BRITISH SPEEDWAY ROUND-UP #24
HERE’S the latest news and fixtures from around the tracks up and down the country.
PIC OF THE WEEK…
SCUNTHORPE skipper Josh Pickering swept through the card unbeaten to lift his second Championship League Riders’ Championship at Sheffield on Saturday.
Pickering was the class of the field on his home Premiership track, but he had to fight off a strong challenge from defending champion Chris Harris in the Final.
Glasgow captain Harris, who briefly led off turn two, had to settle for runners-up spot on this occasion with Poole’s Zach Cook taking third place after a consistent night where he reached that stage despite not winning a race.
Oxford’s Sam Masters missed out in the Final despite scoring 14 points in the qualifiers.
Photo credit: CHARLOTTE FLANIGAN
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP LATEST
HOW IT STANDS
BELLE Vue and Leicester have confirmed the top two places in the standings. Ipswich are currently third and will definitely be in the play-offs, whilst Sheffield are fourth but could go one place higher depending on the result of their final fixture, where they also need to tie up the mathematical ends of qualification.
FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR ACES
BELLE Vue will be involved on the opening night of the play-offs next Monday (September 21) as they bid to convert top spot into the title.
The Aces will travel to the fourth placed team before staging the return at the National Speedway Stadium one week later, where they are unbeaten this season.
Manager Mark Lemon said: “It’s a great job and we can celebrate topping the table, but I’ve spoken before about what happened in 2023 and what can happen, so we still need a bit of luck on our side.
“If we can keep this team together and keep doing the job we’re doing, I think the result will be good – but let’s not get carried away, there’s still a lot of racing to go between now and lifting the trophy. We have to keep that focus and mentality going strong.”
LIONS LOOK TO REBUILD
LEICESTER manager Stewart Dickson says solving his reserve issue will be crucial as they head towards the play-offs.
The Lions have finished second in the table but Dickson admits things have been made tougher by the absence of the retired Kyle Howarth from the No.6 berth, and their home run was ended by Ipswich on Monday.
Dickson said: “We’re all a bit down because we don’t like to lose here, but come the play-offs we’ll be ready to go out fighting again.
“We’ve finished in second place and when you look at the league table I think that’s justified. Belle Vue have been the best team and I think we’ve certainly been the second best, but we are not quite in the form that we were maybe four to six weeks ago. But it’s my job to try to get the strongest team available for the play-offs, and I will do just that.”
WITCHES MAKE IT THROUGH
IPSWICH broke Leicester’s unbeaten home record with a crucial 48-42 win at the Hydroscand Arena on Monday to secure their place in the play-offs.
The Witches had been left in danger of missing out on the top four when they lost at home to Belle Vue last Thursday – and the Aces could be next up for them in the semi-finals depending on results this week.
Manager Paul Hurry said: “I am really pleased. We all know what speedway is like and there is no real reason why the boys can’t go into the semi-finals and give it a really good push – whoever we meet – and crack on to the final. Once you are in the final, it’s anyone’s game.
“I want to say thanks to all the travelling fans – it’s really appreciated when we do the track walk and see them all there. Knowing that they are there is a big thing for the boys.”
TIGERS SEARCH FOR MORE
SHEFFIELD boss Simon Stead admits his side need to raise their game if they are to put in a title challenge during the upcoming play-offs – assuming they make the cut.
The Tigers are all-but secure in the top four, but a 53-37 defeat at leaders Belle Vue on Monday leaves them with room for improvement.
Stead said: “It’s not a complete disaster, there were some positives along the way, but when it comes down to the crunch, if we face these guys in the play-offs at some stage, then we know we’re going to need to up our game.”
*NORTHAMPTON and King’s Lynn are set to wrap up the regular ROWE Motor Oil Premiership campaign when they meet at the Shaleway on Thursday.
The Stars saw their play-off hopes all but shattered by Ipswich’s win at Leicester on Monday, having thought they had done enough to remain in the hunt after Thursday’s results.
