British Speedway Weekly Bulletin

BIG EVENT LATEST…

BRITISH youth bosses Phil Morris and Neil Vatcher have named their eight-man squad for the FIM Under-21 World Team Cup semi-final at Lakeside later this month.The event takes place at the Purfleet track on Sunday May 27 with the young Brits up against Denmark, Australia and the Czech Republic. The four nations will be battling for places in the Final which is being staged in Poland on September 1.The squad, which will eventually be trimmed down to five riders, reads as follows: Jason Garitty, Joe Haines, Jerran Hart, Kyle Howarth, Kyle Newman, Tom Perry, Richie Worrall and Steven Worrall.Co-boss Morris said: “Neil and I have picked this eight as we believe they are the best on current form. We will be looking closely at their scores over the coming weeks before we pick the final team of five which will race at Lakeside.“We also took into account the showing of the riders at the British Under-21 Final which has pushed Tom Perry into that eight. “All the riders have been told about the nominations and every one of them is over the moon. They have all stated they are out to show what they can do before we pick our final five.“We all know how hard it will be to topple the Aussies and Danes but the lads are really up for the challenge and hoping to do the business.”Meanwhile, the line-up for the FIM Grand Prix Qualifier at Berwick on Saturday June 16th continues to take shape.The Bandits already knew top British stars Chris Harris and Tai Woffinden would be visiting at the start of their bid to reach the 2013 GP series, along with experienced Aussie Davey Watt, and other names added to the field include Swedish star Linus Sundstrom and the reigning Premier League Riders’ Champion Sam Masters.Representatives from several other countries have been confirmed including Matej Kus (Czech Republic) – a maximum scorer on his last visit to Shielfield Park – ex-Bandit Tero Aarnio (Finland), Christian Hefenbrock (Germany) and UK newcomer Facundo Albin alongside Emiliano Sanchez of Argentina.Riders from Poland, Denmark, Russia and the USA are still to be announced, with Olly Allen and Danny King nominated as the UK reserves, and the meeting has also attracted major sponsorship from the worldwide New Holland Agriculture organisation for what promises to be Berwick’s biggest-ever night.The club stated: “Simply put, this means we have a worldwide concern – New Holland Agriculture have more than 3,000 dealerships in more than 160 countries – backing a world-class qualifying event.“New Holland Agriculture sponsored our Bordernapolis event lat year, and the deal clearly worked for them, as now they’ve stepped up to put their name against our very first FIM event.”

SPEEDWAYGB EVENTS SERIES:BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: JOE HAINESPREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Peterborough, Sunday July 15BRITISH FINAL: Wolverhampton, Monday July 30PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset, Friday August 24PREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, Sunday September 23ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Swindon, Saturday October 20

NATIONAL LEAGUE MAJOR EVENT DATES:NATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: Stoke, Sunday June 10NATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: Mildenhall, Sunday July 22NATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Rye House, Saturday September 15

BRITISH SPEEDWAY FIM EVENT DATES:WORLD UNDER-21 TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL: Lakeside, May 27GRAND PRIX QUALIFIER: Berwick, June 16WORLD UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP Round 3: Coventry, August 17

