MAJOR EVENTS LATEST…

SHEFFIELD co-promoter Damien Bates is relishing the staging of the season’s first Major Event at Owlerton.The Tigers host the British Under-21 Final on Thursday April 14 in what is always a hotly-contested encounter for the country’s rising stars, with a national title and places in World qualifiers up for grabs.There will be a change of winner this season as Kyle Howarth, who triumphed at Coventry last year, is ineligible, but 2015 runner-up Robert Lambert will be one of the favourites – and 2014 Champion Josh Bates will be on home territory.Bates said: “As a club we are proud and honoured to be staging this showpiece event at Owlerton.“Speaking to our skipper Simon Stead, he recalls what it meant to him when he became British Under-21 Champion and how fondly he remembers it.“It's always a terrific meeting with 16 youngsters giving their all for the title of national champion and I for one cannot wait.“Owlerton Stadium deserves major events and it's nice to have this along with the Premier League Riders' Championship.“It's also good to be working with youngsters in our own team this season, the likes of Josh Bates, Kyle Howarth and Nathan Greaves, they are always good to watch.“I'd urge every Sheffield fan - and fans throughout the region - to get the date in their diary and come along for a great night of racing.”Lambert, Bates and Adam Ellis – who was runner-up in 2014 – are all seeded riders for the meeting, joined by Max Clegg, Zach Wajtknecht and former British Under-19 Champion Oliver Greenwood.The semi-final at Kent was won by home man James Shanes with a 15-point maximum, and he was joined in the top three at Central Park by Connor Mountain and Josh Bailey.Greaves also successfully made it through meaning Sheffield have two representatives in the Final.BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: Robert Lambert (King’s Lynn/Newcastle), Adam Ellis (Poole), Josh Bates (Coventry/Sheffield), Max Clegg (Edinburgh/Wolverhampton/Cradley), Zach Wajtknecht (Somerset/Birmingham), Oliver Greenwood (Buxton), James Shanes (Kent), Connor Mountain (Mildenhall), Josh Bailey (Scunthorpe/King’s Lynn), Danny Phillips (Newcastle/Stoke), Ryan Kinsley (King’s Lynn), Nathan Greaves (Sheffield/King’s Lynn), Ellis Perks (Plymouth/Eastbourne), Danno Verge (Kent), Jack Smith (Birmingham), Jack Parkinson-Blackburn (Birmingham).

BRITISH SPEEDWAY MAJOR EVENTS 2016BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: Sheffield, April 14BRITISH FINAL: Belle Vue, June 13PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset, July 8PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS WEEKEND: Peterborough, July 23/24PREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, September 11ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Coventry, Date TBC

NATIONAL LEAGUE MAJOR EVENTS 2016NATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: Coventry, August 14NATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: King’s Lynn, August 27NATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Leicester, September 17

BRITISH SPEEDWAY FIM EVENTS 2016:WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER: King’s Lynn, May 7WORLD UNDER-21 QUALIFIER: Belle Vue, May 21WORLD UNDER-21 FINAL Round 1: King’s Lynn, June 18

