BRITISH SPEEDWAY WEEKLY BULLETIN MAY 9, 2023/07

Feature photo by: STEVE DIXON

LEICESTER raced to their second Premiership win of the season last week when overcoming Wolverhampton 49-41 in a competitive Midlands derby. Max Fricke top scored for the Lions with 11+2 with Justin Sedgmen on 9+1, whilst Sam Masters racked up 14 from six rides for Wolves and Scott Nicholls added 10.

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

PREMIERSHIP NEWSROUND…

WITCHES REMAIN FOCUSED
IPSWICH boss Ritchie Hawkins will prime his side for a tough test at home to Peterborough in the KO Cup this week.
The Panthers are yet to win in 2023 but do have a good record at Foxhall, with the Witches looking to take control of the tie on their home circuit.

Hawkins said: “It is a chance to make another Cup Final, so we have got to concentrate on these two meetings before we look ahead to the possibility of winning the competition.
“We have got to be fully focused on getting past Peterborough because I feel it is going to be a tough test and I wouldn’t be duped into thinking it’s not because they have had a tough start to the season.

“They are still a capable team and will look forward to coming to Foxhall, so we need to be fully focused on this semi-final.”

STARS HOPE FOR SKIPPER’S RETURN
KING’S Lynn will be without captain Josh Pickering when they visit Leicester this Thursday – but the Stars hope the Australian could return soon after.

The Norfolk side have booked Belle Vue’s Tom Brennan to guest at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena, Beaumont Park with Pickering sidelined by a shoulder injury.
Said Pickering: “While I currently don’t have an answer on exactly how long I will be on the sidelines, I am hoping it will only be a short couple of weeks.

“I cannot thank Steve Williams enough for doing everything in his power to get the answers I needed, and to get me back on the track doing what I love.”

LIONS’ ALL-ROUND SHOW
LEICESTER manager Stewart Dickson was delighted to see his side dig in as an all-round unit to get the better of Wolverhampton.

Dickson said: “That was a solid team effort, and that’s the sort of performance that we’re capable of.
“I know it’s easy when you’re winning but there seemed to be a nice feeling in the camp tonight, and I’m pleased for the riders.
“There was some really good racing, and the most important thing was getting a win. It was great to see the supporters coming out in large numbers again, and nice to win a Midlands derby!”
 
BIKE ISSUES FOR WOLVES
WOLVERHAMPTON boss Peter Adams says mechanical trouble played a part in last Thursday’s 49-41 defeat at Leicester.
Adams said: “It was a tough match against tough opposition. We had a few bike issues with one or two of the boys but I thought we fought well, it just ran away from us a bit at the end.
“Eight points is an achievable deficit to overturn for the aggregate point when we face them at home later on in the season in the second leg.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…  WITH the KO Cup quarter-final between Belle Vue and Wolverhampton still awaiting completion, Sheffield and Wolves have now arranged Premiership fixtures and will meet on Thursday at Owlerton on Monday at Monmore Green. Another league clash sees Leicester face King’s Lynn on Thursday in a re-arrangement from a fortnight ago, whilst the Cup semi-final between Ipswich and Peterborough gets underway with the first leg at Foxhall.

CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP NEWSROUND…

CONNOR COMMITTED
CONNOR Coles kept up his impressive start to life with Berwick with 6+1 in the win over Scunthorpe – despite being a major doubt for the fixture.
His six-month-old daughter was hospitalised due to illness which had hit the rest of his family, but thankfully the situation improved enough for him to make the trip up the A1.Coles said: “It wasn’t the ideal preparation. I was under a lot of stress before the meeting but obviously it didn’t affect me too much.

“Berwick offered me the chance and showed a lot of faith in me and hopefully they feel I am repaying them for that.
“I know people mention the travelling up here but I really don’t mind putting the miles in. At the moment I just don’t want to get off my bike, I’m loving being at Berwick with both the Bandits and the Bullets – even if it’s 1am by the time I get back from a home meeting.”

BRUMMIES ENCOURAGED
BIRMINGHAM boss Laurence Rogers took the positives from Saturday’s BSN Series defeat at Redcar – although the Perry Bar side still await their first win of the season.
Rogers said: “We were in there with a chance right up until Heat 14. There were a lot of promising signs.
“We’re not too far away at all now; the league programme gets underway next week and we’re looking much better.”

BACKING FOR MONARCHS
EDINBURGH boss Alex Harkess has given a vote of confidence to his side as they prepare to get their Cab Direct Championship campaign underway.

