BIG EVENT LATEST…

BIRMINGHAM star Danny King led the qualifiers for the British Final with a 14-point total to win the first semi-final at Sheffield.King, who admits the victory was a confidence booster after a tough season so far at Perry Barr, was joined on the rostrum by Craig Cook and another Brummies rider Ben Barker, both on 13 points, to make up the top three.Home duo Simon Stead and Adam Roynon also made it through, Stead winning three of his five races and Roynon scoring every time in a consistent display, whilst seven-times champion Scott Nicholls sailed through on 12 points.There was a major scare for treble winner Chris Harris who suffered a heavy mid-meeting crash and required a stunning ride to pass Cook on the last lap of Heat 20 to finish on eight points and book his place at Wolverhampton.King said: “I came here to qualify, but to win the meeting is fantastic for me. I hope I can use this to sharpen up my form in the Elite League and help Birmingham get back to some respectable results.“I’m so pleased with the result, it’s just what I needed after a difficult few weeks to start the season. It was a good meeting on a very fast track and I really enjoyed racing there.”The automatic qualifiers for the Final on June 16 were to be completed by the top seven from the second semi at Rye House on April 30, with two Wild Card places to then be allocated for Monmore Green.*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.*OVER 30 future speedway hopefuls attended a successful recent British Youth Training day at Leicester.The enthusiastic youngsters were able to complete more than six hours of practice in front of GB Youth bosses Phil Morris and Neil Vatcher, with Leicester and Sheffield star Simon Stead on hand to offer assistance.Vatcher said: “We have been saying for a number of years now that there is talent coming through the system, but we all have to be patient as it will not happen overnight.“The proof of the talent was shown at the British Under-21 Final where the top two, Josh Bates and Adam Ellis, who are both only 18 were riding in the British Youth Championship only two years ago - and both are now on the verge of competing at World Junior Level when they compete in the World Under-21 Semi Finals at Leicester and Straslund Germany respectively.”SPEEDWAYGB EVENTS SERIES 2014:ELITE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Re-staging TBCBRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: JOSH BATESBRITISH FINAL: Wolverhampton, June 16PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset, July 11PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Peterborough, August 3PREMIER RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, September 21NATIONAL LEAGUE MAJOR EVENTS:NATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: Mildenhall, June 15NATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: Coventry, August 10NATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Rye House, September 28BRITISH SPEEDWAY FIM EVENT DATES:WORLD UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP Semi-Final: Leicester, May 10GRAND PRIX QUALIFIER: Berwick, June 7

ELITE LEAGUE LATEST…

BELLE VUE maintained their 100 per cent home record with a 51-39 win over previously unbeaten Poole at Kirkmanshulme Lane, with skipper Craig Cook and No.1 Matej Zagar dropping just one point between them.Aces chief Chris Morton said: “Things got a bit tight towards the midway point but what was important was that we needed to win, and getting even two league points would have been satisfying, but getting the full three points is brilliant.“The way we did it was extremely rewarding because we were two points down and turning it around from that position, against a team like Poole, was excellent. It gives us a good feeling for what the riders can do when the pressure is on, and what they do well is react and respond to their situation.”BIRMINGHAM promoter Alan Phillips admits the club’s misfiring riders need to show an upturn in form at their away trips to Poole and Swindon this week.Phillips said: “Every rider in the team knows they are under scrutiny and we are looking for the right attitude in these two meetings.“The clock is ticking and with May coming and a new set of averages we can look at our options again. I want to see who wants to stay with Birmingham Speedway over the next two nights.”COVENTRY boss Gary Havelock says he is highly encouraged by the Bees’ start to the season, which has seen them collect two away wins in the early weeks to build a total of eleven points from six matches.Havelock said: “The way we’re riding gives me a lot of confidence what we can do this season.“As long as we can keep the boys together and stay relatively injury free, I really feel we can be in the mix come September – you can’t win the league if you’re not in the play-offs.”EASTBOURNE came away from away trips to Swindon and Leicester with just one point – despite being fully competitive during both, and seeing a possible away win at Blunsdon taken away by a last-heat Robins 5-1.Boss Trevor Geer said: “Obviously, we are pleased to get a league point away from home. I did think we were going to break our long run of away defeats but we came at short at the end which was disappointing.“Lewis Blackbird had a fantastic night and he is doing exactly what we thought he would do when we picked him to be in the team.”KING’S LYNN boss Rob Lyon is keen to limit expectations at this stage of the season, despite his side’s excellent start as they battle with Lakeside for top place in the early Elite League table.Lyon said: “It is a long way to go, it means nothing at this stage. We just want to stay there and be top four at the end of the league, then it’s knockout, anybody's. “There is a long way to go and we are not getting too excited.”LAKESIDE reserve Ben Morley became the first fast-track draft rider to score a maximum when he recorded four paid-wins in the Hammers’ 56-38 win over Swindon, a result which was followed by a point gained at Wolverhampton on Monday.Co-promoter Jon Cook said: “It was another good night for the team with all seven riders on form and Ben’s performance was very special. He is a cult hero at the Raceway and his second ride battle with Dakota North was a real highlight.”LEICESTER have injury concerns over Patrick Hougaard and Peter Ljung over crashes in recent matches, with the Dane still facing an extended period on the sidelines.Manager Norrie Allan said: “Patrick had an operation last week to fix his broken thumb sustained at Coventry and is likely to be missing for around six weeks and Peter also injured his hand in a crash against Eastbourne on Saturday.”POOLE promoter Matt Ford said his side had been out of luck in their defeat at Belle Vue on Monday, where the Pirates were beaten for the first time this season in the Elite League.Ford said: “We gave them a run for their money, and had we had a rub of the green we might well have been able to secure a point. But it wasn't to be, although it wasn't through lack of effort. “Things just didn't go well for us at times and it's not very often you see Chris Holder finish a meeting with just four points to his name, but you have to remember he is still finding his feet after being out of the saddle for a large chunk of last season.”SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter says his side need to quickly put Friday’s heavy defeat at Lakeside behind them, where the absence of skipper Troy Batchelor proved costly.Rossiter said: “Obviously we are bitterly disappointed with the performance because we wanted to try and come away with something.“We are struggling a bit at reserve at the moment and Bjarne (Pedersen) normally would be good for a lot more than 2+1. It was a frustrating night but we just need to regroup and pick ourselves back up.”WOLVERHAMPTON star Ricky Wells continued his excellent Elite League form with a 12-point haul in his side’s hard-fought 48-42 win over Lakeside at Monmore.Wells said: “It was a great win for the team and more good points for myself, so it was definitely a good night. Everything is working well for me right now and I feel really good in myself.“From a team perspective it was just really good to get a win after drawing our last home meeting, and especially against Lakeside who are a team stacked with good riders.”PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST…

