(SPEEDWAY 1 – WEDNESDAY REVIEW)
KING’S Lynn have moved to the top of the Elite League thanks to a hard-fought 49-41 home win over Wolverhampton.The Stars were again put under pressure at the Norfolk Arena and trailed by six points after nine races - but they mounted a strong recovery with Danish duo Niels-Kristian Iversen and paid-maximum man Kenneth Bjerre combining for 5-1s in Heats 13 and 15 – whilst teenager Robert Lambert produced a stunning win in the penultimate race.Lynn boss Rob Lyon said: “It was fantastic entertainment. The top two pulled it out of the bag and that’s what we signed them for, they did a great job.“Robert Lambert's ride in Heat 14 was out of this world. The other boys chipped in with some important points at important times, Rory's (Schlein) third place when he passed Tai (Woffinden) in his last race proved to be an important point.”Wolverhampton manager Peter Adams said: “I have to say Belle Vue and King’s Lynn can count themselves very fortunate because they have taken points from a Wolverhampton side with a below-par Tai Woffinden. Any other time and they wouldn’t have been so successful against us and Tai won’t be in this situation much longer, he will sort it, so the other teams had better watch out!”
(SPEEDWAY 2 – THURSDAY PREVIEW)
FORMER Champions Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris head the line-up for Thursday’s British semi-final at Sheffield (7.45pm).Nicholls and Harris, with an incredible ten national titles between them, are amongst the competitors chasing seven guaranteed places in the Final at Wolverhampton on June 16.The home side club are represented by Simon Stead, Adam Roynon, Andre Compton and Josh Bates – who has won a late call-up to the meeting following the injury withdrawal of Kyle Newman.Stead said: “It’s going to be a tough field. The line up is very, very tough so I need to get my engines sorted out after a few problems last Thursday. Anyone can come here and race and I’m under no illusion over how hard it’s going to be. I’ll just have to get my head down and work hard.”LINE-UP: 1. Danny King, 2. Edward Kennett, 3. Ashley Morris, 4. Craig Cook, 5. Derek Sneddon, 6. Simon Stead, 7. Scott Nicholls, 8. Lewis Kerr, 9. Josh Bates, 10. Charles Wright, 11. Chris Harris, 12. Stuart Robson, 13. Kyle Howarth, 14. Adam Roynon, 15. Ben Barker, 16. Andre Compton.Meanwhile in the Elite League Swindon hand a debut to Dakota North as they bid to get their campaign back on-track in their home match against Eastbourne.The Robins have been beaten in two of their three Blunsdon outings so far this season and have recruited North, who rode for Peterborough last year, to replace Nicolai Klindt.North said: “Swindon is a good set-up and a nice track. I have always done okay there as an away rider and I’m confident I can improve by racing on it regularly. I don’t set myself targets – I just want to do my part for the team.”In the Premier League, Ipswich open their campaign against Scunthorpe at Foxhall with Witches boss Chris Louis demanding an improvement from a disappointing series of League Cup results over the Easter period.And Redcar host Glasgow at the South Tees Motorsports Park, with both sides looking to bounce back from heavy home defeats in the League Cup last weekend.
(SPEEDWAY 3)
GREAT Britain will be represented by Josh Bates and Stefan Nielsen in the forthcoming World Under-21 qualifying round at Leicester on May 10.Bates, the British Under-21 Champion, and Nielsen will be joined by Tom Perry and Ashley Morris as reserves on the night.GB’s other representatives in the qualifiers, with places up for grabs in the three-round Final, are Adam Ellis who will travel to Straslund, Germany, and Kyle Howarth who competes at Terenzano in Italy. Both of those events take place one week earlier on May 3.(SPEEDWAY 4)
SWINDON youngster Darryl Ritchings has been released from hospital – after spending over a week in a coma due to swelling on the brain.Ritchings crashed in the Robins’ opening fixture of the season against Coventry on April 3 but was brought out of sedation last week and is now well enough to continue his recovery at home.Robins boss Alun Rossiter said: “It’s fantastic news and we are so pleased for Darryl and his family.“The only thing I would add is that Darryl has a badly broken ankle which will need working on, but when you consider what he’s been through this is a great piece of news.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
PETERBOROUGH have joined forces with their local newspaper to offer admission for next Tuesday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle for just £5.A Panthers voucher will be printed in the latest issue of the Peterborough Telegraph (out today, Thursday), which can be presented at the turnstiles on racenight to qualify for the £10 discount on the regular admission price.Club chief Mick Horton said: “We’re delighted to have teamed up with the PT for what is an unbelievable deal. With children under the age of 12 always admitted to our home meetings for free, we are basically giving a family of four a night out for a tenner. “That is brilliant value and I just hope the public take advantage of the offer. I want to see the Showground packed to the rafters on Tuesday.”Advance tickets can also be bought for £5 through http://tickets.sky.com/Motorsport/ and regular admission prices will be in place on the night for anyone not in possession of either the PT voucher or advance tickets.
(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY APRIL 24:BRITISH SEMI-FINAL: Sheffield 7.45ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Eastbourne 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Scunthorpe 7.30, Redcar v Glasgow 7.30
FRIDAY APRIL 25:ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Swindon 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Sheffield 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Plymouth v Redcar 7.15LEAGUE CUP: Somerset v Rye House 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Devon 7.30
SATURDAY APRIL 26:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Eastbourne 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Newcastle 7pm, Rye House v Scunthorpe 7pm, Workington v Peterborough 7pm
SUNDAY APRIL 27:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Peterborough 3pm, Newcastle v Berwick 6.30, Scunthorpe v Plymouth 3pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v King’s Lynn (follows PL fixture)
