BRITISH SPEEDWAY WEEKLY BULLETIN 2022/27

Date: Tuesday October 11, 2022

THE BITE-SIZED BULLETIN

PIC OF THE WEEK…

The destination of the 2022 Premiership League Championship will be decided this week as Belle Vue and Sheffield go head-to-head in the Grand Final. The Aces lead 51-39 following Monday’s 1st leg at the National Speedway Stadium, but it is still very much all to race for going into Thursday’s decider at Owlerton.
Photo Credit: IAN CHARLES

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

PREMIERSHIP SOUNDBYTES…

BELLE VUE
“It’ll be a fresh start on the night and we know that Sheffield will be looking to bounce back on home shale, and we fully expect them to put up a tough fight. We need to learn from past mistakes we’ve made at Sheffield if we want to win that title. We want this so badly, we’ve worked all season long to be here, and now it all comes down to one night.”
Aces skipper Brady Kurtz wants to see his side get everything together to score the 40 points they need at Sheffield on Thursday to make it over the line as top-flight champions for the first time since 1993.
NEXT HOME: Premiership Pairs, Thur Oct 27
NEXT AWAY: Sheffield (Prem Grand Final), Thur Oct 13
 
IPSWICH
“We have got a league meeting to complete still when Sheffield can get that re-arranged and then the Pairs meetings. We are in a great position in the Pairs and if we can bounce back from this and finish the season off with winning the Pairs then that would be some consolation for the play-off defeat.”

Witches boss Ritchie Hawkins knows silverware this season is still a distinct possibility despite their play-off exit, as their position in the Pairs is a strong one heading into this month’s final rounds.
NEXT AWAY: Sheffield, TBC
 
KING’S LYNN
“I honestly believe that if we had this team a couple of weeks earlier we would be in a much different position now, but all the boys are ready for the Final. We need to win something for King’s Lynn and for all the supporters.”
Stars skipper Josh Pickering is relishing the prospect of next week’s League Cup Final against Sheffield as they bid to complete the season with a major trophy.
NEXT HOME: Sheffield (LC Final), Mon Oct 17
NEXT AWAY: Sheffield (LC Final), Thur Oct 20
 
SHEFFIELD
“It’s half-time, all to play for. It’s not a disaster by any stretch. I think we’ve been dealt a rough hand in a couple of heats but it’s 12 points. I think it sets up the Final at Sheffield on Thursday really nicely.”
Tigers boss Simon Stead insists everything is possible ahead of the second leg of the Grand Final against Belle Vue at Owlerton on Thursday, where the Tigers will need to score 52 points to take the title.
NEXT HOME: Belle Vue (Prem Grand Final), Thur Oct 13
NEXT AWAY: King’s Lynn (LC Final), Mon Oct 17 
 
WOLVERHAMPTON
“That was pretty embarrassing with the scoreline over the two legs. Sheffield were, obviously, the better team and we’ve lost to a really good team.”
Wolves skipper Sam Masters wasn’t in any mood for excuses after a 61-29 defeat at Sheffield last Thursday brought an end to their play-off bid with a hefty overall semi-final loss.
NEXT HOME: Ladbrokes Olympique Finale, Mon Oct 17 
 
CHAMPIONSHIP SOUNDBYTES…
 
EDINBURGH
Current and former Scottish Open Champions Richie Worrall, Sam Masters and Craig Cook will be amongst a star-studded line-up which also includes Dan Bewley for this Saturday’s big night at Armadale, which is set to mark the final meeting at the venue which is closing for redevelopment thereafter.
NEXT HOME: Farewell To Armadale, Sat Oct 15
 
GLASGOW
NEXT HOME: TBC, CJL Final
NEXT AWAY: TBC, CJL Final

LEICESTER
“I understand supporters might be a bit sceptical about returning to the Premiership given how tough it was for them the last time the Lions raced at that level. But I do very much concur with the views of the owners, and I think the supporters will know me well enough by now to understand that I don’t ever plan to go into a season looking to make the numbers up.”
Lions boss Stewart Dickson has moved to allay the fears of fans as they prepare for their impending move to the Premiership next season – but before that, they face Poole in this season’s Championship Grand Final next week.
NEXT HOME: Poole, Championship Grand Final, Sat Oct 22
NEXT AWAY: Poole, Championship Grand Final, Fri Oct 21

