BRITISH SPEEDWAY WEEKLY BULLETIN 2022/22

THE BITE-SIZED BULLETIN

PIC OF THE WEEK…

POOLE manager Neil Middleditch finally got the deserved honour of his Testimonial last week at Wimborne Road.
Many club legends returned on the night to join in the Pirates boss’ celebrations.
Middleditch seen here with six-times World Champion and former number 1, Tony Rickardsson.
Photo Credit: ANTHONY BURCHELL

HERE’S our latest soundbytes and fixtures from around the tracks up and down the country.

PREMIERSHIP SOUNDBYTES…

BELLE VUE
“We’ve still got some big meetings to come on the road and there is a chance that we could still go top of the table even at this late stage. But we’ll approach each meeting one at a time and do the best we can. It makes no difference to us who we face in the semis and the Final because you’ve got to best everyone to get the trophy.”

Aces star Charles Wright says the team are still looking to finish as high as possible having confirmed their play-off place with Monday’s 54-36 home win over Sheffield.
NEXT HOME: Premiership Pairs Round 5, Mon Sept 12
NEXT AWAY: Peterborough, Thur Sept 15
 
IPSWICH
“Paul is an injury doubt again now, he has had a few knocks this year and is struggling with his shoulder. Hopefully with a couple of days rest he will be good to go. Certainly, early on in the meeting Anders (Rowe) wasn’t far off the pace.

He needs more meetings and to be racing regularly back in the UK and another one on Thursday will certainly help him.”
Witches boss Ritchie Hawkins has concerns at reserve with Paul Starke involved in a heavy crash in Monday’s victory at Peterborough as they triumphed in a Super Heat, whilst Danyon Hume is currently out with a broken collarbone.
NEXT HOME: Peterborough, Thur Sept 8
NEXT AWAY: Sheffield, Mon Sept 19
 
KING’S LYNN
“People might think I am deluded but the play-offs are still on. Wolves losing tonight means maximum points from our final four meetings, and sending them away empty handed, would take it to the wire. A lot has to go right, we know that, but these boys will keep fighting and hoping that we can do it – if we don’t get there it will not be due to a lack of trying.”

Stars boss Alex Brady is keeping the faith that the unlikely could still prove possible, with maximum points now required to stage a dramatic run into the play-offs.
NEXT HOME: Sheffield, Thur Sept 8
NEXT AWAY: Sheffield, Thur Sept 15

PETERBOROUGH
“It was a terrific result for us, a moral victory in lots of ways. With all due respect to the team we had to put out due to injuries, it was up there with the best results I have had – we had three of our own riders and I was so proud of the team.”

The patched-up Panthers showed plenty of spirit to secure a league point at King’s Lynn last Thursday, a result which was rated highly by boss Rob Lyon as a tough title defence comes towards the end of the campaign.
NEXT HOME: Belle Vue, Thur Sept 15
NEXT AWAY: Ipswich, Thur Sept 8
 
SHEFFIELD
“We totally understand and appreciate how difficult living costs are at the moment and we wanted to give a little something back to supporters for sticking by us.

For the prices we have set, if you buy online in advance, you and the family can have not one, not two but three great nights out for a decent price.”
Tigers co-owner Damien Bates has launched a ‘September Savings’ package for online bookings ahead of a busy run of three home meetings in the space of eight days later this month.
NEXT HOME: King’s Lynn, Thur Sept 15
NEXT AWAY: King’s Lynn, Thur Sept 8
 
WOLVERHAMPTON
“If this match had have been on Wednesday, everybody could’ve had a ride, but today with the new averages Stevie (Worrall) has dropped to fourth in the figures and that meant that only two of our top five could take a ride.

All-in-all I think the boys battled well and it’s quite a respectable score given all of the circumstances.”
Wolves boss Peter Adams was left to rue a September 1 trip to Sheffield meaning his side was not in ideal configuration to contend with the injury absence of Steve Worrall, with a 51-39 defeat the outcome.
NEXT HOME: TBC
NEXT AWAY: King’s Lynn, Thur Sept 22
 
CHAMPIONSHIP SOUNDBYTES…

BIRMINGHAM
“We wanted to put a meeting on in his memory and so it had to be the Brummies versus the Heathens as they were the two clubs he was synonymous for racing for in the Midlands.

