BRITISH SPEEDWAY ROUND-UP #11

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

PIC OF THE WEEK…

PLYMOUTH are through to the MAXiCab KO Cup Final after a pulsating clash on Saturday night with Redcar which went right down to the last of the tie’s 30 races.
Scott Nicholls and Danny King were the heroes for the Gladiators as they secured a 5-1 in Heat 15 for a 48-42 win on the night, giving them a narrow 91-89 aggregate victory.
Photo credit: PLYMOUTH GLADIATORS MEDIA

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HOW IT STANDS
BELLE Vue’s big win over Leicester on Monday has moved them five points clear at the top of the table, with the Lions dropping to third behind Sheffield on points difference. Meanwhile King’s Lynn moved into the play-off places with a home win over Northampton.

DOYLE’S DREAM DEBUT
JASON Doyle marked his first appearance for Belle Vue having joined as a replacement for the injured Dan Bewley with a 12-point maximum in a huge win over Leicester.
The rampant Aces ran up a 61-29 victory at the National Speedway Stadium to extend their lead at the top of the table with Doyle racing to four wins out of four.
Manager Mark Lemon said: “How can you not be happy with that performance? Bringing Jason in he’s just fitted in like a glove, and it’s just all systems go, and very professional.
“I felt a little bit sorry for Leicester – not too much! – but obviously things just didn’t go for them tonight, and sometimes you just have nights like that when things don’t happen. But more of the result was because our boys were really on song.”

STARS SEAL KEY WIN
KING’S Lynn duo Max Fricke and Jan Kvech combined for two late 5-1s to secure a win over Northampton in a tight Premiership contest.
The Stars found themselves trailing with three races to go, but maximum hauls from Fricke and Kvech in Heats 13 and 15 inspired a 48-42 victory.
Manager Rob Lyon said: “It was a little too close for comfort, because I’d probably been looking at around a ten-point win, with respect to Northampton because I always felt they would be reasonable opposition for us.
“I thought Jan was excellent tonight, and Max had one blip but apart from that he was top-notch, so the top runners pulled us through which is nice.”

FOXES FALL JUST SHORT
NORTHAMPTON were close with no reward for a second away match running when they went down by six points at King’s Lynn.
Boss Chris Adams was satisfied with the overall display in Norfolk but admits his side just lacked the ultimate consistency to pull off an away win.
Adams said: “King’s Lynn were just a little too strong in Heats 13 and 15 although Nicolai (Klindt) nearly made it off gate 4 in Heat 13, but Max (Fricke) blocked his run, and it was same again in Heat 15 when we just didn’t get out of the start.
“But overall it was a good team performance, they all chipped away and there weren’t too many last places. With some little tweaks here and there, I think we’ll be there.”

LIONS SCALPED IN MANCHESTER
LEICESTER manager Stewart Dickson offered no excuses after his side suffered their joint heaviest Premiership defeat at Belle Vue on Monday.
The Lions went down 61-29 in Manchester, providing just two race winners on a circuit which has often proved a difficult one for them in the past.
Dickson said: “It’s very, very disappointing by Leicester’s standards in the Premiership since we came up. We’ve had our backsides well and truly scalped tonight.”

BRENNAN READY FOR BIG RUN
IPSWICH star Tom Brennan admits pre-season preparations were affected by his winter injury – but he wants to kick on with a busy summer ahead.
Brennan suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula during practice for an event in California, but he was always determined to get back in the best shape possible.
He said: “If I am honest, the beginning of the season was a little bit of a struggle with different things – trying to get back on the bike and get ready. I hadn’t really done much until February or March. I was kind of sat on the sofa.
“Since then, it has been head-on hard work. Everybody works so hard behind the scenes, me included. We are fit; we are ready, and there are definitely no excuses.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
EAST Anglian rivals Ipswich and King’s Lynn clash once again at Foxhall on Thursday with the Witches having won all previous meetings between the clubs this season… Northampton race their first home match in a month when they face second-placed Sheffield on the same night… Monday’s action sees leaders Belle Vue face Ipswich, whilst King’s Lynn host Leicester.
*ALSO: Leicester host the British Semi-Final at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park on Sunday with six qualifying places available for the British Final which takes place at Belle Vue on August 15.

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HOW IT STANDS
POOLE hold top spot whilst Scunthorpe are level on points, albeit having raced three more meetings, thanks to their 45-45 draw at Edinburgh last Friday. The Monarchs are third with Plymouth currently in the final play-off place, whilst Redcar are the only team yet to get off the mark.

DUO STAR FOR BANDITS
PETER Kildemand’s superb return from injury and a terrific debut from Jordan Jenkins enabled Berwick to complete a comeback victory over Glasgow at Shielfield Park.
Kildemand was unbeaten after a last place in his first ride, and Jenkins piled up paid-14 at reserve in his first Bandits appearance to inspire a 46-44 win.
Manager Stewart Dickson said: “Everybody played a part but Jordan and Peter were quite outstanding.
“We haven’t raced at home for six weeks and I think that showed, but when it all comes down to it we have two points on the board against what is always one of the best visiting teams to Shielfield.”

