SPEEDWAY Weekly round-up

SUPER 7EVEN ROLL OF HONOUR 2008:

BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: Lakeside, Friday April 25 - TAI WOFFINDENBRITISH FINAL: Swindon, Thursday May 29 - SCOTT NICHOLLSPREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset, Friday June 27 - WORKINGTONPREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Workington, Saturday July 26 - WORKINGTONELITE LEAGUE BEST PAIRS: Swindon, Sunday August 17 - COVENTRYPREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, Sunday September 21 - TAI WOFFINDENELITE LEAGUE RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP: Birmingham, Wednesday October 8 - JASON CRUMP

ELITE LEAGUE LATEST…

COVENTRY manager Peter Oakes says the Bees will show no complacency when they contest the second leg of the Craven Shield Final at home to Lakeside on Friday - starting with a four point lead courtesy of last week's away win at Purfleet.Oakes said: "To win the Craven Shield would keep the run going for us, but we won't take the second leg for granted. "We know what AJ (Andreas Jonsson) can do around Coventry, he's as good around there as he is at Lakeside, but Thursday was a terrific performance on a track where we've been notoriously poor in the past."

EASTBOURNE chief Bob Dugard admits the club must step up their sponsorship drive for next season after a difficult end to the current campaign.The Eagles are hoping to wrap things up on a high when they take on Poole in the Knockout Cup Final this weekend.Dugard said: "Sponsorship has been very poor and that has become a vital part of speedway. Most other tracks in the main do a lot better than us on that issue."

IPSWICH rider-manager Chris Louis has hinted that Polish star Piotr Swiderski could extend his stay at Foxhall.Louis said: "We have spoken to Peterborough about Piotr. He has done fantastic for us this season and of course Danny (King) is with the Panthers. There could perhaps be a swap, but we are a way off that happening yet."

LAKESIDE owner Stuart Douglas is urging his side to end the season on high as they attempt to win at Coventry in the Craven Shield Final after losing the home leg 47-43.Douglas said: "The events of the last few weeks have taken their toll and to say that Jon Cook and I are gutted is a total understatement."I expect nothing less than a total, all-out assault of Coventry next Friday for the return leg, where Ricky (Kling) is capable of riding extremely well, and (Krzysztof) Jablonski should find to his liking also."

PETERBOROUGH co-promoter Mick Bratley praised Polish youngster Karol Zabik, who completed a turbulent season on a high to help the Panthers avoid the final relegation play-off.Bratley said: "Karol has been an absolute model professional since we cleared the air with him. His form has been nothing short of astounding. "I will be the first to admit, I had my doubts about him, but we have managed to bring the best out of him."

POOLE promoter Matt Ford hopes to round off a vintage season by completing a League and Cup double with aggregate victory over Eastbourne this weekend.Ford said: "If we can replicate that atmosphere again on the 26th then I am sure our riders will be well up to perform with the same passion as they displayed in the play-off finals, and indeed have done all season. "It would be the icing on the cake if we could be sign off this campaign in the best possible way."

WOLVERHAMPTON owner Chris Van Straaten has been warned to expect a rough reception from Edinburgh in the first leg of the promotion/relegation showdown in Scotland on Friday.Nervous Wolves, who have booked club asset and Armadale specialist James Grieves as a replacement for the injured Morten Risager on Friday, are looking to keep the score tight before returning to Monmore Green for the second leg next Monday, October 27.Said Van Straaten: “Edinburgh will be up for promotion. They’ve had a great season with great crowds and, of course, there is the lure of a big financial reward for moving up into the Elite League. It’s going to be tough for us.”

PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST…

BERWICK promoter Peter Waite is to step down at the end of the season after almost a decade at the helm of the Bandits.Waite said: "Next Saturday will be my last meeting as promoter at Berwick and the club is up for sale with immediate effect from tonight, and I'm looking for buyers NOW. There's an AGM in November and we need a buyer before then."