It will be our pleasure to welcome the whole Grahame family to Perry Barr on Wednesday to remember ‘Big Al’.”
The Brummies will wrap up their season on Wednesday by paying tribute to Alan Grahame, who gave sterling service to both Birmingham and Cradley Heath during a career lasting over two decades.
NEXT HOME: Cradley Select (Ch), Wed Sept 7

EDINBURGH
“I felt we were still in with a chance if we could have kept it close and got Sam (Masters) going, but it wasn’t to be. Next week in the play-off we will be looking for a few more points at home and I think we will be in with a chance.”

Monarchs boss John Campbell saw his side eliminated from the KO Cup against Redcar last weekend but believes it could be a different story when the sides meet again in the Championship play-offs, starting at Armadale on Friday.
NEXT HOME: Redcar (PO QF), Fri Sept 9
NEXT AWAY: Redcar (PO QF), Sun Sept 11
 
GLASGOW
The Tigers are awaiting their opponents in the play-off semi-finals as well as a revised date to visit Plymouth in the league after the postponement of their trip to the Coliseum a fortnight ago.
NEXT HOME: TBC
NEXT AWAY: Plymouth, TBC
 
LEICESTER
“I’m pleased we didn’t lose the meeting, but I’m also pleased for Scunthorpe that they never lost in their last one of the season, if that makes sense! We’ve got the job done and now we can look forward to Poole, which should be an absolute humdinger next Saturday.”

Lions boss Stewart Dickson was satisfied with a 45-45 draw at Scunthorpe last Friday which takes his side into a KO Cup semi-final against Poole, with the first leg already set for the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena this Saturday.
NEXT HOME: Poole (KOC SF), Sat Sept 10
NEXT AWAY: TBC

PLYMOUTH
“Due to the Plymouth track being submerged in water today, the current thunderstorms in the area and the expected 100% chance of heavy rain throughout Tuesday evening, the Gladiators promotion have no choice but to postpone the Championship Play-off Quarter Final against the Poole Pirates.”

An early decision at the Colisuem with heavy rain in Devon meaning no chance of racing on Tuesday, with the Gladiators’ home play-off clash with Poole now being re-arranged for next Tuesday.
NEXT HOME: Poole (PO QF), Tues Sept 13
NEXT AWAY: Poole (PO QF), Wed Sept 7
 
POOLE
“Our focus will just be to go out there and ride to our best abilities. We have the characters in the side to deliver the big results and here on in now we are going to need to call on those collective abilities.

I might begin sounding like a stuck record over the next few weeks but we have to treat every meeting as a final and if the fans get behind us we can make this a memorable season.”
Pirates co-promoter Danny Ford says his side are in a good place ahead of vital matches to come as they target honours on three fronts over the coming weeks.
NEXT HOME: Plymouth (PO QF), Wed Sept 7
NEXT AWAY: Leicester (KOC SF), Sat Sept 10
 
REDCAR
“We rode really well tonight, we could have done that earlier in the season in the league but we did the job when it mattered tonight. Our guests all really pitched in and rode well and did themselves proud.”

The Bears handled the pressure of a crunch trip to Plymouth last Tuesday to qualify for the Championship play-offs, and boss Jade Mudgway also saw his side successful in the KO Cup against Edinburgh to book a place in the Final of that competition.
NEXT HOME: Edinburgh (PO QF), Sun Sept 11
NEXT AWAY: Edinburgh (PO QF), Fri Sept 9
 
SCUNTHORPE
“It was a shame we didn’t quite get into the play-offs, after the result at Redcar slipped through our fingers. If I could have ridden at Redcar, maybe I could have helped making sure we didn’t let that one slip. It would have been nice to get into the play-offs, but it is what it is.”

Scorpions No.1 Ryan Douglas completed a brilliant Championship campaign with 17 points in the KO Cup draw with Leicester, but admitted it wasn’t quite to be this season for the Lincolnshire side.
NEXT HOME: NDL Riders’ Championship, Sun Sept 25
 
 
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE SOUNDBYTES…

ARMADALE
“Lee (Complin) had a fantastic fourth ride but his spark plug shattered and he couldn’t ride in the final heat, so I put Tom (Woolley) and Danny (Phillips) out. Our agreement is the top two take Heat 15, but if the match had depended on it, we would have got Lee out somehow.”

