(SPEEDWAY 1)
RICKY Ashworth has been discharged from hospital - exactly a year after his life-threatening accident at Scunthorpe.Ashworth, who was racing for Berwick at the time after spending much of his Premier League career with Sheffield, is now back home with his family having initially spent 91 days in a coma.Speedway Riders' Benevolent Fund secretary Paul Ackroyd said: "Ricky now begins his long haul towards gaining further recovery with the help of his Dad Dave and stepmum Pam."The Ashworth family are over the moon to have Ricky back home after 365 days."
(SPEEDWAY 2)
TAI Woffinden leads Great Britain into action at Bydgoszcz on Saturday in the first World Cup Final for four years.Woffinden is joined by Chris Harris, Danny King and Simon Stead as GB face hosts Poland, Denmark and Australia in the battle for the Ove Fundin Trophy.Woffinden said: "It's great to be involved in a World Cup Final, and we're just all really excited for it now."We were pumped to make it straight through last weekend and it's given us a lot of confidence heading into the Final, so hopefully we can be on form again. We are going there believing we can do something."
(SPEEDWAY 3)
PETERBOROUGH chief Mick Horton expects the challenge to come from several clubs in Sunday's eagerly-awaited Premier League Fours at the Showground.The Panthers, who are hoping to have Lewis Blackbird fit to race after he crashed out at Redcar on Thursday, are returning to the competition for the first time since winning it in 1998, prior to their move back up to the top flight.Horton said: "Our team will no doubt be among the favourites to capture the title, but we know only too well that having home advantage does not guarantee success."We have been involved in a host of thrilling and nail-biting home meetings in the first half of the season and I'm sure Sunday will be no different. You only have to look at the line-up to see why this is regarded as one of the toughest prizes to win in speedway."
(SPEEDWAY 4 - FRIDAY REVIEW)
COVENTRY took a further step towards the National League play-offs with a 55-37 win over Stoke at Brandon.Oliver Greenwood top-scored for the Storm with 12+1 whilst Stefan Nielsen lowered the NL track record - but the Potters saw guest No.1 Simon Lambert suffer a hand injury in his third ride, whilst Ben Hopwood withdrew after four outings with a shoulder problem.Coventry boss Laurence Rogers said: "Stoke were at us all the time, but the boys knuckled down, picked up the points when they could and came very good at the end."Overall it was a great performance all the way through the team. It was lovely to have all seven going well."Sam Masters took victory in the Scottish Open at Edinburgh - getting the better of team-mate Craig Cook in a re-started Final after Cook had tangled with another Monarchs rider, Max Fricke, in the first running of the decider.Fricke was disqualified and is now a concern for Edinburgh ahead of the Premier League Fours on Sunday due to shoulder and wrist problems, with Masters defeating Cook and Ulrich Ostergaard in the re-run.Masters said: "I found the right set-up last week when I scored a maximum, I made a slight adjustment after my first race tonight but everything went perfect for me after that."
(SPEEDWAY 5 - SATURDAY PREVIEW)
BERWICK can move back into the top five of the Premier League if they defeat Glasgow at Shielfield Park on Saturday.The Bandits currently hold the final play-off spot but have matches in hand on the teams around them, and they take on a Tigers side still searching for their first away win of the league campaign.Swedish youngster Victor Palovaara makes his debut for the visitors, who return to their home Ashfield circuit on Monday when they face Scunthorpe as they bid to climb from their current tenth position in the table.
(FIXTURES)
SATURDAY AUGUST 2:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Glasgow 7pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 3:PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Peterborough 2.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Devon 3pm, Stoke v Cradley 6pm
MONDAY AUGUST 4:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v King’s Lynn 7.30, Wolverhampton v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Scunthorpe 7.15NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Stoke 6.30
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6:ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Swindon 7.30
