BRITISH SPEEDWAY MARCH 20, 2023

(SPEEDWAY 1)

PETER CRAVEN REMEMBERED 

BELLE Vue launch the 2023 season with a top-class field racing for the Peter Craven Memorial Trophy tonight (Monday- UK time).

Danish star Michael Palm Toft is the defending holder but faces a tough challenge with previous winners Dan Bewley and Jason Doyle both in the field, as well as a host of other star names.
Former World Champions Nicki Pedersen and Chris Holder are both included, along with GP stars Fredrik Lindgren and Robert Lambert, the latter having ridden for the Aces in last season’s play-offs.

Palm Toft said: “The Peter Craven Memorial is one of the biggest meetings in the UK, especially with all the big names in it. It’s prestigious, that’s for sure.
“It’s one of my biggest achievements individually and I want to do it again. I don’t think people expected me to win and I’m in it to win it again.”

Bewley won the British title at the National Speedway Stadium last year and is looking to repeat his previous victory in the Peter Craven event, as he returns to Premiership racing full-time this season with the Aces.
He said: “I’m looking forward to being back at this club. It was awesome to win this in 2021 and I’d love to get things off to winning ways – but it’s a tough field of riders, so we’ll see what happens.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

STUART Robson suffered further frustration with his Farewell Meeting postponed around 90 minutes prior to start time at Redcar on Sunday.

Robson, whose benefit event should originally have taken place back in 2020 but was called off due to the pandemic, took the decision before the public were admitted to the Ecco Arena as the track had not recovered sufficiently from the previous day’s heavy downpours despite extensive work. He said: “It’s 100 per cent the correct decision, and it was my choice. I put myself as a rider, and I wouldn’t want to ride it, it’s not safe.

“The track staff here have done everything they can. They were here all day yesterday and got the track looking quite decent, and then it rained again on Saturday night and that was the final nail in the coffin.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

DAN Gilkes has accepted a reserve position for the Ben Fund Bonanza at King’s Lynn on Saturday.
Gilkes makes his comeback to racing this season with Sheffield and Plymouth after suffering multiple injuries last April including a broken arm, collapsed lung and five broken ribs.

He said: “I’m really looking forward to it, I want to race as much as I can this year. I want to support the Ben Fund as and when I can because the support they gave me was just unbelievable. Doing this meeting was the least I could do.
“It helps them out, but it helps me out as well. Hopefully someone gets a bit twitchy at the start and I can get a ride, but if not it’s for a great cause and a great event and I am happy to be a part of it.”

(FIXTURES)

MONDAY MARCH 20:
PETER CRAVEN MEMORIAL: Belle Vue 7.30

THURSDAY MARCH 23:
PREMIERSHIP R1: Ipswich v Peterborough 7.30, Sheffield v Belle Vue 7.30

FRIDAY MARCH 24:
TYNE-TEES TROPHY: Redcar v Newcastle Diamonds Select 7.30