ELITE LEAGUE LATEST…

BELLE VUE boss Mark Lemon was delighted with the Aces’ dominant 54-39 win at King’s Lynn in their season-opener – but warns there is a long way to go yet.Lemon said: “A fantastic result, there’s no two ways about it! It’s a great way for us to start our season and picking up all four points is just tremendous. We honestly couldn’t be happier with that.“What I don't want is for us to get carried away with ourselves after one meeting. It’s a long season still and results like this are exactly what we expect if we’re going to challenge for the play-offs.”COVENTRY boss Mick Horton admitted his concerns after seeing the Bees beaten twice in 24-hours, firstly at Swindon and then at home to local rivals Wolverhampton.Horton said: “I’m not singling riders out, the riders are disappointed themselves, and it’s clear we’ve been found wanting in various areas. “No rider goes out to under-perform, and our riders as disappointed as the fans and the management are. I built this team, so I take responsibility for it, and clearly at the moment we aren’t up to scratch.”KING’S LYNN were hit by a heavy home defeat at the Adrian Flux Arena last Thursday as visitors Belle Vue romped to a 54-39 victory.Niels-Kristian Iversen scored 12 for the Stars and German newcomer Kai Huckenbeck won a tactical ride, but the home side failed to fire as an all-round unit and were well beaten on the night.LAKESIDE are top of the early Elite League table after a stunning start to the season with three wins out of four, including home and away successes over Leicester last weekend.Hammers coach Kelvin Tatum said: “It’s been a very encouraging start to the season for us. There is plenty of spirit being shown in the team, I think that is epitomised by Piotr Swiderski who has bounced back from a couple of nasty crashes to keep winning races. “There were points coming from all areas of the team which was pleasing to see, and we will go into our two meetings against Poole in very good spirits.”LEICESTER boss Norrie Allan pulled no punches after seeing his side dismantled at home by Lakeside on Saturday, going down to a 33-56 defeat.Allan told Speedway Star: “Over the years, all over the world and around Europe, I’ve been to a lot of speedway and I’ve come away from that place on Saturday night the most disillusioned that I’ve ever been.“When the reserves get 19 at Lakeside, 19 at Coventry and 15 on Saturday night, we should be in there. It only takes the other five of them to get five points each and you’re in there fighting, but having to put the two reserves in Heat 15 really is embarrassing.”POOLE promoter Matt Ford believes this week’s clashes with in-form Lakeside will be a good test of his team’s early-season prospects.Ford said: “We meet them twice this week, as we visit their place on Friday, and with the two tracks being so different to each other it will be a good gauge as to how the lads cope with the different set-up required.“Lakeside have certainly begun well and with every victory comes extra confidence so they will be keen to maintain their promising start and put on a good showing against us.”SWINDON notched their first victory of the season with an impressive 55-35 success against Coventry at the Abbey Stadium last Thursday.Robins boss Alun Rossiter said: ““I didn’t expect to win by that many, but I’m really pleased. The boys showed they’re racers, and they’re still bedding in.“Josh (Grajczonek) rode really well, the reserves impressed me and there’s more to come there, and you also saw how the crowd reacted to having an out-and-out No.1 in Doyley. We’ve never really had that since Leigh Adams, apart from the spell with Darcy (Ward) last year, and now we have that again.”WOLVERHAMPTON skipper Freddie Lindgren raced to a paid maximum at Coventry as the Monmore side opened their 2016 campaign with an impressive 52-38 away win.Lindgren said: “It’s still early but it’s obviously really nice to get off to such a great start, not just for myself but also for the team, with an away win.“We really need something good this year and it’s a dream start for us. It’s just what we wanted, it’s a good result and it’s nice to get four points on the board.”

PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST…

BERWICK secured the Tweed-Tees Trophy with a 54-36 home victory over Redcar – overcoming the Bears 97-83 on aggregate. The Bandits made successful use of track covers which ensured the meeting went ahead following an afternoon of rain around Shielfield. Team manager Scott Courtney said: “It was a win, win night all round from the result to defeating the weather with our experimental use of covers right round the track.“They worked better than we could ever have believed and saved the meeting where the result again proved we have a team to be reckoned with.”The Bandits face a busy upcoming weekend with three meetings in three days.EDINBURGH’s season got off to a disappointing start as they suffered a heavy 56-37 defeat at the hands of fierce rivals Glasgow in the League Cup.Monarchs captain Sam Masters scored 17 points, with the other six team members totalling just twenty between them.A frustrated team manager Alex Harkess told the Edinburgh Evening News: “Too many of our riders were unable to mix it with the bottom end of Glasgow’s team but I suspect that was down to some of them struggling to get their bike set-ups right.“The Tigers were always in control and getting a match point was never on – but next time we will be better prepared I’m sure of that!”The Monarchs get their 2016 home campaign up-and-running with a League Cup clash against Berwick this Friday.GLASGOW got their League Cup programme off to a dream start with a comprehensive 56-37 victory over rivals Edinburgh.While still very early on in the season, club captain Aaron Summers believes the Tigers have sent out an instant message to the rest of the Premier League.He said: “Everyone is chipping in – it’s not just our top four that are banging in the points, it’s throughout the 1-7.“I think that first meeting has shown what we can do and the boys are going to get better – hopefully more and more points will come in!”IPSWICH have been boosted by the news that Morten Risager has declared himself fit to race again ahead of Saturday’s trip to Rye House.The Dane suffered a broken metatarsal in his right foot in the Witches’ season opener at home to Scunthorpe but is ready to get back on a bike following treatment in his home country.The Witches are keen to get a win on the board after registering one loss and one draw in their opening two meetings before Saturday’s scheduled home fixture against Sheffield was postponed.Team boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “It’s not been ideal having such a big break between meetings for us but it will be good to have Morten back in the team.”NEWCASTLE boss George English was encouraged by his side’s performance as they eased to a 61-29 victory over Redcar in the Tyne Tees Trophy.The result ensured the Diamonds made it two wins out of two in 2016 ahead of this weekend’s Tyne Tweed Trophy clashes against Berwick.Said English: “It was an impressive all round performance; we know we are a good team and we hope to add more meaningful silverware to our collection later on in the season.“Although the meetings at this time of the year are not crucial, it is still important to gain confidence before the main season starts.”PETERBOROUGH boss Carl Johnson insists his side won’t get too carried away despite making an impressive start to the season.The Panthers snatched a late draw away at Sheffield last Thursday before brushing Scunthorpe aside 64-26 on home shale the following evening.Speaking after that emphatic win, Johnson said: “We have shown everyone just how good we can be; the boys were on it from the word go and go their rewards.“It might sound boring but we’ll take it one meeting at a time and aim to improve every time we take to the track.”The Panthers play host to Sheffield this Friday before travelling to Scunthorpe on Sunday as they look to continue their encouraging early season form.PLYMOUTH look set to compete in the 2016 Premier League after a consortium informed the BSPA of their intention to take the club forward.The club were on the brink of closure after stating their intention to withdraw following a number of financial issues.Chairman Mike Baxendale said: “A team of investors has come in to save the club which we are eternally grateful.“Plans for 2016 are now up and running but we must lay down the foundations to ensure speedway remains in Plymouth for the long-term.”REDCAR boss Jitendra Duffill has challenged his side to improve drastically following hefty back-to-back defeats for the club last weekend.The Bears went down 54-36 at Berwick before suffering a 61-29 loss at Newcastle the following day.Duffill is demanding more from his riders ahead of home and away fixtures in the League Cup against Workington later this week.He said: “It was a very tough week for us with two pretty heavy defeats.“Workington will be another tough fixture and we know that a lot of improvement is required if we want to win our first League Cup fixture.” RYE HOUSE pulled off a last heat 5-1 maximum to snatch a 46-43 home win over Somerset in the League Cup.The Rockets had trailed by six-points earlier on in the meeting but turned the meeting on its head after an inspired performance from Eddie Kennett at No.1.Said Kennett: “Our heads went down a bit during the first half of the meeting, but we had a team talk mid-way through and Peter (Schroeck – team manager) really geed us up and it worked!”The Rockets will be looking to maintain their unbeaten home run in 2016 when they host Sheffield this Saturday. SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey has praised new reserve Josh Bailey ahead of their trip to Sheffield this Thursday.The 18-year-old is in his first season of Premier League racing with the Scorpions and has already impressed club bosses following his qualification through to next week’s British Under-21 Final.Said Godfrey: “It’s been a mixed start to the season for the Scorpions but one of the major plusses for us has been Josh Bailey.“He’s got a very tidy style, is willing to learn and he doesn’t know when he’s beaten.”Scunthorpe also return to home shale this weekend when they host Peterborough at a new start time of 6.30pm.SHEFFIELD joint team manager Eric Boocock is confident his side can bounce back from last heat heartache when they host Scunthorpe in the League Cup this Thursday.The Tigers looked set to take all three points on offer from last week’s home clash against Peterborough until Simon Stead's bike packed up when leading Heat 15 meaning the tie ended in a draw.Boocock told the Sheffield Star: “We were disappointed, obviously, to draw last week as we should have won the meeting; I’m sure we’ll be able to get back to winning ways against Scunthorpe.“Scunthorpe have Josh (Auty) who is riding excellently at the moment but we’ll focus on doing our job and I think we should get the win.”SOMERSET will host returning club Isle of Wight in a challenge meeting this Friday.The Rebels have cut admission to just £10.00 for the fixture which will see the Rebels select include new stars Jake Allen, Bradley Wilson-Dean and Zach Wajtknecht.Team manager Garry May said: “There were a couple of highly entertaining National League standard matches staged at The Oaktree Arena last season and this has the makings of following in their tyre-tracks.“From our point of view, it gives some of our newer riders the chance to get some more competitive laps under their belts.”WORKINGTON team manager Tony Jackson is hoping his side can build on last Sunday’s 37-22 victory over Berwick as they get their official fixtures for 2016 underway this week.The Comets travel to Redcar on Thursday before hosting the Bears at Derwent Park two days later in the League Cup.Said Jackson: “Rasmus (Jensen) is due to make his Comets debut and Mason (Campton) is very close to making a return to the saddle too following his collarbone injury.“From what racing we have had their have been plenty of positives but hopefully we can finally feel as if our season is now starting!”NATIONAL LEAGUE LATEST…