ELITE LEAGUE LATEST…

BELLE VUE boss Jim Lynch is looking to the future as the Aces prepare for a further re-shuffle following Adam Shields’ retirement from the sport.Lynch said: “We’ve had a bad start to the season for a variety of reasons but there are still 23 matches to go.“We have had problems with matches being called off and also Patrick Hougaard breaking his collarbone. But we hit rock bottom at Coventry with Adam (Shields) deciding to pack up and now the only way is up.”BIRMINGHAM skipper Danny King says the Brummies are desperate to get their season started again when they face Peterborough at Perry Barr on Thursday.He said: “It will be a month since we last raced at home and we need to get going again. We need to gather some momentum and go on a good run because I still feel this team is good enough to challenge for a play-off spot.“It’s been the most frustrating time I’ve ever know during my career with such a bad spell of weather.”COVENTRY star Scott Nicholls picked up impressive paid-14 and paid-13 scores in the Bees’ weekend programme which resulted in three points at home to Belle Vue and then a point away at Eastbourne. Nicholls said: “We’re just happy to get another meeting in the bag and come away with a point. We’re having a few ups and downs but everyone is showing potential, and hopefully we’ve turned that corner now. There’s a good spirit there, and we know that’s what has won us titles before.“I was pretty happy with my night, it was just a bit unfortunate in Heat 15 because I made a good start but I went for the cut-back and almost hit Simon’s (Gustafsson) rear wheel and nearly went down.”EASTBOURNE boss Trevor Geer admitted taking a win from last Saturday’s hard-fought clash with Coventry was a relief – even though the Bees took a point from the meeting.Geer said: “It would have been ideal to grab all three-points, especially after being 10-points up, but when you consider at one stage we found ourselves 8-points down, I was just relieved to get the win particularly against a team of Coventry’s quality. “The lads got stuck in and battled hard to come back from that and yes, I was pleased with all of them.”KING’S LYNN have been boosted by the news that Daniel Nermark and new signing Mateuz Szczepaniak were not badly hurt when they crashed out of the Stars’ win at Belle Vue last Wednesday.Szczepaniak completed less than a lap on his debut and Nermark fell in his second ride, but the Stars still took maximum points from the meeting and both are set to be fit for the home clash with Coventry on Wednesday.LAKESIDE co-promoter Jon Cook has paid tribute to former Hammer Adam Shields, who quit Belle Vue and announced his retirement from the sport last weekend.Cook said: “All at the club wish Adam the very best and fully support his decision, which must have been a very difficult one to make.“Since we took over, Adam has been a foundation on which the Lakeside Hammers club has been built, and we wish him great happiness and success away from racing.”PETERBOROUGH co-boss Jan Staechmann is optimistic of a successful return to racing for the Panthers this week, as they face back-to-back away trips to Birmingham and Lakeside on Thursday and Friday.Staechmann said: “We're looking forward to going to Birmingham on Thursday, and get back into the swing of things, and surely summer must be imminent so we can get on with the season without the constant interruptions.“It's a track that the riders seem to enjoy riding, and we are under no illusion that it will be a tough contest, as Birmingham and ourselves have similarly built sides.”POOLE skipper Chris Holder says the hype received by himself and fellow countryman Darcy Ward is taking pressure away from the rest of the team – who have performed well in recent away wins at Wolverhampton and Lakeside.Holder said: “They are all good boys. In the meetings we have won, it has not just been because of me and Darcy. The rest of the boys have also done their jobs. All the boys are chipping in, not just the two of us.“People worry about us having two high-average riders in the team and worry that we are not going to be strong enough, but we have already proved that we are. The boys are only going to get better.”SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter felt his side had sent out a clear statement of intent even though their Elite League match at Poole on Monday was abandoned after eight heats with the scores level.Rossiter said: “Everyone keeps saying Poole are favourites but with that performance I think we showed that we are going to be in there.“The boys’ attitudes were spot-on. I’m pleased with them because they put a marker down and did us proud.”WOLVERHAMPTON have reduced admission prices to £10 for adults, £7 for concessions and £3 for children (with under-11s free) for next Monday’s popular Gary Peterson Memorial – with the club set to include several Monmore newcomers.Promoter Chris Van Straaten said: “We will be taking a look at both Anders Mellgren and Matej Kus, and we’re also bringing over two European riders to make their UK debuts and again that’s because we’ve got one eye on the future.“We believe the admission prices represent excellent value for what has become an established meeting on our calendar, and one which has provided some great entertainment in the past.”PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST…

