(SPEEDWAY 1)
BRITISH youngster Josh Auty suffered a broken ankle when competing in the World Under-21 semi-final in Slovakia on Saturday.It means the talented 20-year-old will be ruled out of making his British Final debut on Monday, and the news is also a major blow to his league clubs Sheffield and Coventry.Sheffield suffered further setbacks at Berwick, eventually going down 51-42 having been reduced to four riders on the night with Ashley Birks and Hugh Skidmore both crashing out.Tigers co-promoter David Hoggart said: “It’s too early to say what the situation is going to be with Josh, and that’s something we’ll look at in the next few days and obviously we all wish him all the best. Ashley and Hugh are battered and bruised and were withdrawn on medical grounds, but we don’t believe they have any breaks.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
DEFENDING Champion Chris Harris says the national title remains a massive honour as he prepares for Monday’s British Final at Wolverhampton.Harris and fierce rival Scott Nicholls have won the event eight times between them, but Harris has also named Tai Woffinden, Lee Richardson and Edward Kennett as major threats to that domination at Monmore Green.Harris said: “It means everything as a rider to win your national title and I feel very, very proud to have achieved it two years in succession.“The Grand Prix is the ultimate aim for every rider but the British title is also massive and I’m going into the meeting determined to do it again. It should be a great night of racing.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
EASTBOURNE boss Trevor Geer said a mid-match team talk paid dividends as the Arlington side edged past King’s Lynn in a close Elite League contest.The Eagles came from 17-25 down to win 46-44 and maintain top spot in the table, although the Stars also collected a point from the meeting having already won at the same venue earlier in the season.Geer said: “I thought we were going to get slaughtered, the way we started the meeting. Our riders did not look up for it at all. But we had a good team talk at the interval and it seemed to do a bit of good. They were up for it after that.“It was a constructive talk. All the riders were trying to help one another. The track was a little bit different to how it has been in other weeks and we just had to get out and ride it like the King’s Lynn boys were.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
RICHARD Lawson stepped up for title hopefuls Workington as the injury-hit Comets got the better of Somerset in a top-of-the-table encounter at Derwent Park.The home side were already without Tomas Topinka and Peter KIldemand after accidents on Friday, and No.1 James Wright joined that list after two outings on Saturday as he was suffering the effects of a Heat 1 spill.But Lawson, with a bumper 17-point haul, led the Comets to victory backed up by 14 (paid 15) from skipper Rusty Harrison as their side came through 53-41 to take all three Premier League points on offer.Workington boss Tony Jackson said: “We were a bit worried when James was withdrawn on medical advice after just two rides, but the remainder of the team rallied magnificently to record what could prove to be a crucial victory.”
(FIXTURES) SUNDAY JUNE 5:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Redcar 4pm, Newcastle v Somerset 6.30
NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Dudley 3pm
NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 1st leg: Mildenhall v Hackney 4.30
MONDAY JUNE 6:BRITISH FINAL: Wolverhampton 7.30
WEDNESDAY JUNE 8:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Belle Vue 7.30, Poole v Wolverhampton 7.30
NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Stoke 8pm
THURSDAY JUNE 9:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Coventry 7.30
ELITE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP 1st leg: Birmingham v Lakeside 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Edinburgh 7.30, Redcar v Leicester 7.30, Sheffield v Plymouth 7.45
FRIDAY JUNE 10:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Swindon 8pm
ELITE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP 2nd leg: Lakeside v Birmingham 8pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Newport v Berwick 7.30, Plymouth v Rye House 7.30, Scunthorpe v Sheffield 7.30
SUPER CUP 1st leg: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30
SOMERSET OPEN: Somerset 7.30
