(SPEEDWAY 1)STOKE moved off the bottom of the City Gearboxes National League table with a 57-36 win over King’s Lynn at Loomer Road in their final fixture of the season.Danny Phillips scored a five-ride paid maximum (14+1) for the Potters with Lee Payne adding 13+1 to move them above Kent in the final standings.Stoke boss Malcolm Vasey said: “I’m delighted we’ve finished on a high and I was also pleased with our performance tonight. Everyone was firing and I’m really pleased to end the season with a solid victory and send the supporters home happy. “It was important we won tonight as we wanted to avoid the wooden spoon and we’ve managed that. We now have to look towards next season and see what comes out of the conference and then look at our options.”Earlier in the day King’s Lynn had been successful at nearby Buxton with a 47-45 away win to go above the Hitmen in the table.The result leaves the home side in eighth place whilst the Young Stars could finish in the top six depending on the outcome of next weekend’s final league fixtures.Buxton boss Jason Pipe said: “That was King’s Lynn’s first away win of the season and means that we will finish lower than I would have liked. Too many of our riders were off-form and this is a meeting we should have won. “I’m sure people will wonder why I gave Lewis (Millar) his National League debut but I make no apology for that, we must look to 2016. I also had an agreement with Jack Parkinson-Blackburn for him only to ride three National League meetings for us.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
GLASGOW skipper Aaron Summers has revealed how he escaped serious injury in his horrific crash during the first leg of the Premier League Grand Final.The Australian was forced to sit out the Tigers’ return fixture at Edinburgh after the accident at Ashfield on Friday which saw him suffer a collision with team-mate Hynek Stichauer, who had spun out in front of him.Summers said: “I'm all right. At the minute, I think I have two broken bones in my hand. I go for another update this morning to get it checked out again. Other than that, my body's a bit sore and will take some time to heal up a bit. I just need to see if I need to get surgery on the hand or not.“I spent until 9am on Saturday in a neck brace and it wasn't comfortable at all. They were worried about my C1 in my neck but they think it was just a bit of wear and tear on there, but they were happy with it in the end.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BELLE Vue skipper Scott Nicholls has admitted to some mixed emotions as the club prepares to leave their Kirkmanshulme Lane home.Nicholls is eagerly anticipating the prospect of leading the Aces into action at the National Speedway Stadium in 2016, but says he also enjoyed racing at their old venue where he was regarded as a track specialist.Nicholls said: “There’s quite a few riders over the years who’ve openly admitted their dislike for Belle Vue’s track and have made no secret of the fact that they just didn’t like going there.“For me, I personally have always enjoyed racing Kirkmanshulme Lane. It may not have been everyone’s cup of tea but in some respects it’s going to be sad not to be back there next year. It’s been such a good home track for us particularly this season, but the excitement of what’s happening next door just puts into perspective the bright future that now awaits the club.“Belle Vue has a place they can call their own again. As far as I know, there’s still an awful lot of work to do before the track is finished but I know I’m not the only one who can’t wait to see it.”
(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21:NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Cradley v Eastbourne 7.30
SATURDAY OCTOBER 24:NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Eastbourne v Cradley 7.30
SUNDAY OCTOBER 25:CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 4pm, Coventry v Mildenhall (follows previous fixture)
