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SPEEDWAY WEEKLY ROUND-UP
23 May 2006 - British Speedway Promoters Association
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST. MIKAEL Max is confident that he can return to top form for new club Arena-Essex as he gets more meetings under his belt following serious injury last year.
Max said: ''I hope things come together very soon as I need to be riding in England. It''s a very different style of riding here to what you need in Sweden and Poland.
''I''m not 100 per cent fit yet, and need meetings to get my fitness back. I''ve been riding well on the big circuits, so hopefully it will come here, too.''
BELLE VUE star Simon Stead is proud to get his chance to star in the British Grand Prix having been selected for the Wild Card berth at Cardiff a week on Saturday.
Stead said: ''I''m delighted because this is what I was working for during the winter and through the early part of the season.
''The Grand Prix is where I want to be and this is the chance I need to show that I deserve to be up there on a regular basis.''
COVENTRY co-boss Peter Oakes feels the Bees should start to climb the table when they race the home matches they have in hand over several of their rivals.
Oakes said: ''We''re disappointed with the away results but one of our biggest problems is our lop-sided fixture list. Home wins boost confidence, and that gives you the confidence to go and do well away.
''You normally get momentum going by winning a few matches at home, but no team is regularly winning away and things should even up later in the season as we will have a run of home meetings.''
EASTBOURNE co-promoter Jon Cook is excited to be tracking two of the country''s most promising prospects as Edward Kennett rejoins the club, where he will team up with Lewis Bridger.
Cook said: ''I know how delighted everyone at the club will be with this news. The prospect of Lewis and Ed in the same team is mouthwatering.
''We have looked at fixtures and Ed can ride in far more matches, particularly at home, than we could have hoped. It''s been a traumatic start to the season but the fans have stuck by us.''
IPSWICH star Kim Jansson says his improved form this season is down to a stern talking-to at the end of the 2005 campaign - by himself!
The Swede said: ''My head is much cooler right now. I said at the end of last season that I would rule out my ''stupid'' rides this year and this has happened.
''When I was crashing too much I was going back to square one each time. Now I am full of confidence and can''t wait for each meeting. I am concentrating on making good starts and then on the first bend, and it is paying dividends.''
OXFORD youngster Eric Andersson enjoyed the experience of lining up as reserve at the Swedish Grand Prix.
Andersson, who was one of the fastest riders in practice, didn''t get a ride on the night - but he was pleased to be there.
He said: ''It was mind-blowing to be alongside the top guys in the world and a great experience for me which I would love to do again.''
PETERBOROUGH owner Colin Horton is pleased with his team''s first two months of the season, with the Panthers looking to be in a strong position for a play-off place.
Horton said: '' I''m very happy with how things are going especially after such a tough start. We started with some very difficult away fixtures but we managed to turn things around quickly.
''Jesper B Jensen was good for us last year, but he has been even better this year, and he is also an absolute pleasure to deal with.''
POOLE boss Neil Middleditch admits he is somewhat concerned by the Pirates'' form on the road, which sees them without an away win so far this season.
Middleditch said: ''With ten weeks of the season already gone, it''s very disappointing. However, this year''s League competition is the tightest it has been for a long, long time, so we must take some comfort from that.
''But our poor run of away results places a lot more pressure on the lads to win, and win well, at home. Good home results put us in a good position to pick up the aggregate bonus points.''
READING have been rocked by an injury to free-scoring Polish reserve Janusz Kolodziej, who suffered a broken collarbone in a last-heat crash during his Polish Extraleague meeting last Sunday.
Kolodziej was racing for Tarnow, who defeated RKM Rybnik, and had already scored eleven points before he was unable to avoid his fallen team-mate Marcin Rempala in Heat 15.
Kolodziej said: ''It is a pity the injury happened in the last race, when our win was secure. The specialists say I will have to rest for a month, but I hope to be back on track much quicker. I am going to take laser treatment, maybe this will help me.''
SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter says the rest of his team need to respond to the challenge when the Robins take on Reading without Polish duo Sebastian Ulamek and Adrian Miedzinski.
Rossiter said: ''It is unfortunate that both Seba and Adrian won''t be with us. That means I shall be looking for the rest of the lads to step up to the plate to ensure we continue our winning run.
''I realise it is going to be tough, but equally I know we have the capability to do it. With it being a derby encounter there will be a great atmosphere, which I''m sure will be matched by the action on the track.''
WOLVERHAMPTON skipper Peter Karlsson reckons his side are bang on target for a play-iff place.
He said: ''These days it''s all about reaching your top form towards the end of July and into August when the race for the play-offs hots up.
''We''re looking good for some bonus points because we''ve run a couple of teams close away from home and we''re still unbeaten at home.'' PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST.. BERWICK promoter Peter Waite accepts that Knockout Cup progression for the Bandits will be difficult after they were held to a four-point first leg lead at home by King''s Lynn.
Waite said: ''We got the win, and that''s what we need to remember. We''ll hope for some good fortune in the next couple of weeks, as we go into a very busy period on our travels.''
EDINBURGH star Henrik Moller says he is getting to grips with the Premier League, and is enjoying the Armadale circuit after a good night against Newport in the Cup.
Moller said: ''I think that was my best match for Monarchs since I joined them. I felt really good and the new engine I was riding made a great difference.''
GLASGOW have announced a reduction in admission prices for Sunday''s clash with Stoke, with adult charges coming down to £10.
The Tigers are staging two meetings in two days over the Bank Holiday with local rivals Edinburgh visiting in the re-arranged Spring Trophy clash on Monday evening.
THE Isle of Wight are looking to get back on track with a busy run of four meetings in five days after crashing out of the Knockout Cup at Rye House on Saturday.
The Islanders face Premier League matches at Redcar, Edinburgh and Berwick on consecutive evenings as they look to translate their recent home form into success on the road.
KING''S LYNN team manager Rob Lyon is expecting Newcastle to provide a tougher test this week than the Stars have recently faced on their home circuit.
Lyon said: ''Their team consists of quite a few riders that you would pick as definite race winners at King''s Lynn, like George Stancl and Josef Franc who are two of the top Czech riders in the Premier League.''
MILDENHALL promoter Mick Horton is expecting another action-packed encounter when the Fen Tigers host local rivals King''s Lynn this weekend.
Horton said: ''The two teams have not met many times over the years despite their close proximity, but if the drama and emotion can match that of last month''s clash, then it will be a meeting that supporters up and down the country will not want to miss.''
NEWCASTLE co-promoter George English says the Diamonds are capable of beating Workington on aggregate this weekend in their re-arranged Knockout Cup tie.
English said: ''It''s a tough tie, but if we win that will be one of the hardest challenges out of the way. Keeping the score close at Workington is our first task and then we must make a much better start against them at Brough Park than we did on our opening night this year.''
NEWPORT promoter Tim Stone has rewarded Wasps star Carl Wilkinson for his early-season form with a place in the prestigious Welsh Open a week on Sunday.
Stone said: ''Carl is in the line-up on merit for what he has achieved this season, and he will no doubt be looking to make a major contribution to the entertainment in the meeting.''
REDCAR team manager Brian Havelock remains optimistic that the Bears can be a force, particularly around their home circuit.
Havelock said: ''It won''t be long before someone gets turned over here. It''s coming together and you can see there''s potential for more.''
INJURED Rye House youngster Jamie Courtney is expected to remain in hospital on the Isle of Wight for some time yet after a high-speed crash last Tuesday.
Courtney has suffered a cracked vertebrae and two broken ribs, and also a possible break to his shin.
SHEFFIELD co-promoter Neil Machin has given the thumbs-up to Argentinian Emiliano Sanchez for his form so far.