BERWICK’s Jason King says his recent switch to reserve should help him regain form after his late call-up to the Bandits’ team following his injury problems of 2011.King said: “I need the meetings to build up my fitness, and the more races I get the better which is why dropping to reserve will hopefully help. My gating is not as sharp as it might be.”EDINBURGH reserve Micky Dyer made a further improvement on a generally tough day for the Monarchs at Scunthorpe on Monday.Dyer became the Scottish side’s first race winner in Heat 12, defeating the in-form Richie Worrall on his way to a score of paid-11 from seven rides in the 37-55 defeat.GLASGOW suffered their first home Premier League defeat in over a year when they went down 44-46 to Leicester in a last-heat decider – despite a magnificent 15-point maximum from skipper Joe Screen. The Tigers return to action at Scunthorpe on Friday.IPSWICH reserve Rohan Tungate piled up a bumper score of 15 (paid 18) as the Witches picked up a maximum haul of points from a 54-40 win over Sheffield in their Premier League opener.Manager Pete Simmons said: “We went down 5-1 in the first heat which is never a good sign, but we rallied round and with Rohan riding well we gave him a couple of extra rides and in the end we finished with a 14-point victory. I think that was Rohan’s best performance of the season.”LEICESTER boss Jason Attwood praised the response from his team to a heavy defeat at Somerset, with back-to-back Premier League wins over the weekend including at reigning champions Glasgow.Attwood said: “The team responded to the challenge and more than made amends with two competent performances that began against Redcar on Saturday. No team had won at the Ashfield Stadium for over a year in the league so to come away with the match points was a defining moment in our season so far. After being at the wrong end of the table all last year it is a nice view looking down on everyone else for once!”NEWCASTLE boss George English admits the Diamonds’ riding order change decreed by the new May averages is not one he would have looked to be making out of choice.English said: “In an ideal world I would have left the team exactly as it was as Lemo (Mark Lemon) is just going through one of those spells that hit every rider from time to time. However, there’s no doubt that Robbo (Stuart Robson) can take over at the top of the order and still bring in the big scores.”PLYMOUTH promoter Mike Bowden feels the Devils’ home Premier League clash with Somerset on Saturday should provide a different outcome to the recent 39-51 defeat in the League Cup – especially with recent signing Todd Kurtz making an impressive start.Bowden said: “I would like to think we will put on a better showing against Somerset this time around. Todd Kurtz is a talented young rider who showed his capabilities by top scoring for us with 13 points at Rye House on Saturday evening.”REDCAR boss Jitendra Duffill says his side are keen to bounce back from a home defeat last week when they face Ipswich in their first Premier League fixture on their own track this Thursday.Duffill said: “The setback against the (Workington) Comets last Thursday has made us even more determined not to let matters slip. Max Dilger returns to the ranks after his absence away at Leicester last Saturday, and we need his presence and that of Mark Jones to contain their explosive reserve pairing of Rohun Tungate and Cameron Heeps throughout what should prove a tight but exciting tussle.”RYE HOUSE boss John Sampford admits the Rockets’ home defeat against Somerset on Monday was a big blow to their aspirations of reaching the League Cup semi-finals.Sampford said: “Well done to the Rebels. As we’ve said before, they are a very good team. Joining them in the semis is now a really big ask. We’ve got to get maximum points from our final two matches, and hope that Ipswich slip up.”SCUNTHORPE boss Richard Hollingsworth says the manner of the Scorpions’ home win over Edinburgh on Monday gives them optimism for their upcoming programme.Hollingsworth said: “It’s good to get some Premier League points on the board and we will be looking to record some more at one of our happier hunting grounds, Leicester, next Saturday.”SHEFFIELD reserve Klaus Jakobsen is set for an ultrasound scan in a bid to get to the bottom of what appears to be a trapped nerve problem which forced him out of the Tigers’ weekend match at Workington after two rides.Co-boss David Hoggart said: “It’s a great shame for Klaus because he was doing everything we wanted of him before he was injured recently. He felt a twinge in his first ride and then he lost feeling in two fingers. When he dropped the clutch after that he was in sharp pain and the doctor had to pull him out, so we believe he has a trapped nerve and he now needs to go home and have the ultrasound.”SOMERSET will offer adult admission for £10 and kids for a quid when the Sky Sports cameras visit the Oak Tree Arena for the Rebels’ home Premier League clash with Ipswich on May 22.Promoter Debbie Hancock said: “It goes without saying that we are extremely honoured to featuring live on Sky Sports once again, and we would really love to see the Oaktree Arena packed out with fans for the cameras, hence the decision to reduce our prices for this special occasion, in order to show the Arena at its best.”WORKINGTON have edged closer to qualification for the League Cup semi-finals with victories away at Redcar and at home to Sheffield - although mathematically Scunthorpe and Newcastle can still draw level with their current points tally.Comets boss Tony Jackson said: “We are not quite home and dry yet but it has been a good week for us. The victory at Redcar was a terrific result while we made hard work of it at home against Sheffield on Saturday but we got all three points in the end.“This weekend we face a new challenge, with the visit of Edinburgh to Derwent Park kick starting our Premier League campaign. The Monarchs include locally-based ex-Comet Craig Cook in their line up and he certainly still knows the way around his former home track, as he proved in the Monarchs’ League Cup visit a few weeks ago.”

FIXTURE PICTURE…

TUESDAY MAY 8:NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 2nd leg: Dudley v Buxton 7.30CHALLENGE: Isle of Wight v Stoke 7.30

WEDNESDAY MAY 9:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Coventry 7.30

THURSDAY MAY 10:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Peterborough 7.30, Swindon v Eastbourne 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Ipswich 7.30

FRIDAY MAY 11:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Peterborough 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Ipswich 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Scunthorpe v Glasgow 7.30, Somerset v Plymouth 7.30

SATURDAY MAY 12:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Redcar 7pm, Leicester v Scunthorpe 8pm, Plymouth v Somerset 7.30, Rye House v Newcastle 7pm, Workington v Edinburgh 7pm

SUNDAY MAY 13:PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Sheffield 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 2nd leg: Stoke v Scunthorpe 5.30BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 2: Mildenhall 3pm

MONDAY MAY 14:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Birmingham 7.30, Coventry v Lakeside 7.30GARY PETERSON MEMORIAL: Wolverhampton 7.30

TUESDAY MAY 15:NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Mildenhall 7.30

WEDNESDAY MAY 16:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Lakeside 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Dudley 7.30

THURSDAY MAY 17:PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Redcar 7.45LEAGUE CUP: Ipswich v Plymouth 7.30

FRIDAY MAY 18:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Peterborough 8pm, Lakeside v Swindon 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Leicester 7.30, Redcar v Sheffield 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st leg: Plymouth v Glasgow 7.30, Scunthorpe v Workington 7.30

SATURDAY MAY 19:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Swindon 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Ipswich 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 2nd leg: Workington v Scunthorpe 7pmLEAGUE CUP: Rye House v Leicester 7pm

SUNDAY MAY 20:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Redcar 4pm, Newcastle v Ipswich 6.30LEAGUE CUP: Leicester v Plymouth 6pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Isle of Wight 3pm, Mildenhall v Rye House 4.30

MONDAY MAY 21:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Birmingham 7.30ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP 1st leg: Wolverhampton v Poole 7.30

TUESDAY MAY 22:PREMIER LEAGUE: Somerset v Ipswich 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Dudley v King’s Lynn 7.30, Isle of Wight v Stoke 7.30

WEDNESDAY MAY 23:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Peterborough 7.30, King’s Lynn v Wolverhampton 7.30


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