(SPEEDWAY 1)
SWINDON manager Alun Rossiter is keen for the Robins to get back to winning ways when they host Coventry at Blunsdon on Thursday.Rossiters team have been without a home meeting for almost a month and they are currently just outside the Elite Leagues play-off zone, albeit with matches in hand on most of their rivals.Rossiter said: We have to be on our game, but Im not too worried about the lack of meetings from a team perspective. All the boys have been racing elsewhere, so theres no excuse like being race rusty or anything like that.Its certainly a big meeting and Coventry have a few Poles, including Zengi (Grzegorz Zengota) coming back here, which is going to make things difficult, but its about us claiming all three points and starting a nice little run to push for the play-offs.
(SPEEDWAY 2)
EDINBURGH secured a dramatic 46-44 away win at Somerset in a classic Premier League encounter.The Monarchs inflicted the Rebels first home defeat since October 2011 after a night of breathtaking racing, with Craig Cook their hero in Heat 15 as he re-passed Jason Doyle to take victory after team-mate Jozsef Tabaka had been disqualified.Somerset promoter Debbie Hancock said: First and foremost it was another cracking meeting for the people watching on Sky Sports, maintaining the Oaktree Arenas proud tradition, which now spans five seasons, of providing top class racing for the cameras. But we also had an excellent crowd here, many of whom would have been new to the sport or lapsed supporters making a return.I know the guys at Sky were over the moon with the meeting, and both teams deserve credit for that, it is just a pity that we couldnt make it the perfect evening for us by taking victory on the night. But we cant change that now, so we just need to move forward and focus our attentions on our up-coming KO Cup quarter-final with Workington.(SPEEDWAY 3)
REDCAR promoter Brian Havelock is confident the Bears can make club history by reaching the last four of the Premier League Knockout Cup.Havelock believes recent form leaves his side in a strong position ahead of their home-and-away quarter-final clashes with Scunthorpe this week, starting at the South Tees Motorsports Park on Thursday.Havelock said: As a club we have never reached the semi-finals of the KO Cup since Speedway was rekindled on Teesside in 2006. Despite the status of our opposition, we have every chance of making it through on aggregate as our victories over Somerset at home and away at Edinburgh last week prove that the boys are on form.We must build a decent winning margin on Thursday, however, to take into the second leg so it is also up the fans to really get behind the team.
(SPEEDWAY 4)
BERWICK have reduced adult admission prices to 8 for this Saturdays challenge match between the Northern Raiders and Dudley.The home side will include Tweedmouth schoolboy Liam Carr and 2012 Berwick rider Micky Dyer, whilst the Heathens call up Adam Roynon as he continues his comeback from injury.Berwick co-promoter John Anderson said: We can only put this match on at such a low admission price because of the generosity of our sponsors, so anyone who can help us by getting in touch with Gary Flint will be very helpful.I should also place on record our sincere thanks to Berwick Rangers FC, who are giving us the use of the stadium that night for a peppercorn rent.
(SPEEDWAY 5)
DUDLEY put in a classy performance to take a comprehensive 62-30 victory over local rivals Coventry Storm in Tuesdays National League action.The home side dominated with Ashley Morris, Paul Starke, Lewis Blackbird and teenage reserve Max Clegg all in double figures at Monmore Green.Heathens boss Will Pottinger said: Were absolutely delighted with that performance, especially when you consider we only had five of our usual side.Four of the lads made double figures, another was paid for double figures and you can't ask for much more than that - it was a great performance. (SPEEDWAY 6)
RICHIE Worrall scored a sensational 18-point maximum in Kings Lynns 53-37 win over Elite League leaders Wolverhampton at the Norfolk Arena.Worrall reeled off six wins out of six as the Stars moved level with second-placed Birmingham, whose match Poole was rained-off and hastily re-arranged for tonight (Thursday).And Wolves boss Peter Adams admitted his side, still without injured duo Tai Woffinden and Ty Proctor, had no answer to the home sides flying reserve.Adams said: That's the second away meeting in a row we've met a reserve who has scored almost 20 points. He was obviously the difference between the sides - but you can't expect much more whilst we have such a patched up team.
(SPEEDWAY 7)
ROBERT Mear has announced his decision to take a break from racing after a loss of confidence over recent weeks.Mear recently re-joined Rye House in the Premier League as injury cover for Jason Garrity, with his Elite League club Lakeside subsequently replacing him with Kevin Doolan.But after three appearances for the Rockets, where he scored a total of 17 (paid 19), he has elected to step aside.Rye boss John Sampford said: Were obviously disappointed, but Robert has made his decision and we have to respect that. We wish him all the best for the future, and as a team we just have to re-group again and move forward from here.
(SPEEDWAY 8)
WORKINGTON have made a switch in riding order for their Knockout Cup quarter-final tie with Somerset, which starts with the first leg at Derwent Park on Saturday.The Comets have moved Kyle Howarth to the No.2 position and will operate rider-replacement for the injured Tero Aarnio to No.4 as they look to build a lead ahead of next Tuesdays return fixture.Manager Tony Jackson said: We have been keeping an eye on the pairings for quite a while but with having to use so many guest riders recently it hasn't really been worth trying a change so farhowever, the riders and myself had another chat about it on Sunday and we have decided to make the switch now and hopefully it will benefit the team.We are under no illusion that as to how tough this tie will be, but Somerset are of the same opinion about facing us, and after last weekends double victories confidence is high in the Comets camp.(SPEEDWAY 8)
PLYMOUTH co-promoter Ashley Taylor is relishing the prospect of a clash between Devils newcomer Mikkel Bech and former No.1 Ben Barker on Friday.18-year-old Bech made a spectacular debut for the club last Friday and now takes on the man who led their scoring over the last two seasons before moving to Ipswich.Taylor said: Mikkels performance was like a breath of fresh air after depths of despair and frustration we had experienced in recent weeks.He came out to win the third heat despite not having had any pre-match practice on the track and his spectacular action on the back straight has already got the supporters re-naming it the Bech Straight.
(SPEEDWAY 10)
GLASGOW legend Robert Nagys son Patrik is to make his first appearance at Ashfield this Sunday.Nagy senior was a double League and Cup winner for the Tigers in the 1990s, whilst Patrik has been racing speedway for three seasons and is now set for his first outing in British soil.He will race in the Red Revolution Open, a meeting which features several top Premier League stars including Richard Lawson, Joe Screen, Josh Grajczonek and Adam Roynon - and Robert will also complete a demonstration ride.Glasgow co-promoter Colin Hamilton said: It will be interesting to see what type of rider Patrik is and how he's progressing. Will he be as good as his father?
(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY JUNE 13:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Birmingham 7.30, Swindon v Coventry 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Plymouth 7.45PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Redcar v Scunthorpe 7.30
FRIDAY JUNE 14:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Eastbourne 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Ipswich 7.15PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F: (1st leg) Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, (2nd leg) Scunthorpe v Redcar 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Kent 7.30
SATURDAY JUNE 15:PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Sheffield 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Workington v Somerset 7pmNATIONAL TROPHY: Stoke v Isle of Wight 7pmCHALLENGE: Northern Raiders v Dudley (at Berwick) 7pm
SUNDAY JUNE 16:PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Newcastle v Edinburgh 6.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Buxton v Stoke 3pm, Mildenhall v Kent 4.30RED REVOLUTION OPEN: Glasgow 3pm
