BRITISH SPEEDWAY ROUND-UP #17

HERE’S the latest news and fixtures from around the tracks up and down the country.

PIC OF THE WEEK…

KING’S Lynn were able celebrate a remarkable triumph over local rivals Ipswich to reach the Premiership KO Cup Final.
The Stars travelled to Foxhall on Thursday leading 48-42 from the first leg and missing two of their regular top five riders, but they defended superbly and pulled off a 45-45 draw for a six-point aggregate victory.
Photo credit: PHIL HILTON

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP LATEST

STARS SHINE AT FOXHALL
MANAGER Rob Lyon paid tribute to his King’s Lynn battlers as the Stars stunned Ipswich with a 45-45 draw in Suffolk to secure a place in the Premiership KO Cup Final.
Lyon said: “It’s tremendous, and it’s credit to the boys. They fought really hard tonight and they’ve shown a lot of fighting spirit over the last few weeks.
“Tonight was no different, so hats off to them, they deserved it. We’ve shown what we can do as a team, and they are responding so well.
“Over the two legs we deserved to go through, so bring on Leicester and let’s have a great Final.”

ACES BACK ON TOP
BELLE Vue have returned to the top of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership table thanks to a 48-42 win at Oxford with Dan Bewley and Brady Kurtz dominating the closing stages of the meeting.
It was the Aces’ third win on the road in 2025 and although their trip to King’s Lynn on Monday was postponed they have a further chance for points on the road when they visit Birmingham next week.
Manager Mark Lemon said: “Everyone did their bit. Zach (Cook) came good with two big wins and Jaimon (Lidsey) was solid throughout.
“Then, of course, our big top two of Dan and Brady delivered the big finish in brilliant style. It was a workmanlike win.”

WITCHES TARGET STRONG RUN
IPSWICH manager Ritchie Hawkins says there is full focus on regaining top form ahead of the play-offs, starting against Birmingham on Thursday, with the Witches having suffered a shock KO Cup semi-final aggregate defeat to rivals King’s Lynn.
Hawkins said: “We need to perform as we should do and show our fans what we are all about and put in a performance for them.
“We are now focused on the play-offs, and this is the run-in to them. We have six weeks or so to get ourselves in a good run of form because we have faltered since we picked up a few injuries and haven’t performed as well as we were earlier in the year.
“We know we can do a lot better and now is the time to build into that for the massive meetings at the end of the year.”

LIONS PULLING CLEAR
LEICESTER are ten points ahead of King’s Lynn in the race for the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-offs with both sides having eight matches remaining.
The Lions came out on top 48-42 against Sheffield in a hard-fought contest at home on Monday, to further enhance their prospects of a top four finish.
Manager Stewart Dickson said: “We got the win by six points and considering that several riders weren’t on top of their game it’s a good result, and we also have to admit that Sheffield were a lot better than they were on their last two visits.
“I think they came with a point to prove, not to go away losing by 18 or 22 points again, but we got the win, there are no injuries, and we now go into a very big week for the club.”

MAGIC NIGHT FOR SPIRES
OXFORD skipper Maciej Janowski scored 14 points from a possible 15 as the Spires won at Birmingham on Monday.
Remarkably all four of the Spires’ league victories this season have come against the Brummies, and this result takes them five points clear in the battle to avoid the wooden spoon.
Manager Peter Schroeck said: “It was fantastic that we had so many fans here tonight, getting behind the Spires. Their support was a bit special and really lifted us.
“That’s what we’re looking for, for the rest of the season with Spires. We know we can’t reach the play-offs, but we want a good run towards the end of the season and finish the year on a high. We want the fans to come along to Oxford and enjoy the remaining meetings for Spires.”

TIGERS MAKE PROGRESS
SHEFFIELD manager Simon Stead said he was encouraged by the performance in a narrow defeat at Leicester.
In contrast to recent visits to the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park, the Tigers kept things close in Monday’s televised clash before going down 48-42.
Stead said: “Of course, we didn’t get a win but it’s certainly another step in the right direction.
“There are things we’re still working on and I don’t feel we’re anywhere near the finished article yet.
“We’re still not yet all clicking at the same time and I think there’s still more to come from this group.”

BRUMMIES BEATEN AND BOTTOM
BIRMINGHAM boss Chris Adams insists his side can still avoid the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership wooden spoon despite a damaging home defeat at the hands of Oxford.
Adams said: “It is disappointing but it’s not over – we’ve just made it a little hard for ourselves now.
“I really thought we were finally going to get one over on them but they’ve become a bit of a bogey team.
“We kept it close, it was an exciting meeting for the fans but unfortunately, it just didn’t go our way in the end.”