BIRMINGHAM have asked Sheffield for permission to speak to Canadian Kyle Legault.BRC Roofing Brummies boss Graham Drury wants to include Legault in his team for next season, even though the rider himself is considering a move into the Elite League.Said Drury: “I would like Kyle back and I believe it would be a major gamble for him to go into the Elite League after a season ruined by serious injury.“But if he does decide to do that then I will be the first to wish the lad all the best.”

EDINBURGH are building up to another big night on Friday when they face Wolverhampton in the promotion/relegation race-off - and the Monarchs will be presented with the Premier League trophy.Promoter John Campbell said: "I'm just delighted to get through to face Wolves and I think there will be a huge crowd on Friday to see how we get on in the first leg. I can't wait. I think it will be a great night."

KING'S LYNN manager Rob Lyon was philosophical after seeing his side narrowly miss out on the opportunity for promotion as they lost out in the play-off Final to Edinburgh.Lyon said: "I think we both had some bad luck over the course of the two legs but you always look at certain parts and wish it had just gone our way here or there. Then things might have been different but at the end of the day we've had two good meetings, two good crowds and speedway was the winner.”

READING’S time at Smallmead Stadium is over after 33 years... and Ulrich Ostergaard won the club’s End-of-an-Era meeting at the weekend.And in a fitting finale, Racers legend Dave Mullett, took to the track for one last time and rode the final four laps of the Berkshire circuit.Mullett said: “I was very nervous before I went out as I haven’t been on a bike for six years, but I enjoyed it and it was a honour to be the last man to ever ride the track.”

REDCAR's hopes of retaining the Young Shield were ended in dramatic fashion in a last-heat semi-final defeat at Workington.Manager Brian Havelock said: "I think we probably lost it in the first leg. I was looking for a lead of around 10 points and that didn’t quite happen."

SHEFFIELD owner Neil Machin insists his team building plans for next season have already started.Andre Compton has retired and Ben Wilson has already said he wants a move, which means changes ahead for the Owlerton side.Said Machin: “We already have an idea of the riders we want to keep from this season and naturally we will add some new faces.”

SOMERSET are celebrating winning the Premier League Knockout Cup after being defeated in the Final over the last two seasons.Team manager Steve Bishop said: "2008 has been a great season for the Rebels and it has been great to be a part of that success. After coming so close to winning in other competitions, we finally have a trophy to show for our efforts.”

WORKINGTON legend Carl Stonehewer blasted back to top form with an 18-point maximum against Redcar to help the Comets into this weekend's Young Shield Final clash with Berwick.Stonehewer said: "We got the bike set-up perfectly and everything went like clockwork. It was like the old days again and it was such a good feeling again. I only hope now we can give the fans a seven-man trophy that they desperately want."

FIXTURE PICTURE

THURSDAY OCTOBER 23:16-LAPPER: Ipswich 7.30SOUTH TEES SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30

FRIDAY OCTOBER 24:CRAVEN SHIELD FINAL: Coventry v Lakeside 8pmPROMOTION/RELEGATION RACE-OFF: Edinburgh v Wolverhampton 7.30BEST PAIRS: Peterborough 7.30CONFERENCE LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL: Plymouth v Boston 7.30

SATURDAY OCTOBER 25:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL: Eastbourne v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Stoke v Reading 7.30YOUNG SHIELD FINAL: Berwick v Workington 7pmCONFERENCE LEAGUE FINAL: Weymouth v Boston 7.15

SUNDAY OCTOBER 26:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL: Poole v Eastbourne 3pmYOUNG SHIELD FINAL: Workington v Berwick 7pmCONFERENCE LEAGUE FINAL: Boston v Weymouth 7pmCONFERENCE CHALLENGE: Buxton v Belle Vue Colts 3pmHEATHERSFIELD GOLDEN HELMET: Glasgow 3pm

MONDAY OCTOBER 27:PROMOTION/RELEGATION RACE-OFF: Wolverhampton v Edinburgh 7.30BRITISH U18 CHAMPIONSHIP: Scunthorpe 7.30

FRIDAY OCTOBER 31:SCOTTISH CUP: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30INDIVIDUAL: Scunthorpe 7.30


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