(SPEEDWAY 1)
GREAT Britain won the FIM Team Longtrack World Championship at Muhldorf, Germany on Sunday.They finished on 42 points, just one ahead of the hosts and Finland in a close-fought contest with France a further point back on 40.The format saw each nation race five times, meeting their opposing nations once with three riders appearing for each nation in each race.Berwick star Richard Hall top-scored for GB on 20 points despite a second-ride retirement, whilst Glen Phillips (14) and Andrew Appleton (8) supplied support with Kent youngster James Shanes the unused fourth member of the team.Hall said: “2015 World Team Champions. Couldn't have gone any better and maxed out apart from an engine blow up, but everything else went as it should. “We can't believe we are bringing the medal and the Don Godden trophy home. We are all so happy with a gold medal!”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
BEN Barker was transferred to Plymouth Hospital from Wolverhampton on Friday following his crash in the British Final earlier this month.Barker has fractured four thoracic vertebrae and will be wearing a spinal brace for three months. He also suffered severe lacerations to the inside of his mouth which needed 12 sutures, and will remain in hospital in Plymouth for the next few weeks where he is receiving daily physio.Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund secretary Paul Ackroyd visited Barker over the weekend and says the rider remains in positive spirits.He said: “Being closer to home is making life easier for his wife and family to be able to visit him.“Ben is keeping cheerful and optimistic, and he asked me to book him a place in next season’s Ben Fund Bonanza meeting!”
(SPEEDWAY 3 - SUNDAY REVIEW)
PETERBOROUGH boss Carl Johnson had no complaints after his side suffered a shock 43-47 Premier League home defeat to Plymouth on Sunday.A thrilling individual display from Michael Palm Toft, who scored 13+1, couldn’t save the Panthers from losing out to the Devils who opened the meeting with two 5-1s in the first four races, with a solid scorechart being headed by Jack Holder on 11+2.Johnson said: “The overall performance was not good enough and there are no excuses for it. We have to hold our hands up and accept we were beaten by the better team on the day. Plymouth got in front early on and were able to hold onto their lead.“We missed the start on far too many occasions and it is not possible to keep coming through from the back. Granted the track is pretty inconsistent at the moment, but the guys are all professional riders and have to find a way to deal with it.”Newcastle moved through to the Travel Plus Tours KO Cup quarter-finals with an emphatic 63-26 home win over Scunthorpe - in a meeting where the turning point came as early as the first race.The Scorpions took a 16-point first leg lead into the match, and looked set to extend it to 20 as they held a 5-1 until Theo Pijper and Thomas Jorgensen were both disqualified after the Dutchman shed a chain - and that became a 5-0 to the home side.Diamonds boss George English said: “It was a strange night because if the Scunthorpe riders had stayed on in Heat 1, they would have had a big confidence lift from that and it could have been a different night.“The team rode very well and they used their heads and skill to ensure that we continued the night as we started it and didn’t allow Scunthorpe back in.”Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It was our maybe our most embarrassing and shocking defeat in ten years. Maybe we've had a worse one, but nothing comes to mind right now. I'm not sure if we were that bad or whether Newcastle were that good, or whether it was both.“It was shocking, and there's not a lot else that I can say. We've let ourselves down, because I really felt they were there for the taking, and I really wanted a clash with Glasgow in the next round.”Former Mildenhall favourite Joe Jacobs, who is taking a sabbatical from league racing this year, made a successful return to West Row by winning the club’s 40th Anniversary Palmer Trophy.Jacobs finished on top in a three-man run-off ahead of Ben Morley and Jon Armstrong after all had finished on ten point, whilst Ben Woodhull won the Bernie Klatt Memorial Trophy for British Youth riders.Promoter Kevin Jolly said: “It was lovely to see so many ex-riders mixing with supporters and to see supporters coming down from the terraces to shake their hands as they walked the track before the meeting. “The weather looked at one point like it would beat us but the determination of everyone saw the meeting go ahead. I would like to thank everyone for their patience whilst we repaired the problems to the track.”Joe Thompson became British 125cc Champion at Peterborough after late heartbreak for Harry McGurk, who led almost all the way in the Final before hitting the fence. Thompson and McGurk has both been unbeaten in their qualifying races, with Thompson joined by brother Dan and Leon Flint in the top three places.(SPEEDWAY 4 - MONDAY PREVIEW)
