(SPEEDWAY 1)
POOLE promoter Matt Ford says Darcy Ward and Dennis Andersson will need to be at their best if they are to secure home success in Sunday’s first round of the World Under-21 Final.Ford is delighted to bring the event to Wimborne Road, with Ward in particular the hot favourite after a blistering run on his home circuit in recent weeks.Ford said: “While all the pressure will be on two of the finest prospects this club has ever had as assets, the event is supremely enhanced with their participation.“But both riders, and the rest of us with a Poole bias, would under-estimate the other 14 riders at our peril. We are witness to speedway’s cream of tomorrow, the riders you will be witnessing in the Grand Prix in a few years.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
BELLE Vue are planning to give local youngsters Kyle Howarth and Jason Garrity their big chance in the Elite League this week.The Aces have hit trouble with recent signing Borys Miturski, who has been injured before making his debut for the club, so they are now set to turn to the pair who have impressed for their Colts team in the National League this season.Team boss Jim Lynch said: “We were left with the question of replacing Mitsurki but, as we don’t know how long he will be absent, we are looking to give an opportunity to Howarth and Garrity.“We would like to give them both an opportunity so we'll use Howarth on Wednesday and Garrity on Friday.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BIRMINGHAM will re-call the fit-again Ales Dryml for their home clash with Lakeside on Thursday – but Dryml’s replacement Ulrich Ostergaard will also stay with the club.Brummies boss Graham Drury has elected to keep the Dane in the side at the expense of doubling-up duo James Wright and Kevin Wolbert, who have been released.Drury said: “Ales is back on a bike and we had to bring him back because of the form he was showing before his injury, but I feel Ostergaard has been superb since standing in, so we’ve decided to reward him with a place for the rest of the season.“It also means we will be a more consistent team. We go into the second phase of fixtures and we just don’t know what the Premier League fixture list will look like and how it will affect James and Kevin. They have certainly done a good job for the team and I wish them all the best with their Premier League clubs for the rest of the season.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
STOKE have secured major sponsorship for the National League Fours with Corbettsports.com putting their name to the event at Loomer Road.Eight clubs will be represented in one of the league’s biggest meetings of the season on July 30, and Potters boss Dave Tattum is delighted to have attracted such backing.He said: “I'm very pleased to welcome Corbettsports.com on board especially in these difficult economic times when a lot of companies are tightening their belts. “I still work closely with Mike Corbett who is managing director of corbettsports.com and we get on well with each other and Mike is delighted to be sponsoring such a prestigious event here at Loomer Road. “I'm sure there will be some superb racing on the night for the Corbettsports.com National League Fours and we now await for the teams to be confirmed for the event.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
DARCY Ward says home support can play a big part when he launches his bid for a third straight World Under-21 Championship on Sunday.
Ward opens his campaign at Poole in the first of four rounds, with his Pirates team-mate Dennis Andersson also in the line-up, along with three other Elite League regulars.
Simon Gustafsson, Przemyslaw Pawlicki and Maciej Janowski are all familiar faces to domestic fans, whilst British youngsters Josh Auty and Jerran Hart take the Wild Card positions.
Ward said: "The Poole fans are awesome and they make a massive difference. They help us and they will be backing Dennis and me in the big one, I’m sure of that."
(SPEEDWAY 6)
WOLVERHAMPTON boss Peter Adams praised the contribution of recent signing James Grieves in Wednesday’s tense 45-45 draw at Belle Vue.
Freddie Lindgren’s Heat 15 win secured two points for Wolves and limited their play-off rivals to one, and Adams felt Grieves’ display from his position in the main body of the team was pivotal.
He said: "His seven points were massive in the overall context of the meeting. If you're looking for one particular reason why we got something from the meeting, look no further than him."
Belle Vue boss Jim Lynch admitted his side had dropped points, saying: "We paid for our inability to win enough races although we did pack the second and third places. We have made it very tough for ourselves play-off wise."
(SPEEDWAY 7)
PETERBOROUGH star Troy Batchelor has urged his side to quickly put the disappointment of their defeat at King’s Lynn on Wednesday behind them.
Batchelor and Nicki Pedersen dominated the Panthers’ scoring at the Norfolk Arena, despite a blown engine for Batchelor, but an impressive show from the Stars saw them take the A47 derby 55-41.
Batchelor said: "We have to put it down as a bad day at the office and make sure that we live and learn from it. We didn't do well but we have to forget about it and make sure that next time we come here we ride better.
"The key now is bouncing back it and that means getting three points on Friday against Belle Vue. We have to keep winning at home and hopefully we'll do the job on Friday, but it'll be another tough meeting."
(SPEEDWAY 8)
NEWPORT Hornets have made two changes ahead of their National League trip to Scunthorpe on Friday.
The South Wales club have signed Brendan Johnson after his release from a short-term deal at Dudley, and former Carmarthen rider Steven Jones to replace David Gough and Tom Young.
Johnson became available after Richard Franklin, the rider he replaced for Dudley, was declared fit to return to the Heathens.
Newport general manager Laurence Rogers said: "With David Gough having sustained facial injuries in the recent meeting against Dudley, and with new averages in force the opportunity to strengthen up the side became available."
(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY JULY 21:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Lakeside 7.30, Swindon v Eastbourne 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Plymouth 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP: Ipswich v Newport 7.30, Sheffield v Workington 7.45
FRIDAY JULY 22:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Swindon 8pm, Lakeside v Poole 8pm, Peterborough v Belle Vue 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Rye House 7.30, Plymouth v Redcar 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F: Somerset v Newcastle 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Newport 7.30
SATURDAY JULY 23:
BRITISH UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP: Rye House 7pm PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F: Berwick v Glasgow 7pm, Newport v Ipswich 7pm, Workington v Sheffield 7pm
SUNDAY JULY 24:
WORLD UNDER-21 FINAL ROUND 1: Poole 4pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Leicester v Workington 7pm PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F: Glasgow v Berwick 4pm, Newcastle v Somerset 6.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Hackney 4.30, Stoke v Belle Vue 7pm
ENDS
