(SPEEDWAY 1)

PETERBOROUGH star Ulrich Ostergaard stormed to a stunning victory in front of a bumper crowd in the Premier League Riders' Championship at Sheffield.The experienced Dane put in a fine performance to advance straight to the final with 12 points following a trio of race wins - and he duly delivered a tremendous first bend from the inside gate to hit the front from which point he never looked back.It was a magnificent showing from the 34 year old as he climbed to the top step of the rostrum after a third place finish last year - and the Panthers man was over the moon after his memorable Owlerton triumph.Ostergaard said: “I really enjoyed it out there today. I haven't had the best couple of meetings lately, so it was great to get back to winning ways.“Sheffield is one of my favourite tracks and I felt good all night. It was awesome to go out there and win it in front of all the Peterborough fans who made the trip to support me and also for my mechanics and sponsors as well.“I actually would have taken gate two in the final if Cookie (Craig Cook) hadn't have chosen it before me, but I went for gate one and I knew I had to make a good start.“Lucky I made a really good gate, got out into the dirt and just never looked back. I put in some good laps and kept full gas until the end.”Workington ace Ricky Wells eventually claimed second place after holding off former champion Cook in a fierce tussle behind Ostergaard, whilst Josh Grajczonek narrowly missed out on a rostrum spot.

(SPEEDWAY 2 - SPEEDWAY REVIEW)

BIRMINGHAM are the 2015 City Gearboxes National League Champions.The Brummies needed to avoid defeat at Mildenhall on Sunday to take them clear of rivals Eastbourne’s potential total, and they duly won 47-42 at West Row despite a slow start which saw them go eight points down after six races.Teenage sensation Zach Wajtknecht won his first four rides to finish with 12 points including the title-clinching ride in Heat 14.Brummies boss Graham Drury paid tribute to all who worked to put the Perry Barr club back on-track this year after their previous promotion closed down for financial reasons midway through the 2014 campaign.Drury said: “That win means everything to everyone connected to Birmingham Speedway and I can't tell you how happy I am.“We got off to a slow start and it's ironic that we did what we've done for most of the season - turned things around mid-meeting and staged a late comeback.“Birmingham Speedway never do anything the easy way and we've certainly left our supporters sweating again this year. We hit a bit of a sticky patch, but we've performed when it's mattered most and I'm absolutely delighted for everyone at this fantastic club to say the words: 'Birmingham Speedway are League Champions!’”Eastbourne remain second in the table after an emphatic 58-34 win over Kent at Arlington, with Bradley Wilson-Dean scoring 14 and Ben Hopwood setting a new NL track record.Eagles boss Glenn Martin said: “Of course, we are disappointed that our chance of the championship has gone but there will be no let-up in our efforts.“We put Kent to the sword with a brilliant performance. It's important to keep our momentum going as as we get ready for some important cup meetings before the end of the season.”Rye House are up to fourth place after a 57-33 win over Stoke at Hoddesdon, with Kyle Hughes scoring a five-ride paid maximum for the Raiders.Stoke boss Malcolm Vasey said: “Things didn’t seem to be going bad after the first seven heats and we were very much in contention only being four points down, but we then suffered a total collapse.“We seem to have some riders that don’t seem to be pulling their weight points wise and that is disappointing. It was a performance that may well have ended our hopes of making the Gold Cup which is disappointing for us.”Meanwhile Buxton secured an impressive 51-39 win over Cradley to move up to sixth place, and very much in touch with the Gold Cup places.Tony Atkin (12) and Liam Carr (11) were both in double-figures for the Hitmen, whilst the Heathens’ top scores came from Max Clegg (14) and guest Darryl Ritchings (10+1).Buxton boss Jason Pipe said: “That was the best performance this year from my team and how I wish the season was just beginning!“I told the boys we could do it today and they dug deep and rode with their heads. Packing the minor places in the later races paid dividends. We started well which is something I’ve been banging on about for months. It all came together and we are going to Coventry this Friday full of confidence and we know what we have to do.”Cradley manager Will Pottinger said: “We wanted to get at least a point, and we were aiming for a win really to try and make sure we end the season well.“Buxton were the better team unfortunately. It was a disappointing performance and it was just one of those days where everything went wrong for us.”

