat 14.

Masters scored 14 for the Monarchs, dropping his only point to Justin Sedgmen in Heat 5, whilst Pickering and Edwards both scored 10+2. Stefan Nielsen top-scored for the Brummies with 10+1.

Masters said: “I made a blinder in Heat 15 and was looking back every lap and Josh was in a different position every time, so he had the hard job.

“But it was a great way to finish and good for the boys and the team to get the four points, we needed to get those points while Birmingham are struggling a bit, so we have done our jobs tonight.

“We had a bit of a slow start to the season, but hopefully we are on a roll now and we can head for the play-offs – that’s the aim for sure.”
Birmingham boss Laurence Rogers said: “It is disappointing because at times there we weren’t far away at all – but it’s another defeat.

“I was pleased we grabbed the lead back going into the interval, but in all honesty we needed it to be more at that stage.
“I was disappointed with the way the last three races went, but their top two are in stunning form this season, so what can you say?”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

SHEFFIELD bid to turn the tables on Wolverhampton when the sides meet in a big Premiership clash at Owlerton tonight (Thursday).

The Tigers’ only defeats of 2022 have been suffered at the hands of Wolves, who secured an impressive 54-36 victory in last week’s clash at Monmore.
Both sides name full-strength line-ups with Steve Worrall back for the visitors after missing Monday’s abandoned home match against Peterborough.

Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “Wolverhampton have already proved they are capable of coming here and winning, so we need to step things up again on Thursday, apply ourselves how we did against Belle Vue a fortnight ago and aim to get back to winning ways.

“I couldn’t fully, and still can’t, put my finger on it [the defeat at Wolverhampton] but as I said after that meeting, it’s about how we bounce back from that, and we have to come back better for it. 

“We have to draw a line in the sand and refocus ahead of Thursday.”
Wolves skipper Sam Masters said: “Of course it would be nice if we could go there and win again like we did last time.

“They’re going to need to up their game to beat us, because they already know that we’re good around there.
“But they are a good team too, they had an awesome start to the season, so we need to make sure we’re at our best also.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

KING’S Lynn host Ipswich in an important East Anglian local derby at the Adrian Flux Arena tonight (Thursday).
The Witches should go back to the top of the table if they avoid defeat in Norfolk, whilst if the Stars can continue their recent good form they could move into the play-off places.

The visitors have Erik Riss back in the side after his Grand Prix qualifier, and they continue to operate rider-replacement for the injured Paul Starke.
Stars co-promoter Dale Allitt said: “It’s been a very positive start overall and hopefully we can continue that against Ipswich.

“It’s always a meeting the supporters build up to with bragging rights on the line – and after they just about snatched it from us last Thursday, we’re determined to repay the favour this week.

“Having said that, I actually think this is potentially our biggest ask yet at home and could be a real indicator of just exactly where we’re at.”

Witches boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “Obviously we go into the meeting looking to win, and if we can back Monday’s point at Belle Vue up with a good result on Thursday then we’ll be in a very good position in the league.

“The way the boys are riding, if a few of them carry on their progress and even step it up a little bit then we can certainly go to King’s Lynn with a great shout of winning there.”

(SPEEDWAY 5)

SCUNTHORPE have signed Connor Coles as a replacement for the injured Ryan Kinsley, and he will make his debut in Friday’s big home clash with Glasgow.

Kinsley now faces around 12 weeks on the sidelines after a collarbone operation, with Coles impressing in a recent guest appearance at the Eddie Wright Raceway.

Promoter Rob Godfrey said: “I’m delighted to sign Connor as a fully-fledged Scorpion. He has earned his place after his guest performance for us last week against Redcar – if he does that well around the Eddie Wright Raceway every week, I’ll be well chuffed. 

“He’s got a bit of experience at Championship level and he’s a rider on form, so it made total sense to sign him.
“As for Ryan, the lad’s been unlucky. Collarbone injuries are quite common in speedway, and most riders are fortunate enough to be fit to resume within a month. But Ryan has faced complications.

“From my understanding, his collarbone had popped out of joint, and to put it back in place, they had to re-break it, re-position it and then plate it.”

(SPEEDWAY 6)

MILDENHALL have announced plans for a packed day of racing at West Row at the Danny Ayres benefit meeting on Sunday June 19.

‘Danny’s Day’ will feature 29 races with Premiership stars Danny King, Richard Lawson and Ben Barker amongst those to be named in the line-up for the main event.

The event begins at the earlier time of 2pm and includes plenty of additional family entertainment with gates opening at 12.30.

Organising committee member Laurence Rogers said: “The race-jackets worn by each rider in both parts of the meeting will be signed and auctioned off after the meeting, raising funds towards the futures of Danny’s two young daughters, where all the proceeds from this charity event are going.  

“There will also be other speedway items in the auction, some donated by riders unable to make the meeting to ride.

“Well-known ex-riders are being invited to be in attendance and will be interviewed during the meeting and be available for photos and autographs.
“All in all, this should be a meeting not to miss and a great day out whilst remembering speedway’s No.1 showman, Danny Ayres, and raising funds for the futures of his two girls.”

(SPEEDWAY 7)

GREAT Britain will have representation in two major European 250cc events early next month.
Current British 250cc Champion Luke Harrison will lead the GB team in the FIM European 250cc Pairs competition, along with Max James who has finished runner-up to Harrison in the last two years of the British series.

There will be two Pairs meeting taking place over a six-day period with the individual European 250cc Championship taking place in between those dates.

The first Pairs event will take place in Czestochowa, Poland on July 7, where Harrison and James will be joined by Ashton Vale. Round 2 takes place in Pardubice, Czech Republic, with the third round at Danish venue Randers in early August.

And on July 9, fellow British 250cc rider William Cairns will join Harrison, James and Vale in Liberec in the Czech Republic in the semi-finals of the Individual championship in the hope of qualifying for the Finals which also will be at the Liberec venue the following day.

Young Lions boss Neil Vatcher said: “This is massive dedication by all four British riders and their families to compete in these events across Europe representing Great Britain, as at this level none of the riders get any financial reimbursement from the organisers, and it is therefore all self-funded.”

If any supporters of British Speedway would like to support the British Riders with cost towards their travel, tyres or fuel please contact Neil Vatcher by email at neil@scbgb.co.uk .

(SPEEDWAY 8)

BERWICK have postponed Saturday’s home KO Cup fixture with Redcar due to illness and unavailability of key track staff and management.

A worsening staffing shortage reached crisis point on Thursday morning and the club reluctantly decided that the meeting could not go ahead.

They commented: “At Berwick Speedway we operate with a small but effective group of track staff and management, and unfortunately we simply could not run a speedway meeting without our missing staff.

“Postponing any meeting is not a decision we take lightly for any reason, but we were left with no alternative.
“We wish all parties a speedy recovery and hope to see them and our supporters trackside as soon as possible.”

(FIXTURES)

THURSDAY JUNE 9:
PREMIERSHIP: King’s Lynn v Ipswich 7.30, Sheffield v Wolverhampton 7.30

FRIDAY JUNE 10:
CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, Redcar v Oxford 7.30, Scunthorpe v Glasgow 7.30

SATURDAY JUNE 11:
CHAMPIONSHIP: Leicester v Plymouth 6.30
CHAMPIONSHP KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Berwick v Redcar OFF
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester v Plymouth (follows Champ fixture)

SUNDAY JUNE 12:
CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow v Scunthorpe 3pm, Newcastle v Leicester 4pm