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TAI Woffinden will defend the British Championship at Wolverhampton on June 16 with his form now approaching the levels of his glorious 2013 campaign.World Champion Woffinden notched the second Grand Prix victory of his career by making it back-to-back successes in Prague last weekend – and he admits his recent upturn comes as a relief after a tough start to the season.Woffinden said: “I started the night making starts then made some changes which didn't quite work. Once we changed back I managed to finish strong, and it was amazing to come away with the win.“I'd just like to thank all the boys. The team setup I've got is working well for me - it wasn't an easy start to the season but we've worked hard and things seem to be coming good now.“I'm leading the Championship which is great but it's a long season and there are plenty of people who can take it away. We'll keep working hard to try and stay there for the fans.”Woffinden’s opposition in the Monmore Green showpiece includes a resurgent three-time national champion Chris Harris, who has recently been piling up points for Coventry after a change in set-up.Harris skipped practice in Prague to race for his Elite League club and was rewarded with a second successive double-figure haul in the Bees’ win over Birmingham.Harris said: “We’ve been trying out some new frames and I really feel comfortable on the bike again.“I feel myself and I’m riding better as well. The bike helps but I’m feeling confident in myself, and everyone can see when I’m confident and happy I can win races.”Meanwhile seven-times British Champion Scott Nicholls faces an intriguing first race at Monmore Green, as he goes up against former runner-up Edward Kennett and last year’s Finalist Craig Cook along with event debutant Steve Boxall.Monmore specialist Nicholls has been in vintage form so far this season and can take confidence from a 12 (paid 13) haul for current club Belle Vue in an Elite League fixture at Wolverhampton over Easter.With the British Grand Prix Wild Card up for grabs along with the national title itself, the national Final promises to be an intriguing and high-pressure event.The best-placed finisher apart from GP regulars Woffinden and Harris will receive the coveted No.16 race-jacket at Cardiff, and competitors also have the incentive of looking to impress new GB boss Alun Rossiter, who will shortly be making decisions over his squad for the forthcoming World Cup.

BRITISH FINAL DRAW: 1. Stefan Nielsen, 2. Jason Garrity, 3. Ben Barker, 4. Richie Worrall, 5. Adam Roynon, 6. Danny King, 7. Simon Stead, 8. Tai Woffinden, 9. Lewis Bridger, 10. Lewis Blackbird, 11. Richard Lawson, 12. Chris Harris, 13. Edward Kennett, 14. Scott Nicholls, 15. Craig Cook, 16. Steve Boxall.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: MIKKEL BECHGRAND PRIX QUALIFIER: Berwick, June 7

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BELLE VUE boss Jason Attwood admits the Aces’ lack of away success so far this season is a concern – with trips to Lakeside and Eastbourne coming up this weekend.Attwood said: “With the team that we have got we really should have had an away win by now; and the longer it goes on, the more it becomes a monkey on your back.“Our home form has totally turned around since last year, but because we aren't picking up enough points away we are putting more pressure on ourselves at home to get a maximum haul from our meetings. It has now got to the stage where we just can't afford to be losing any more points away, it's simply not good enough.”BIRMINGHAM promoter Alan Phillips was left frustrated after rain prevented his side from finishing the job against Swindon on Monday.The meeting was abandoned after nine races with the Brummies 31-23 up and with debutant Bartosz Zmarzlik having won his second ride.Phillips said: “I really do believe we could have got 10 races in before it was abandoned and I'm obviously disappointed. The win would have been well deserved, we were the better side.”COVENTRY manager Gary Havelock said the battling spirit in his team saw them through to a 46-44 win over Birmingham despite having been eight points down with three heats to go.Havelock said: “Last season we would have lost that match, but the boys kept fighting and battling for every point. Lewis Blackbird was very impressive, and that was a real captain’s performance from Chris (Harris) – he and Hans (Andersen) really did it for us in that last race.“It’s a meeting we should have got three points from but at the end of the day we got out of jail free with the win. The track was much better, much more how we like it, and now we need to get the gates more even and that will be sorted.”EASTBOURNE boss Trevor Geer picked out in-form fast-track reserve Lewis Blackbird for praise after the Eagles’ win over Leicester on Saturday.Blackbird scored 12+2 and Geer said: “Lewis had another great night for us. He was brilliant.“Leicester certainly proved to be tougher than our previous two opponents at Arlington and I am delighted the way the team responded. The Lions were strengthened by having Rory Schlein in place of Patrick Hougaard and their top three were a handful.”LAKESIDE skipper Davey Watt says a change of approach to the sport this season has paid rich dividends.Watt told Speedway Star: “Maybe in the past couple of years my determination had waned a little when the track wasn’t right or whatever, and I was coming up with excuses. There was no need for excuses and some weren’t really totally justified but I was finding them.“But all that did was to hold me back so I went about re-thinking my speedway and now I’m out there enjoying myself and riding the track that they put in front of me. I’m feeling good in myself again.”LEICESTER boss Norrie Allan praised the efforts of guest Rory Schlein as a depleted Lions team went down to defeat at Eastbourne on Saturday.Allan said: “Rory did a great job for us at Eastbourne and finished joint second top scorer but our preparation was disrupted a little when I had to make a last minute change to the side following the injury to James Sarjeant whilst riding for Coventry on Thursday. “Sarjeant was deputising for (Tom) Perry and because he was unfit to race we asked Marc Owen to ride for us. The King’s Lynn lad had rotten luck and was unable to show us what he could do as both of his bikes broke down.”KING’S LYNN boss Rob Lyon is keen to keep the current momentum going when Birmingham visit the Norfolk Arena on Thursday.The Stars currently sit ten points clear at the top of the table having won all but one of their 13 fixtures so far.Lyon said: “Another three league points will be the target and we will be going all out to capture them and keep our impressive run going.”POOLE promoter Matt Ford has admitted his frustration at successive home defeats for the Pirates - with the matches against Coventry and King’s Lynn both turning against his side in last-heat deciders.Ford said: “I have to admit losing back to back home meetings was not a nice feeling - but it is hardly the death of the club as some would have you believe on the social networks. “Looking back on those defeats it is a bitter pill to swallow that we were only behind once in both of those matches - at the end of Heat 15. That does hurt. But when you look back it is only the sort of punishment that we have dealt out ourselves in recent seasons.”SWINDON skipper Troy Batchelor admitted there was no option but to abandon the Robins’ away match at Birmingham with heavy rain falling after nine races.Batchelor said: “We are here and we want to race and put on a show for the fans. It's disappointing but the decision was correct."I thought after the first delay we had every chance of getting through to Heat 15 because the rain stopped - but then it came back and there was no way we could continue. Hopefully we will be fine on Thursday when we face Leicester at home."WOLVERHAMPTON boss Peter Adams has stressed the importance of a run of away matches coming up for his sides over the next two weeks.Monday’s home match against Leicester was abandoned after just one completed race due to rain, and Wolves now look ahead to trips to Poole, Coventry, King’s Lynn and Swindon.Adams said: “We've got a string of tough away meetings where we are going to need to pick up some points to get on the pace as far as the play-offs are concerned.”

