(SPEEDWAY 1 - WEDNESDAY REVIEW)
POOLE moved three points clear at the top of the Elite League table with a 53-37 win over closest rivals Coventry at Wimborne Road.Pirates star Chris Holder kept up his strong run of form with 14 points from five rides, whilst Dakota North added 11+2.Reserve Jason Garrity scored 9+3 for the Bees, who saw his colleague James Sarjeant crash out in Heat 12 although he escaped serious injury.Holder said: “I got lucky there in the last one. I made a mistake and Bomber (Chris Harris) took advantage but somehow, with poor Chris breaking down, I got away with it. “I must admit though I did feel good all night until I made that error and it was a good night for the lads. We put some points on the board early, kept our heads and went from there.”Harris said: “We were all up for it, even when we were getting beaten, and things just went against us.“The only luck we’re getting at the moment seems to be bad luck, but there’s a long way to go yet. We’re fighters and we’ll keep on battling.”Birmingham are back on top of the National League after a 52-40 win over Coventry in a match which saw all of the home side’s top three riders score paid maximums!Tom Perry, Adam Ellis and Zach Wajtknecht were in dominant form for the Brummies as they limited the Storm to just two race wins.Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: “We were very strong at the top, but some of the riders lower down the order struggled which causes me some concern.“We will get turned over at some stage if we don’t click as a team and there is still a lot of improvement to come.Coventry manager Laurence Rogers said: “It was quite wet and heavy to start with, and the boys didn’t really get into a rhythm. I thought we could have got something here, but we can’t moan having had twelve points from the five away matches before today.”Mildenhall promoter Kevin Jolly was far from downhearted after a 33-57 defeat at King’s Lynn, stating he has plenty of optimism ahead of their crunch clash with Cradley at the weekend.Jolly said: “Before the meeting we had a heart to heart with the lads and some strong words were said, their response was excellent, just what I hoped for and I feel we deserved a lot more from the meeting“Silly mistakes are still being made and some bad decisions too, but the commitment was there for all to see and they gave it 100 per cent which is all we ask.”
(SPEEDWAY 2 - THURSDAY PREVIEW)
SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter says Thursday’s Abbey Stadium showdown with Belle Vue is a ‘massive meeting’.The Elite League clash sees the first action at Blunsdon since last month and Rossiter knows the Robins can’t afford to drop points against an Aces side who are also chasing a play-off place but suffered a frustrating postponement to their home match against Wolverhampton on Wednesday.Rossiter said: “This really is a massive meeting, and I’m sure Belle Vue will come here smarting after they lost here last time. Once again everyone will be wondering which Matej Zagar will come here, and we could be under a lot of pressure tonight if the right one turns up!“It’s a crucial time for us, we need away wins as well, and that will be the case through our run-in.”Swindon once again bring in Dakota North as a guest for the unavailable Peter Kildemand, whilst the Aces track Sam Masters in place of Josh Grajczonek.Boss Mark Lemon said: “When you look at the league table at teams like Swindon, Wolverhampton and Lakeside, these are the teams we need to be beating if we’re going to be genuine contenders for the top four.“We’ve already had one less than desirable result in Blunsdon and we’ve no intention of making it two, and even though the Robins are missing their top man we still have to respect their strength.”In the Premier League, Sheffield have called up Lasse Bjerre to guest at No.1 in their home clash with Newcastle at Owlerton.Bjerre replaces the injured Simon Stead whilst the Diamonds have Kevin Doolan and ex-Tiger Richard Hall standing in with Ludvig Lindgren, Anton Rosen and Lewis Rose all unavailable.Sheffield star Jason Garrity said: “I’ve got some big meetings this week and I’m looking to hit some big scores to make up for just missing out on the British title.“I want to score well for Sheffield on Thursday, I was so pleased when they signed me and I think I’m starting to repay them for picking me. Hopefully we can have a good win and Lasse can do well for us as a guest.”Meanwhile Premier League leaders Somerset head to Ipswich, and will be looking to extend their two-point lead at the top if they can pick up a fourth away win, with the Witches currently in eighth place.In the Travel Plus Tours KO Cup, Peterborough take a narrow two-point first leg advantage to Plymouth - a venue where they have already won on two occasions this season.Former Devils reserve Ashley Morris makes a guest appearance for the Panthers with Simon Lambert ruled out, and the visitors also operate rider-replacement for the injured Olly Allen.Plymouth boss Lee Trigger said: “Peterborough have come down here twice this season and beaten us at home. But if we can get through, we get Somerset in the quarter-finals, which is a big derby meeting for us and which, I am sure, would attract a massive crowd.”Panthers promoter Ged Rathbone said: “We have made life difficult for ourselves by only managing a two-point advantage in the first leg at the Showground.“But we have to forget about that and treat tonight as a stand-alone meeting. It is our intention to go to Plymouth and win, and if we manage that we will be in the next round.”Redcar stage the annual Julie Lewis Memorial meeting at the South Tees Motorsports Park, with Ben Morley representing the home club and admission reduced to £10 for adults.
(SPEEDWAY 3)
KING’S Lynn have announced the signing of Czech Republic international Vaclav Milik.The 22-year-old, who rode for Poole last season, comes into the Stars line-up as a replacement for injured Australian Rory Schlein and will make his debut next Thursday in a home match against Lakeside.Manager Rob Lyon said: “Vaclav is an exciting young rider that I believe will do well around the Adrian Flux Arena this season. He is a pleasure to deal with and is very keen to get started.“Having spent last season with Poole, he has ridden all the tracks in the Elite League and that will be an advantage. It shouldn't take him long to dial into our track and start to score some points.“We must say thanks to our old friend Tomas Topinka for his help in bringing Vaclav to the club, thanks also to the Poole promotion for their cooperation.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
REDCAR have announced the signing of Danish rider Jonas B Andersen.The 23-year-old joins the Bears on the recommendation of club No.1 Lasse Bjerre, who assisted in negotiations to bring him to Teeside.Andersen will make his debut in the home Premier League clash with Edinburgh on June 25 and will replace Pole Rafal Konopka in the Redcar line-up.
(SPEEDWAY 5)
NATHAN Greaves is targeting a quick return to racing despite breaking his right tibia and fibula last weekend.The 17-year-old came through a successful operation in Carlisle on Monday and Greaves, who rides for Cradley and Workington, is now focusing on getting back to full fitness within the next few months.He said: “I’ve got to keep a pot on for four to six weeks and then I should be ok to start working the muscles with physiotherapy and other treatments. But as soon as that pot is off, I’ll be doing as much as they’ll allow and as much as I can to get me back to normal fitness as quickly as possible. “Some people have been saying to sit the rest of the season out now but I just want to be back on a bike as soon as I can and I’m aiming to make my comeback in the middle of August.”
(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY JUNE 18:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Somerset 7.30, Sheffield v Newcastle 7.30TRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Plymouth v Peterborough 7.15JULIE LEWIS MEMORIAL: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY JUNE 19:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Leicester 7.30, Lakeside v King’s Lynn 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Redcar 7.30, Scunthorpe v Glasgow 7.30, Somerset v Workington 7.30
ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Plymouth 7pm, Rye House v Peterborough 7pm, Workington v Ipswich 7pm
SUNDAY JUNE 21:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Ipswich 3pm, Newcastle v Plymouth 6.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Stoke 3pm, Mildenhall v Cradley 3.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Eastbourne v Birmingham 3.30