The Monarchs have endured a tricky start to the season, compounded by the loss of skipper Josh Pickering who hopes to return from a shoulder injury later this month.
Harkess said: “We are at an early stage in the season and we built this team as we fully believe in their ability to reach our standards of performance. I stand by our one-to-seven 100 per cent and have been offering them every encouragement they need to turn this season around.

“Our league campaign begins this Friday, and I am certain that since our last match the team will have had a period of reflection and will return to Armadale Stadium with the passion, determination and commitment to win that is the minimum standard we require at this club.”

TOM TARGETS FINAL
GLASGOW skipper Tom Brennan has warned Scunthorpe will be no pushovers when the sides meet in the BSN Series semi-finals.
The first leg of the tie takes place at the Eddie Wright Raceway this Friday (May 12) with the return at Ashfield next week.
Brennan said: “Scunny have been one of the form sides so far this season. They are great on their home track so it will be vital to do well there on Friday. “But we are a good team as well. We certainly don’t fear anyone and we want to make the Final obviously.”

CHEETAHS’ WINNING START
OXFORD kept up an impressive run of results with a 52-38 victory over Redcar in their opening Cab Direct Championship fixture.
And skipper Scott Nicholls was particularly impressed with two of the younger members of the side who made a real contribution to the win.

Nicholls said: “Jordan (Jenkins) rode with a lot of determination, rode with his head and made good passes, while Henry (Atkins) had a really good last ride and won it.
“It was a fantastic team performance from the whole side. We’re a seven-man team and all seven riders contributed.”

PIRATES RENEW RIVALRY
POOLE welcome a Swindon Select side including Jason Doyle and Nick Morris to Wimborne Road for a special challenge match on Wednesday.
Pirates reserve Kyle Newman said: “Obviously we all hope that at some point in the near future they (Swindon) get back on a home track as we as Poole Pirates have had some rivalries with them in the past.
“I think it is good to have a rivalry, it’s good for the fans, the sponsors, the club to have a local team where you can have some banter with. Everyone loves that.”
 
BEARS GO THROUGH
REDCAR defeated Birmingham 49-41 to confirm their place in the BSN Series semi-finals as the best group runners-up.
The Bears also used their track covers for the first time due to forecast rain showers, and ironically then had to water the circuit prior to Heat 1!

Boss Gavin Parr said: “It wasn’t one of our usual classics, but we dug deep and secured the two points required to progress.
“Danny (King) was feeling really unwell and had to miss Heat 15; however, I have to mention Connor (Bailey), whose ride with Jason (Edwards) in Heat 14 was just what his confidence needed.”

SCORPIONS SCUPPERED
FUEL-LINE issues cost Ryan Douglas a likely 15-point maximum for Scunthorpe at Berwick, as the Australian twice slowed from the lead during Saturday’s 47-43 defeat.
And boss Dave Peet reckons Michael Palm Toft’s below-par score of 3+1 was also down to unexpected gremlins.
Peet said: “Ryan looked completely untouchable apart from that. Had he not hit trouble, we would have won 46-44.
“On top of that, Tofty was complaining about a lack of power. After three rides, he switched to his second bike only to find it didn’t remedy the situation. Whatever it was it was affecting both bikes and we think he may have some sort of fuel problem as well. “He’ll have a skid around Scunthorpe next week, when hopefully we can get to the bottom of the problem and sort it out.”

 
THE WEEK AHEAD…  THERE are fixtures in all three competitions this week with Edinburgh launching their Cab Direct Championship campaign at home to Redcar on Friday… in the KO Cup, Poole take an 18-point lead to Plymouth on Friday in a meeting put back by 72 hours due to the weather… Scunthorpe face Glasgow on Friday in the first leg of their BSN Series semi-final, with that meeting switched from the previously scheduled league match… Poole renew rivalries with Swindon as they welcome a Robins Select side to Wimborne Road on Wednesday.

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE NEWSROUND…

BULLETS WIN IN THE FOG
BERWICK skipper Greg Blair raced to a nine-point maximum in Saturday’s win over Kent – being denied a potential full 15 when the meeting was abandoned due to fog!
Blair said: “Obviously I wanted it to continue as I was on a maximum. But in all seriousness it was getting more and more difficult to see what was ahead of you, so it was no real surprise when time was called on the action.
“I’m really pleased with the team performance and especially for Mason (Watson) and Josh (Embleton) to get among the points.”