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BERWICK co-owner John Anderson paid tribute to both his team and stand-in manager Dennis McCleary as the Bandits kept their form going with an impressive 52-43 win at Plymouth.Anderson said: “We’re on a real roll at the moment and all the lads put in vital points in this win. Dennis has done almost everything in speedway, refereeing, announcing, time keeping, secretarial and programme editing amongst many other things and at Plymouth he made his team managerial debut – and what a way to do it. He had the team spirit running high from the off and called a team meeting mid-match just when it was needed and got the perfect response.”EDINBURGH are unbeaten in 16 matches this season after two more dramatic away matches resulted in a 45-45 draw at Ipswich followed by the narrowest possible win, 45-44 at Newcastle with Craig Cook holding his nerve in a last-heat decider.Manager John Campbell said: “Another fantastic effort by the Record Breaking Scotwaste Monarchs to extend their unbeaten record after staring defeat in the face at Newcastle.”GLASGOW have brought 2011 title-winning Tigers team member Christian Henry back to the club as a replacement for Mark Lemon.Henry said: “I spat my dummy out a bit when I got dropped by Newcastle, but I'm over here now for the season, so it would have been a bit stupid to go home. I had a bit of time to think about it and here we are - back at Glasgow. It should be good. I didn't know Mark was going out for me, which is a little bit unfortunate, but the same sort of thing happened to me.”IPSWICH have switched riding order for the first leg of their Knockout Cup tie against Somerset at Foxhall on Thursday.Gino Manzares and Cameron Heeps have exchanged positions, with Heeps now going out in Heat 1, whilst Adam Ellis has declared himself fit after suffering a knee injury at Rye House last weekend.NEWCASTLE were edged out by league leaders Edinburgh in a thrilling Brough Park battle on Sunday which went right to the wire before the Monarchs snatched a 45-44 victory.Diamonds boss George English said: “Edinburgh are a superb side this season and deserved to take the win, but a least the Diamonds gave them a seriously hard match to deal with and they know they've had to work hard for their points. There were again points lost where we should never have lost them but that's how speedway goes at times.”PETERBOROUGH will be without fast-improving reserve Oliver Greenwood for their upcoming fixtures after he suffered a fractured collarbone in a crash when guesting at Newcastle on Sunday.Panthers co-boss Blayne Scroggins said: “I'm gutted for young Ollie. He has already had more than his fair share of bad injuries in his career and this is another one.“It goes without saying that we wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back in action for Panthers soon.”PLYMOUTH co-promoter Ashley Taylor said his team had paid the price for too many last places when their improved home record was ended by Berwick, who notched a nine-point win at the St Boniface Arena.Taylor said: “We had too many non-scoring rides for a home team with last place in 12 of the 15 heats. We struggled to get out of the gate and were beaten by a Berwick side, who performed well as a team.”REDCAR boss Jitendra Duffill is backing Polish reserve Rafal Konopka to bounce back from a difficult spell.Duffill said: “Rafal just seems to be trying a bit too hard at the moment which is why he is making a few mistakes. I'm sure he will benefit from dropping to reserve and I know he has the ability to become a very good scorer once he gets a bit more experience.”RYE HOUSE boss John Sampford says his side should go into this weekend’s Premier League clashes with Somerset in a positive mood – despite the Rebels’ impressive home form.Sampford said: “Somerset’s record at home speaks for itself, but we will go there in a positive frame of mind to score as many points as we can. It’s all about the riders performing to their potential, and Peterborough and Plymouth have already shown that it is possible to take something away from a trip there. It can be done.”SCUNTHORPE boss Dave Peet says the continued fine form of recent signing Nicolai Klindt was a positive to take from last Friday’s defeat at Somerset.Peet said: “Nicolai is really on it at the moment; he’s been superb in every meeting since he joined us. Fair play to Somerset, they’re a strong team and you can’t take anything away from them. But we just fell away at the end.”SHEFFIELD youngster Josh Bates is expected to be fit to take his place in the team for Thursday’s clash with Glasgow at Owlerton, despite suffering muscle damage in a crash last weekend at Stoke.Co-promoter Damien Bates said: “Josh missed Mildenhall’s meeting on Sunday as a precaution, he just feels battered and bruised and it’s muscle damage. He is confident that with some physio this week he will be fit and ready to go in what is a big meeting at Owlerton this week.”SOMERSET face three matches in three days this weekend with a home and away double against Rye House on Friday and Saturday preceded by a trip to Ipswich in the Knockout Cup.Rebels boss Garry May said: “It’s going to be a busy three days, but one that we are more than capable of dealing with. The aim at Ipswich on Thursday will be to keep the scores as close as possible ahead of when we stage the second leg, before we then take on Rye House. “Having already beaten Rye House home and away in the League Cup earlier in the year, it does perhaps give us a bit of an advantage, but by the same token Rye will be looking to avenge those defeats so we cannot afford to take their challenge lightly.”WORKINGTON are waiting on further information regarding their number one Josh Grajczonek after the Australian suffered serious facial injuries in a crash with Coventry’s Ryan Fisher at Brandon last Friday.Comets manager Tony Jackson said: “We are still awaiting further details as to how long Josh will be ruled out of action for, but hopefully it won’t be too long. We are fortunate that we have a two week break in our fixtures at the start of June, although most of our riders are still going to be busy during this time.“Josh was due to ride in this weekend’s big GP qualifying meeting at Berwick, although obviously he is a doubt for that, while Ricky Wells will be racing at Abensberg in another GP qualifier. Additionally, we have Kyle Howarth and Mason Campton travelling over to Teterow in Germany for the semi-final of the Junior World Team Cup where they will be in opposition on this occasion as they represent Team GB and Australia respectively. Kyle is captaining Team GB for a second successive year, which is a big honour for him, while it will also be great experience for Mason to be part of such a meeting.”FIXTURE PICTURE…