*MEMBERS of the Ipswich Witches visited Seckford Golf Club recently to support the charity “Fore” Get Me Not Golf.
The charity is dedicated to supporting those living with dementia so they can continue enjoying the sport they love. Through their dementia friendly golf sessions they provide a welcoming and accessible environment for all.
Founded in 2022 and created by Tony Pennock and Wendy Chard it has shown that golf can greatly enhance the quality of life for those living with dementia.
Their initiative blends physical activity, mental stimulation, and social interaction in a safe, adapted setting. At the same time, it helps support essential research into dementia.
Manager Ritchie Hawkins along with team members Danny King, Adam Ellis, Jordan Jenkins and Dan Thompson all joined last week’s session alongside former Witch Cameron Heeps and rider and commentator Adam Roynon. Trevor Jones, a former Witches rider in the 1970s, is a regular at the sessions and enjoyed chatting with the class of 2025.
More information can be found at https://www.foregetmenotgolf.co.uk/ .

THE WEEK AHEAD…
SHEFFIELD and Leicester clash again on Thursday, this time in a Round 1 fixture at Owlerton, whilst Ipswich look to return to top spot when they host Birmingham… The Premiership KO Cup Final takes centre stage next week as King’s Lynn host Leicester on Monday with the second leg 72 hours later… Also on Monday, Birmingham face Belle Vue in league action.

CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP LATEST

COMETS CHARGE ON
WORKINGTON kept up their strong home form since the mini-pause in their season with an emphatic 58-32 win over Scunthorpe at the GT Tyres Arena.
And the Comets’ displays over the last two weeks have manager James Denham believing a push for the top four is not beyond them.
Denham said: “These boys have dug deep these last two weeks and they have proved what they can do. Everyone will be taking about us now for the right reasons and I think these are the lads that can take us into the play-offs.
“We covered Antti’s (Vuolas) rides very well, there were a few options for guests but no one can cover Antti round here. The performance last week gave us the options as we could use everyone and I think that was one of our strengths today.”

BIG WIN FOR ROCKET MAN
POOLE No.1 Richard Lawson pulled off a superb Heat 13 ride to get the better of Scunthorpe duo Steve Worrall and Jake Allen as the league leaders secured an away win at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday.
Lawson said: “If we had conceded a 5-1 in that one then the scores would have looked real different, and for some reason I just couldn’t get off the gate today.
“The starts are tricky here but I felt confident as I knew I had the speed. They were riding well together but I thought I was faster than them.
“I got close a number of times but knew I had to make it. I saw the chance and went for it. It was close, very close, but when you pull one of those moves off it is a good feeling.”

JOB DONE FOR TIGERS
GLASGOW returned to home action at Ashfield with a hard-fought 48-42 win over Redcar to maintain second position in the Cab Direct Championship table.
Manager Cami Brown said: “Special thanks to guest Tate Zischke who did an outstanding job for us. He gave 100 per cent in every race and possibly was the difference in the end.
“Chris (Harris) once again produced his typical incredible passes. The one over Charles Wright in Heat 13 was right out of the top drawer.
“I’m just pleased to get some points on the board again after a month missing home meetings. Now we need to kick on again.”

MONARCHS ON THE UP
EDINBURGH took advantage of a rapid start to proceedings as they defeated Plymouth at Armadale with the third-placed Monarchs very much in the equation for a play-off place.
Captain Paco Castagna won his first four races before missing out in Heat 15 after a frantic battle with the returning Scott Nicholls.
Castagna said: “Who would have thought that I wouldn’t be happy with 13 points? I’ve been pushing hard for the last couple of weeks to get something going here – found a great set-up, and I was making starts and felt very comfortable.
“I was glad to play my part for the team which I hadn’t been doing. A great confidence booster and a fantastic win.”

JJ IS A BANDIT
BERWICK boss Stewart Dickson has high hopes for new signing Jonas Jeppesen, who has agreed to join the Bandits in the Cab Direct Championship.
Jeppesen comes in as a replacement for seriously injured skipper Danyon Hume, who is out for the rest of the season with back injuries but has now been allowed home.
Dickson said: “Once the extent of Danyon’s injuries became clear it was important to get a dynamic replacement for him, using all the room available to us within the 40-point limit.
“Jonas is a great signing and I would like to put on record my thanks to (club owner) Jamie Courtney and the promotion at Berwick for backing me personally and for getting this signing over the line.”

NICHOLLS THE GLADIATOR
PLYMOUTH promoter Mark Phillips believes he has made a statement signing with the acquisition of Scott Nicholls, who made a promising debut in last Friday’s defeat at Edinburgh.
Nicholls will appear as a home rider at the Coliseum for the first time this Saturday when the Gladiators face his former club Oxford.
Phillips said: “It was tough to lose Daniel (Klima) after such a promising start, but to bring in someone of Scott’s pedigree is a huge boost for the club and the fans.
“Scott doesn’t just bring points—he brings leadership, energy, and unmatched knowledge of the sport.”

SCORPIONS NEED A RESPONSE
SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey has labelled this Friday’s Cab Direct Championship clash with Edinburgh as “huge.”
The Scorpions endured a nightmare weekend which saw them lose at home to Poole and then suffer a heavy defeat at Workington, leaving their play-off hopes in jeopardy.
Godfrey said: “It’s been a horrible 48 hours for us. If we are are to salvage anything from this season, we need a big performance against Edinburgh at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday.
“That’s now a huge meeting for us and I hope the fans turn out in force to get behind the lads.”

