BRITISH SPEEDWAY JULY 11, 2022
(SPEEDWAY 1)
BELLE VUE ON THE PREMIERSHIP CHASE
BELLE Vue have the chance to regain the Premiership leadership when they host King’s Lynn in tonight’s (Monday – UK time) televised fixture.
The Aces have a 100 per cent home record of five wins from five, but the Stars did gain a league point on their last visit to the National Speedway Stadium.
Former Belle Vue man Craig Cook steps in at No.1 for the visitors as a guest for the unavailable Niels-Krsitian Iversen.
Aces man Jye Etheridge said: “The move to reserve has helped pick me up a little bit, but I don’t want to be down here for too long, so the plan for me is to get my head down and crack on.
“Things are so close in the league at the moment that nobody can afford to be dropping too many points, especially at home and especially with how strong we’ve been at home.
“Obviously we want to continue that against King’s Lynn. They are a good team but without Niels I think it will be a bit of a different story to the last time.”
Stars boss Alex Brady said: “Expectations were higher after our start to the season, and this has been a difficult period, but I’m still convinced that we can make the play-offs – I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t.
“It’s fine margins at the moment, we are missing Niels, and we are putting hours upon hours into solving this.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
PETERBOROUGH will be without Michael Palm Toft for tonight’s (Monday – UK time) home clash with Wolverhampton at the East of England Arena.
The team are separated by eight points either side of the play-off line, and as such an away win would very much solidify Wolves’ position.
Palm Toft is out with shoulder trouble and the Panthers will operate rider replacement as they bid to continue an improved home run.
Boss Rob Lyon said: “It’s a big one again for us, they keep coming, and the boys have got momentum now.
“It would have been nicer to have a fully fit team, but hopefully we will still be able to pull off a win.”
Wolves star Luke Becker said: “It went well last time we were there; all the boys were firing and felt good.
“Peterborough definitely haven’t filled their boots like they did from last year when they were champions but you definitely can’t under-estimate them.
“They’ve started going pretty good at home again of late but we have to go there feeling confident and stay on our toes.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
KENT stars Alfie Bowtell and Ben Morley rescued a 46-44 home win over leaders Berwick in Sunday’s National Development League action.
The Royals’ top two both scored 14+1 paid maximums and combined for 5-1s in Heats 13 and 15 to overturn the Bullets.
The visitors were inspired by guest reserve Jody Scott, who scored 14+1 from six rides and earned a nomination for Heat 15, but the home side took the result they needed in a re-run after Luke Crang crashed out.
Berwick co-owner Jamie Courtney said: “We only ran five last places but still lost, but I think everyone comes home have added another piece or two to their development jigsaw.
“So I’m disappointed with the result, but happy to give credit to the Kent lads whose top two really did the business, but equally happy with the effort and commitment shown by the Bullets on the day.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
GREAT Britain youngster Luke Harrison scored seven points in the European 250cc Championship Final at Liberec on Sunday.
Harrison was classified ninth overall whilst Max James took three rides as reserve and scored three points.
The meeting was won by Danish Mikkel Andersen, son of former Coventry and Oxford racer Brian.
GB Youth boss Neil Vatcher said: “Luke scored a very respectable seven points from his first four rides, and rode some fantastic races coming from the back, passing riders both inside and outside.
“Then as he was passing Vojtech Sachl in his fifth ride, he was harshly excluded as the Czech rider slid off under pressure.
“Max managed to compete in three races and got quicker each time, scoring in each of his heats.”
(FIXTURES)
TUESDAY JULY 12:
CHAMPIONSHIP JUBILEE LEAGUE: Plymouth v Birmingham 7pm
WEDNESDAY JULY 13:
CHAMPIONSHIP: Oxford v Berwick 7.30, Poole v Glasgow 7.30
SUMMER TROPHY: Birmingham v Plymouth 7.30
THURSDAY JULY 14:
PREMIERSHIP: Ipswich v Belle Vue 7.30, King’s Lynn v Wolverhampton 7.30, Sheffield v Peterborough 7.30
NO PRESSURE ON ZMARZLIK AFTER LATVIAN GP WIN