(SPEEDWAY 1)
WORKINGTON boss Tony Jackson is confident Comets duo Josh Grajczonek and Rene Bach can extend the club’s remarkable Premier League Pairs record at Somerset on Friday.Both riders are former winners, Gracjzonek with the Rebels last year and Bach for Workington in 2012, and the Derwent Park club have triumphed in the event on no fewer than six occasions since returning to the sport in 1999.Jackson said: “We have a terrific record in the PL Pairs, but that counts for nothing, it is how you do on the night that matters. Our pairing has plenty of experience and they both know what it is like to win the event, which hopefully will spur them on.“The main aim is to avoid last place in your races, and if you do that you will win the title but it is a tough line up, with ten clubs represented and twenty of the Premier League’s top riders in action.”(SPEEDWAY 2 – WEDNESDAY REVIEW)
POOLE moved to within one point of second-placed Lakeside with a 57-37 win over Belle Vue at Wimborne Road.Fast-track reserve Kyle Newman scored his first paid maximum at Elite League level as he was unbeaten from four rides with Darcy Ward, Maciej Janowski and Josh Grajczonek also registering double-figures for the Pirates.Scott Nicholls and Matej Zagar both scored ten for the Aces, who now have just one draw to show from 14 away matches so far this season.Newman said: “I owed the Poole fans a decent performance as I've not been on it recently. I promised that I would go out and chase the points and I was making some good starts.“It feels good to get the maximum and it’s good that we got the result we were looking for too.”Scunthorpe moved into second place in the Premier League with a 54-39 win over local rivals Sheffield at the Eddie Wright Raceway.Since the start of the 2012 season, the Scorpions have won all seven league encounters with the Tigers home and away, and both Nicolai Klindt and Thomas Jorgensen dropped just one point to opposition riders in their latest success.The visitors did gain an 8-1 in Heat 11 when tactical-ride Simon Stead teamed up with Andre Compton, but the Tigers remain bottom of the table – although they do have a significant number of matches in hand on the teams immediately above them.Scunthorpe boss Dave Peet said: “That was a good result for us. Sheffield made it harder than the final score-line may suggest, they made us battle and contributed towards a good night of racing.“Nicolai was gating like a rocket. When he gets away, no-one can catch him, because he’s so fast. Simon Stead couldn’t reel him in once Nicolai got in front.”
(SPEEDWAY 3 – THURSDAY PREVIEW)
SWINDON are looking to gain ground on the Elite League play-off places when they host rivals Poole at the Abbey Stadium on Thursday.The Robins trail fourth-placed Eastbourne by eight points as they reach the half-way stage of their campaign, but Alun Rossiter’s side gained confidence from their home win over King’s Lynn last week.Meanwhile the Pirates, who won on their last visit to Wiltshire on Good Friday, can move into second place in the table if they avoid defeat and the evening’s other result goes their way.Swindon skipper Troy Batchelor said: “We’ve proved after our win against King’s Lynn last week that we can beat anyone and it gives us a big confidence boost, so we just need to try and build on that now.“We’ve got a tough meeting against Poole who are obviously a really strong side. It’s going to be another difficult test but fingers crossed everyone can pull it out of the bag like last week.”Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “Swindon will surely be well fired up, buoyed by their solid home win over King's Lynn and wanting to try and make amends for our Good Friday double. But we do have riders that on their day can deal with that challenge. “If anything, we are riding better than we were back in April and so there is no reason why we shouldn't be able to go there and give a good account of ourselves. They are anticipating a good pre-Cardiff crowd and it would be great for us to produce a performance to really impress.”Leaders King’s Lynn return to full strength for the visit of second-placed Lakeside to the Norfolk Arena, with Lewis Rose back after crashing out of last week’s win over Coventry.The Hammers bring in Scunthorpe’s Thomas Jorgensen with Peter Karlsson unavailable whilst Simon Lambert stands in for Adam Ellis at reserve.Stars boss Rob Lyon said: “We are looking to get back on track ourselves after two defeats on the road and another three league points is our target.”In the Premier League, Ipswich can reclaim second place with a win over Plymouth at Foxhall in a meeting which sees former Witches man Ben Barker lead the visitors.Barker has declared himself fit following rib injuries last weekend whilst Adam Roynon is set to make his comeback, but Rasmus Jensen (injury) and Kyle Newman (EL commitment) miss out for the Devils, with another ex-Ipswich man Taylor Poole coming in to guest. Sam Masters stands in for foot injury victim Richie Worrall for the home side.Meanwhile Redcar can overhaul Berwick for a top six spot if they can return to winning ways as the two sides meet at the South Tees Motorsports Park.
(SPEEDWAY 4)
PETERBOROUGH has been announced as the staging venue for the 2014 British 125cc Final.The event will take place as a second-half feature following the Panthers’ Premier League showdown with leaders Edinburgh on Sunday July 20, which gets underway at 5pm.Reigning champion Kyle Bickley will defend the title whilst Leon Flint (a finalist last year) and Sam Stead also compete along with twin brothers Dan and Joe Thompson from Tamworth.British Youth bosses Phil Morris and Neil Vatcher said: “We feel this event is becoming more prestigious and what better venue to host a British Final than the East of England Showground? We would like to thank the BSPA and the management of Peterborough for agreeing to stage it.”The competition takes place over twelve qualifying races with the top four then advancing to a winner-takes-all Final. British 125cc Final line-up: 1 James Hitchen, 2 Leon Flint, 3 Kyle Roberts, 4 Joe Thompson, 5 Sam McGurk, 6 Sam Stead, 7 Harry McGurk, 8 Kieron Douglas, 9 Dan Thompson, 10 Kyle Bickley, 11 Jordan Jenkins, 12 Kai Hubbard.
(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY JULY 10:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Poole 7.30, King’s Lynn v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Plymouth 7.30, Redcar v Berwick 7.30
FRIDAY JULY 11:PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Devon v Kent 7.15
SATURDAY JULY 12:BRITISH GRAND PRIX: Cardiff 5pm
SUNDAY JULY 13:LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Workington v Peterborough 7.30LUKE BOWEN TESTIMONIAL: Rye House 2pm
