SPEEDWAY POSTPONEMENT - FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22:****
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP 2nd leg
Scunthorpe v Peterborough - OFF
(SPEEDWAY 1)
GLASGOW star Richard Lawson expects a feast of racing when the Tigers stage the SGBC Riders’ Individual at Ashfield on Sunday.
Lawson and Richie Worrall represent the home club in the prestigious event which also features top stars Craig Cook, Danny King, Chris Harris, Sam Masters and Nick Morris with riders from all ten Championship sides involved.
Lawson said: “Glasgow is a good racetrack. What they've done with the banking is great, and they've utilised the space they have in the stadium brilliantly.
“Mark my words, there will 100 per cent be great racing in this meeting. You've got number ones from every team right through the field and there are no easy heats.
“Everyone wants to win it, so it will be an amazing event - I can't wait.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
LAKESIDE ace Alfie Bowtell is keen to take his chance with both hands after being handed a place in the National League Riders’ Championship at Leicester on Sunday.
The Hammers racer will join team-mate Ben Morley in the showpiece event against the top riders in the third tier this weekend.
“It’s a big meeting, and I’m pleased to get a chance to be involved,” Bowtell said.
“It’s a busy time for me at the moment, but I’m enjoying it and I’ll try and put in a good performance against some good riders.
“It’s been frustrating to miss so many meetings for Lakeside recently, but I’ve had a good season there and I’ve enjoyed riding for the club.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
SHEFFIELD seized control of their SGB Championship play-off semi-final tie with Glasgow thanks to a dominant 59-31 first leg win at Owlerton.
The Tigers got off to a rampant start and stormed into a 40-14 lead after Heat 9 courtesy of eight impressive heat advantages.
While the visitors were then able to claim two successive races in their favour, the hosts soon regained their superiority to secure a 28-point lead to take to Scotland for the second leg on Tuesday.
Josh Bates notched a paid maximum (10+2) on his return to Owlerton action with double-figure scores also supplied by Jan Graversen (12+2), Josh Grajczonek (11) and Lasse Bjerre (10+3) – whilst Glasgow’s scoring was dominated by Richard Lawson (11) and guest James Sarjeant (10).
Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “We made a stunning start and hit them hard early on and I think that was always going to be important.
“The boys did make lives a bit easier for themselves by making sure they were faster out of the starts in the majority of races and that helped too.
“To gain such a lead is a fantastic effort from the team and they did the club proud again tonight - but there's still work to be done.”
Glasgow’s Aaron Summers said: “The fight isn't over yet. Bring on Tuesday and we'll give it our best to turn it around.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
IPSWICH will take a ten-point lead to Edinburgh tonight (Friday) with their SGB Championship play-off semi-final finely poised after the first leg at Foxhall.
The Witches notched a 50-40 win from a weather-affected meeting in which the Monarchs trailed by just four points with three heats to go.
Home duo Danny King and Rory Schlein raced to a 5-1 in Heat 13 and they extended their lead when Erik Riss was disqualified from the next – before Sam Masters prevented further damage by winning Heat 15 for the Monarchs.
Schlein (11+2) and King (11+1) were joined in double-figures by guest Mason Campton (10+1), who continues to stand in on tonight, whilst Masters dropped just one point on his way to 14 for the visitors.
Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “It’s OK, it’s not amazing but it could have been a lot worse. When the rain came it affected us for a few heats and they got the 5-1 in Heat 7 and then Nathan (Greaves) crashed when we were on a 5-1.
“We pulled it back at the end of the meeting and built up a few more points though. We had a little bit of bad luck tonight, but maybe got a decision go our way as well.
“As I say, it is OK, not ideal but we have got to go there looking for the win and we are quite capable of doing that.”
Masters said: “I was happy with how I scored tonight; I only got the engine back today after blowing it at Swindon so I was happy with how it went.
“I think it’s all to go for and we can pull ten back. I’m pretty confident we can do that especially if the reserves ride well we definitely have it in us and I’ll be firing the boys up to go out there and do it at Armadale.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
THE Isle of Wight finished a tough season on a high with a 61-29 demolition of Cradley at the Smallbrook Stadium on Thursday.
The victory moved the Warriors off the bottom of the National League table for the time being at least, with Ben Wilson (12) and Scott Campos (10+2) both unbeaten by an opposing rider.
With Connor Coles (12+1) and James Cockle (11+1) also in double figures, the depleted Heathens were limited to one race win, coming from guest Josh Bailey (8) in Heat 6.
Cradley boss Will Pottinger said: “It’s hard to know what to say. It’s frustrating to be having a revolving door as a team at the moment.
“It was another tough night, and we were beaten heavily. It was a disappointing performance, but it is what it is.
“Hopefully we can get as much of the team together as possible on Wednesday and win our last meeting against Eastbourne.”
(SPEEDWAY 6)
BELLE Vue face an 11-point deficit as they host Swindon in the second leg of their Premiership KO Cup semi-final tonight (Friday).