LAWSON SAYS SORRY
POOLE No.1 Richard Lawson sent his apologies to team-mate Zach Cook after the two came too close in last Wednesday’s BSN Series victory over Edinburgh.
Cook was disqualified after coming to grief in Heat 13, but it was nowhere near enough to affect the overall outcomes as the Pirates sailed into the Final with a 60-point score.
Lawson said: “It was a good team performance. The track staff worked hard to get it into shape. It was pretty tricky, but it turned out pretty good in the end.
“I must hold my hands up for Heat 13. I made a mistake as I didn’t realise it was Zach outside of me and I must apologise to him for not leaving any room. I think I am going to have to get my contact lenses checked out.”

FRUSTRATION FOR TIGERS
GLASGOW manager Cami Brown regarded a 46-44 defeat at Berwick on Saturday as a missed opportunity.
The Tigers lost out despite holding an eight-point lead in the early stages, and it increases the pressure on a busy run of meetings this week.
Brown said: “Our top three were pretty decent. But we just aren’t firing all together on the same night.
“We’ve got to pick ourselves up now and get ready for a vital meeting at Oxford on Wednesday. I keep saying it, but the boys have got to find an extra level now, especially the middle order.”

MONARCHS’ DRAW CONSOLATION
EDINBURGH escaped from a tough meeting against Scunthorpe with a 45-45 draw at Armadale after defeat had seemed likely at times during the closing stages.
Kye Thomson crucially came through from the back in Heat 15 to join guest Nick Morris for a 3-3 to ensure a share of the spoils.
Thomson said: “I thought in mid-meeting we were doing enough to get the win. Conditions certainly made it difficult. We had a good guest in Nick who did an awesome job.
“Dan Thompson was very hard done by with the exclusion in Heat 6. But we’ve got Dan back now and we can kick on from this.”

SCORPIONS MAKE THEIR POINT
SCUNTHORPE manager David Howe said mixed emotions after a draw at Edinburgh were a sign of how far the Scorpions have come this season.
The result was a major boost to the Lincolnshire side’s play-off aspirations, adding to a previous away win at Redcar, and they have further opportunities for points on the road this weekend.
Howe said: “I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t win, but that shows how well the team is now working together, because a few weeks ago we would have seen this is a very positive result. The team wants to win meetings – it’s a very positive atmosphere around the pits.
“It’s another point from this run of away matches, and we’ll see what next weekend brings at Glasgow and Berwick. We’re setting ourselves up very nicely for when we return to action to Scunthorpe to push towards the play-offs.”

COMETS WIN CLOSE CONTEST
WORKINGTON manager James Denham admitted Saturday’s 48-42 win over Oxford had been a little too close for comfort.
The Comets had been ten points ahead but were taken to a last-heat decider, before Troy Batchelor and Jonas Jeppesen secured a positive result at the GT Tyres Arena.
Denham said: “It got close mid-meeting I thought we may have been throwing it away – being ten points up early on and going to a last-heat decider is never good for the nerves. But the experience of Troy and Jonas got the job done for us in the end.
“It was great team effort today and we need to carry that on to next Saturday when Glasgow visit. The aggregate point is well within reach for that tie and we will be going for it.”

CHEETAHS OUT OF LUCK
OXFORD skipper Sam Masters said the six-point defeat at Workington last weekend was a largely positive performance, with key moments going against his side.
That included a mechanical failure for Masters himself whilst he was leading Heat 1, but the Cheetahs fought back strongly from an early ten-point deficit.
Masters said: “We lost, but I’m proud of everyone’s efforts, because we haven’t been on track much lately. It’s a tough place to come after a few weeks off. We overcame a difficult start to the meeting and I thought we were good enough to win, but the luck just didn’t go our way at the end.
“Something broke on my chain in Heat 1, but apart from that, I had a nearly perfect day. I hope that chain break is my bad luck over.”

BEARS SEEK TURNAROUND
REDCAR co-promoter Jamie Swales says hard work is taking place in a bid to restore the Bears’ fortunes over the summer.
An epic MAXiCab KO Cup semi-final against Plymouth last weekend saw the Teesside outfit go down by just two points, and they now prepare to face Oxford on Friday.
Swales said: “Behind the scenes, we have been working hard to try and get the best out of the team going forward.
“Speedway can be a brutal sport when confidence dips, but equally it can turn very quickly with one big performance.”

GLADIATORS GO THROUGH
PLYMOUTH are celebrating qualification to the MAXiCab KO Cup Final after overcoming Redcar in a dramatic semi-final last weekend.
The Gladiators won 91-89 on aggregate courtesy of a last-heat 5-1 from Danny King and Scott Nicholls, and they now await news of their opponents with holders Poole facing Berwick in the other semi later this month.

