SPEEDWAY WEEKLY ROUND-UP
04 April 2006 - British Speedway Promoters Association

ELITE LEAGUE LATEST...

ARENA-ESSEX promoter Ronnie Russell says the Hammers can turn Purfleet into a fortress after an encouraging start to the season.

Russell said: ''We have now had three comprehensive home wins against sides that many believe will have a very strong say in who wins the League.

''With our good home form I now just hope that the public will start coming here in increased numbers . The standard of racing has been exceptional so far.''

BELLE VUE boss Ian Thomas is happy with his team''s start to the season - although he feels there is still much more to come.

Thomas said: ''We''ve played three, won two and lost by just two points at Peterborough where we would have won but for bike problems.

''We haven''t hit top form yet because we''ve had two matches rained off and the boys need regular racing. But I''m happy with the way things are going.''

COVENTRY skipper Scott Nicholls was convinced that the Bees had been denied an away win at Poole by the weather, with rain forcing a halt with the visitors six points up after nine races.

Nicholls said: ''Conditions had become a lottery, but we had put ourselves in a good position and had we managed to complete 12 heats for a result, I am sure we would have held on to our lead.

''We now have to carry on where we left off when we are back at home on Friday.''
EASTBOURNE boss Jon Cook has hailed Nicki Pedersen and Adam Shields after their last heat heroics in the 47-46 win over Peterborough.

Eagles trailed by ten points with three heats to go but hauled themselves back into contention with Pedersen''s tactical ride win in Heat 13.

Cook said: ''It was a magnificent effort and a thrilling end to the meeting. The fans loved it and both Nicki and Adam were superb, it was an amazing turnaround.''

IPSWICH coach Jeremy Doncaster says the Witches must sharpen up their gating if they are to remain unbeaten on their home circuit.

Doncaster said: ''With the work done during the winter to smooth out the surface, the circuit is now one of the fairest in the league.

''It can be a bit too fair at times and it was right up Swindon''s street last Thursday when their fast gaters looked at one time as though they were going to win the meeting for the Robins.''

OXFORD promoter Aaron Lanney has confirmed that reigning World Champion Tony Rickardsson''s short-term deal with the Cheetahs will end on Good Friday.

Lanney said: ''I did say at the time of signing Tony that it was never going to be perfect having a rider for such a short amount of time so there is no surprise there.

''It was a gamble I was prepared to take for a new era of Oxford Speedway and I hope our fans can see that I have tried very hard to make it work.''

PETERBOROUGH manager Trevor Swales says there must be no repeat of the Panthers'' shock home defeat by Reading, who came away from the Showground with an 11-point win.

Swales said: ''I''m gutted. I absolutely hate losing, as do all of the riders, and losing at home is ten times worse than losing away.

''Full credit to Reading, but we should have been better and we now have to re-group and make sure it never happens again.''

POOLE''S Craig Boyce accepted the Pirates might have had a stroke of good fortune when their home match against Coventry was abandoned with the Pirates 24-30 down.
Boyce said: ''It''s hard to say what would have happened if the meeting hadn''t been called off. I know we were six points down but nobody''s head was down and we were still gunning for the win.

''Maybe you could say we got out of jail, but we would have fought until the end and seen what would have happened.''

READING boss Jim Lynch gave fast-rising Polish star Janusz Kolodziej
call-ups to Heat 13 and 15 against Ipswich - and the rider responded by teaming up with skipper Greg Hancock for two 5-1s.

Lynch said: ''It was getting a bit nerve-wracking and so we decided to send out the young Pole. It was a bit of a gamble, but it paid off.

''It was important that we won at home after the two good away wins we have had recently.''

SWINDON promoter Alun Rossiter believes that this week''s clashes with Poole will be a good test of the Robins'' good start to the campaign.

Rossiter said: ''Poole have raised the bar and set the benchmark, and
although they didn''t enjoy the best of fortunes last year, you can be sure they will be striving for success again this term.

''We will have to be right on the gas to maintain our 100 per cent home
record, it''s potentially a tough match but I know we have the lads to do
it.''

