(SPEEDWAY 1)
COVENTRY and Poole have both named full-strength line-ups for the first leg of the Elite League Grand Final.The Pirates had a concern over Jason Doyle ahead of Monday's showdown at Brandon, having missed last week's win over Wolverhampton with a dislocated shoulder. Coventry, meanwhile, suffered several crashes in their semi-final at Peterborough but they are able to track an unchanged team. Poole finished 26 points clear of the Bees in the Elite League table - but promoter Matt Ford knows that counts for nothing over the next two weeks as they face a team who have won their last nine matches.
He said: "We can be under no illusions that our next two meetings will be the toughest two matches of the season and we will be needing to be scoring from every position in the side if we are to secure that title we have been pressing so hard for."
Coventry boss Alun Rossiter said: "It's a chance for all of the boys to enjoy it in front of what should be two bumper crowds, and the chance to ride in the Elite League Grand Final should be enough motivation for anyone. Obviously we need to get a good win at home, and hopefully give ourselves something to defend when we go down there next week."
(SPEEDWAY 2)
NEWCASTLE'S Danish star Kenni Larsen was crowned Premier League Riders' Champion at Sheffield on Sunday evening.Larsen and team-mate Rene Bach both qualified directly for the Final after scoring 13 points, with Edinburgh's Ryan Fisher and Scunthorpe's David Howe coming through the semi-final.Bach required treatment after colliding with Larsen in the first attempt torun the Final, and in the re-run it was Larsen who went clear with Howe working his way through to second place and Fisher third. Larsen gets an immediate chance to show off his silverware in front of the Diamonds fans as he rides in George Stancl's Farewell meeting at Newcastle on Monday.Elite League stars Kenneth Bjerre, Rory Schlein, Danny King and James Wrightare also included in the line-up.
(SPEEDWAY 3)
TOMASZ Gollob has become Poland's first World Champion for 37 years after taking victory in Saturday's Italian Grand Prix.Gollob was assured of the top prize before the Final at Terenzano after his nearest challengers Jason Crump and Jarek Hampel were eliminated before that stage - Hampel in a photo-finish with Britain's Chris Harris in the semi-final.
Gollob, though, ensured he finished on a high by defeating Harris, Greg Hancock and Nicki Pedersen in the Final - and he heads to the last round ofthe series on home soil at Bydgoszcz in a fortnight as Champion.
He said: "I'm very happy. It's the World Championship for me after 20 years of trying to win it. I have to thank my team and my sponsors for all thei rwork."I'm sorry it has taken 20 years for me to win this. It has been 37 years that Poland had to wait. Twelve years ago in Wroclaw I had that big crash and the World Championship didn't go to me. It went to Tony Rickardsson. Bu ttonight is different - tonight is my night."
(SPEEDWAY 4)
BRITISH Champion Chris Harris took a huge step to confirming his Grand Prix place for 2011 with a brilliant second place in Italy.
Harris, who will captain Coventry in the first leg of the Elite League Grand Final against Poole on Monday, is now seventh in the standings with one round to go. The top eight qualify automatically for next year, and Harris has a 15-point cushion over ninth-placed Hans Andersen.
Harris said: "I'm coming in with a better attitude to it now. My life away from speedway is happy and my performance on the track is helping me. I've started to believe that I belong in the company of the world's best. It's showing in the racing."My starts have got a lot better because I've started to believe in myself. My bikes are working well, so a big thanks to my pit crew." (FIXTURES)
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27:
ELITE LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Coventry v Poole 7.30
GEORGE STANCL FAREWELL: Newcastle 7.30
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 28:
FAST GOLDEN HAMMER: Dudley (at Wolverhampton) 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 29:
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Birmingham v Newcastle 7.30
YOUNG SHIELD Q/F 1st leg: King's Lynn v Rye House 7.30
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 30:
ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Coventry v Wolverhampton 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Sheffield v Edinburgh 7.45
TEESSIDE SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 1:
YOUNG SHIELD Q/F 1st leg: Somerset v Scunthorpe 7.30
NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F: Newport v King's Lynn 7.30
SCOTTISH CUP 1st leg: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30
CHALLENGE: Weymouth v Team Viking 7.15