BERWICK made a strong start to their Premier League campaign with a 55-38 local derby win over Newcastle at Shielfield Park, with Claus Vissing scoring a four-ride paid maximum.Bandits boss Ian Rae said: “This was better than we had dared hope as Newcastle are a good side, but to start our League campaign in this style is excellent and hopefully it means good things to come.”EDINBURGH suffered defeat at the hands of the weather – rather than on-track themselves – as their home clash with Sheffield fell victim to rain close to start-time at Armadale last Friday.Monarchs boss John Campbell said: “By 5pm not a drop of rain had fallen at the stadium and our track was under-watered compared with our normal. We then had a light shower which cleared away again. When SCB referee, Ronnie Allan inspected the track at 6.30 he said that the track was still in good condition. However, that all changed within half an hour.”GLASGOW’S French teenager Dimitri Berge was admitted to hospital on Sunday night after a high-speed crash in Heat 15 of the Tigers’ 47-45 win over Peterborough – although it is believed he has suffered no broken bones.Co-promoter Colin Hamilton said: “It was a high-speed crash down the back straight – that’s when the bikes are at their highest speed. We’re pleased from what we’ve heard that Lasse Bjerre has come out of it just battered and bruised, and we wish him the best too.”IPSWICH manager Chris Louis was pleased with a much-improved display from his side as they defeated Scunthorpe 53-39 in their Premier League opener at Foxhall.Louis said: “That was a good result against a strong side. Scunthorpe will definitely pick up points on their travels this year with this line-up but we managed to stop them. “I was pleased to see everyone in the team playing their part in this meeting even if they didn't all score big points. We now need to build on this and make sure we keep the momentum going.”NEWCASTLE saw their hopes of taking revenge over Berwick for a 55-38 defeat at Shielfield Park ended when the return fixture against the Bandits at Brough Park was postponed due to heavy rain the following day.Manager George English said: “To end up 17 points behind Berwick at the end of this match was an undoubted disappointment, as before we had been after at least one Premier League point, but to end up with nothing was not our plan at all.”REDCAR boss Jitendra Duffill is pleased with the progress being made by UK newcomer Rafal Konopka, who joined the Bears as a replacement for the suspended Richard Hall.Duffill said: “We can be a match for anybody at home, especially as Rafal seems to be finding his feet at this level with good displays at home to Glasgow and away to Plymouth last week. “Rafal has bags of potential and shows great track craft. He is learning quickly and many would be surprised to discover that he has only been riding for two years.”RYE HOUSE promoter Len Silver believes the good form being shown by Luke Bowen on his return to the sport is a reward for the rider taking his time after missing 18 months due to injury.Silver said: “I think it was the best decision he ever made not to come back too soon, nearly every other time he has been injured he has come back too soon. This time he waited, got himself right and I had every confidence he could take up where he left off and get better and better.”PETERBOROUGH chief Mick Horton says he is concerned by inconsistencies within the team following a Northern tour weekend in which the Panthers were limited to just a point from a narrow defeat at Glasgow.Horton said: “Glasgow hadn’t won a meeting until Sunday and we certainly didn’t want to become the first team to lose to them. We made the worst possible start and conceded far too many 5-1s. The big worry is that we have only really had three or four guys firing in both meetings this weekend and that is something we need to address if we are going to pick up results on the road.”PLYMOUTH co-promoter David Short says the current level of attendances means there is a major question mark over the long-term future of the Devils.Short said: “The promoters of Plymouth Speedway are gravely concerned regarding the level of attendances at St Boniface Arena. None of the promoters want to pull the plug on Plymouth but we cannot pretend to our loyal supporters that we can sustain the level of crowds we have had so far this year.“If we are to stage Premier League racing next year we need a very substantial increase in average attendances and we further need a large increase, immediately, if we are to survive at all.”SCUNTHORPE saw off the challenge of a Plymouth side with three high scorers, including Kalle Katajisto at reserve, to take maximum points over the Devils at the Eddie Wright Raceway.Scorpions promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It was just what the doctor ordered – we got in there and took all three points from the meeting. Of course, we have our own trump card reserve in Ryan Douglas, while Josh Auty was back to his spectacular best.”SHEFFIELD believe the signing of Ty Proctor to replace Adam Roynon will give their team increased strength at the top of the order.Co-promoter Damien Bates said: “I would like to thank Adam for his efforts and wish him well in his next move, we will do all we can to help him in whatever he decides to do next.“Ty is going through a tough time at the moment but the extra meetings with us will help and I feel certain it won’t be too long before he is challenging for top spot in the team. It gives us a powerhouse spearhead.”SOMERSET remain in with a chance of qualifying for the League Cup semi-finals after a thumping 62-28 win over Rye House at the Oaktree Arena – and boss Garry May admitted the margin of victory could be important.May said: “The guys were just awesome tonight. We needed a big win to keep in the hunt for the semi-finals and the boys certainly did that. I asked for a response from my guys after our defeat at Plymouth last week and they did that in the best possible way.”WORKINGTON made a perfect start to their Premier League campaign by taking all three available points from a highly-rated Peterborough side last weekend at Derwent Park – and they now face Knockout Cup holders Somerset in the opening round of this season’s competition.Comets manager Tony Jackson said: “It was a great team performance to overcome the Panthers last Saturday in what had the potential to be a very difficult opening league fixture for us, but we now have something to build on as the league gets underway. Our next league fixture is this coming Sunday at Newcastle in what promises to be another thrilling meeting if our early-season Ian Thomas Shield visit to Brough Park is anything to go by.“However, before that we must face Somerset at Derwent Park on Saturday night in what should be an intriguing opening round cup tie. The Rebels have former Comet Charles Wright in their ranks while we have last year’s Rebel Josh Grajczonek in ours, so it promises to be quite a night between two evenly matched teams as we look to take as many points as we possibly can down to the Oak Tree Arena for the second leg.”

