PIC OF THE WEEK...
Ipswich’s Rory Schlein on his way to winning Heat 15 in Friday’s SGB Championship Play-Off semi-final at Edinburgh. The Witches went onto book their place in the Grand Final where they will face the winners of tonight’s Glasgow/Sheffield semi-final.
Picture: RON MacNEILL
HERE'S our latest soundbytes and fixtures from around the tracks up and down the country.
SGB PREMIERSHIP SOUNDBYTES…
BELLE VUE – “The guys know as well as I do that we’ve worked too hard for too long to throw in the towel. We know we deserve to be in that grand final so we’ve certainly got a point to prove come Wednesday.” Team manager Mark Lemon says the Aces have a point to prove as they look to overturn a 13-point deficit against Wolverhampton and reach the Premiership Grand Final on Wednesday.
NEXT HOME: Wolverhampton, SGB Premiership Play-Off Semi-Final Second Leg, Weds Sept 27 (7.30)
POOLE – “Oh well everything comes to an end and so did the Pirates’ season tonight. We put up a fight but Swindon was just too strong in department. I’d like to thank all my team mates, the fans & lastly the Poole promotion for this season.” Pirates’ skipper Hans Andersen took to social media after they suffered a narrow play-off defeat at the semi-final stage against Swindon.
SOMERSET – “We were obviously hoping for a better result than this, but Wolves are a formidable team around their own track and totally dominated us from the off.” Rebels’ boss Garry May offered no excuses after a heavy, 28-point defeat in their Knockout Cup semi-final first leg at Wolverhampton last week.
NEXT HOME: Wolverhampton, Knockout Cup, TBC
SWINDON – “It’s a great achievement, we had a few heart-stopping moments but we haven’t crumbled all year and I always felt we would come strong in the end.” Team boss Alun Rossiter was delighted to book their spot in the play-off final after a tense second leg against Poole at the Abbey.
NEXT HOME: Belle Vue or Wolverhampton, Premiership Play-Off Final, Mon Oct 2 (7.30)
NEXT AWAY: Belle Vue or Wolverhampton, Premiership Play-Off Final, Weds Oct 4 (7.30)
WOLVERHAMPTON – “We know it’s going to be tough being without Jacob but every rider in the team, including Freddie (Lindgren), can take one of his rides so hopefully the team can cover his points well.” Team boss Peter Adams believes Wolves can cover the injury loss of Jacob Thorssell as they aim to defend a 13-point lead at Belle Vue in their play-off semi-final second leg on Wednesday.
NEXT AWAY: Belle Vue, Premiership Play-Off Semi-Final, Weds Sept 27 (7.30)
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP SOUNDBYTES…
EDINBURGH – “I think we could have qualified, but we made too many mistakes between us including me running a last.” Star man Sam Masters felt mistakes proved costly as they lost out to Ipswich in a tense play-off semi-final.
NEXT AWAY: Peterborough, Championship, Sun Oct 1 (5pm)
GLASGOW – “We want to try and hold onto that trophy, because I don’t think we can be as bad as we have been of late. I’d like to see us get the confidence up and have another go.” Tigers’ boss Stewart Dickson says they are determined to defend their Knockout Cup crown.
NEXT HOME: Sheffield, Championship Play-Off Semi-Final, Tues Sept 26 (7.30)
IPSWICH – “It is business as usual really, I will be in the gym and making sure the bikes are alright this week. The moment you start thinking ‘this is a final, we’ve got to do this and that extra’ is the moment it all goes wrong.” Kyle Newman insists it will be “business as usual” for the Witches in the play-off final.
NEXT HOME: TBC, Championship Play-Off Final, Sat Sept 30 (7.30)
NEXT AWAY: Sheffield, Knockout Cup, Thurs Oct 5 (7.30)
NEWCASTLE – “We do still have a couple of meetings together as a team to prove what we should’ve done all year, and hopefully we can be back together as a team to get the results we should’ve been all year.” Steve Worrall says the Diamonds are determined to end their season with a flourish. Read more in this week’s Speedway Star.
