BRITISH SPEEDWAY ROUND-UP #27

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

PIC OF THE WEEK…

SHEFFIELD are through to the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Grand Final – but only after surviving a huge scare in an incredible second leg at Leicester.
Guest Max Fricke and Josh Pickering came out on top in a dramatic Super Heat after the aggregate scores were tied at 90-90, sending the Tigers into the decider against Belle Vue.
The visitors were 24 points up from their home leg at Owlerton, but they faced a Lions onslaught back in the East Midlands with home Rising Star Joe Thompson producing the performance of his career with 14+1.
Photo credit: PHIL McGLYNN

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP LATEST

HOW IT STANDS
SHEFFIELD have joined Belle Vue in the Grand Final after a dramatic play-off semi-final win over Leicester, with the title decider to take place over the next week.

ACES SKIPPER IS READY
WORLD No.3 Brady Kurtz is ready to lead Belle Vue into Grand Final action this week as the club chase their third league title in five years.
Kurtz missed out on league title gold in Poland with Wroclaw who were defeated by Torun in the Grand Final, but he still has the opportunity to win league silverware again with the Aces.
He said: “Obviously it was cool the first year that we did it, and in ’24 (at Leicester), but we’ve never done it at home.
“That would be a much better deal and I’m super excited to bring the Grand Final here, and I’d love it to be a good one.
“It would be something pretty special but we’re pretty far away from it at the moment, and we need to focus.”

TIGERS MAKE IT – JUST!
SHEFFIELD needed every one of their 24-point lead to make it past Leicester in the play-off semi-final as they were put under huge pressure at the Hydroscand Arena.
The Tigers were taken right down to a Super Heat after the aggregate scores were tied, with guest No.1 Max Fricke and skipper Josh Pickering seeing them through.
Manager Simon Stead said: “The track was hard work, Stewart (Dickson – Leicester team manager) had got his boys firing and we couldn’t really live with them.
“Our middle order and our reserves were struggling early on and I know they’re disappointed, but what I would say is that they picked up some crucial points at Sheffield that put us in this position.
“Max was a fantastic guest once again and him and Picko stood up, was counted and got the job done in the end. All that matters is that we’re into that Final and we now get to dust ourselves off and go again.”

LIONS STILL SATISFIED
LEICESTER manager Stewart Dickson has stressed the bigger picture of the club’s success following Thursday’s agonising play-off defeat to Sheffield.
The Lions were just a point away from completing the greatest comeback in Premiership history as they missed out in a Super Heat after recovering from a 24-point first leg deficit to draw the semi-final on aggregate.
Dickson said: “If somebody offered you a heat advantage in Heat 15 to reach the Final after the first leg the way we raced there, you’d have grabbed it with both hands.
“When you get so close and don’t get it over the line you set yourself up for a bigger disappointment – but I believe this shows how far we’ve come as a club now.
“We’re gutted we didn’t reach the Final again, but we’re probably the most consistent team in the Premiership over the last three or four years.
“This is where we are now. We’ve raised the bar and we’re setting standards. Leicester will be challenging in semi-finals and finals as long as I’m here, I can guarantee that.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
THE first leg of the Grand Final between Shefield and Belle Vue takes place at Owlerton on Thursday, with the return fixture in Manchester set for next Monday, October 12… Northampton and King’s Lynn race their final league match of 2026 at the Shaleway on Tuesday.

CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP LATEST

HOW IT STANDS
BOTH remaining Finals are at the halfway stage with Scunthorpe leading Poole 49-41 after the first leg of the league Grand Final at the Eddie Wright Raceway last Friday, whilst Berwick lead Plymouth 58-32 after their home leg of the MAXiCab Knockout Cup Final.

FORD: BRING THE NOISE
POOLE promoter Dan Ford is calling on the Wimborne Road crowd to be the eighth man in the Cab Direct Championship Grand Final decider against Scunthorpe.
The Pirates have to pull back an eight-point deficit after going down 49-41 in the first leg as they look to complete a league and BSN Series double.
Ford said: “If the crowd come out and give us the vocal backing, as they so often do, then it can certainly fire up our lads if things do get a bit nervy out there.
“The lads showed true Pirate passion in the first leg and I have no doubt that we have the ability to retain the title, but there is going to be a lot of hard work and effort needed, both on and off the track, if we are to achieve our goal.”

GODFREY: UNDERDOGS SUITS US
SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey is happy to head to Poole as title underdogs on Wednesday as they look to defend an eight-point advantage against the reigning champions.
The Scorpions will track Jordan Jenkins as a guest for Jacob Hook as their late-season signing is ruled out after aggravating his collarbone injury.
Godfrey said: “Everyone seems to consider Poole as the favourites, and that’s fine with us – it places all the pressure on the Pirates. They are expected to win every season.
“We’ve been treated as the underdogs all season long and that suits us. The boys know what they need to do.”