(SPEEDWAY 3 - MONDAY PREVIEW)

BELLE Vue face their biggest Elite League match in a decade when they travel to Wolverhampton on Monday.The Aces have not reached the play-offs since finishing runners-up in 2005, but a draw or better at Monmore will mean they cannot be caught for fourth place by King’s Lynn.Injured No.1 Matej Zagar is replaced by regular recent guest Chris Harris, and captain Scott Nicholls is now in a second-string berth for the visitors due to the new averages for September.Nicholls said: “Wolves have been an unpredictable side this year, particularly at home, so it's not a match we'll be approaching lightly because we know they will put up a fight on the night.“It would have been nice to have Matej with us because of course we want to win this as a team. He's been in dominant form lately and we all know how gutted he is to be missing out on this match.“But if we do the necessary at Wolves we want him to rejoin us fully fit and in good form, and in the meantime we know Chris rides this track very well and is someone who always gives 100 per cent.”The meeting forms the first part of a double-header at Monmore with Wolves also facing Leicester.One win will ensure the home side avoid the wooden spoon, whilst an away win for the Lions in their final fixture would take them above Lakeside.Max Clegg guests for the retired Lewis Blackbird in the first fixture for Wolves, whilst Ashley Morris takes over for the second.Wolves captain Peter Karlsson said: “It's going to be a busy night and not something we are used to with two meetings one after another."We are looking forward to it though, and we'll be doing the best we can to come away with two good results. It might not mean anything to us in terms of the league table, but it means a lot for us to try and end on a high so we are hoping to go out with two wins.”Meanwhile two play-off qualifiers meet at Wimborne Road with Poole, who have secured top spot, taking on Swindon who need points on the road this week to maintain their hopes of finishing second.Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “Whilst to be honest speedway is very much secondary in our hearts and minds there is a large part of us that really want to do our best for Darcy (Ward) now."I know that Rosco (Alun Rossiter) and his boys feel exactly the same. Darcy really gave them a boost and the impetus they needed when he joined them just a few short weeks ago. That is why this whole thing is so difficult to come to terms with. Darcy has been such an influence and now is such an inspiration.”Rossiter said: “It’s nice to have the job done already but we can’t afford to take our foot off the gas, we’ve got to go into these last couple of meetings with some momentum.“Going to Poole is always tough, and of course both clubs have been badly affected by the serious injuries to Darcy. He’s a legend at Poole and a firm favourite with ourselves after the brilliant job he did for us.”In the Premier League, Robert Lambert makes his Rye House debut against former club Peterborough at Hoddesdon.The Rockets do have injury concerns with rider-replacement to operate for Luke Bowen, who suffered right calf and ankle injuries at Berwick on Saturday, whilst Danny Maassen also misses out with a shoulder injury and broken thumb. Dan Greenwood is set to ride at reserve following recent concussion.Panthers promoter Ged Rathbone is calling on his side to climb out of their mini-slump which has seen them lose their last three league matches.He said: “There are ways to lose a speedway meeting. I can live with us going down fighting, but not with being bulldozed in the way we have been in our three most recent meetings.“We have already apologised for the performances and results of late and I want to reiterate that again as we have let the supporters down.“We have not become a bad team overnight though and we have spoken individually to the riders we believe have not performed well enough. They are well aware of the need to get back into the groove with the play-offs just around the corner.”In the City Gearboxes National League, Kent complete their home programme in the competition with a clash with Rye House at Central Park, with the visitors now in fourth place following Sunday’s results.(FIXTURES)

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 7:ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Swindon 7.30, Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30, Wolverhampton v Leicester (follows previous fixture) PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Peterborough 7.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Rye House 6.30

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 9:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Lakeside 7.30, King’s Lynn v Swindon 7.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Rye House 7.30

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10:PREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Scunthorpe 7.15TEESSIDE SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11:PREMIER LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Plymouth 7.30TRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Somerset v Rye House 7.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Buxton 7pm, Coventry v Rye House (follows previous fixture), King’s Lynn v Kent 7.30