The meeting will, though, bring down the curtain on a highly successful opening season at Northampton where the Foxes have proved competitive and a worthy addition to the league with meetings raced in front of good attendances.
THE WEEK AHEAD…
THE final line-up for the play-offs will be decided later this week as Sheffield host Northampton on Wednesday, where a point will officially confirm a top four finish and a win will lift them into third place… The Foxes complete their campaign at home to King’s Lynn on Thursday… The play-offs then get underway on Monday with leaders Belle Vue travelling to the team which finishes fourth.
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP LATEST
HOW IT STANDS
THE play-offs are underway with Scunthorpe leading Glasgow 53-37 at the halfway stage of their semi-final. The remaining issue in the league table is over whether Workington can avoid the wooden spoon, which they will do with a home win over Redcar on Saturday.
SCORPIONS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE
SCUNTHORPE are 16 points clear after the first leg of their play-off semi-final against Glasgow, where skipper Josh Pickering scored a superb 15-point maximum.
And the CLRC winner is backing the Scorpions to go on and finish the job at Ashfield next Friday.
Pickering said: “The boys all stepped up when they had to, and I’m very pleased with our performance and the rest of our team should be too because all they contributed.
“We’ll make it as hard as possible for Glasgow to pull back the deficit in the second leg. Every time we get a 3-3 or better, that’s another race when they don’t get any points back on us.
“I’m very confident that we should be back for another meeting Scunthorpe in the Final.”
WORK TO DO FOR TIGERS
GLASGOW manager Cami Brown insists his side can still dig deep and overturn a 53-37 deficit in the second leg of their play-off semi-final at home to Scunthorpe next week, after a tough opener in Lincolnshire.
Brown said: “Chris (Harris) and Leon (Flint) have carried the side over the past few weeks, especially in the absence of Kyle Howarth. However, it’s totally out of character and recent form that they both had an off-night.
“We will need to find something special now. We know what the target is and over the last few seasons we’ve done well in comebacks at Ashfield. We can do that on our home track.
“Last year we fought back from 14 points down in the semi-final with Edinburgh to reach the final and then 12 points down in the Grand Final. So we know what the task is.”
PIRATES READY TO GO
POOLE co-promoter Dan Ford says his side are ready to raise their game in defence of the Cab Direct Championship title.
The Pirates host Edinburgh in the first leg of their play-off semi-final on Wednesday before travelling to Scotland for the Armadale return 48 hours later.
Ford said: “We are looking at the play-offs here. Every team that reaches them has to be respected and because it is a play-off you tend to get teams raising their game, but likewise we will be out to do exactly the same.
“Edinburgh know what is like to be knocked out in the semi-finals and they will be keen to try an avoid that pain after their close aggregate defeat by Glasgow last year. We might have topped the league, but we’ve still got work to do to win the title.”
OXFORD FUTURE PLANNING
OXFORD manager Peter Schroeck says work has already commenced to build a Cheetahs side which can challenge for honours in 2027.
The Sandy Lane side missed out on challenging for the play-offs this year although there are still two NDL fixtures to be staged at the stadium this autumn.
Schroeck said: “2026 has been a difficult year both on and off the track, and the victory for Sam (Masters) and Anders (Rowe) in the Championship Best Pairs was an important boost for everyone connected with the club.
“It’s not that the 2026 Cheetahs were a bad team – it’s just that the luck went against us, and the margins between winning and losing are so fine in such a competitive league.
“We have already been working on a side that we can believe can challenge on all fronts next season. It’s no less than the supporters of our great club deserve.”
THE WEEK AHEAD…
CHAMPIONS Poole host the first leg of their play-off semi-final against Edinburgh on Wednesday, with the return fixture at Armadale on Friday… Workington and Redcar complete their regular league campaigns when they meet at the GT Tyres Arena on Saturday… The BSN Series Final takes centre stage next week with Redcar hosting Poole on Tuesday in the first leg, with the return at Wimborne Road 24 hours later… Meanwhile Plymouth host the British Under-19 Final at the Coliseum on Saturday.
