(SPEEDWAY 1 – WEDNESDAY REVIEW)
SWEDISH star Fredrik Lindgren won the Selco Classic at Birmingham – after a spectacular last-race battle with Swindon’s Peter Kildemand.The Dane had scored a 15-point maximum in the qualifiers, inflicting Lindgren’s only defeat in the process, but crashed on the third lap of the Final when attempting to pass his rival on the outside.That incident promoted Ryan Fisher to second place and new Birmingham signing Edward Kennett to third – and he was pleased to continue his strong start to the season.Kennett said: “I was obviously slightly lucky to end up on the rostrum with Peter crashing out, but I still managed to make the Final which I was delighted with.“It's a good start for me with plenty of positives and I'm just looking forward to the next meeting now when I'm riding with Birmingham as a team for the first time.”Elsewhere on Wednesday, Polish champions Zielona Gora won the first International Pre-Season Cup with a 52-40 victory at King’s Lynn. Flying reserve Kamil Adamczewski notched 10+2 for the visitors with Kenneth Bjerre top man for the Stars on 12+1.(SPEEDWAY 2)
WORLD Champion Tai Woffinden insists there will be no change of approach as he goes into the new season as the sport’s top man.Woffinden, who finished second in the Banks’s Olympique Classic at home track Wolverhampton on Monday, will line up as one of the favourites for Sunday’s Elite Riders’ Championship at Coventry (6pm), which takes place just under a fortnight before he launches his World title defence.Woffinden said: “It should be a top meeting and for me personally it’s a great chance to ride against a really competitive field in preparation for New Zealand.“Even though I’m coming into this year as World Champion everything feels like normal – I’m just treating it like any other season. It’s going to be another tough year but I’m not treating things any differently and we’ll just have to see how things go.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
POOLE promoter Matt Ford says he and the club are highly motivated to make a strong defence of their Elite League title.Ford’s club defeated Birmingham in last year’s Grand Final for their fifth EL crown, and he says their 2014 team-building largely slotted into place as expected, led by Grand Prix star Darcy Ward.Ford said: “There was perhaps just one other route I might have gone down but once I learnt fairly early on that would be a no-goer I had no doubt in going this way, and the team speaks largely for itself, with many familiar faces.“Last year's success meant a lot, in the manner that we came back to win it and to be honest I thought it would be nice if everything had stopped there. But, now I'm ready to go again and for the team to do their bit to see if we can retain that title of champions.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
ELITE League newcomers Leicester have been boosted by the news that No.1 rider Jason Doyle is set to finally receive visa clearance to join the club.Doyle, whose return for the 2014 season has been uncertain for much of the winter, will miss the Lions’ Challenge match against Peterborough on Saturday but is expected back in time for the top-flight opener against Wolverhampton the following weekend.Promoter David Hemsley said: “It has been a frustrating time for the club and Jason in particular. We were hoping that he would be here in time for Saturday but the fixture is not critical in the whole scheme of things. “The important aspect is that Jason will receive written confirmation shortly giving him the right to work in the UK, and knowing Jason as soon as that comes through he will be on a flight here.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
FORMER World Champion Sam Ermolenko will come out of retirement to race in Sheffield’s opening meeting of the season next Thursday.Ermolenko, who raced for the club in 1996, is now 53 but has kept fit and completed private practice sessions ahead of taking to the track in the Air Fence Fund Bonanza.Sheffield chief Damien Bates said: “Sam is a remarkable character and he is still going strong. We all know it’s unlikely he will win the meeting but he’s always good to watch and for him to do on a bike what he does at his age is extraordinary.“He wants to do the meeting, he’s ultra-keen and he is still very much a legend at Sheffield even though he only rode here for one season. He’s been a regular visitor to our meetings and it’s great to see him in the line-up!”
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY MARCH 21: TRAVEL PLUS TROPHY 1st leg: Coventry v Cradley 7.30GARY HAVELOCK FAREWELL: Poole 7.30
SATURDAY MARCH 22:BRITISH U21 SEMI-FINAL: Plymouth 7.15IAN THOMAS SHIELD 1st leg: Workington v Newcastle 7pmCHALLENGE: Leicester v Peterborough 7.30JOONAS KYLMAKORPI TESTIMONIAL: Eastbourne 7.30MORTEN RISAGER TESTIMONIAL: Ipswich 7.15
SUNDAY MARCH 23:ELITE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Coventry 6pmIAN THOMAS SHIELD 2nd leg: Newcastle v Workington 6.30BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 1: Scunthorpe 3pm