TWO OUT OF TWO
EDINBURGH’S rebranded Monarchs Academy already have two NDL wins on the board so far in 2023 – and that already matches their final tally from last year!
Promoter John Campbell said: “It’s not quite time for too much excitement yet but, of course, our NDL team only won two matches last season so we must be well on the way to better that target already this season.
“I’m sure that we have a team that is capable of far exceeding that target this year, but I think we are contesting a league that will have home teams dominating to a great degree. Aggregate points will be crucial.”

CHANGES AT KENT?
KENT boss Jamie Willis felt the Royals’ Northern tour left plenty of questions to answer, with defeats at both Edinburgh and Berwick – the latter being by a 43-23 margin in a meeting abandoned due to fog.
Willis said: “They (Berwick) were dialled in from the get-go and we couldn’t match them for speed or gating.
“Something needs to change, whether that’s riders, riding order or our pre meeting preparation, it’s going to be a busy couple of days for Si (Kellow) and me as we look to find the right formula.”

CUBS KEEP ACTIVE

LEICESTER boss Dave Howard is pleased his side have enjoyed plenty of track time despite a quiet start to their NDL fixture schedule, with just one match completed so far.
Howard said: “Dan and Joe (Thompson) have been racing in the other leagues and everybody else has been getting on track at various places to keep on the bike, so that’s been good.

“Max Perry had a practice at Leicester, and several of the others have had some good time at Scunthorpe. Ashton (Boughen) has been all over the place, practicing everywhere, and Vinnie (Foord) has been down at Lydd quite a lot, and that’s good because it’s over a month since we raced.”

KINSLEY IN FOR CHARGERS
RYAN Kinsley has answered the call from Oxford to replace the injured Nathan Stoneman ahead of their NDL opener against champions Leicester on Wednesday.
He said: “I’m very grateful for this opportunity and look forward to beginning a new chapter in my career with Oxford Chargers,
“Oxford is a prestigious club with a real feel-good factor right now, so to be part of the Chargers team is something I couldn’t turn down.

“The team looks very strong from top to tail and I see no reason why we shouldn’t be ambitious and challenge for silverware this season.
“It’s unfortunate this has come about as a result of Nathan’s injury. I wish Nathan a speedy recovery and hope my experience at this level can contribute positively to a good season.”
 
THE WEEK AHEAD… The much-awaited return of the Workington Comets at their new Northside home is set for Saturday when they take on Edinburgh in the NDL… There are four other fixtures in the third tier a Oxford race for the first time in 2023 against champions Leicester on Wednesday… Kent host Berwick on Sunday with the Bullets in charge for the aggregate point… A busy week for Oxford also includes away trips to Belle Vue on Friday and Mildenhall on Sunday.

ELSEWHERE: After a rain-off at Scunthorpe last week, the British Youth Championship gets underway with 125cc and support classes racing at Belle Vue on Friday, and all classes take part at Glasgow on Sunday.
 
FIXTURE PICTURE…

TUESDAY MAY 9:
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Plymouth (36) v Poole (54) OFF (Now Fri May 12)

WEDNESDAY MAY 10:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Oxford v Leicester 7.30
CHALLENGE: Poole v Swindon Select 7.30

THURSDAY MAY 11:
PREMIERSHIP R1: Leicester v King’s Lynn 7.30, Sheffield v Wolverhampton 7.30
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Ipswich v Peterborough 7.30

FRIDAY MAY 12:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh v Redcar 7.30
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Plymouth (36) v Poole (54) 7pm
BSN SERIES SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Scunthorpe v Glasgow 7.30
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Oxford 7.30
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP (125cc): Belle Vue 6pm

SATURDAY MAY 13:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Workington v Edinburgh 3pm

SUNDAY MAY 14:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Kent (23) v Berwick (43) 12pm, Mildenhall v Oxford 4pm
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow 2pm

MONDAY MAY 15:
PREMIERSHIP R1: Wolverhampton v Sheffield 7.30

TUESDAY MAY 16:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Plymouth v Birmingham 7pm

WEDNESDAY MAY 17:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Birmingham v Edinburgh 7.30
BSN SERIES SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Poole v Redcar 7.30
BSN SERIES: Oxford v Plymouth 7.30

THURSDAY MAY 18:
PREMIERSHIP R1: King’s Lynn v Peterborough 7.30

FRIDAY MAY 19:
BSN SERIES SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Glasgow v Scunthorpe 7.30, Redcar v Poole 7.30

SATURDAY MAY 20:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7pm

SUNDAY MAY 21:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Workington v Berwick 3pm

MONDAY MAY 22:
PREMIERSHIP R1: Leicester v Sheffield 7.30, Peterborough v King’s Lynn 7.30, Wolverhampton v Ipswich 7.30