FIXTURE PICTURE…

TUESDAY APRIL 29:PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Newcastle 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Buxton 7.30

WEDNESDAY APRIL 30:BRITISH SEMI-FINAL: Rye House 7.30ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Leicester 7.30, Poole v Birmingham 7.30

THURSDAY MAY 1:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Birmingham 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Edinburgh 7.30, Redcar v Somerset 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Sheffield v Berwick 7.45

FRIDAY MAY 2:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Scunthorpe 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Plymouth v Peterborough 7.15, Somerset v Ipswich 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Kent 7.30

SATURDAY MAY 3:ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Wolverhampton 7.30, Lakeside v Coventry 8pm, Leicester v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round: (2nd leg) Berwick v Sheffield 7pm, (1st leg) Workington v Somerset 7pmNATIONAL TROPHY: Stoke v Kent 7pm

SUNDAY MAY 4:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Redcar 3pm, Newcastle v Workington 6.30LEAGUE CUP: Rye House v Peterborough 2pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Stoke 3pm, Mildenhall v Devon 3.30

MONDAY MAY 5:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Lakeside 7.30, Wolverhampton v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Newcastle 2.30, Scunthorpe v Edinburgh 3pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Mildenhall 3pm, Scunthorpe v Devon (follows PL fixture)

TUESDAY MAY 6:PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Edinburgh 7.30

WEDNESDAY MAY 7:ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Wolverhampton 7.30, Poole v Belle Vue 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Buxton 7.30

THURSDAY MAY 8:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Scunthorpe 7.45PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Redcar v Plymouth 7.30

FRIDAY MAY 9:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Swindon 7.30, Lakeside v Wolverhampton 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Somerset v Workington 7.30

SATURDAY MAY 10:WORLD UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER: Leicester 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Scunthorpe 7pm, Plymouth v Edinburgh 7.15PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Rye House v Glasgow 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v King’s Lynn 7pm

SUNDAY MAY 11:PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Peterborough 6.30, Workington v Sheffield 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Glasgow v Rye House 3pmNATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Buxton v Coventry 3pm

MONDAY MAY 12: ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v King’s Lynn 7.30, Wolverhampton v Swindon 7.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Kent v Stoke 6.30

TUESDAY MAY 13:PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Peterborough v Scunthorpe 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Cradley v Mildenhall 7.30

WEDNESDAY MAY 14: ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Swindon 7.30, Poole v Lakeside 7.30