BEARS CHASE AWAY POINTS
REDCAR star Danny King admits the Bears will need to win away matches if they are to make it into the top four of the Cab Direct Championship and secure a play-off place.
King said: “The main goal is to win all of our home meetings, but we will 100 per cent need some points on the road to make the play-offs.
“There are plenty of meetings left, I strongly believe we have a team that is good enough to contend for the league title at the end of the season.”

CHEETAHS RETAIN FOCUS
OXFORD boss Peter Schroeck says his side need to maintain focus on their play-off push in what is set to be a tight battle for top four places.
The Cheetahs host Plymouth on Wednesday in a fixture which has added interest due to the Gladiators’ recent signing of Oxford club legend Scott Nicholls.
Schroeck said: “Scott has already attained legendary status at Oxford – as the captain of the Cheetahs for three seasons. Not only that, but he was our skipper when we re-opened for the first time in 15 years.
“Of course, it’s not just about Scott on Wednesday – for me, the main focus is the Cheetahs picking up a victory against Plymouth and pushing our way back into the top four.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
LEAGUE leaders Poole look to turn the tables on Workington after a recent defeat in Cumbria when they host the Comets on Wednesday… On the same night, Scott Nicholls makes his return to Oxford in the colours of new club Plymouth, whilst his home debut comes in the reverse fixture at the Coliseum on Saturday… A busy Friday programme sees Poole visit Redcar who are looking to gain ground on the top four… second placed Glasgow face Berwick who include new signing Jonas Jeppesen… Edinburgh, who are third, visit Scunthorpe… Saturday also sees the return of Berwick/Glasgow at Shielfield Park, whilst Workington look to maintain their momentum against Redcar.

WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE/NATIONAL TROPHY LATEST

YOUNG STARS MOVE CLEAR
KING’S Lynn recorded their fifth win from six NDT fixtures against injury-hit Kent at the Adrian Flux Arena last week, with Max Perry and Jody Scott both unbeaten by an opponent.
Manager Jason Pipe said: “That’s the best I’ve seen Max ride the King’s Lynn track. I told him afterwards it was a matter of time coming, and it happened tonight, so that was great to see.
“We were led again by 12-point maximum man Jody, Calum (Mitchell) did well at home again, and it was just an unfortunate night for Arran Butcher, he had clutch problems early on and then he couldn’t find the set-up.”

INJURY WOE FOR EAGLES
KENT Eagles saw both Jamie Etherington and Ben Morley crash out of their defeat at King’s Lynn on Wednesday, and Etherington will be sidelined for a spell with a broken arm.
Morley was released from hospital with scans all clear after a heavy accident, and Eagles will monitor his fitness ahead of their next fixture at a time when fellow heat-leader Nathan Ablitt is also ruled out.
Manager David Graveling said: “While the outcome of the match is typically the focal point, the safety and health of our participants is paramount.
“We are hopeful for a swift recovery for both Jamie and Ben, and our thoughts are with them and their families during this challenging time.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
WSRA NDL leaders Oxford look to keep up their 100 per cent home record when they host winless Belle Vue on Sunday… Meanwhile second-placed Leicester are also in action on their own track on Sunday as they face Edinburgh… It’s a busy weekend for the Monarchs Academy as they also face the Steelers at Scunthorpe on Friday.

FIXTURE PICTURE…

WEDNESDAY JULY 23:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Oxford v Plymouth 7.30, Poole (39) v Workington (51) 7.30

THURSDAY JULY 24:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Ipswich (49) v Birmingham (41) 7.30
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Sheffield (34) v Leicester (56) 7.30

FRIDAY JULY 25:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow v Berwick 7.30, Redcar (39) v Poole (51) 7.30, Scunthorpe v Edinburgh 7pm
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Steelers v Edinburgh (follows Champ fixture)

SATURDAY JULY 26:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick v Glasgow 7pm, Plymouth v Oxford 7pm, Workington v Redcar 6pm

SUNDAY JULY 27:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester v Edinburgh 3pm, Oxford (58) v Belle Vue (32) 3pm

MONDAY JULY 28:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Birmingham v Belle Vue 7.30
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: King’s Lynn v Leicester 7.30

WEDNESDAY JULY 30:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Poole v Oxford 7.30

THURSDAY JULY 31:
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Leicester v King’s Lynn 7.30

FRIDAY AUGUST 1:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh (35) v Berwick (37) 7pm, Redcar (42) v Glasgow (48) 7.30, Scunthorpe (32) v Workington (58) 7.30
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Steelers (follows Champ fixture)

SATURDAY AUGUST 2:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick (35) v Oxford (55) 7pm, Glasgow (45) v Scunthorpe (45) 7pm, Plymouth (39) v Workington (51) 7pm

SUNDAY AUGUST 3:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TROPHY: Leicester v Plymouth 3pm

MONDAY AUGUST 4:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Belle Vue v Ipswich 7.30, Birmingham (40) v Sheffield (50) 7.30, King’s Lynn (37) v Leicester (53) 7.30