TUESDAY JUNE 3:PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Peterborough v Plymouth 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Cradley v Mildenhall 7.15NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Scunthorpe (follows KOC fixture)

WEDNESDAY JUNE 4:ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Wolverhampton 7.30

THURSDAY JUNE 5:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Birmingham 7.30, Swindon v Leicester 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Glasgow 7.45PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Ipswich v Somerset 7.30

FRIDAY JUNE 6:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Wolverhampton 7.30, Lakeside v Belle Vue 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Somerset v Rye House 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Plymouth v Peterborough 7.15LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Edinburgh v Sheffield 7.30

SATURDAY JUNE 7:WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING ROUND: Berwick 7pmELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Belle Vue 7.30, Leicester v King’s Lynn 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Somerset 7pm

SUNDAY JUNE 8:PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Berwick 6.30JAMES GRIEVES TRIBUTE: Glasgow 3pm

MONDAY JUNE 9:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Lakeside 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Glasgow v Berwick 7.15NATIONAL TROPHY: Kent v Leicester 6.30

TUESDAY JUNE 10:PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Ipswich 7.30

WEDNESDAY JUNE 11:ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Belle Vue 7.30, King’s Lynn v Wolverhampton 7.30

THURSDAY JUNE 12:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Wolverhampton 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Plymouth 7.30, Sheffield v Scunthorpe 7.45

FRIDAY JUNE 13:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Belle Vue 7.30, Lakeside v Leicester 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Plymouth 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Somerset v Ipswich 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Mildenhall 7.30

SATURDAY JUNE 14:PREMIER LEAGUE: Workington v Edinburgh 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Rye House v Glasgow 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Devon v Cradley 1.30, Devon v Scunthorpe 3.15, Stoke v Buxton 7pm

SUNDAY JUNE 15:PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Somerset 6.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Glasgow v Rye House 3pmNATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: Mildenhall 3.30

MONDAY JUNE 16:BRITISH FINAL: Wolverhampton 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Devon 6.30

TUESDAY JUNE 17:LEAGUE CUP S/F 1st leg: Peterborough v Workington 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Stoke 7.30

WEDNESDAY JUNE 18:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Belle Vue 7.30, Poole v Leicester 7.30