RONNIE Correy is pleased to be back with parent club Wolverhampton after agreeing a deal to replace Krzysztof Pecyna, who has returned to Poland for personal reasons.
Correy said: ''It''s great to be back on my home territory. I''ve been riding this place for so many years and you don''t forget how to get round it!

''We look to have a very good team, and once everyone gets cracking and gets a few meetings under their belt I think we will have a good, solid side.''

PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST...

BERWICK promoter Peter Waite was pleased to see his investment in a new track surface pay off with good racing in a narrow win over Sheffield.

Waite said: ''The new track really rode very well and provided some of the best racing I''ve seen here at Shielfield in over 30 years. The lads are up for success now and the track is right up to their expectations.''

EDINBURGH''S returning reserve Derek Sneddon collected double figures against Glasgow on his comeback to the Monarchs'' team after two years out.

He said: ''I couldn''t have asked for much more, I am over the moon. Just to be back racing in the Premier League is good enough but to score a good few points too, I''m well happy.''

GLASGOW skipper Shane Parker is expecting another tough test when the Tigers face Workington at Ashfield this weekend.

Parker said: ''I believe that they have one of the most balanced sides in the League. Our first meeting against Sheffield was an excellent one and I don''t expect this one to be much different, perhaps even better!''

ISLE OF WIGHT promoter Dave Pavitt says he will not be rushed into panic moves, but is monitoring his riders'' displays after a recent heavy defeat at Mildenhall.

Pavitt said: ''It is very eary days and we are certainly not in panic mode at this stage. If it comes to it, though, we won''t hesitate to make changes at the appropriate time.''

KING''S LYNN manager Rob Lyon says the Stars can collect the aggregate bonus point against Rye House with just a couple of riders improving their scores.

Lyon said: ''Although we lost by ten points I believe we have a chance of reeling that in and I will be looking for better performances from one or two members of the team, because every point can really make the difference.''

MILDENHALL promoter Mick Horton is confident that the Fen Tigers can take the aggregate bonus point from this weekend''s clash with Newport.

Horton said: ''We really deserved our draw there, we dug deep and got a fair result. People keep labelling us as underdogs and that suits us fine.''

NEWCASTLE manager George English was cursing his side''s misfortune as a 5-0 reverse in Heat 14 played a significant part in the Diamonds'' one-point defeat at Stoke.

English said: ''It was just gut-wrenching to have Heat 14 turn on us as it did with two riders falling and gifting the match to the Potters. We were worth more.''

NEWPORT promoter Tim Stone was unhappy that the Wasps dropped a home point when they were held to a draw by Mildenhall last weekend.

Stone said: ''Taking nothing away from them, I feel we let it go. A couple of our riders had off-days and they will not be happy with that.''

REDCAR''S new American signing Chris Kerr says that he will be watching his skipper Gary Havelock closely when the Bears launch their season over Easter.

Kerr said: ''I can''t wait to start working with Gary, he''s got a lot of
experience and I''m looking forward to learning everything I can from him.''

RYE HOUSE skipper Stuart Robson is to have an operation on his broken right wrist on Wednesday, and hopes to be back in action before the six-week target he was initially given.

Robson, just hitting form after serious injury at the end of last season,
tangled with Kevin Doolan at Hoddesdon last Saturday but is in upbeat mood and hopes to miss the minimum number of League matches.

SHEFFIELD co-owner Malcolm Wright says that Emiliano Sanchez, the club''s winter signing from Hull, could hold the key to their chances of succes.

Wright said: ''He has what it takes to do well on the away tracks and I''m encouraged by what I''ve seen from him so far. I would ask our fans to be a little patient with him during home meetings as our track is very daunting to visitors and Emiliano will need time.''

SOMERSET boss Mick Bell has confirmed that the club have held talks with Glen Phillips about a short-term deal to replace the injured Jamie Smith.

Bell said: ''I cannot rely on the rider replacement facility, it would leave
us with too much pressure on the rest of the boys, particularly the reserves.''
STOKE promoter Dave Tattum was happy enough with a 45-44 win against Newcastle, as the Potters have been short of racing during the season so far.

