(SPEEDWAY 1)
LEICESTER have made a double swoop to cope with their early season injury crisis.
Danish international star Kenneth Bjerre, who topped the Belle Vue averages last season, makes a quick return to British racing as a replacement for broken ankle victim Martin Vaculik.
And Australian Todd Kurtz has also agreed to join the club as a replacement for Michael Palm Toft as the team needed to make a second change to stay under the points limit regulations.
Lions co-promoter Dave Darcy said: “We are obviously gutted for Martin after his bad injury and our commiserations also go out to Michael who came in when we needed him.
“We wish both guys all the very best for a speedy recovery and thank them for joining Leicester Speedway, it’s just a shame it was short lived. It can be a cruel sport.
“On the positive side we welcome a world class rider in Kenneth Bjerre who has bags of experience on the British tracks and he had a great season with Belle Vue last year.
“Todd was very keen when we spoke to him and he’s made a good start to the season with Sheffield so we’re confident he can do a god job for us.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
LAKESIDE got their Championship campaign off to a perfect start with a convincing 56-34 win over Redcar at the Arena-Essex Raceway.
Will Pottinger’s side were never threatened as they roared to 14 race victories and a comfortable three league points.
Heat-leader duo Nick Morris (12) and Richard Lawson (11+1) went untroubled to record a full maximum and paid maximum respectively, whilst Kyle Newman (11) also added double figures. Ben Barker scored 12 for the Bears.
Pottinger said: “Obviously it was another good night for us. It’s great to start our league campaign with a big home win, and also sending the opposition home empty handed as well.
“We had 14 race winners and all the top five scoring paid double figures, so it was a powerful performance and we couldn’t ask for much more really.
“We’re starting to lay the foundations for a dominant season at home, and that’s something we’re extremely happy about.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
GLASGOW stunned neighbours Edinburgh with a 48-41 Championship Shield victory at Armadale on Friday.
The match turned on the events of Heat 9 when the Tigers recorded a 5-0 after both Joel Andersson and Mark Riss were excluded for the hosts.
They then moved seven points clear in Heat 13 when Erik Riss crashed out, and Richie Worrall’s win in Heat 15 secured maximum points in the group.
Worrall won four of his five outings to finish on 13+1, whilst Erik Riss topped the Monarchs’ scores on 11.
Worrall said: "The track was a little bit tricky at first, we had a few crashes.
"We both had riders struggling. Jack (Thomas) is new to these tracks and that's the grippiest track he's ever seen. When you're at Armadale it's one of the smaller ones so it takes a lot to get your head around.
"It's a derby as well, it's Edinburgh, I don't think it matters what shield it is - they need beating."
Riss said: “The track was difficult even for me and Ricky. The difference today was that Glasgow have experienced riders who know what to do with these conditions.
"We lost to a better team, yes, but it was a lot to do with experience. Me and Ricky (Wells) tried to tell our guys what to do but they lacked the experience.”
Meanwhile Scunthorpe took revenge over Sheffield with a 49-41 win in the local derby at the Eddie Wright Raceway – to avenge their defeat at Owlerton 24 hours earlier.
The Tigers started well with a 5-1 in Heat 1 but found themselves six points down four races later, and were unable to remain quite close enough for a group point.
Josh Auty scored 13+1 for the Scorpions, dropping his only point in Heat 15, whilst Jason Garrity added 10.
Charles Wright (13) and Kyle Howarth (11+1) were both in double-figures for the Tigers.
Garrity said: Garrity said: “The racing was brilliant out there, and that’s why I wanted to come to Scunthorpe. This is what you call a racetrack.
“If you want to come to watch speedway racing, this is the place to come. There was a race there where me and Kyle (Howarth) must have swapped places five or six times.
“I was really in my element and enjoying riding my bike, even though, to be honest, I don’t feel at all well. I haven’t felt right all day and I’m glad I got through the meeting.
“Before the meeting, I told Dave (Peet, Scunthorpe team manager) I’d complete all my races, because I don’t like letting people down.
“I’m a man of my word and I’ve trained hard for this season and I did finish the meeting, even though I really didn’t feel well after my first ride.
“I’m so happy being at Scunthorpe, and I think there are big things to come out of this club this season."
Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “We expected a tough night and so it proved. The lads gave it their best shot but anyone could see the departments where we struggled, particularly in covering Josh (Bates).
“Lasse (Bjerre) has had a couple of off-nights, he was not quite happy with his machinery and if either of those things had been different perhaps the result would have been too.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
BELLE Vue took control of their National League KO Cup tie against Buxton with a 58-32 win over the Hitmen in Manchester.
Ben Woodhull scored a paid maximum at reserve (9+3) against his old club, whilst heat-leaders Kyle Bickey (14) and Tom Perry (11+1) both hit double figures.
Ben Wilson led the Hitmen scoring with 13 whilst David Wallinger added nine, including two race wins.
Woodhull said: “We wanted to take advantage of the home leg and we got the result we were aiming for from the start, but I don’t think any of us imagined we would come away with such a huge lead.
“Buxton put up a good fight but I think, having had a few meetings already, we put all the track time we’ve had so far to good use and it definitely showed in the performance of the whole team.