BANDITS TRAVEL IN FORCE
BERWICK are set to be backed by huge travelling support at Plymouth on Saturday as they bid to secure the MAXiCab Knockout Cup.
The Bandits won the first leg 58-32 and are therefore in the box seat for the silverware – something club owner Jamie Courtney says was always the intention for 2026.
Courtney said: “We made it clear at the beginning of the season that we felt that the side assembled was capable of ending the club’s silverware drought.
“They tell me that there’ll be something like a couple of hundred dressed in black and gold heading to the south west for the second leg. We need to make sure that they have something to shout about after such a long trip.”

MONARCHS CALL ON ZISCHKE
EDINBURGH will track Tate Zischke as a guest in the rearranged second leg of the Scottish Cup at Armadale on Friday.
The Monarchs are set to be without Dan Thompson due to a dislocated shoulder with skipper Paco Castagna also missing as he heads to this weekend’s European Pairs Final.
Manager Alex Harkess said: “We start in front, and normally would be confident with the home leg coming up, though the absentees maybe work against us.
“I still feel we can win as I know the riders are determined to finish the season on a high, and send the supporters home happy.”

TIGERS CHASE TURNAROUND
GLASGOW boss Cami Brown is looking to finish the season on a high by overcoming local rivals Edinburgh in the Scottish Cup.
The Tigers have a difficult task ahead at Armadale on Friday as they go into the second leg 48-42 down from the opener at Ashfield.
Brown said: “It’s going to be really tough after such a poor home defeat in the first leg. It’s hard getting a result at Armadale at any time but we also have the task to get 49 points which is even harder.
“But we have two good guests in Nick Morris and Vinnie Foord. Nick was sensational and unbeaten in six rides for us in the league fixture last month.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
THE title decider takes place on Wednesday with Poole hosting Scunthorpe at Wimborne Road trailing by eight points from the first leg… Berwick travel to Plymouth on Saturday holding a 26-point advantage in the second leg of the MAXiCab Knockout Cup Final… Edinburgh and Glasgow complete the Scottish Cup on Friday in a rearranged fixture at Armadale with the Monarchs six points ahead from the away leg.

WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE LATEST

HOW IT STANDS
EDINBURGH are confirmed as league champions whilst Leicester’s win at Buxton on Sunday virtually guaranteed them second place. Oxford’s win over the Bulls last Friday leaves the defending champions in third although they could be overhauled by King’s Lynn.

GOOD WIN FOR LION CUBS
LEICESTER overcame the absence of three riders including the recently injured Freddy Hodder to collect their first NDL away win of the season at Buxton.
Ben Morley and Ryan Ingram starred for the Lion Cubs at Hi-Edge Raceway, with two 5-1s in the final two races securing a 50-40 victory.
Manager Jen Crossland said: “Our regular four riders were amazing, I can’t fault them at all, and I told our guests there was no pressure and they just had to learn from it.
“I don’t think Alfie Bowtell was 100 per cent fit for Buxton if I’m being really honest, but even so we were superb and I was so proud of them.”

BULLS WILL CARRY ON
BUXTON’S two weekend defeats which relegated them to the foot of the NDL table were tempered by the excellent news that they will be back at the tapes in 2027.
The Hi-Edge club returned to the sport this year under new promotion after nearly a decade away, and have worked hard behind the scenes to make the comeback a success.
Manager Laurence Rogers said: “The directors have sat down and looked towards 2027 and have decided that the club will return next season. I cannot wait to get started, and I’m already looking to next season with a lot of enthusiasm.
“I’m delighted that the supporters now know they have a team to support next year. It also shows riders that we are stable and that we know the club is running.”

CHARGERS END WITH A WIN
DEFENDING champions Oxford ended the NDL campaign with a 58-32 win over Buxton to move back into the top half of the table.
Jody Scott scored a 15-point maximum for the Chargers with Darryl Ritchigns also unbeaten and youngster Harry Fletcher adding 10+3.
Fletcher said: “It’s been good riding with the Chargers this season. I’ve had plenty of help from the management, my fellow riders, while a big thank you to all my sponsors.
“It’s been good being in the same team as Jody and Darryl, who have passed on their experience.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
LEICESTER race their penultimate home fixture when King’s Lynn visit the Hydroscand Arena on Sunday with a 5pm start.

FIXTURE PICTURE…

TUESDAY OCTOBER 6:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Northampton (45) v King’s Lynn (45) 7.30

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 7:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Poole (41) v Scunthorpe (49) 7.30

THURSDAY OCTOBER 8:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Sheffield v Belle Vue 7.30

FRIDAY OCTOBER 9:
SCOTTISH CUP 2nd leg: Edinburgh (48) v Glasgow (42) 7.30

SATURDAY OCTOBER 10:
MAXICAB KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Plymouth (32) v Berwick (58) 7pm

SUNDAY OCTOBER 11:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester (45) v King’s Lynn (45) 5pm

MONDAY OCTOBER 12:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Belle Vue v Sheffield 7.30

FRIDAY OCTOBER 16:
TEESSIDE SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester (25) v Edinburgh (65) 7pm