The Aces lost 39-50 at Blunsdon last week and have brought in Hans Andersen to guest with Max Fricke away on Grand Prix duty in Stockholm, whilst Ben Hopwood replaces the injured Jack Smith at reserve.
The Robins include Brady Kurtz for World Championship leader Jason Doyle, whilst Tomas H Jonasson and Liam Carr make guest appearances at reserve with Bradley Wilson-Dean racing for Peterborough and Zach Wajtknecht injured.
Dan Bewley returns to Aces colours after injury, and said: “It is a sizeable margin the Robins have built up and we’re going to have to work hard to pull that back, and the only way to do that is if we’re all firing and working together as a team.
“Mark Lemon has done a great job with the guests. Hans Andersen was awesome at the Premiership Riders’ Individual so we’ve certainly got a chance; three heat advantages is all we need.”
Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “We were a bit disappointed that we weren’t able to win the first leg by a few more with everything that went on but it is what it is and we’ve still got a job to do.
“Belle Vue are very strong around their own track though and we’ll have to battle hard to make sure we get the job done.
“We’ve done pretty well when we’ve been to Belle Vue this year but Friday is a new meeting and we know they’ll be up for it too.”
Meanwhile Wolverhampton track just two of their own riders when they visit Somerset holding a 59-31 lead from the first leg.
Scott Nicholls, Lasse Bjerre, James Sarjeant and Alfie Bowtell all stand in for the Monmore men who had been seeking a re-arrangement of the tie, with only Jacob Thorssell and Kyle Howarth of their regular septet available.
Ashley Morris and Ellis Perks stand in for the Rebels, who are without their regular reserve duo of Jake Allen and Lewis Kerr.
Wolves boss Peter Adams said: “It’s unfortunate we’ve been railroaded into this fixture with over half our team missing, and it’s none of our doing.
“But we were pleased to come away with a big victory from the first leg to give us some sort of a cushion for Friday, and hopefully that will be enough although you learn to never count your chickens in this game.”
(SPEEDWAY 7)
SCUNTHORPE need to turn around an 18-point deficit against Peterborough tonight (Friday) if they are to extend their season at the Eddie Wright Raceway.
The Panthers appear to be in control of the Championship KO Cup tie having won the first leg 54-36, and will be travelling to Lincolnshire with a full-strength team.
Scorpions promoter Rob Godfrey has also hinted he could be prepared to switch the club’s regular race-night back to Fridays in 2018 – if there is a strong turnout tonight.
He said: “The odds are not stacked in our favour, with Peterborough tracking a full-strength team. But we’ll go out there and see what we can do to extend our season.
“This meeting is a chance for supporters to show up in bumper numbers and prove to me that we should move back to a Friday evening.
“I’m sure there will be some terrific racing, especially with former British Grand Prix Champion Chris Harris in the Peterborough line-up. I can’t wait to see Bomber and Josh Auty going at it hammer-and-tong around the Eddie Wright Raceway.”
Panthers boss Carl Johnson said: “We want to be involved in big meetings and we want to win more silverware.
“We sent out a message with our win at Glasgow last weekend. We’ve always believed that our full one-to-seven will take some stopping and that has now been proven.
“We know we have a good buffer on aggregate, but that won’t come into our thinking. We’re going to Scunthorpe to win and keep our good run going.”
(SPEEDWAY 8)
PLYMOUTH bid to keep their strong home run going when they host Mildenhall in the National League tonight (Friday).
The meeting also serves as a dress rehearsal for the National Trophy Final, with the sides due to meet in that competition in a fortnight.
The Fen Tigers need an away win to have any chance of reaching the play-offs, as they currently trail Lakeside by seven points with two matches remaining before the cut-off.
Jamie Halder again stands in for Saul Bulley for the hosts, whilst Ben Morley, Alex Spooner and William O’Keefe make guest appearances for the visitors – who also operate rider-replacement for Jordan Jenkins.
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22:
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Belle Vue v Swindon 7.30, Somerset v Wolverhampton 7.30
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Edinburgh v Ipswich 7.30
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP 2nd leg: Scunthorpe v Peterborough 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Plymouth v Mildenhall 7.15
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23:
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Workington v Glasgow 7pm
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Eastbourne 7.30, Stoke v Mildenhall 5pm, Stoke v Kent (follows previous fixture)
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 24:
SGBC RIDERS’ INDIVIDUAL: Glasgow 3pm
NATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Leicester 3pm
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 25:
SGB PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Swindon v Poole 7.30, 1st leg: Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30
Results :Thursday September 21, 2017;
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY OFF SEMI-FINAL, 1st leg
Ipswich 50 (Rory Schlein 11+2)
Edinburgh 40 (Sam Masters 14)
Sheffield 59 (Jan Graversen 12+2)
Glasgow 31 (Richard Lawson 11)
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE
Isle of Wight 61 ((Connor Coles 12+1)
Cradley 29 (Josh Bailey 8)
National League points: Isle of Wight 3 Cradley 0