BELLE VUE reserve Daniel Bewley was delighted with his eye-opening National League debut against Cradley last week.The teenage ace bagged 11+1 point as the Colts suffered a 51-39 defeat, and he said: “I really enjoy my motocross but there’s a shale track near Steve Lawson, just couple of miles down the road from me, so I thought I’d have a go one afternoon and see what happened.“Cradley was my first real race of the season. I’ve done a couple of amateur meetings before now but Monday was my very first league match and winning my first heat was a real achievement.”BIRMINGHAM boss Graham Drury was delighted to see talented young reserve duo Jack Parkinson-Blackburn and Jack Smith reach the British Under 21 Final.The teenage pair emerged from the semi-final at Kent on Monday and will join team-mate Zach Wajtknecht in the final at Sheffield next Thursday, April 14. “I'm absolutely delighted for the two Jacks and it's a great achievement so early on in their career,” said Drury.“They're only 17 and 15 years of age so they've got plenty of time on their side but just to compete in the final will be a great experience for them both.“Zach (Wajtknecht) has already been seeded so we will have three representatives in next week's final.”BUXTON manager Jason Pipe believes team spirit could hold the key for the new-look Hitmen in 2016.He told the Speedway Star: “I’ve got a gut feeling that we are in for a good season. We’ve already developed a good team spirit amongst the lads.“Jade Mudgway set up a Facebook group with all the lads and myself – just the eight of us – and there has been a lot of good banter over the last few weeks.” COVENTRY Storm skipper Martin Knuckey could not hide his disappointment after an Easter weekend to forget.After making a guest appearance for the Bees, he crashed out of the Storm’s National League opener against Eastbourne and suffered facial injuries. Knuckey said: “It was an honour to pull on a Coventry Bees race jacket on Sunday at Glasgow in a Challenge match but then to see the Storm lose at home in our first National League meeting on Sunday left a sour taste if I'm honest.“I don't remember too much about the crash but it's done plenty of damage to the bike and left me with a sore cheekbone and damaged nose which I think is broken.“It would have been great to start the season with a win but their riders seemed dialled in from the start and perhaps having two meetings on Friday gave them an advantage.” CRADLEY skipper Max Clegg was delighted to be leading the club on their Monmore Green return last week – and he is relishing their home clash with Rye House on Monday (7.30).After striking a 15 point maximum as they defeated Belle Vue last week, Clegg said: “To be No.1 and skipper once again is amazing and to be back at Monmore is awesome.“A lot more fans were at Monmore and it was brilliant to have such a big crowd behind us – it was great to feel like we were back at home (even though we all still want to be closer to the Cradley area) and we can’t wait for our next meeting.” “Monmore can be a tough track to ride unless you’re used to it regularly, that’s why we usually get such a home advantage there, so once some of the lads have got some more laps under their belt, got dialled in and built their confidence then I’m sure they’ll be fine.” EASTBOURNE new-boy Ellis Perks has spoken of his delight at being snapped up by the Eagles after losing his Isle of Wight team place.“I'm so glad to be fixed up with such a great club like Eastbourne,” Perks said. “Seeing them do what they did last year was incredible and I was hooked on riding for them after yesterday's (March 28) performance.“They have a brilliant connection between everyone and they want what I want; to enjoy it and win. Personally this is a great step forward for me following last week’s bad news. But when one door closes another opens.”ISLE OF WIGHT director Barry Bishop says skipper Brendan Johnson will remain involved with the club despite his injury heartache.Johnson saw his season ended before it began with a practice crash resulting in a badly broken arm – but Bishop is keen to keep him on board.He said: “It is a real tragedy that we find ourselves in this position as I have never known a rider so enthusiastic about any club as Brendan is this season. “Of course this injury is a major blow to him and the Warriors. Brendan is of course still a Warrior and he will help me with other aspects of the club, the riders and get involved with the My First Skid team. We can replace his average but we cannot replace the man.” KENT continued their encouraging start to the 2016 season with a crushing 56-34 away win at Rye House on Sunday.The Kings got their National League campaign off to a dream start to make it three wins out of three in all competitions having raced to a Good Friday double over Eastbourne.They will be back at Arlington aiming for another away win against the Eagles on Saturday before travelling to Mildenhall in the National Trophy the following evening.KING’S LYNN boss Dale Allitt is delighted to see the Young Stars forging a closer relationship than ever with their Elite League side.Allitt told the Speedway Star: “It’s been coming together for the last two or three years. It always used to be that the Young Stars had a very separate entity – separate colours and everything.“Now it’s kind of gone to one unit, really, which is how it should be. I’ve been working with Rob Lyon (Stars’ team manager) all winter so it’s been good.” MILDENHALL promoter Kevin Jolly was delighted with the success of their season-opening Fen Fours event at West Row on Sunday.Jolly said: What a great start to our season, it was so pleasing to see a good crowd, an excellently prepared track and all today’s sponsors enjoying the racing on show.“The racing was good, the track rode well and the meeting moved along at a pace, this is exactly how we want to present speedway at Mildenhall and this is the template for the rest of our season.“From a Mildenhall point of view our riders looked good out on the track and now I can’t wait for next Sunday and our opening National Trophy meeting against Kent. It should be a cracker of a meeting and hopefully everyone will be back for some more quality speedway”.RYE HOUSE saw their National League campaign get off to a forgettable start as they were well-beaten by Kent at Hoddesdon on Sunday.However, new team boss Peter Schroeck was in a philosophical mood after their 56-34 defeat.“It’s not just about results and points this season. It’s about the team spirit and getting the youngsters going,” he said. “It was our first match, against a strong Kent side who, as I’ve said before, have built a strong team because it is the only one they’ve got. We’re all about the youngsters and bringing them on, because they will be the future for Rye House Speedway. We’ve got to grin and bear it on occasion, and see it for what it is.“But overall I’m quite pleased, and when we get Rob Branford back in the next couple of weeks from Australia and George Hunter returns from his broken wrist, we’ll be able to give people a much closer run. We’re going to get better, and it’s much more important where the boys are at the end of the season than here at the beginning.” STOKE youngster Danny Phillips was delighted to book his place in next week’s British Under 21 Final with a strong showing at Kent on Monday.He said: “I’m really pleased to have got the job done and qualified for the final which was my main goal.“It was a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be but I battled hard and got the points that were required to get through. “The track was a lot slicker than it looked and therefore you needed to get out of the gate to make things easier for yourself, but I’m through to the final and that is the most important thing. I will be going to Sheffield to give it my best shot in the final.”