PLYMOUTH
NEXT HOME: Glasgow, Tues Oct 11
 
POOLE
 “We have raised our game and here we are now on the brink of what could be the first leg of the Treble – but we aren’t home and dry yet, and I know that Redcar will be going out to try and stop our run and claim the trophy back that they held in 2019.”
Promoter Danny Ford is keen to guard against complacency as the Pirates return to Wimborne Road with a 48-41 advantage over Redcar in the second leg of the KO Cup Final.
NEXT HOME: Redcar (KO Cup Final), Wed Oct 12
NEXT AWAY: Leicester, Championship Grand Final, Sat Oct 22
 
REDCAR
“It was a good night personally but it is disappointing to be down going into the second leg.”
Bears skipper Charles Wright top-scored with 14 points in the 41-48 home defeat to Poole in the first leg of the Championship KO Cup Final.
NEXT HOME: Teesside Silver Helmet, Fri Oct 21
NEXT AWAY: Poole (KO Cup Final), Wed Oct 12
 
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE SOUNDBYTES…

ARMADALE
NEXT HOME: Leicester, TBC
 
 BERWICK
“A rider’s health and his safety is the only consideration in these circumstances and the club will do everything possible to help and support Greg in his recuperation. As a club we are, sadly, only too well aware of the potential for head injuries to have serious long-term consequences if not dealt with appropriately.”
Co-promoter Scott Courtney has confirmed on berwickspeedway.com that Bullets heat-leader Greg Blair will miss the remainder of the season as he is still feeling the effects of a heavy crash in the KO Cup match against Leicester back in late July.
NEXT HOME: TBC
NEXT AWAY: Mildenhall (Play-Off S/F), Sun Oct 16
 
KENT
NEXT HOME: TBC
 
LEICESTER
“I’m so proud of the whole team, the way they rode at Oxford on Wednesday was unbelievable to keep them within two points, and that really set us up for tonight. We spoke before the start about avoiding last places and that would do the business, and they fought for every single point.”
Lion Cubs boss Dave Howard had full praise for his team for their semi-final efforts against Oxford as they now prepare to compete in two major Finals.
NEXT HOME: Mildenhall (KO Cup Final), Sat Oct 15
NEXT AWAY: Mildenhall (KO Cup Final), Sun Oct 23

MILDENHALL
The Fen Tigers will face a three-point deficit when they host Berwick in the play-off semi-final second leg this Sunday, although their injury problems have increased as Jack Kingston suffered concussion in a crash at Shielfield Park last Saturday.
NEXT HOME: Berwick (Play-Off S/F), Sun Oct 16
NEXT AWAY: Leicester (KO Cup Final), Sat Oct 15

OXFORD
“Leicester are a very good side and we pushed them all the way and we can be proud of that. They didn’t have it all their own way – Henry (Atkins) took some points off their top lads and so did Jordan (Jenkins). Leicester told me it was one of their best home meetings of the season, because we came and gave them a match, where they’ve been steamrollering some of the other teams around here.”
Chargers boss Peter Schroeck retained a positive outlook after the aggregate defeat to Leicester in the play-off semi-finals which brings an exciting season to a conclusion.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12:
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Poole (48) v Redcar (41) 7.30

THURSDAY OCTOBER 13:
PREMIERSHIP GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Sheffield (39) v Belle Vue (51) 7.30

SATURDAY OCTOBER 15:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Leicester v Mildenhall 7pm
FAREWELL TO ARMADALE – SCOTTISH OPEN: Edinburgh 6.30

SUNDAY OCTOBER 16:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Mildenhall (43) v Berwick (46) 3pm

MONDAY OCTOBER 17:
LEAGUE CUP FINAL 1st leg: King’s Lynn v Sheffield 7.30
LADBROKES OLYMPIQUE FINALE: Wolverhampton 7.30

THURSDAY OCTOBER 20:
LEAGUE CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Sheffield v King’s Lynn 7.30

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21:
CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Poole v Leicester 7.30
TEESSIDE SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30

SATURDAY OCTOBER 22:
CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Leicester v Poole 7pm

SUNDAY OCTOBER 23:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Mildenhall v Leicester 3pm

MONDAY OCTOBER 24:
PREMIERSHIP PAIRS Round 5: Sheffield 7.30

THURSDAY OCTOBER 27:
PREMIERSHIP PAIRS Round 6: Belle Vue 7.30