BRITISH SPEEDWAY ROUND-UP #6

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

PIC OF THE WEEK…

IPSWICH have over the last week continued their impressive start to the 2024 ROWE Motor Oil Premiership campaign. The Witches are back on top of the table after a 47-43 win at Leicester, which was then followed-up with a 37-23 home success against King’s Lynn on Bank Holiday Monday.
Photo credit: RICHARD BOETTCHER

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP…

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK
IN a week where there were several outstanding performances from reserves in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership, King’s Lynn’s PATRYK WOJDYLO edges it for his 17+1 paid maximum against Birmingham, on the basis that this was a match-winning contribution. In almost any other week, we would have been selecting Craig Cook’s debut for Oxford at Sheffield where he scored 16!

DOUBLE AUSSIE DELIGHT
IPSWICH manager Ritchie Hawkins had high praise for Australian duo Jason Doyle and Keynan Rew after the Witches won their top-of-the-table clash at Leicester last Thursday.
Hawkins said: “Doyley has been terrific all season and he was again tonight. Keynan was superb, he was the main factor in us winning the meeting.
“We know he has the potential and he showed it tonight and it looks like British racing is starting to click for him now.
“We can’t get too carried away; he needs to carry it on this month at reserve but I’m happy to see the progress he is showing.”

COOK’S INSPIRED DEBUT
CRAIG Cook made a sensational debut for Oxford with 16 points at Sheffield including a Heat 15 win over Grand Prix stars Jack Holder and Tai Woffinden.
Cook said: “I’m happy to be back in the top-flight and delighted to start with such a great meeting for myself. It was a shame that the team just lost out, but the Sheffield are the champions and their boys are very strong around here.
“Heat 15 was a special way to finish the night, by beating both Tai Woffinden and Jack Holder in the same race, because they were on fire going into that race.
“I feel quite emotional about it all – I don’t want to bang on about it too much, but life’s been tough and now I’m enjoying my racing again and it means the world to me, because I love this sport. It feels like a weight has dropped off my shoulders.”

TIGERS TAKE THE POINTS
SHEFFIELD manager Simon Stead says the fact that his side still claimed the victory and aggregate point against Oxford despite Craig Cook’s remarkable performance should be regarded as a positive.
Stead said: “When I was looking at the line-up and I saw Craig at reserve for them I knew it was going to be a difficult match. He’s been on fire so far this season and they’ve also got a lot of lads who can ride this track very well.
“It did feel like we’d got it under control but when they’ve got somebody like Craig going so well who they could essentially put in anywhere they wanted, that made it quite difficult to manage.
“So the fact that Craig has done what he’s done and we’ve still managed to come out on top and get the aggregate point was everything that we needed.”

BEN – REDEMPTION FOR ACES
BELLE Vue star Ben Cook said the side had put things right after last week’s narrow defeat at Birmingham with their emphatic victory over the Brummies in the return fixture on Monday.
Cook, who scored 9+1, said: “We didn’t get off to the start we wanted to but after a couple of heats we got the ball rolling and got the job done, but Birmingham didn’t make it easy.
“There were some races we expected a little bit more of a challenge from, but those are the opportunities you have to capitalise on, and I think we took every chance we were presented.
“On the whole, we can be happy with this result. We’re still disappointed about Perry Barr but that’s done with now, and I feel we redeemed ourselves here at home.”

NO TIME FOR BRUMMIES
BIRMINGHAM manager Sam Ermolenko admitted he was a worried man after the 57-33 defeat at Belle Vue on Monday, with certain riders struggling to make an impact in the Premiership.
Ermolenko said: “We’re getting to the point where we’re running out of time now; I’m running out of things that I can tell them and what I can tell them to do next and it’s frustrating.
“I’m not happy, I’m sure our boss (Nigel Tolley – CEO) isn’t happy, I’m equally sure our fans are disappointed. Let’s just say we need to figure a solution.”