NEXT HOME: Workington, Championship, Sun Oct 1 (6.30)
NEXT AWAY: Workington, Championship, Sat Oct 7 (7.30)
PETERBOROUGH – “It's been a long season, but the fans have stuck with us superbly. We need their backing in every meeting and I feel it is only right to reward them with this offer for the semi-final if we make it.” Ged Rathbone is set to reward Panthers’ fans for their loyalty with discounted entry if they secure a place in the Knockout Cup semi-finals.
NEXT HOME: Scunthorpe, Championship, Tues Sept 26 (7.30)
NEXT AWAY: Scunthorpe, Knockout Cup, Fri Sept 29 (7.30)
SCUNTHORPE – “If we can put in a decent performance tonight, we can perhaps shake Peterborough’s confidence ahead of Friday, when the two clubs meet at the Eddie Wright Raceway in a far more vital Knockout Cup clash.” Rob Godfrey was hoping to send out a message to Peterborough ahead of their Knockout Cup tie when the sides meet at the East of England Showground on Tuesday.
NEXT HOME: Peterborough, Knockout Cup, Fri Sept 29 (7.30)
NEXT AWAY: Peterborough, Championship, Tues Sept 26 (7.30)
SHEFFIELD – “It’s not ideal but we’re not the owners of the stadium, so we have to deal with it and do the best we can to make the first leg a success.” Tigers’ co-promoter Damien Bates will look to make the most of a tough situation if they see off Glasgow to reach the play-off final and host the first leg at Owlerton this Thursday.
NEXT HOME: Redcar, Championship OR Championship Play-Off Final First Leg, Thurs Sept 28 (7.30)
NEXT AWAY: Glasgow, Championship Play-Off Semi-Final, Tues Sept 26 (7.30)
WORKINGTON – “I couldn’t be more proud of the way they overcame the Tigers, especially as we were without two of our three heat leaders.” Team boss Tony Jackson praised his side after seeing off Glasgow in a last-heat decider at Derwent Park on Saturday.
NEXT HOME: Peterborough, Championship, Sat Sept 30 (7.30)
NEXT AWAY: Newcastle, Championship, Sun Oct 1 (6.30)
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUNDBYTES…
BELLE VUE COLTS – “We’re after the double this year, the league and the KOC, just like the Aces and we’re pumped up and ready to make that happen.” Rob Shuttleworth says the table-topping Colts want to win it all in the third tier this season.
NEXT HOME: Lakeside, National League Play-Off Semi-Final, Fri Oct 6 (7.30)
NEXT AWAY: Lakeside, National League Play-Off Semi-Final, Fri Sept 29
BIRMINGHAM – “This one's not just for me it's for the people of Birmingham as well. They've welcomed me into the club with open arms, I've really enjoyed my time there and it's nice to give them a little something to shout about.” Liam Carr was happy to dedicate his third place finish in the National League Riders’ Championship last weekend to the loyal Brummies’ supporters.
NEXT HOME: Cradley, Challenge, Weds Oct 11 (7.30)
CRADLEY – “The majority of supporters have stuck by us and encouraged us along the way and we owe them a win after a tough couple of weeks.” Luke Harris is determined to end their season on a high against former club Eastbourne at Perry Barr on Wednesday.
NEXT HOME: Eastbourne, National League, Weds Sept 27 (7.30)
NEXT AWAY: Birmingham, Challenge, Weds Oct 11 (7.30)
EASTBOURNE – Eastbourne will face Kent in the National League play-off semi-finals. They will head to Central Park for the first leg on Monday, October 2 before hosting the second leg at Arlington on Saturday, October 7.