WOLVERHAMPTON promoter Chris Van Straaten says his side are facing a “must win” derby clash with Elite League leaders Coventry at Monmore Green on Monday.Both sides are at full strength with James Sarjeant back from injury for the Bees, who are five points clear at the top of the table - whilst Wolves need to gain ground on the top four after recent away defeats.Van Straaten said: “We still have quite a few matches left, but tonight has become a must win for us really after our defeat at Lakeside.“Of course it’s going to be tough given how well Coventry are riding, but there are no easy matches in the Elite League this season – it’s an ultra-competitive league.”Coventry boss Gary Havelock said: “We can win there, we pushed them close there earlier this year, and also last year we pushed them close once and won once.“We have riders who certainly can go well around that track, but really it doesn’t matter where we go at the moment - I always go to the speedway thinking we are potentially going to get points.”There is a top-four clash at Kirkmanshulme Lane as fourth-placed Belle Vue host second-placed Poole, who have four matches in hand on Coventry.Aces chief Chris Morton said: “As we've seen in both of our recent matches with Coventry, the team is riding very well and the riders are demonstrating clearly that they are committed to our expectations of them“So of course we're going into the match with Poole with a level of confidence but at the same time we still need to be aware that the Pirates are not going to present us with an easy challenge.”Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “It is not a track that has always brought out our best performances and with them having acquired Josh (Grajczonek) then we certainly know they have a good one there.“It will be a question of picking up points from all departments if we are to run them close, they certainly have the one to seven to be able score well around there so I will be hoping for as good a team performance from our lads as possible.”Leicester have called up Robert Lambert to guest for Grzegorz Walasek, who was injured in Poland on Sunday, for their clash with Swindon who need away wins to get back on terms with the play-off battle.The Lions also bring in Carl Wilkinson at reserve and hand a home debut to Piotr Swiderski, whilst Adrian Miedzinski returns to the Robins’ line-up for the first time since their opening meeting of the season. Adult admission has been reduced to £7.50 for the televised meeting.Leicester boss Norrie Allan said: “Like us, Swindon have had to cope with injuries to key riders this season and they are hovering around the play-offs with Wolverhampton breathing down their neck. “We have to maintain our recent good form at home and cannot afford to drop more points if we are to catch up with the teams immediately above us so we both have different priorities of how we view this fixture going and the importance of a positive result.”Swindon manager Alun Rossiter said: “I'm delighted Adrian will be back for us at Leicester because he's been a pleasure to deal with and we maintain a very good working relationship. Hopefully he can play his part in getting us some points away from home and then we'll take it into the next meeting.“I'm aware of speculation surrounding the team and of course we are considering all our options. We will do whatever we feel is best for Swindon Speedway and make the appropriate announcement at the appropriate time.”Eastbourne’s Marc Owen plans to ride through the pain barrier in the first leg of the Eagles’ National League KO Cup semi-final at Kent.Owen suffered a wrist injury at Rye House on Saturday but avoided any breaks, although the visitors are likely to be without Matt Bates due to food poisoning.Eagles director Connor Dugard said: “Marc came down pretty hard but it does look as if he is going to be OK, subject to any further reaction.“Mattie hasn't moved for two days and is pretty weak. Even if he gets over the food poisoning, I don't think he will be strong enough to ride. We will have to make the best of it and will again use rider replacement.”
(FIXTURES)
MONDAY JUNE 29:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Poole 7.30, Leicester v Swindon 7.30, Wolverhampton v Coventry 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Kent v Eastbourne 6.30
TUESDAY JUNE 30:LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Glasgow v Sheffield 7.30
THURSDAY JULY 2:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Wolverhampton 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Plymouth 7.30, Redcar v Scunthorpe 7.30
FRIDAY JULY 3:PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset 7pm