THE WEEK AHEAD…
WITH leaders Poole not having a fixture this week, top spot could change hands as Scunthorpe face away matches at Glasgow on Friday and Berwick on Saturday… It’s a busy period for the Tigers, who travel to Oxford on Wednesday and Workington on Saturday… Friday’s action also sees Redcar host Oxford, with the Cheetahs then making the long trip to Plymouth on Saturday.

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HOW IT STANDS
EDINBURGH still have a 100 per cent record after a thumping away win at Buxton on Sunday, with Middlesbrough still second in the table on five points. Buxton and King’s Lynn await their first victories of the season.

ACADEMY DOMINATE AT BUXTON
EDINBURGH raced to an emphatic 57-33 win at Buxton to make it three wins out of three in the NDL this season.
Manager Scott Wilson said: “The whole team contributed to the win again which is the most pleasing aspect.
“The scoreline suggests it was a comfortable afternoon but it certainly wasn’t. The team all had to really battle for their points, Buxton made us work hard.”

CHARGERS OFF THE MARK
DEFENDING champions Oxford notched their first victory of 2026 with a hard-fought 50-40 success over King’s Lynn.
Youngster Harry Fletcher put in a great display for the Chargers with 13+2 at reserve, despite a dash to the stadium after sitting a maths exam earlier in the day.
Fletcher said: “It’s been a busy day. I was in school this morning and then had a maths exam this afternoon. We then drove directly here – I got here around 6pm.
“King’s Lynn have got a tough side and they’ve got a strong rider at reserve in Ollie Binns. I grew up riding with Ollie and we’re mates. In our races tonight, I came out on top 3-1, so I was happy with that.”

PIPE DOWN AFTER DEFEAT
KING’S Lynn boss Jason Pipe couldn’t hide his disappointment after seeing his side go down to a ten-point defeat in their opening fixture at Oxford.
Pipe said: “I do have to say I’m gutted for Ollie Binns in particular because if you have a reserve scoring 13 points away from home, you really expect to be going into a last-heat decider at the very least, and I told everyone that.
“But we carried too many riders, and some do need to take a look at their performances because although it was our first match as a team, these lads have still been riding regularly.”

BULLS BEATEN IN OPENER
BUXTON boss Laurence Rogers has vowed to look ahead after the Bulls were defeated 57-33 by a highly impressive Edinburgh team in their opening NDL fixture at Hi-Edge.
Rogers said: “It’s disappointing to lose so heavily, but they are a very strong side and it shows why they are top of the league table. We relied heavily on Alfie (Bowtell), Jack (Smith) and Luke (Harris), and Jack Roberts who returned to league action for the first time since 2008 with paid eleven points.
“We now have to dust ourselves down and put this result behind us and prepare for our next meeting.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
LEADERS Edinburgh look to complete the double over Buxton when they meet at Armadale on Friday… The Bulls then host Pairs action at Hi-Edge on Sunday.

FIXTURE PICTURE…

WEDNESDAY JUNE 17:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Oxford v Glasgow 7.30

THURSDAY JUNE 18:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Ipswich v King’s Lynn 7.30
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Northampton v Sheffield 7.30

FRIDAY JUNE 19:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow (41) v Scunthorpe (49) 7.30, Redcar v Oxford 7.30
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Edinburgh (57) v Buxton (33) 7.30

SATURDAY JUNE 20:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick (31) v Scunthorpe (59) 7pm, Plymouth v Oxford 7pm, Workington (42) v Glasgow (48) 3pm

SUNDAY JUNE 21:
BRITISH SEMI-FINAL: Leicester 3pm
BUXTON BEST PAIRS: Buxton 3pm

MONDAY JUNE 22:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Belle Vue v Ipswich 7.30,
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: King’s Lynn v Leicester 7.30

WEDNESDAY JUNE 24:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Oxford v Redcar 7.30
MAXICAB KO CUP SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Poole v Berwick 7.30
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: King’s Lynn (40) v Oxford (50) 7.30

THURSDAY JUNE 25:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Ipswich (39) v Belle Vue (51), Sheffield (41) v Leicester (49) 7.30

FRIDAY JUNE 26:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow (35) v Poole (55) 7.30, Redcar v Edinburgh 7.30

SATURDAY JUNE 27:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Plymouth v Edinburgh 7pm
MAXICAB KO CUP SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Berwick v Poole 7pm
JAY CARTMELL MEMORIAL 4TT: Workington 3pm

SUNDAY JUNE 28:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester v Buxton 3pm

MONDAY JUNE 29:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Belle Vue (49) v King’s Lynn (41) 7.30, Northampton (43) v Ipswich (47) 7.30