BIG EVENT LATESTPOOLE promoter Matt Ford believes Polish star Maciej Janowski has a great chance of qualifying for the 2014 Grand Prix series at his home track later this month.The Wimborne Road venue stages the Grand Prix Challenge on Saturday August 24one of the biggest meetings on the International calendar and one which has a history of providing some of the hardest-fought racing of the season.Just three places are available for next years Grand Prix and the line-up shows a mixture of experienced current and former GP men and young chargers looking to make an impact.Janowski has hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks, especially around his home circuit, and Ford believes the former World Under-21 Champion will reach the top level sooner rather than later.He said: If the wind blows in the right direction, there is no reason for Maciej not to qualify this year.No-one will know the track better than him, he is looking very good at Wimborne Road and there is no doubt he fancies his chances.Getting into the tournament is very difficult but if he doesnt manage it this time, he clearly will be a Grand Prix star of the future. He has shown some exceptional form so there is no reason to think he wont be very competitive.Janowski is joined in the meeting by his current Pirates team-mate Tomas H Jonasson along with club asset Krzysztof Kasprzak, whilst the Pawlicki brothers have both had spells with Poole in the last year.Kasprzak is a current GP rider seeking to confirm his place for 2014 along with in-form duo Niels-Kristian Iversenwinner of the recent Italian GPand Matej Zagar, whilst Michael Jepsen Jensen won last years Nordic GP as a wild card and is now chasing direct entry to the series.A Britsh rider will be added to the line-up as wild card, and admission prices are 25 for adults, 20 for OAPs, 10 for 11-15 year-olds, 5 for under-11s and free for under-5s.GP CHALLENGEPoole, August 24: Niels-Kristian Iversen, Kenneth Bjerre, Aleksandr Loktaev, Daniel Nermark, Krzysztof Kasprzak, Przemyslaw Pawlicki, Tomas H Jonasson, Piotr Pawlicki, Hans Andersen, Matej Zagar, Michael Jepsen Jensen, Martin Smolinski, Vaclav Milik, Maciej Janowski, Troy Batchelor, TBC.
*PIOTR Pawlicki won the second round of the World Under-21 Final on a night of exciting racing at Berwick.Pawlicki scored twelve points, winning four of his five races, to finish one point clear of fellow countryman Kacper Gomolski who defeated Czech Vaclav Milik in a run-off for secondwhilst British wild card Kyle Howarth put in a terrific showing to score ten.Berwick co-owner John Anderson said: Ive never seen speedway like that before. It was amazing to see these young menlets remember, all under 21-years of age with a lot more progress to makeproduce racing of that high standard and quality!Their skill levels are exceptional and they put on a real show for the big crowd, including many Polish supporters who really got into the spirit of the night!Many congratulations to Piotr who won, but also to the rest of the field and indeed the fans for making our first World Final a night well never forget.SPEEDWAYGB EVENTS SERIES 2013BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: ROBERT BRANFORDBRITISH FINAL: TAI WOFFINDENPREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: SOMERSETPREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: EDINBURGHPREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, Sept 22ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Swindon, Oct 12NATIONAL LEAGUE MAJOR EVENTS:NATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: DUDLEYNATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: Stoke, August 18NATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Rye House, Sept 21BRITISH SPEEDWAY FIM EVENT DATES:WORLD UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP Round 2: PIOTR PAWLICKIGRAND PRIX CHALLENGE: Poole, August 24
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST
BELLE VUE hit top form on Monday with a 59-35 home win over Coventry in a meeting which also saw the club pay tribute to the memory of all-time great Peter Craven.Aces Director of Operations Chris Morton said: It was great to see such a big crowd in attendance for this special event, but I think what was really positive about it was that we had such a good meeting.I think we needed the win. Everyone was enjoying their speedway instead of getting frustrated with it, and all of the riders had a good meeting, including the guests, which was good for us and very good for the fans.
