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SHEFFIELD owner Neil Machin is predicting a close battle for qualifying places as the Owlerton circuit hosts the first British Semi-Final on Thursday.Great Britain World Cup star Tai Woffinden tops the bill along with Eastbourne’s Lewis Bridger, and a host of current and former Tigers riders will also be chasing a top-seven place to reach the Final at Wolverhampton.Machin said: “Obviously the Elite League boys will be favourites but it isn’t clean cut at all. Tai Woffinden, for example, will only have two meetings under his belt since a long injury lay-off and it isn’t an easy track to ride.“There are some track experts in amongst the field so it will be a very intriguing meeting. It’ll probably be around seven or eight points required to qualify for the Final and I predict that some of the pre-meeting favourites may struggle with that purely because it is such a high quality field.”
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SWINDON have moved to sign former Eastbourne man Dawid Lampart as a replacement for Robin Aspegren.The Pole has had two spells with the Sussex side and will make his Robins debut in Thursday’s clash with Lakeside at the Abbey, as Aspegren has an increased schedule of meetings in Sweden which meant he would miss several Swindon fixtures.Boss Alun Rossiter said: “Robin has been unfortunate this season because he was lined up for Newport and then they folded on the eve of the season. We wanted him to double up but then we had to sign him as a stand alone rider in the team, and now he has the opportunity to start racing again in his home country and he goes with our best wishes.“We now have start permission for Dawid who has knowledge of the Elite League tracks and that can only help him as he returns to British Speedway. Hopefully he can start picking up a few points from the start.”
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EDINBURGH are set to include 21-year-old German rider Marcel Helfer for their re-arranged KO Cup tie against Glasgow at Armadale on Friday.The Monarchs have moved to sign Helfer following some impressive results on the continent, and he comes into the team as a replacement for Charles Wright.Edinburgh co-promoter Alex Harkess said: “We are a bit under the points limit at the moment and we felt that we should utilise the difference to try to strengthen the lower end of the team. Apart from Sunday we haven’t been very successful away from home.“That said it is always difficult to say goodbye to a rider and we wish Charles every success. He certainly went out on a high with his last ride on Sunday.”
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EASTBOURNE have set a flat entry fee of £5 for adults and under-16s free as they stage the fourth round of the British Youth Championship at Arlington on Sunday (3.30pm).South East riders set to take part include Kelsey Dugard - son of Eagles legend Martin - Jordan Hazelden and Danno Verge.Co-promoter Mike Bellerby said: “This is the only round of the competition to be staged at an Elite League venue and we are delighted to do what we can to promote youth speedway.“I am told the first three rounds have all been highly competitive. The flat rate admission fee of a fiver for adults, with children under 16 free, and more than 30 heats of speedway on offer is designed to make this a value-for-money afternoon out for supporters.”
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BELLE Vue’s Polish star Artur Mroczka is already set to remain with the Aces for the 2013 season.Mroczka has been an instant hit with fans since joining the club in mid-May and agreement has already been agreed with the rider and his parent club Poole for him to return to Manchester next year.Aces’ Operations Director Chris Morton said: “We have liked what we have seen from Artur since he joined us. He has been a revelation.“We decided to act on what we had seen by getting him lined for next year straight away. He is already very committed to Belle Vue, he loves Manchester and is grateful for the opportunity we have offered him. He wants to come to Belle Vue as much as we want him here.”
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COVENTRY skipper Chris Harris admitted to mixed emotions after King’s Lynn snatched a dramatic late victory in an Elite League thriller at the Norfolk Arena.The visitors led by six points with three races to go but the Stars hit back with 5-1s in Heats 13 and 14 and guest Kenneth Bjerre saw them to a narrow win in the finale, although the Bees did claim a league point.Harris said: “I suppose it’s a good result in a way to get a point here, but really I think we should have won it, and we let it go. I think we threw away some silly points.“It was just a shame we couldn’t finish it off. Eddie (Kennett) struggled for speed and I had a chain break in Heat 13 to give them a 5-1, so it all finished on a bit of a downer, but there’s nothing you can do when that happens.”
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JUSTIN Sedgmen is set for an extended run in the Lakeside team following the broken leg suffered by Richie Worrall last weekend.Redcar rider Sedgmen shares the doubling-up berth with Worrall, who has been in stunning form so far this season, and the Australian will race in the Hammers’ home clash with Birmingham on Friday.Co-promoter Jon Cook said: “Richie's injury is a blow to us just as JD (Jonas Davidsson) brings us up to full strength but this really is Justin’s chance to shine. “Everyone at the club has been impressed with his patience in playing second fiddle to Richie and his performances at home have been terrific so now he has the chance to build on that form, starting Friday.”
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BERWICK have received good news on injured Swede Alex Edberg, who will miss this Saturday’s home match against Plymouth but could be back next weekend.The Bandits have also confirmed it will be free admission for all accompanied under-16s at Shielfield Park for the visit of the Devils.Promoter John Anderson said: “We pride ourselves on being a family club, what better way to get families in than by letting the younger ones in for nothing?“We will deploy the rider-replacement regulation to cover (Alex’s) races. Three of our riders – David Bellego, Jason King and Lubos Tomicek – can ride in his place during the Saturday-night show.”
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SCUNTHORPE boss Richard Hollingsworth says newly-tuned machinery for Michael Palm Toft has been the key to the Dane’s upturn in form.Palm Toft scored well in recent matches, and Hollingsworth is looking for something similar in a big clash with Premier League leaders Newcastle on Friday – with the Diamonds bringing in ex-Scorpion Carl Wilkinson at reserve to guest for the injured Richie Worrall.Hollingsworth said: “Michael has had an engine tuned by Sean Wilson, and it has made the world of difference to him. He was fantastic against Ipswich, and also rode well at Somerset last Friday.“Newcastle pushed us all the way in the League Cup in March, before we won 46-44 with a late comeback. I’m looking for something a bit more comfortable on Friday, and there’s no reason that we can’t do that, if we ride like we did against Ipswich.”(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY JULY 5:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Coventry 7.30, Swindon v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Ipswich 7.30BRITISH SEMI-FINAL: Sheffield 7.45
FRIDAY JULY 6:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Wolverhampton 8pm, Lakeside v Birmingham 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Newcastle 7.30, Somerset v Sheffield 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30
SATURDAY JULY 7:BRITISH SEMI-FINAL: Rye House 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Plymouth 7pm, Workington v Somerset 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Isle of Wight 7.30
SUNDAY JULY 8:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Plymouth 4pm, Newcastle v Somerset 6.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Leicester v Workington 6pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Stoke 4pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 4: Eastbourne 3.30
