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ASHLEY Birks won the National League Riders Championship at Rye House on Saturdaygetting the better of home rider Jason Garrity in a run-off.Both riders tied on 14-points with Garrity beating Birks in Heat 20 to set up a deciding race, but the defending champion fell in the early stages whilst chasing, leaving Stoke and Scunthorpe man Birks to be awarded victory with Gary Irving third overall.Birks said: The last heat was a hard one, but I rode a technical race and it helped force Jason to make a mistake. This was probably my last season at this level, and therefore also my last chance at this title. Its good to be moving on in my career, along with others in the League.
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BIRMINGHAM skipper Danny King says his side arent content just to have reached the play-offs as they prepare for their semi-final clash with Swindon.The Brummies host the re-arranged first leg at Perry Barr on Monday and King, who moves to the No.1 position due to the October averages, says the tag of underdogs will suit them.King said: I believe we can become the surprise team of the play-offs. We certainly have the ability as a unit to do well but we need to click on the night.I dont buy into the theory that weve already achieved a lot to qualify. Yes, its a good achievement in our second season in the Elite League, but we need to kick on. Now were in there we need to make it count and we will give Swindon a tough test.
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POOLE promoter Matt Ford is urging people of the town to turn out in force on Monday as the Pirates look to secure a place in the Elite League Grand Final.Fords side take a four-point lead into the meeting after winning last weeks semi-final first leg at Lakeside, and the Wimborne Road chief says there is plenty more to celebrate due to the achievements of Poole team members.Ford said: These are golden times at Poole Speedway that we may never encounter again with Pirates pushing for an Elite League and Cup double and our captain Chris Holder leading the World Championship with one round remaining.Regular fans at Wimborne Road know what Chris has done for this club and I really hope that we have a turnout more synonymous with the successful homecomings we have witnessed in recent years. And of course we have that too on Monday as we celebrate KK's (Krzysztof Kasprzak) return to the GP series for next year after winning Saturday's GP Challenge.(SPEEDWAY 4)
BRITISH Champion Scott Nicholls will ride for Wolverhampton in their final home Elite League meeting of the season with Belle Vue at Monmore on Monday.Nicholls, who won the national title for a record seventh time at Wolverhampton in July, will make a guest appearance in place of injured No.1 Tai Woffinden.Parrys International Wolves boss Peter Adams said: The boys are keen to win this meeting to round our home league campaign off on a positive note.We wont be taking Belle Vue lightlythey have riders who can do well around our track.
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BERWICK boosted their chances of reaching the Premier Challenge Trophy Final with an emphatic home win over injury-hit Glasgow.The Tigers lost both Henning Bager (broken shoulder) and Josh Grajczonek (ankle injury) in a Heat 3 pile-up which decimated their middle order, and the Bandits took full advantage for a 62-33 victory with Sebastian Alden scoring a paid maximum.Berwick boss Ian Rae said: This makes up for Thursdays heavy defeat at Redcar no end, but wed have preferred to have done the business over a fully fit Glasgow side and not one ravaged by the unfortunate injuries dealt out to Henning and Josh. We wish both riders the very best for a quick recovery. But the points won and the points difference gained make a difference to our prospects in the PCT.
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 30:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF: Newcastle v Somerset 5pm, Scunthorpe v Edinburgh 5pmLEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Newcastle v Somerset (follows previous fixture), Workington v Ipswich OFFPREMIER CHALLENGE TROPHY: Glasgow v Berwick OFFNATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Mildenhall v Isle of Wight 3.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Mildenhall v Isle of Wight (follows previous fixture)
MONDAY OCTOBER 1:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Poole v Lakeside 7.30, 1st leg: Birmingham v Swindon 7.30SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30
TUESDAY OCTOBER 2:NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Isle of Wight v Mildenhall 7.30, 1st leg: Stoke v Dudley 7.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 3:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry 8pm
THURSDAY OCTOBER 4:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Swindon v Birmingham 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Ipswich v Edinburgh 7.30PREMIER CHALLENGE TROPHY: Redcar v Glasgow 7.30, Sheffield v Rye House 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 5:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF: Edinburgh v Scunthorpe 7.30, Somerset v Leicester 7.30