BIRMINGHAM boss Phil Morris admits his sides recent away performances are a concern as they look to finish the regular campaign as high as possible ahead of the play-offs.Morris said: We started the season really well away from home and were picking up points pretty much everywhere but it seems to be that we cant get everyone firing at the same time at different tracks at the moment.Theres no need to panic yet and things are far from disastrous but it is something we need to keep an eye on with not long to go until the play-offs.
COVENTRY manager Gary Havelock admitted the Bees had been well beaten at Belle Vue on Monday when they went down to a 35-59 defeat to continue a poor run of away form.Havelock said: When they dropped the clutch their back wheels were just spinning, but theyve all ridden Belle Vue before and they all know what the score is there. You have to be able to adapt, and Krzysztof (Kasprzak) and Robbo (Stuart Robson) apart, we didnt adapt at all.We should have known what to expect but we just didnt get into the meeting at all. We were second-best in almost every department.
EASTBOURNE boss Trevor Geer said his sides home win against Lakeside came as a surprise even to him after the Eagles were ravaged by injuries and unavailability for the clash with the Hammers.Geer said: In the end all the boys dug deep and did their job, Bjarne (Pedersen) and Timo (Lahti) were both fantastic and Simon (Gustafsson) couldnt have picked a better time to find some of his best form. Our thanks go out to Stuart Robson and Richie Worrall who worked so hard for us along with Nicolai Klindt who stepped in at short notice to help us out.On the face of it, this was a match that we couldnt have expected to win, but the team spirit was superb and that, along with supreme effort is what carried us through. We are delighted with all of the boys.
KINGS LYNN have been rocked by the departure of Latvian youngster Andzejs Lebedevs, who has stood down from his place in the Stars team.Lebedevs has received a 28-day ban for withholding his services, with the Stars booking former team member Kozza Smith to guest in Mondays defeat at Swindon whilst assessing their options for the Elite League run-in.
LAKESIDE are in extended talks to bring in a replacement for the injured Sebastian Ulamek in time for the run-in which will determine whether they make the Elite League play-offs.Co-promoter Jon Cook told the Hammers website: We have had very positive talks with our number one target yesterday and all being well he will be in the line up in time for our next home meeting, although he already has commitments that preclude him from racing in our away meetings that week. If at all possible we wish to avoid using rider replacement in these crucial fixtures and the rider concerned will add strength to our play-off push.
PETERBOROUGH underlined their recent upturn in form with a convincing display to defeat reigning champions Swindon 52-40 at the Showground, skipper Kenneth Bjerre scoring a paid maximum.Panthers co-promoter Trevor Swales said: Its never over until its over and whilst there is a mathematical chance of reaching the play-offs well be trying to get there.We need to win all our home matches and get at least another couple of wins away, and our recent form means that is definitely possible.
POOLE promoter Matt Ford is anxious to avoid slip-ups at home as his side chase a place in the play-offs, with improving Peterborough next to visit Wimborne Road this week.Ford said: We are going to have to continue what we have been doing in recent weeks here and ensure we are picking up race points from our No 1 down to our No 7.I have no doubt that our lads have the ability and desire to do just that but it would be wrong for us to believe that this is going to be easy. There is no such thing as that, especially this season.
SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter praised reserve Kyle Howarth, who built on his impressive World Under-21 Final performance with a paid-14 haul for the Robins in their 56-37 home win over Kings Lynn on Monday.Rossiter said: Kyle was great. Hes been working hard and getting frustrated, so this is great for him because hes been going in the right direction. Things are looking good and theres more to come.That was a good nights work from us. They were a bit depleted without Rory (Schlein) but you can only beat whats in front of you, and they are a team in contention for the play-offs.
WOLVERHAMPTON star Tai Woffinden reeled off a five-ride paid maximum in his sides win over Birmingham on Monday, and said recent encounters with the Brummies will stand them in good stead if the West Midlands rivals meet again this season.Woffinden said: Although we had a bad night at Birmingham last week we still learnt a lot about the track and set-ups which will be good for us when it comes to the play-offs, and getting a home win against them is a boost for us as well.I think we might need to do something with the team in terms of replacing Ty Proctor before we get to the play-offsbut thats up to Chris (Van Straaten) and Pete (Adams). Ill let them do their job and just concentrate on making sure I keep doing my job well.
PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST
BERWICK are planning to bring former favourite Sebastian Alden back into their team in time for Saturdays clash with Somersetwith the Swede agreeing to help his old club out following the serious injury to Ricky Ashworth.Bandits boss Ian Rae said: This came right out of the blue, but after discussing the matter with Rob Lyon at Kings Lynnwho was sympathetic about the situationand talking it though with everyone, we have elected to bring Seb back in as an injury replacement, if the authorities give us the all-clear.
EDINBURGH wrapped up victory in the delayed Spring Trophy with a 52-38 win at Glasgow on Sunday to complete a 111-69 aggregate success, with skipper Derek Sneddon contributing paid-13 at reserve.Sneddon said: Everyone did well today, it wasnt as easy as the final score suggests and we had to work really hard. Six of us won races, its a good sign with some hard matches coming up.
GLASGOW star James Grieves has paid tribute to team-mate Joe Screen as the two riders go into the final weeks of their speedway careers, with both set to retire at the end of the season.Grieves told The Glaswegian: Its good to finish at the same time as Joe. Were both there together as Glasgow riders and it will be good at the end. Joe has been great, hes a great rider and a good team man. Its been good riding with him and winning the Pairs with him.
IPSWICH kept up their impressive run with a 59-31 win over fellow play-off chasing side Redcar at Foxhall, with Ben Barker scoring a 15-point maximum.Witches boss Pete Simmons said: At the team talk before the meeting we thought we could win if everyone chipped in and that's exactly what they did. We only ran two last places all night, which certainly makes my life a lot easier. Another three points secured but there is still more work to be done starting with a tough one at home (on Thursday) against Workington.
LEICESTER co-promoter Alan Jones admitted injuries to skipper Kauko Nieminen during the meeting and reserve Alex Edberg at Rye House the previous evening contributed to a surprise home defeat for the Lions against the Rockets.Jones told the clubs official website: Each and every one gave it their best shot and we cannot ask for any more. We were forever chasing the points and the team did well under the circumstances. You cannot take anything away from Rye House who are a much under-rated team, and in my mind are in a false league position.
NEWCASTLE kept on course for a high Premier League finish and a place in the play-offs with a dominant 58-37 win over Redcar, with Richie Worrall carding a paid maximum.Diamonds boss George English said: After Redcar went down heavily the night before we had a feeling we were in for a tough match, and despite the final score it was a harder affair than that made it look. But again our lads dug in and made sure we took the points at the end of the night.
PLYMOUTH skipper Cory Gathercole will miss the remainder of the season due to knee and shoulder injuries suffered in a crash last month.Gathercole said: I have torn a few ligaments and there is a small fracture plus a lot of bruising. The injury should heal itself without surgery but it will take some time. I have had to take the decision to pull out of the remainder of the season. I do not like having to let the team down but I would probably let them down even more if I tried to carry on riding.
REDCAR promoter Brian Havelock was left deflated by two heavy defeats for his side at Ipswich and Newcastle over the weekend, which saw them lose top position in the Premier League table.Havelock said: If the team performs like that over the next two weeks we will be going nowhere. Two apart at Ipswich and two apart at Newcastle, the others just wasted travel time and expenses with a total lack of commitment to the Redcar squad. I'm afraid to say they're not putting themselves in the shop window for next year!
RYE HOUSES dramatic upturn in form continued with a dramatic 45-44 win at Leicester on Sunday, with the Rockets set to be further boosted by the impending return of Jason Garrity after injury.Rye boss John Sampford said: It was a great performance, and a great victory. Not many visiting teams will win at Leicester this season. Pontus (Aspgren), Josh (Grajczonek) and Tyson (Nelson) were really the architects of the work, and the other points chipped in from elsewhere gave us what we needed to get the win.
SCUNTHORPE picked up another away point from a narrow defeat at Workington on Sunday, with promoter Rob Godfrey pleased with the efforts of his side who were strengthened by the mid-season signing of Nicolai Klindt.Godfrey said: We put on a good show, as we have everywhere since we signed Nicolai. Since then weve taken a league point from all our away meetings except one. Weve entertained in all our recent away matches and taken the home team to the limit. Points have depended on Heat 15 each time - its shown how far we have come from the beginning of the season.
