BRITISH SPEEDWAY ROLL OF HONOUR 2015
ELITE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: PooleELITE LEAGUE RUNNERS-UP: Belle VueELITE SHIELD: PooleELITE LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Jason Doyle (Leicester)PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: TBCPREMIER LEAGUE RUNNERS-UP: TBCTRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP: SomersetLEAGUE CUP: EdinburghPREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Ulrich Ostergaard (Peterborough)PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: EdinburghPREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: IpswichNATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: BirminghamNATIONAL LEAGUE RUNNERS-UP: EastbourneGOLD CUP: TBCNATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP: TBCNATIONAL TROPHY: EastbourneNATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Ben Morley (Kent)NATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: BirminghamNATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: KentMIDLAND DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: TBCMIDLAND DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPION: Jack Parkinson-BlackburnNORTHERN JUNIOR LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: NorthsideWORLD CHAMPION: Tai Woffinden (GB)BRITISH CHAMPION: Tai Woffinden (Unattached)BRITISH UNDER-21 CHAMPION: Kyle Howarth (Workington/Swindon)BRITISH UNDER-19 CHAMPION: Josh Bates (Wolverhampton/Sheffield)BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPION: (500cc) Jack Parkinson-Blackburn; (250cc) Tom Brennan; (150cc) TBC; (125cc) Joe Thompson BRITISH GRAND PRIX: Niels-Kristian Iversen (Denmark)ELITE LEAGUE LATEST…
POOLE are expecting a packed house at Wimborne Road on Wednesday as the Elite League champions stage a benefit meeting for their seriously injured club asset Darcy Ward.Promoter Matt Ford said: “This is a fantastic way to bring our season to a close. In truth I wish that we weren't in the position of having to raise money for a rider but we all know what a cruel sport speedway can be.“As a club we are happy to underwrite the staging costs of the meeting so that all the monies raised by the supporters, who have been absolutely fabulous and united across the world since that tragic night in August, can go into the fund.”SWINDON will bring down the curtain on the Abbey Stadium era with the Farewell meeting this Sunday prior to their move into a new venue next year.Co-promoter Alun Rossiter said: “It’s coming together nicely now although obviously it’s disappointing that we can’t have Aaron Summers and Nick Morris with us because Glasgow are riding.“I’m delighted with the way it’s shaping up and with the 150cc racing with the British kids at 4pm, the main event at 5pm and the second half, it’s going to be a big event. It will be sad to say farewell to the Abbey as it stands, but there’s a bright new future ahead of us and we should embrace it.”WOLVERHAMPTON will now stage their hugely popular Recycled Aggregate Services Olympique event next Monday (October 12) after being hit by the weather this week.Promoter Chris Van Straaten said: “This meeting is always full of entertainment and it needs the conditions to be just right.“There has been rain on Monday with heavy rain forecast for Tuesday afternoon so this is the logical decision with another date available next Monday with a better long term forecast. We hope all the riders, sponsors and most importantly the supporters are available to come and join us next Monday.”PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST…
EDINBURGH suffered a mixed set of results in a week which saw them clinch one piece of silverware and miss out on another.After already securing the League Cup title just over a week ago, the Monarchs went on to win the one trophy they missed out on in in their unforgettable 2014 season – the Premier League Fours.However, they suffered a 92-88 aggregate defeat at the hands of Somerset in the Final of the Travel Plus Tours KO Cup.The Armadale outfit’s Championship hopes are still well and truly in the balance as they look to overturn a two-point deficit in the second leg of their play-off semi-final against Peterborough this Friday.GLASGOW set up a play-off semi-final tie against Somerset after seeing off Plymouth 100-80 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.Tigers’ top two Aaron Summers and Richard Lawson both went unbeaten by an opposition rider and No.1 Lawson admits it was just what he needed after suffering a few tough meetings.Said Lawson: “On a personal note it was good to come back; the last three meetings were a bit of disaster with me riding badly and a few things on the bikes.“But I’ve put it behind me, the clutches are good and the engines are good and I’m really fired up for next week!”PETERBOROUGH take a narrow two-point lead into the second leg of their play-off semi-final this Friday after a 46-44 home victory over Edinburgh.Panthers promoter Ged Rathbone said: “We wanted to take a lead into the second leg and we’ve got a small one.“We are still alive and kicking and we will continue to fight on just as we have done throughout the season – we all believe we can go up to Edinburgh and defend our lead.“They will have our victory up there earlier in the season in the back of their minds and we need to make sure they know they are in a meeting again.”PLYMOUTH’s season came to an end after being knocked out of the Premier League play-offs by Glasgow.Plans to stage an end-of-season individual event at the St Boniface Arena have been cancelled due to rider unavailability.Co-promoter Ashley Taylor said: “It would not make any sense to try to go ahead with an individual meeting if only three of our regular team members are available.”SOMERSET won the Travel Plus Tours KO Cup after beating Edinburgh 92-88 on aggregate in the Final.The victory means it’s the third time the Rebels have won the competition at this level, much to the delight of team boss Garry May.He said: “The boys were superb – every single one of them! It could have been so easy for our heads to drop after conceding two 5-1’s in the first two heats, but they stuck at it and didn’t let Edinburgh get away from us before coming back in the latter heats.”Somerset now turn their attentions to the play-offs once again as they take on Glasgow home and away this weekend in the semi-finals.
CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE LATEST…
BIRMINGHAM have suffered another injury blow as Sam Chapman has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with shoulder damage.Team manager Graham Drury said: “It's disappointing for Sam because he really hasn't had much luck with injuries this season. He had that nasty looking hand injury at the start of the year and now this shoulder injury is worse than we first expected too.“I now need to sit down and weigh up all possible options but you can rest assured that we will have a 1-7 who are more than capable of beating Eastbourne over two legs.”BUXTON skipper Tony Atkin could not hid his disappointment after the Hitmen slipped to a last-gasp 47-46 defeat at Mildenhall last weekend.The experienced racer said: “I’d like to say sorry. I made the gate in heat 15 but got stuck in no-man’s land on bend two and they went either side of me. The track was so slick it was impossible to catch up. I was disappointed.” COVENTRY boss Laurence Rogers is keen to see the club continue in the National League next season despite concerns over attendances.The Storm manager told Speedway Star: “Crowd levels have been a disappointment, and I know Mick (Horton) has indicated in the press that he doesn’t know what the future holds for the Storm.“But I really want to continue the building of a strong asset base for the future of the club. I have already started thinking about 2016 and looking what the options are, so I hope we can progress onwards and be back at the tapes next season.” CRADLEY are on the lookout for new management to take the club forward.The current consortium of Chris Van Straaten, Nigel Pearson and Gary Patchett have reluctantly made the decision they cannot continue under the current circumstances.The consortium state: “It is a very difficult thing for us to do, but unfortunately at this time we cannot continue for both business and personal reasons.“It is our intention to do everything we can to allow the club to continue under new management next season rather than close the club down.“We sincerely hope the forthcoming cup tie with King's Lynn at Perry Barr on October 14 is not the last ever Heathens meeting.”EASTBOURNE chairman Martin Dugard says they are eyeing more silverware after earning victory in the National Trophy on Sunday.With the Gold Cup and Knockout Cup Finals approaching, Dugard said: “It is a step-by-step process. It started with Tom Brennan winning the 250cc British title. Then we went on to the County Fours and now on again to the National Trophy.“Then it will be on again to the Gold Cup and then the Knockout Cup. We are working our way through all of it and I think the boys realise now that once you have had success, and you taste it, it is quite a nice feeling. Some of these guys will never get that feeling again to be in a team and win stuff like we have.”KING’S LYNN boss Dale Allitt is looking to see his side establish a lead ahead of the first leg of their Knockout Cup semi-final with Cradley at the Adrian Flux Arena on Wednesday.“Cradley have a good team, but our guys know how to beat them. We have done it once at home already this season and there is no reason why we can’t do it again,” Allitt said. “The shape of the team has changed a little bit with the new averages coming into effect, but that shouldn’t make too much of a difference. We are going out to win and to take a lead to their place.”RYE HOUSE boss John Sampford was disappointed to see the Raiders fall short in their bid for National Trophy success as they slipped to a resounding 107-72 aggregate defeat at the hands of Eastbourne over the weekend. Sampford said: “Any chance we had of success in the Final really went out of the window when we lost at home by seven in the first leg. We self-imploded in many ways because of all the falls that cost us points when we were in scoring positions. In a sense, maybe the lads tried too hard once again, although you couldn’t fault them for effort.“To be honest, the Eagles were just that little bit quicker than us out of the gate, and that made all the difference. Congratulations to them on their success; they’ve put together a fine team that has finished second in the League this year, and we wish them all the best for their other two Cup finals.”STOKE have confirmed that they will race King’s Lynn at Loomer Road on Sunday, October 11 (7.30).The Potters will announce the date for their one remaining National League fixture against Rye House as soon as a date has been finalised. FIXTURE PICTURE…TUESDAY OCTOBER 6:RECYCLED AGGREGATE SERVICES OLYMPIQUE: Wolverhampton OFF (Now Mon Oct 12)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 7:NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: King’s Lynn v Cradley 7.30GOLD CUP FINAL 1st leg: Birmingham v Eastbourne 7.30DARCY WARD BENEFIT: Poole 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Edinburgh v Peterborough 7.30; 1st leg: Somerset v Glasgow 7.30
SATURDAY OCTOBER 10:GOLD CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Eastbourne v Birmingham 7.30PAIR OF ACES: Rye House 7pm
SUNDAY OCTOBER 11:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Glasgow v Somerset 3pmCITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v King’s Lynn 3pmABBEY FAREWELL: Swindon 4pm (including British 150cc Championship)
MONDAY OCTOBER 12:RECYCLED AGGREGATE SERVICES OLYMPIQUE: Wolverhampton 7.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14:NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Cradley v King’s Lynn 7.30
SATURDAY OCTOBER 17:CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Rye House 3pm
SUNDAY OCTOBER 18: CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v King’s Lynn 3pm
SATURDAY OCTOBER 24:NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL: Eastbourne v Cradley/King’s Lynn 7.30
SUNDAY OCTOBER 25:CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 4pm, Coventry v Mildenhall (follows previous fixture)