Devils boss Alan Budzynski explained his selection decision for Heat 15 at Kent on Sunday, when his side put in a creditable display before losing a series of late 5-1s to go down 55-35.
NEXT HOME: Leicester, Fri Sept 23
NEXT AWAY: Plymouth, TBC

BELLE VUE
The Colts face two potentially crucial away matches at Kent and Armadale as they bid to secure a play-off place, with their exact target to be set by the outcome of the Oxford v Kent fixture on Wednesday.
NEXT HOME: TBC
NEXT AWAY: Kent, Sun Sept 11

BERWICK
“Losing Luke (Crang) was a big blow as he would have been the ideal foil to Greg (Blair) and Kyle (Bickley) who I cannot praise enough. It’s a tough lesson but as long as it is one that is learned then we move on and prepare for the play-offs.”
Bullets boss Gary Flint admitted the side had not performed as an all-round unit at Mildenhall last Sunday, providing a wake-up call with the play-offs just around the corner.
NEXT HOME: TBC
NEXT AWAY: TBC
 
KENT
“It was a fixture that the hosts controlled throughout but accelerated away from their visitors in the final three races to add the finishing gloss to an all-round great performance by the Royals.”
Kent remained in mathematical play-off contention by defeating Armadale 55-35 on Sunday with Max Clegg and Ben Morley both scoring maximums.
NEXT HOME: Belle Vue, Sun Sept 11
NEXT AWAY: Oxford, Wed Sept 7 

LEICESTER
“We’re in the play-offs now so that’s good, and now we’ll see how high we can finish. This year it’s first against fourth and second against third in the play-offs, so it could be anybody we face, but for us it’s all about momentum, and we’ve done relatively well away from home everywhere.”
Dave Howard’s Lion Cubs side have secured a top four finish, but could still finish top of the table depending on results over the coming weeks.
NEXT HOME: TBC
NEXT AWAY: Armadale, Fri Sept 23

MILDENHALL
“We are actually the only team in the top four to have lost a couple of home matches and that shows that our away form has actually outstripped all others in the division – with the only blot being a big defeat at Belle Vue when we went with a severely weakened side.

So with that away form and with the emphatic home wins we’re now delivering, do we have to fear anyone in the play-offs? Definitely not!”
Fen Tigers co-boss Jason Gardner is in upbeat mood after his side confirmed their play-off place with a double-header win at home to Berwick and Plymouth on Sunday to complete their regular fixtures.
NEXT HOME: TBC
NEXT AWAY: TBC
 
OXFORD
“Reaching the play-offs is now going to be an uphill climb and it’s out of our hands. But if we were two or three years down the line, I would be much more frustrated, because this is our first year and what we need to focus on is how well the development side is working. We’re doing all the right things.”

Chargers boss Peter Schroeck says the focus should be on the big picture with his side no longer favourites for a top four finish – although that outcome is still possible if future results involving other clubs go their way.
NEXT HOME: Kent, Wed Sept 7
NEXT AWAY: TBC

PLYMOUTH
The Centurions went down to a 56-34 defeat at Mildenhall on Sunday and now have one match remaining to complete their season, with a date awaited for their home clash with Armadale.
NEXT HOME: TBC

FIXTURE PICTURE…

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6:
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF Q/F 1st leg: Plymouth v Poole OFF (Now Tues Sept 13)

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 7:
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF Q/F 1st leg: Poole v Plymouth 7.30
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Oxford v Kent 7.30
ALAN GRAHAME MEMORIAL: Birmingham v Cradley Select 7.30

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 8:
PREMIERSHIP: Ipswich v Peterborough 7.30, King’s Lynn v Sheffield 7.30

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 9:
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF Q/F 1st leg: Edinburgh v Redcar 7.30

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 10:
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Leicester v Poole 7pm

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11:
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF Q/F 2nd leg: Redcar v Edinburgh 5pm
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Kent v Belle Vue 12pm
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP (125cc/150cc): Kent (follows NDL fixture)

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 12:
PREMIERSHIP PAIRS Round 5: Belle Vue 7.30

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 13:
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF Q/F 2nd leg: Plymouth v Poole 7pm

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15:
PREMIERSHIP: Peterborough v Belle Vue 7.30, Sheffield v King’s Lynn 7.30

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18:
SPORTS INSURE BRITISH FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP: Belle Vue 3pm

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19:
PREMIERSHIP: King’s Lynn v Belle Vue 7.30, Sheffield v Ipswich 7.30