EYE ON THE FUTURE
LEICESTER manager Stewart Dickson says the club’s decision to switch riders in the Rising Star position with the signing of Sam Hagon to replace Joe Thompson is a move made with both the present and the future in mind.
Dickson said: “I’m not asking or expecting Sam to come in and score a bundle of points straight away, because we know it’s a very tough league, but I also spoke to (Poole promoter) Matt Ford about him, someone whose opinions I do respect, and he was of the same view.
“It might take him a few meetings to get up to speed but for me he’s only going one way, and if he needs any practices at Leicester we can certainly get him in.
“He jumped at the chance and is very keen, he’s desperate to race his bike and fingers crossed he can get us a couple of points each meeting, that will be his target.”

STARS SUFFER MUSIELAK BLOW
KING’S Lynn will be without No.1 and captain Tobiasz Musielak over the coming weeks after the Polish star suffered a broken collarbone in the win over Birmingham on Thursday – with his absence clearly felt when they lost at Ipswich on Bank Holiday Monday.
Manager Rob Lyon said: “It was always going to be tough without our talisman and No.1 who’s pretty good around Ipswich, so we knew it was going to be a tough meeting.
“We were sort of hanging in there a little bit but it was obvious what the result was going to be, it was one of those days.”

CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP…

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK
REDCAR youngster JASON EDWARDS scored his first ever maximum at senior level with an unbeaten show from five rides at Workington in the Cab Direct KO Cup – a venue where he had picked up just two points on the Bears’ previous visit last month! An honourable mention also goes to Poole reserve Sam Hagon for his 11+1 in the Pirates’ narrow win at Berwick.

LAWSON SECURES PIRATES WIN
POOLE No.1 Richard Lawson got the better of Rory Schlein in a dramatic battle for second place in Heat 15 to ensure the Pirates kicked off their Cab Direct Championship campaign with an away win at Berwick.
Lawson said: “There wasn’t much room there and there was really only one option and I took it, and to be fair to Schleiny he rode me very hard but it was fair, so it takes two to make for a good race.
“This is a track you can ride hard on, for sure, but against the right opponent. It can be sketchy but when there is good, fair racing it is good.
“It’s fantastic to get off with a good opening league win. We all said that this would be a really difficult meeting.”

SCORPIONS’ WINNING START
SCUNTHORPE boss David Howe said the plan had come together as his side opened their Cab Direct Championship schedule with a 46-44 win at Redcar.
Howe said: “We knew Redcar were strong in Heats 13 and 15 but we planned for that and made sure we built up and then kept the lead before that. Tofty (Michael Palm Toft) had a really strong evening and he produced the race win we needed to clinch the meeting in Heat 14.
“Of course, it’s fantastic to start our Cab Direct Championship fixtures with an away win, but I feel there’s still much more to come from us. I don’t believe we’re yet riding at our full potential.”

CHEETAHS CHARGE THROUGH
OXFORD boss Peter Schroeck was pleased to see his side reach their full potential with an impressive home win over Glasgow to knock the Tigers out of the Cab Direct KO Cup.
Schroeck said: “Despite the 12-point-deficit from the first leg, I always felt we could do it. I retained faith in the boys and that paid off.
“It felt good. Glasgow are big hitters. They are the current league champions and they know how to win silverware. We put in a team performance and within that, several individuals stood up and showed what they’re all about.”

CRUCIAL SCOTTISH DECIDERS
EDINBURGH promoter John Campbell is looking forward to group-deciding BSN Series fixtures coming up against Glasgow – and says his side will go for the win at Ashfield this week.
He said: “With our win and bonus point against the (Berwick) Bandits we are now in a shootout with Glasgow for the top spot in the Scottish section. The winner of the aggregate point will top the section and qualify for the semi-final.
“Depending on the results in the other sections, it is just possible that we will both qualify but we’ll be going flat out for the win on Friday at Ashfield with the winner-takes-all final qualifier here (Armadale) on May 31.”

TIGERS – MORE TO COME
GLASGOW manager Cami Brown admitted he was relieved to secure a narrow home win over Workington in the league opener, with issues still to resolve after their Cab Direct KO Cup exit at Oxford.
Brown said: “Chris (Harris) won all the big races including two of the last three to make sure we didn’t slip up. There were some big performances from the boys.
“As a team we still have a lot to work on. Steve Worrall and Paul Starke had a tough night but I’m encouraged with the fighting spirit of this side.”