NEXT HOME: Plymouth, Knockout Cup, Sat Sept 30 (7.30)
NEXT AWAY: Cradley, National League, Weds Sept 27 (7.30)
ISLE OF WIGHT – “We all rode well, everyone did their job from 1-7 and it was a great result to finish off the year.” Chris Widman was delighted with a crushing win over Cradley in their final home fixture. Read more in this week’s Speedway Star.
NEXT AWAY: Mildenhall, National League, Sun Oct 1 (Approx. 5pm)
KENT – Kent are gearing up for a National League Play-Off Semi-Final showdown with Eastbourne.
NEXT HOME: Eastbourne, National League Play-Off Semi-Final, Mon Oct 2 (6.30)
NEXT AWAY: Eastbourne, National League Play-Off Semi-Final, Sat Oct 7 (7.30)
LAKESIDE – “It’s going to be tough and we will need the support of our fans to help us on Friday.” Co-promoter Jon Cook has called on Hammers’ fans to roar them on in their play-off semi-final clash with title favourites Belle Vue on Friday.
NEXT HOME: Belle Vue, National League Play-Off Semi-Final, Fri Sept 29 (8pm)
NEXT AWAY: Belle Vue, National League Play-Off Semi-Final, Fri Oct 6 (7.30)
MILDENHALL – “Once we were able to continue the lads responded in excellent fashion and we had the heat winners in all the remaining heats to take a well-earned draw. Considering we were already running R/R for Luke (Ruddick) and were without both reserves before we lost Connor, everyone should be very proud of their efforts.” Team boss Phil Kirk was pleased with a hard-fought draw in a shortened clash at Stoke on Saturday.
NEXT HOME: Belle Vue + Isle of Wight, Knockout Cup + National League, Sun Oct 1 (3pm)
NEXT AWAY: Plymouth, National Trophy Final, Fri Oct 6 (7.15)
PLYMOUTH – Plymouth are preparing for their National Trophy Final showdown with Mildenhall. Their planned league clash with the Fen Tigers last Friday was washed out.
NEXT HOME: Mildenhall, National Trophy Final, Fri Oct 6 (7.15)
NEXT AWAY: Mildenhall, National Trophy Final, Sun Oct 8 (3pm)
STOKE – “It’s not been a very good year at all and Saturday night summed everything up I had all my race suit cut off and I’ve smashed my bike up but on the positive side I’m in one piece and am now at home.” Luke Priest felt last weekend summed up his season after breaking his arm and dislocating his shoulder in a crash against Mildenhall.
NEXT HOME: Isle of Wight + Buxton, National League, Sun Oct 8 (3pm)
MAJOR EVENTS LATEST…
BRITISH teenage sensation Dan Bewley produced an immaculate 15-point maximum to win the 2017 National League Riders' Championship at Leicester.
The 18-year-old had only recently returned from a groin injury, and the third tier’s showpiece event was the Cumbrian’s fourth meeting in four days.
But the Belle Vue Colts youngster battled on and stunned spectators and competitors alike with two remarkable rides to seal the title.
Bewley made life easier for himself by out-gating his opponents in his opening three rides and set a new National League track record at Beaumont Park of 62.25 in his second outing.
Heat 14 saw him line-up alongside the only other previously unbeaten rider in Buxton's Matt Williamson, as well as Birmingham's Tom Bacon who had only dropped one point at that stage.
And despite missing the gate on this occasion, Bewley was still able to maintain his perfect sequence as he pulled off a series of impressive manoeuvres as he went from last to first in the space of a lap and a half.
And in Heat 19, when a second place was required to seal the title, he was again squeezed out on the opening bends – but after working his way past Kent's Luke Bowen, he then nipped away at Josh Bailey before cutting back under the Eastbourne man off the final bend to complete a brilliant maximum.
Bewley said: “It feels great and it's nice to be able to win this for Belle Vue Colts as well as myself. They were one of the clubs along with Edinburgh who gave me my break in speedway and I can't thank them enough along with Craig Cook who recommended me to both of them.
“It was a good meeting and I was really happy with how I rode. I had speed, the bikes were working good and I felt fast all meeting.