SHEFFIELDS Damien Koppe is awaiting an MRI scan to assess the full extent of his knee injury with the club concerned that his season could be over.Tigers boss David Hoggart said: Sheffield have been fairly fortunate with injuries down the years but this season has just been crazy and I seem to be spending all my time on the phone booking guest riders. We are really up against it but there is a great determination amongst the riders to do well. I would say Ricky Wells is our only rider without a knock at the moment!
SOMERSETS busy home run continues this week with a Wednesday fixture at the Oak Tree Arena against Sheffieldand Rebels boss Garry May is keen that his side do not under-estimate the Tigers.May said: Sheffield might be towards to bottom end of the table, but doesnt make them any less dangerous an opposition that the likes of Workington who came here recently as league leaders, at the end of the day they still have to be beaten like everybody else. The aim is the same whoever we face at home.
WORKINGTON are gearing up for their biggest night of the season so far when they stage the fourth match in the five-match Great Britain v Australia test series at Derwent Park on Saturday evening with Great Britain currently holding a slender 2-1 advantage.Comets co-promoter Tony Jackson said: As a new promotion in our first season since taking over at Derwent Park we are delighted to have the opportunity to stage such a fixture and it has all the ingredients of being a really great occasion. Between the two sides there will be three of our current team in action, with Richard Lawson and Kyle Howarth representing Great Britain and Rusty Harrison representing Australia. In fact it even pitches two of them head to head as captains because both Richard and Rusty have been named as captains of their respective national sides for this match, which makes it a bit special. The match also features three former Comets; with Cumbrian-born Craig Cook and Adam Roynon both lining up for Great Britain while Kevin Doolan, who rode for us in 2009, is named in the Australian side; so it has all the ingredients required for a night of top class speedway.
FIXTURE PICTURE
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 14:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Peterborough 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Somerset v Sheffield 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kings Lynn v Kent 7.30
THURSDAY AUGUST 15:PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Workington 7.30, Redcar v Leicester 7.30, Sheffield v Edinburgh 7.45
FRIDAY AUGUST 16:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Somerset 7.30, Scunthorpe v Plymouth 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Kings Lynn 7.30
SATURDAY AUGUST 17:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Somerset 7pm, Rye House v Ipswich 7pmTEST MATCH: GB v Australia, Workington 7pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 18:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Somerset 3pmNATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: Stoke 3.30TEST MATCH: GB v Australia, Newcastle 6.30
MONDAY AUGUST 19:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Birmingham 7.30, Eastbourne v Kings Lynn 7.30, Peterborough v Lakeside 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Stoke 6.30
TUESDAY AUGUST 20:NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Buxton 7pm
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 21:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Peterborough 7.30, Kings Lynn v Coventry 7.30
THURSDAY AUGUST 22:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Plymouth 7.30, Redcar v Glasgow 7.30, Sheffield v Scunthorpe 7.45
FRIDAY AUGUST 23:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Coventry 7.30, Lakeside v Poole 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Rye House 7.30, Plymouth v Scunthorpe 7.15, Somerset v Ipswich 7.30
SATURDAY AUGUST 24:GRAND PRIX CHALLENGE: Poole 6.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Rye House 7pm, Workington v Newcastle 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Isle of Wight 7pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 25:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Ipswich 3pm, Leicester v Berwick 7.30, Newcastle v Workington 6.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Dudley 3pm, Mildenhall v Stoke 4.30
MONDAY AUGUST 26:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Peterborough 7.30, Poole v Swindon 4pm, Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Berwick 2pm, Scunthorpe v Leicester 3pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Dudley 6.30BRITISH 125cc FINAL: Rye House (follows PL fixture)
TUESDAY AUGUST 27:PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Somerset v Edinburgh 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Dudley v Isle of Wight 7.30
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 28:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Coventry 7.30, Kings Lynn v Lakeside 7.30