BANDITS ARE IMPROVING
BERWICK director Jamie Courtney has given a ‘satisfactory’ verdict to the opening weeks of the season for the Shielfield Park side, who have clearly stepped up from last year despite an injury setback for No.1 Lewis Kerr.
Courtney said: “Having to cover for Lewis is not ideal but I think we have chosen the best available guests while the rest of the side have risen to the challenge.
“Despite the odd setback I think we have managed to maintain that pre-season buzz around the club and the feeling that we are not going to be easy pickings for anyone home or away in 2024.”

VUOLAS BACK FOR COMETS
WORKINGTON are set to return to full strength this weekend with Antti Vuolas due back from concussion, which will boost the Comets after their exit from the Cab Direct KO Cup at the hands of Redcar.
Manager James Denham said: “Things just didn’t happen, we were beaten by the better team. We weren’t really getting out of the gates which makes it harder, but we will move on from it. The team are determined to get back on it and I know they will.
“We do have good news about Antti who had an assessment regarding his concussion, and he will be back fit to ride at Scunthorpe on Friday.”

JAKE ON THE UP
REDCAR reserve Jake Mulford has praised the spirit in the Bears’ camp as the riders look to find full consistency, with last weekend’s Cab Direct KO Cup win at Workington being a major boost.
Mulford said: “After the injury last season it’s been so long since I’ve been on a bike that at times it has felt like I have had to start again from scratch. I did do a bit of practising over the winter, but nothing can prepare you for the season ahead and how hard racing can be sometimes.
“The team spirit amongst us has never dropped even after the poor start results-wise, and we are all really pulling together and trying to get more consistency.”

NEWS IN BRIEF
PLYMOUTH impressed at home once again with a win over Oxford to keep their BSN Series hopes alive, whilst the Gladiators’ league campaign opens against Workington next Tuesday.

WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE…

THE WSRA National Development League resumes on Sunday (May 12) when leaders Leicester host Belle Vue.
The Lion Cubs opened the season with a 49-38 win in the reverse fixture at the National Speedway Stadium, so the aggregate point will also be up for grabs.
This weekend also sees the start of the British Youth Championship, with the 250cc and 125A categories racing at Workington on Saturday following the Comets’ Cab Direct Championship fixture against Glasgow.

FIXTURE PICTURE…

WEDNESDAY MAY 8:
BSN SERIES: Oxford (29) v Poole (61) 8pm

THURSDAY MAY 9:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: King’s Lynn (42) v Leicester (47) OFF (Prov re-staging July 1)
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Sheffield (41) v Belle Vue (49) 7.30

FRIDAY MAY 10:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Redcar v Berwick 7.30
BSN SERIES: Glasgow v Edinburgh 7.30, Scunthorpe (34) v Workington (56) 7.30

SATURDAY MAY 11:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick v Redcar 7pm, Workington (43) v Glasgow (47) 3pm
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP: Workington (follows Champ fixture) (250cc/125A)

SUNDAY MAY 12:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester (49) v Belle Vue (38) 3pm

MONDAY MAY 13:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Belle Vue v Oxford 7.30, Birmingham (41) v King’s Lynn (49) 7.30, Sheffield v Ipswich 7.30

TUESDAY MAY 14:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Plymouth v Workington 7pm

WEDNESDAY MAY 15:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Oxford v Redcar 7.30, Poole v Workington 7.30

THURSDAY MAY 16:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: King’s Lynn (32) v Sheffield (58) 7.30
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Ipswich v Birmingham 7.30

FRIDAY MAY 17:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh v Plymouth 7.30
CAB DIRECT KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Scunthorpe (36) v Berwick (54) 7.30

SATURDAY MAY 18:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick v Plymouth 7pm, Workington v Edinburgh 3pm

SUNDAY MAY 19:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester v Scunthorpe/Sheffield 3pm, Oxford v Middlesbrough 3pm

MONDAY MAY 20:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Belle Vue (48) v King’s Lynn (42) 7.30