Tattum said: ''It was only our second meeting of the season and it''s been two weeks since the team raced competitively. What we need more than anything now is to get a run of meetings going.''

WORKINGTON promoter Graham Drury says the Comets must be wary of club asset Kauko Nieminen when he returns to Derwent Park this weekend with Glasgow.
Drury said: ''I expect ''Niemo'' to be fired-up and keen to show us what he can do. We are only too aware of what he can do and he will be a major threat.''

FIXTURE PICTURE...

TUESDAY APRIL 4:
ELITE LEAGUE: Arena Essex v Swindon 7.30
PREMIER TROPHY: Mildenhall v Newport 7.30

WEDNESDAY APRIL 5:
ELITE LEAGUE: Oxford v Peterborough 7.30, Poole v Swindon 7.30
PREMIER TROPHY: King''s Lynn v Rye House 7.30
BRITISH UNDER-21 QUALIFIER: Stoke 7.30

THURSDAY APRIL 6:
ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Reading 7.30, Swindon v Poole 7.30
ELITE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Peterborough v Arena Essex 7.30
PREMIER TROPHY: Sheffield v Edinburgh 7.45

FRIDAY APRIL 7:
ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Ipswich 8pm
PREMIER TROPHY: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, Somerset v Isle of Wight 7.30
CHALLENGE: Boston v Scunthorpe 7.30

SATURDAY APRIL 8:
ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Wolverhampton 7.30
PREMIER TROPHY: Berwick v Newcastle 7pm, Rye House v Isle of Wight 7pm, Stoke v Sheffield 7.30, Workington v Glasgow 7pm, Mildenhall v Newport 7pm
CHALLENGE: Mildenhall v USA Dream Team (follows PT meeting).

SUNDAY APRIL 9:
PREMIER TROPHY: Glasgow v Workington 4pm, Newcastle v Edinburgh 6.30, Newport v Rye House 2.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Newport v Rye House (follows PT meeting)
BRITISH UNDER-21 QUALIFIER: Scunthorpe 3pm

MONDAY APRIL 10:
ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry 7.45, Wolverhampton v Peterborough 7.30
ELITE LEAGE KO CUP: Reading v Swindon 7.30

TUESDAY APRIL 11:
TEST MATCH: Team GB v Sweden at Swindon 7.30
PREMIER TROPHY: Isle of Wight v Newport 7.30

WEDNESDAY APRIL 12:
ELITE LEAGUE: Oxford v Eastbourne 7.30

THURSDAY APRIL 13:
ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP: Swindon v Reading 7.30
PREMIER TROPHY: Redcar v Sheffield 7.30
BRITISH UNDER-21 QUALIFIER: Rye House 7pm

FRIDAY APRIL 14:
ELITE LEAGUE: Arena-Essex v Ipswich 8pm, Belle Vue v Wolverhampton 11am, Coventry v Wolverhampton 8pm, Eastbourne v Poole 7pm, Ipswich v Arena-Essex 2.15pm, Oxford v Reading 12.30pm, Peterborough v Swindon 7.30pm, Poole v Eastbourne 11am, Reading v Oxford 7.45pm
PREMIER TROPHY: Edinburgh v Workington 7.30, Somerset v Newport 7.30, Sheffield v Redcar 7.30, King''s Lynn v Isle of Wight 7.30

SATURDAY APRIL 15:
PREMIER TROPHY: Berwick v Workington 7pm, Stoke v Redcar 7.30pm
CHALLENGE: Rye House v Wimbledon 7pm

SUNDAY APRIL 16:
ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS'' CHAMPIONSHIP at Poole 5pm
PREMIER TROPHY: Glasgow v Newcastle 4pm, Mildenhall v Rye House 5pm, Newport v Somerset 2.30pm
CHALLENGE: Mildenhall v Boston (follows PT meeting), Buxton v USA Dream Team 3pm

www.british-speedway.co.uk

More News
  For April 2006
  From British Speedway Promoters Association
  For Speedway
  Biker247.com Home Page