''Emiliano is a great character to have in our pits and he''s really working hard to master the Owlerton circuit,'' said Machin. ''But on the road he''s doing exactly what we want - and if he can keep it up then we should be onto a winner.''
SOMERSET will be without popular German Stephan Katt for their Premier League clash with King''s Lynn on Friday - because of a world cup qualifier.
He said: ''I''m gutted to be missing the match with King''s Lynn, but I have to be in Latvia by a certain time to sign in for the meeting and if I rode for Somerset it would have be too close to call as to whether I arrived there in time or not.''
STOKE manager John Adams accepted the Potters had given themselves too much to do in their Knockout Cup defeat by Somerset as they lost the away leg by 19 points.
Adams said: ''We had heavy rain after the first few races and that made conditions very greasy and difficult to pass on. We threw everything we could at them in the return.''
WORKINGTON boss Graham Drury will hold a team meeting before deciding on a revised riding order.
James Wright has shot up from third to first in the new Comets averages which means he has to take the number one or five racejacket.
Drury said: ''I''ll be asking the opinions of the riders before naming the new riding order, I need to know their views because it''s a big decision.'' FIXTURE PICTURE. TUESDAY MAY 23:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Newcastle 7.30 WEDNESDAY MAY 24:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Arena-Essex v Oxford 7.45, Belle Vue v Ipswich 7.45, Poole v Reading 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: King''s Lynn v Newcastle 7.30 THURSDAY MAY 25:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Eastbourne 7.30, Peterborough v Coventry 7.30, Swindon v Reading 7.45
PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Isle of Wight 7.30, Sheffield v Somerset 7.45 FRIDAY MAY 26:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Arena-Essex 8pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Isle of Wight 7.30, Somerset v King''s Lynn 7.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Boston v Scunthorpe 7.30, Plymouth v Newport 7.30 SATURDAY MAY 27:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Reading 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Workington v Newcastle 7pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Isle of Wight 7pm
ROBBIE KESSLER TESTIMONIAL: Stoke 6.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE KOC: Rye House v Mildenhall 7pm SUNDAY MAY 28:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Stoke 4pm, Mildenhall v King''s Lynn 3.30
PREMIER LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Newcastle v Workington 6.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Buxton v Mildenhall 3pm
BRITISH OPEN SIDECARS: Newport 2.30 MONDAY MAY 29:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 7.30, Reading v Belle Vue 7.30, Wolverhampton v Oxford 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Berwick 2pm, Workington v Stoke 7pm
CHALLENGE: Glasgow v Edinburgh 7.15
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Rye House v Boston (follows PL match), Scunthorpe v Newport 3pm TUESDAY MAY 30:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Berwick 7.30 WEDNESDAY MAY 31:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Arena-Essex v Coventry 7.45, Belle Vue v Reading 7.30, Oxford v Swindon 7.30, Poole v Wolverhampton 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: King''s Lynn v Berwick 7.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Stoke v Buxton 7.30 THURSDAY JUNE 1:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Wolverhampton 7.30, Swindon v Belle Vue 7.45
ELITE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Ipswich v Coventry 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v King''s Lynn 7.45
PRREMIER TROPHY: Redcar v Stoke 7.30 FRIDAY JUNE 2:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Newport v Glasgow 7.30, Somerset v Berwick 7.30
PREMIER TROPHY: Edinburgh v Sheffield 7.30
CHALLENGE: Plymouth v Exeter Select 7.30 SATURDAY JUNE 3:
FIM GRAND PRIX OF GREAT BRITAIN: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, 7pm SUNDAY JUNE 4:
ELITE LEAGUE PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP: Swindon 5pm
WELSH OPEN: Newport 1pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Glasgow 3.30, Rye House v Workington 2pm, Stoke v Berwick 7pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Boston 5pm MONDAY JUNE 5:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Peterborough 7.45, Eastbourne v Swindon 7.30, Reading v Ipswich 7.30, Wolverhampton v Arena-Essex 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Newport 7.30
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