“Physically I felt quite tired after three meetings in three days after a few weeks off and at one point I didn't know if I'd be able to ride today or not.
“But thankfully I got a good night's sleep in on Saturday after my meeting at Workington and I'm glad I made the decision to battle through it in the end because it was totally worth it!"
Williamson claimed second place after a solid afternoon's work while Birmingham's Liam Carr snatched the final rostrum spot courtesy of a third race win in Heat 20 over fellow contenders Bacon and Ben Morley.
*THE SGB Championship Riders’ Individual at Glasgow will now take place on Saturday October 14 (7pm) after rain caused an early postponement of last Sunday’s planned staging.
It means two Major Events will now take place in the closing weeks of the campaign as the top two from each club will be at Sheffield on Sunday October 8 (3pm) for the SGBC Pairs.
BRITISH SPEEDWAY MAJOR EVENTS 2017
SGBP PAIRS: KING’S LYNN
BRITISH FINAL: CRAIG COOK
SGBC FOURS: PETERBOROUGH
SGBP RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: FREDRIK LINDGREN
SGBC PAIRS: Sheffield, October 8
SGBC RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow, October 14
OTHER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DATES
BRITISH UNDER-21 SEMI-FINAL: JAMES SHANES
BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: ROBERT LAMBERT
BRITISH UNDER-19 FINAL: ZACH WAJTKNECHT
BRITISH SEMI-FINALS: RORY SCHLEIN; KYLE HOWARTH
NATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: TBC
NATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: DAN BEWLEY
FIXTURE PICTURE…
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26:
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Glasgow v Sheffield 7.30
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Peterborough v Scunthorpe 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27:
SGB PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Belle Vue v Wolverhampton 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Eastbourne (at Birmingham) 7.30
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28:
CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Sheffield v Ipswich 7.30 (subject to progression) OR
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield v Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29:
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP 2nd leg: Scunthorpe v Peterborough 7.30
NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 1st leg: Lakeside v Belle Vue 8pm
NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Plymouth v Eastbourne 7.15
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 30:
CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINAL 1st/2nd leg: Ipswich v Sheffield/Glasgow 7.30
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Workington v Peterborough 7pm
NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Eastbourne v Plymouth 7.30
SUNDAY OCTOBER 1:
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Newcastle v Workington 7.30, Peterborough v Edinburgh 5pm
NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F: Mildenhall v Belle Vue 3pm
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Isle of Wight (follows previous fixture)
MONDAY OCTOBER 2:
SGB PREMIERSHIP GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Swindon v Belle Vue/Wolverhampton 7.30
NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 1st leg: Kent v Eastbourne 6.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 4:
SGB PREMIERSHIP GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Belle Vue/Wolverhampton v Swindon 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 6:
NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Belle Vue v Lakeside 7.30
NATIONAL TROPHY FINAL 1st leg: Plymouth v Mildenhall 7.15
SATURDAY OCTOBER 7:
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Workington v Newcastle 7pm
NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Eastbourne v Kent 7.30
SUNDAY OCTOBER 8:
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRS: Sheffield 3pm
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Isle of Wight 3pm, Stoke v Buxton (follows previous fixture)
NATIONAL TROPHY FINAL 2nd leg: Mildenhall v Plymouth 3pm
MONDAY OCTOBER 9:
THE LAURELS: Kent 6.30
Results Tuesday September 26, 2017;
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY OFF SEMI-FINAL, 2nd leg
Glasgow 34 (Aaron Summers 10+1)
Sheffield 31 (Kyle Howarth 10)
Abandoned after 11 heats due to curfew and lack of medical cover – Result STANDS
Sheffield win on aggregate 90-65
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP
Peterborough 51 (Chris Harris 12+1, Ulrich Ostergaard 12+1)
Scunthorpe 39 (Jake Allen 10+1)
SGB Championship points: Peterborough 3 Scunthorpe 0
