(SPEEDWAY 1)
SHEFFIELD star Simon Stead raced to victory on home soil in Sunday’s Premier League Riders’ Championship at Owlerton.Stead got the better of Danny King (Newcastle), Ulrich Ostergaard (Peterborough) and Richard Lawson (Redcar) in the Final having qualified directly along with King.There had been drama during and after Heat 16 when a post-race collision between Stead and Josh Grajczonek left the Australian rider with a suspected broken collarbone whilst Stead received treatment on a shoulder injury.Stead said: “It’s been an amazing day. I’ve got lots of friends and sponsors here, not to mention my family and all the supporters of Sheffield speedway so this is for them.“I’m a little bit lost for words, it just means so much. Thanks to everyone for their support, especially the Sheffield fans for their backing all year.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
MILDENHALL’S National Trophy victory over Stoke was marred by a serious Heat 6 crash which left Connor Coles with a badly broken leg.The Fen Tigers picked up the silverware with a 50-41 home win for a 24-point aggregate margin after a 40-minute delay whilst Coles was made comfortable and then taken to hospital.Mildenhall chairman Kevin Jolly admitted the injury to Coles was uppermost in his thoughts, and also thanked former Fen Tiger Jon Armstrong, now with Stoke, who remained with Coles throughout his time being treated on-track.Jolly said: “It is great to win a trophy again, but of course Connor’s injury has taken the shine off of the last couple of days. He has a special place in the club what with his family connections and the way he has ridden for us this season, and these moments in the sport hit you really hard. We are like the supporters and become attached to riders, and seeing bad injuries is always the hardest part of this sport.“The lads to their credit responded well and got on with the job of winning the trophy on what was a difficult day for everyone, we obviously wish Connor the very best and will keep supporters appraised of his progress. “I must just mention Jon Armstrong who is a special man in this sport we love, he is real old school, a real speedway man and what he did today was not for show but because he cares about his fellow riders.”
(SPEEDWAY 3 – MONDAY PREVIEW)
KING’S Lynn require a draw or better at Belle Vue on Monday if they are to secure top spot in the Elite League ahead of the play-offs.The Stars have called up Coventry duo Hans Andersen and Chris Harris to guest for injured Danish duo Niels-Kristian Iversen and Kenneth Bjerre as they go for a positive result at Kirkmanshulme Lane to move back ahead of Poole and gain choice of semi-final opponents.Boss Rob Lyon said: “We want to finish top of the league and I believe we can do it. Last Tuesday the team performed exceptionally well, especially without Kenneth, so we need to continue that form and pick up at least two league points. Our thanks go to the Coventry promotion for letting us use both Chris and Hans.”Ironically Andersen and Harris were already set to be at Belle Vue as Coventry, who are guaranteed a third-place finish regardless, also race there in a double-header.Manager Gary Havelock said: “I know we rode very well at Belle Vue last time – I didn’t make it, unfortunately, because I was sat on the M62 watching the updates on my phone!“But apparently we were sensational on that night, so I don’t see any reason why we can’t go there again and do another good job.”The home side, meanwhile, can move up to seventh place with two maximum-points wins ahead of Wolverhampton’s final fixture of the season.Aces CEO Chris Morton said: “We had a blip in the middle of the season which unfortunately became a problem we were unable to overcome, and which ultimately saw us out of the play offs.“So it's slightly ironic that our last match happens to be so significant in terms of the league standings, but it's very important to us to make it a success because we really want to finish the year on a high.”Meanwhile the National League play-offs get underway at Central Park with Kent facing Coventry in the first leg of their semi-final tie.The home side are at full strength whilst the Storm continue to operate rider-replacement for the injured Stefan Nielsen.Coventry boss Laurence Rogers said: “I’ve looked at the way Kent have organised their team and we’ve moved R/R to No.3 because that gives us a bit more flexibility later in the meeting.“Hopefully we won’t need to be pulling points back at that stage anyway, because we’ve got boys who fly round Kent, and we’re going there with a very confident spirit amongst ourselves.”(FIXTURES)
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 22:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry 7pm, Belle Vue v King’s Lynn (follows previous fixture)NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 1st leg: Kent v Coventry 6.30
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 23:NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 1st leg: Cradley v Mildenhall 7.30
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 25:ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: King’s Lynn 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS: Ipswich v Scunthorpe 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Edinburgh 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Wolverhampton 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS: Edinburgh v Workington 7.30, Scunthorpe v Somerset 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Plymouth v Ipswich 7.15NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Coventry v Cradley (follows EL fixture)
