(SPEEDWAY 1)
PREMIER League leaders Edinburgh have picked Berwick and Workington in their play-off group as they look to reach the Grand Final.The Monarchs, who secured top spot and therefore choice of opponents over the weekend, will now set about confirming their fixtures with teams riding each other home and away.The other group sees reigning champions Somerset up against Ipswich and Scunthorpe with dates expected to be confirmed within the next 24 hours.British Speedway chairman and Edinburgh co-promoter Alex Harkess said: “This is an exciting time of the year for those clubs competing and with my Edinburgh hat on I will say we are taking absolutely nothing for granted.“The play-offs are here and also this Sunday we have the Premier League Riders' Championship at Sheffield, the big individual event for the league. Good look to all competing teams and riders in both the play-offs and PLRC and let's hope for some entertaining speedway.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
KENT stage the British Under-19 Championship at Central Park on Monday as several of the UK’s top rising stars battle for a major national title.With Stefan Nielsen, the winner in each of the last two seasons, now ineligible there will be a new name on the trophy and Josh Bates will be going for a double, having won the British Under-21 title earlier in the season.GB Youth co-boss Neil Vatcher said: “This event over the years has seen some real stars in the making being crowned British Champion.“Whoever goes away tonight with the top prize, you can be guaranteed they will have a big say in the success of British Speedway for many years to come.“We would like to go on record to sincerely thank Roger Cearns and Len Silver for agreeing to host this British Final at Kent – and we could not have wished to hold it at a better venue.”Meeting sponsorship comes from the Nuneaton Speedway Supporters’ Club, and the trophies are provided by Kent Speedway partners Buckmore Park Karting.
(SPEEDWAY 3 – SUNDAY REVIEW)
EDINBURGH’S emphatic 54-36 away win at Glasgow on Sunday secured the Monarchs top position in the Premier League table ahead of the play-offs.Craig Cook scored a paid maximum from five rides at Ashfield to spearhead his side’s victory over their Scottish rivals, completing a hectic weekend where they gained 13 league points in 48 hours.Edinburgh boss Alex Harkess said: “I felt we had it under control after four races. We had so many potential race winners. I'm pleased the weekend is over - 60 races in three days is not to be repeated!”Glasgow manager Stewart Dickson said: “It's disappointing. Edinburgh were just too strong for us in every department. I didn't get the track just as grippy as I wanted but I think that's just papering over the cracks.”Peterborough signed off their Premier League season with a 49-40 win over Rye House, recovering from a seven-point deficit at the halfway stage of the meeting.Both captains were in fine form at the Showground with the Panthers’ Ulrich Ostergaard and the Rockets’ Edward Kennett scoring 15 apiece from six rides, and the home side also benefited from a fine guest performance from Todd Kurtz with 13+1 as they finished just one point short of the play-offs.Panthers boss Carl Johnson said: “I let the riders know that nothing less than three points would do – and we dug deep to get them. Rye House started the meeting well, but I didn’t expect them to keep it up. We are a strong team in the second half of meetings and that showed.“We had guys missing, but Ulrich was again terrific and the two guests both came in and did very good jobs. It was important to put in a good performance and get the right result for the supporters.”Rye House manager John Sampford said: “We fell away a bit in the second half of the meeting. Peterborough had some big hitters in Todd Kurtz, Adam Roynon and – particularly – Ulrich Ostergaard, who is something else around this circuit.“It also came down to trapping in the closing stages. Despite all the dirt on the track, it was very slick unless you were prepared to ride right out by the fence, which the home riders are more used to on a big, pacey circuit like this.”
(SPEEDWAY 4 – MONDAY PREVIEW)
TWO of the Elite League’s top three meet on Monday, just a fortnight before the play-offs begin, as Coventry host Poole at Brandon.Both sides have already booked their places in the title shootout but the finishing order in the table is still to be confirmed, with the battle on with King’s Lynn to secure top place and choice of opponents in the semi-finals.Coventry, who have reduced admission prices to £10 for the meeting, bring in Max Fricke to replace the injured Ben Barker, whilst the Pirates have recruited Dakota North and Richard Lawson due to middle-order problems and are set to use rider-replacement for Darcy Ward.Bees boss Gary Havelock said: “Now that we’re safe in the play-offs, we can approach Monday’s meeting almost like a one-off Final and see what we can do against Poole.“They’re not at full strength especially with Darcy out, and that’s a massive miss for them. I don’t see any reason why we can’t beat them, and if the boys carry on performing like they have been then we’ll certainly be there or thereabouts.”Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “Going to Coventry is no easy task as they are scoring for fun at home especially lately. “We need points even to protect our current second place as we could actually be looking at finishing third if we don't gain some points this week with Coventry still able to catch us. You could describe Monday's meeting as a double pointer.”Belle Vue stage a double-header against Eastbourne, with the Aces knowing a strong finish to the season at home could see them move up from their current eighth place – whilst for the Eagles it is their final action of the season after their play-off hopes were ended last Friday.Belle Vue captain Scott Nicholls said: “We've had a respectable run of results at home this year, but even so we're all about redeeming ourselves and riding for pride in our last few meetings, and we're absolutely determined to win them all.“Eastbourne have been struggling with injuries recently, but we can't afford to be complacent because the minute you start to underestimate people is when things go wrong.”In the Premier League KO Cup, Newcastle host Glasgow in a first-leg tie at Brough Park looking to build up a lead to take to Ashfield on September 28.Glasgow boss Stewart Dickson said: “We can't go down there the same way we went to Newcastle the last time because the meeting was over after six or seven races. It'll be tough but I think we'll certainly do better than what we did the last time.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
TOM Brennan won the inaugural British 150cc Championship at Peterborough on Sunday.Brennan was unbeaten from his four qualifying rides and then took the flag in the Final to become the first overall winner in the newest category in the British Youth series.Kai Hubbard and Kean Dicken enjoyed a splendid scrap for second place in the Final, eventually taken by Hubbard, with Jason Edwards finishing fourth.
(FIXTURES)
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 15:BRITISH UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP: Kent 7pmELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Eastbourne 7pm, Belle Vue v Eastbourne (follows previous fixture), Coventry v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st leg: Newcastle v Glasgow 7.30
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Lakeside 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 17:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Poole 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 1st leg: King’s Lynn v Stoke 7.30
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 18:PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Plymouth 7.30TEESSIDE SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19:PREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Sheffield 7.15