FIXTURE PICTURE…

WEDNESDAY APRIL 6:ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Lakeside 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Eastbourne 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Birmingham v Rye House 7.30

THURSDAY APRIL 7:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Wolverhampton 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Redcar v Workington 7.30, Sheffield v Scunthorpe 7.30VINCE MAPLEY MEMORIAL TROPHY: Isle of Wight 7pm

FRIDAY APRIL 8:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Leicester 7.30, Lakeside v Poole 8pmLEAGUE CUP: Edinburgh v Berwick 7.30, Peterborough v Sheffield 7.30CHALLENGE: Somerset v Isle of Wight 7.30

SATURDAY APRIL 9:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Ipswich 7pmLEAGUE CUP: Workington v Redcar 7pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Kent 7.30TYNE/TWEED TROPHY 1st leg: Berwick v Newcastle 7pmAIR FENCE CHALLENGE 1st leg: Stoke v Buxton 7pmBRITISH YOUTH PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP: Northside 2pm

SUNDAY APRIL 10:LEAGUE CUP: Scunthorpe v Peterborough 6.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Mildenhall v Kent 3.30TYNE/TWEED TROPHY 2nd leg: Newcastle v Berwick 6.30AIR FENCE CHALLENGE 2nd leg: Buxton v Stoke 3pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 1: Glasgow 3pm

MONDAY APRIL 11:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v King’s Lynn 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Rye House 7.30

WEDNESDAY APRIL 13:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Swindon 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Stoke 7.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Birmingham v Buxton 7.30

THURSDAY APRIL 14:BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: Sheffield 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Ipswich v Peterborough 7.30, Redcar v Newcastle 7.30FOUR TEAM TOURNAMENT: Isle of Wight v Exeter v Weymouth v Southampton 7pm

FRIDAY APRIL 15:ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Wolverhampton 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Somerset v Scunthorpe 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30, Plymouth v Rye House 7.15TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Birmingham 7.30

SATURDAY APRIL 16:PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Peterborough 7pmLEAGUE CUP: Berwick v Edinburgh 7pm, Workington v Newcastle 7pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry 7.30

SUNDAY APRIL 17:LEAGUE CUP: Glasgow v Berwick 3pmNATIONAL TROPHY: Buxton v Birmingham 3pm, Mildenhall v Isle of Wight 3.30CHRISTIAN HENRY TESTIMONIAL: Newcastle 6.30

MONDAY APRIL 18:ELITE LEAGUE: Wolverhampton v Lakeside 7.30