(SPEEDWAY 1)
IPSWICH boss Pete Simmons believes his side can still avoid bottom spot inthe Elite League and a relegation race-off at the end of the season.The Witches are currently eight points adrift of Swindon with six matches togo, and Thursday's home clash with play-off chasing Peterborough is therefore a must-win encounter.Simmons said: "Chris Slabon and Ales Dryml seem to be really dialled in to the new Foxhall circuit now and the side has a really solid look to it. "I think we're going to be a really tough act to beat on our own track now and I still believe we can avoid the dreaded wooden spoon."
(SPEEDWAY 2)
SWINDON manager Ronnie Russell has stressed he finds the Robins' current run unacceptable - and he is desperate to see an improvement. Russell's side go into a busy Bank Holiday period starting with a home clash with Lakeside on Thursday, and have matches in hand to climb the table. New Pole Maciej Janowski will make his debut against the Hammers. Russell said: "Ahead of these matches, I'd like to reassure supporters of Swindon Speedway that I'm hugely passionate about this club, I live and breathe it."I can sympathise with those who feel frustrated about our current situation, I feel that way too. We need to stick together, though, and ride out of this run of form we currently find ourselves in."
(SPEEDWAY 3)BERWICK'S Michal Rajkowski has been ruled out for the rest of the season following his crash at Shielfield Park on Saturday.Rajkowski hit the fence when trying to avoid the fallen Derek Sneddon, who has apologised for the incident, and the Pole now needs an operation to repair damage to his left knee and lower leg.Bandits boss Ian Rae said: "Michal has just been so good in recent meetings, and his loss will be felt by us all.
"After the crash he was actually trying to walk on it, and even told his father to get his spare bike warmed up - but the pain quickly overtook him and he had to bow to the inevitability of medical instructions."As a popular visitor to Shielfield Park, Derek's immediate and obvious regret about what was indeed an accident in every sense of the word has been fully accepted by Rajkowski and everyone in the Berwick camp."
(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP 2nd leg: Coventry v Wolverhampton 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Birmingham 7.30, Somerset v Edinburgh 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Dudley v Weymouth (at Birmingham) 7.30CHALLENGE: Poole v Australia OFF
THURSDAY AUGUST 26:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Wolverhampton 7.45, Ipswich vPeterborough 7.30, Swindon v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Redcar 7.45
FRIDAY AUGUST 27:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Ipswich 8pm, Peterborough v Swindon 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Somerset 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Weymouth v Newport 7.15NATIONAL TROPHY: Plymouth v Buxton 7.30
SATURDAY AUGUST 28:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7pm, Stoke v Rye House 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Rye House v Scunthorpe 7pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 29:PREMIER LEAGUE: Birmingham v King's Lynn 6.30, Glasgow v Newcastle 4pm,Newport v Sheffield 2.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Weymouth 3pm, King's Lynn v Plymouth 7pmNATIONAL TROPHY: Buxton v Weymouth (follows NL fixture)