BRITISH U19 FINAL DRAW
THE draw has been made for Saturday’s British Under-19 Final taking place at Plymouth with a 7pm start time.
Reigning British Under-19 Champion Luke Harrison has been drawn at No.9, with fellow Premiership riders William Cairns, Jody Scott and Cooper Rushen at 4, 8 and 15 respectively.
Rushen has the opportunity of achieving the same success that Leon Flint enjoyed in 2022 as the reigning British Under-21 Champion could win his second British title in the same season.
Stene Pijper, who won the 500cc British Youth Championship at Glasgow on Sunday, will also be competing for his second British Championship in 2026.
Edinburgh Academy’s Anika Loftus becomes the first female rider to ride in a major British Final.
DRAW: 1 Ollie Binns, 2 Anika Loftus, 3 Charlie Southwick, 4 Will Cairns, 5 Ryan Ingram, 6 Harry Fletcher, 7 Emerson Betty, 8 Jody Scott, 9 Luke Harrison, 10 Casper Kluczniak, 11 Seth Norman, 12 Liam Greens, 13 Stene Pijper, 14 Ashton Vale, 15 Cooper Rushen, 16 Jordy Loftus. Reserve: 17 Kayden Mundy.
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE LATEST
HOW IT STANDS
EDINBURGH are now close to clinching the title and they can do so if Leicester slip up in their away fixtures this week. Buxton remain in second place with their home clash against Leicester on Sunday now put back to a later date.
ACADEMY AWAY AND CLEAR
EDINBURGH are fast closing in on the WSRA NDL title after a sensational double header at Armadale on Friday.
The Monarchs Academy slammed rivals Leicester 65-25 and followed that up with a 59-31 beating of Buxton to move to the brink of the championship crown.
Manager Scott Wilson said: “It was beyond my wildest expectations. Obviously I have so much belief in this team but I could not have imagined that.
“The determination that they rode with tonight, nobody was beaten when they were behind. I’m so, so proud of them.”
TOUGH NIGHT FOR BULLS
BUXTON manager Laurence Rogers said his patched-up side had given it everything in their defeat at leaders Edinburgh last Friday.
The Bulls have one more home match remaining against Leicester, plus a trip to Oxford, to round off a successful return to racing at Hi-Edge in 2026.
Rogers said: “We battled hard during the meeting and were still in it at the midway point but they powered home in the second half of the meeting and in the end took a comfortable victory. But we battled throughout the meeting and I’m very proud of the lads.”
THE WEEK AHEAD…
KING’S Lynn host and NDL double header on Wednesday with the visits of first Leicester and then Middlesbrough… The Tigers then take on Leicester at the Ecco Arena on Friday.
FIXTURE PICTURE…
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 16:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Sheffield (45) v Northampton (45) 7.30
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF S/F 1st leg: Poole v Edinburgh 7.30
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Leicester 7pm, King’s Lynn v Middlesbrough (follows previous fixture)
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 17:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Northampton (45) v King’s Lynn (45) 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Edinburgh v Poole 7.30
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Middlesbrough (37) v Leicester (53) 7.30
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19:
BRITISH UNDER-19 FINAL: Plymouth 7pm
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Workington (44) v Redcar (46) 5pm
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 21:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: 4th v Belle Vue 7.30
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 22:
BSN SERIES FINAL 1st leg: Redcar v Poole 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23:
BSN SERIES FINAL 2nd leg: Poole v Redcar 7.30
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: 3rd v Leicester 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Glasgow v Scunthorpe 7.30
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26:
MAXICAB KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Berwick v Plymouth 7pm
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 27:
DERBYSHIRE OPEN: Buxton 3pm
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Belle Vue v 4th 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 1:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Leicester v 3rd 7.30