“I’m really happy with the meeting I had. I had a bit of a scare with a leg injury after I fell at Birmingham on Wednesday but thankfully it wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t race on Friday.
“We’re really looking forward to the second leg. We have everything going for us but we know the tables can turn so we’re going to approach this as we always do and fight for every point.”
Buxton boss Josh Moss said: “We battled hard and the score didn’t really justify the lads’ efforts. We suffered a little bad luck in Heat 3 with Tom Woolley and David Wallinger coming together, and both suffered knocks and carried on.
“We will need lady luck on Sunday in the second leg as we do have a lot of points to pull back, but it’s not over and we will be working hard to try and turn things around on our home track.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
IPSWICH are desperate to get their season off the mark when they host Lakeside in the Championship Shield at Foxhall tonight (Saturday).
The Witches fell to a home defeat against Peterborough and also lost at Purfleet – meaning an away win for the Hammers will secure their position at the top of the group.
Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “I think the track will be back to how we like it on Saturday. We need to win our home matches and pick up points on the road.
“All seven riders need to put in a performance on Saturday and build their confidence by getting a big home win then things won’t look so bad.
“Instead of looking at getting 46 points to win a meeting, we need to get 56 on Saturday, that is the target - a big home win. When it is still possible to qualify, you have to focus on doing that and I never give up.”
Hammers boss Will Pottinger said: “We’ll go to Ipswich with a lot of confidence, and we know a good result will put us in with an excellent chance of progressing from our group.
“We’ve had three good wins at home so now we’ll be looking to do the business away, and hopefully tonight’s result can fill us with the confidence to go there and win.”
Meanwhile Berwick host Newcastle in the re-arranged first leg of the Tyne/Tweed Trophy at Shielfield Park.
The Diamonds are expected to be without Stuart Robson, who suffered a broken finger in a crash at Redcar on Thursday.
(SPEEDWAY 6)
EASTBOURNE launch their defence of the National League KO Cup when they host the Isle of Wight at Arlington tonight (Saturday).
The Eagles have won the silverware in the last three seasons and are looking to build a lead to take to Smallbrook next week.
Both sides are without their No.1’s with Danny Ayres deputising for the hosts in place of Mark Baseby (unavailable) whilst Josh Bailey – an Eastbourne rider last year – comes in for Ben Morley (Championship commitment) for the Warriors.
Eagles boss Connor Dugard said: “We need to get a grip on this tie right from the opening heats on Saturday.
“Last weekend was pretty good with two wins out of three but I felt we suffered a bit because we missed out on all three of our opening challenge matches due to them being rained off.”
Meanwhile Stoke race their first home meeting of the season as they host Birmingham in the National Trophy.
The Potters were beaten at Coventry in their opening fixture, whilst the Brummies call up Jordan Jenkins to guest as Danyon Hume has a Championship commitment.
Stoke co-boss Adam Isherwood said: “We know it will be difficult against Birmingham who have some very good riders in their line-up, but we know as a team that we are capable of getting a result against them.
“We have genuine race winners in our side and we are looking to get our home season off to a winning start and get the feel-good factor back at Loomer Road this year.”
Brummies captain Mitchell Davey faces his club of 2017, and said: “There have been so many postponed meetings this year that nobody has really had chance to get into the flow yet.
“But we’ve got a few meetings coming up over the next week or two now so it would be good to get another win.
“I do kind of enjoy riding against my old clubs but I have to say, I had an enjoyable season at Stoke. I did my best for them and I got on pretty well with everyone there – but I’m a Birmingham rider now and I’ve got a job to do for them.”
(FIXTURES)
SATURDAY APRIL 21:
CHAMPIONSHIP SHIELD: Ipswich v Lakeside 7.30
NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Eastbourne v Isle of Wight 7.30
NATIONAL TROPHY: Stoke v Birmingham 7pm
TYNE/TWEED TROPHY 1st leg: Berwick v Newcastle 7pm
SUNDAY APRIL 22:
CHAMPIONSHIP SHIELD: Newcastle v Redcar 6.30, Glasgow v Edinburgh 3pm
NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Buxton v Belle Vue 3pm
JON ARMSTRONG TESTIMONIAL: Mildenhall 2pm
MONDAY APRIL 23:
PREMIERSHIP: Belle Vue v Rye House 7.30, Leicester v Swindon 7.30, Wolverhampton v Poole 7.30
TUESDAY APRIL 24:
CHAMPIONSHIP SHIELD: Peterborough v Ipswich 8pm
Results Friday April 20, 2018;
CHAMPIONSHIP
Lakeside 56 (Nick Morris 12)
Redcar 34 (Ben Barker 12)
Championship points: Lakeside 3 Redcar 0
CHAMPIONSHIP SHIELD
Edinburgh 41 (Erik Riss 11)
Glasgow 48 (Richie Worrall 13+1)
Championship Shield points: Edinburgh 0 Glasgow 4
Scunthorpe 49 (Josh Auty 13+1)
Sheffield 41 (Kyle Howarth 13+1)
Championship Shield points: Scunthorpe 3 Sheffield 0
NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP, 1st leg
Belle Vue 58 (Kyle Bickley 14)
Buxton 32 (Ben Wilson 13)
