SPEEDWAY ROUNDUP - 27TH JUNE
27 June 2006 - British Speedway Promoters Association

ELITE LEAGUE LATEST...

ARENA-ESSEX promoter Ronnie Russell feels that the worst is now behind the club in terms of the crippling injury list which has led to a number of heavy defeats.
Russell said: ''I ask that the Hammers fans bear with us as I sincerely hope that this run of injuries is coming to an end and that within the next couple of weeks we should be back to full strength.

''We started the season well and it is only the injuries and the lack of suitable replacements that have caused us to find ourselves down near the bottom of the table.''
BELLE VUE star Simon Stead will take over the No.1 race-jacket for the Aces when the new averages come in next month.

Stead said: ''I''ve guested at No 1 before but I''ve never worn the No 1 race jacket for any of my teams in the past. I''ve got to look at it as another step of the way up.
''It proves the progression I have made so far this year. It''s another challenge and one I''m ready for.''

COVENTRY co-boss Peter Oakes says that the club will be reviewing Martin Smolinski''s travel arrangements after the German was a late arrival at Wolverhampton on Monday.
Oakes said: ''Martin missed his flight after being stuck in traffic on his way to the airport in Poland, and he''ll probably be even more disappointed than we were, although he did make the effort to get to Wolverhampton.

''But basically it shouldn''t happen. If you''re racing in another country you should stay at the airport overnight, and that''s what we''ll be talking to Martin about doing in future.''
EASTBOURNE promoter Jon Cook says that the Eagles'' comfortable win over Peterborough has given him fresh hope that the men from Arlington can reach the play-offs.

Cook said: ''It''s not impossible, if we get into the same rhythm away from home we can still make the play-offs, and this is the first night when I have actually believed that.
''Hopefully over the next two months we will carry this on, not slip up at home and start picking up some points away.''

IPSWICH manager Mike Smillie was pleased to see the Witches improve their away record by taking full advantage of Arena-Essex''s problems with a win at Purfleet.
Smillie said: ''It was a good time to ride at Arena Essex as they are suffering all sorts of injury problems.

''And we made the most of it at a period of the season when we need to start picking up an away win or two.''

OXFORD promoter Aaron Lanney remains optimistic about the remainder of the season, especially with Czech star Ales Dryml now back at Cowley.

Lanney said: ''We now have two good heatleaders in Todd (Wiltshire) and Ales, and our second strings in the 2,3 and 4 positions are potential match winners.

''Lubos (Tomicek) and Eric (Andersson) will continue to improve at reserve and I have a good feeling about the second half of the season. We now have a team that can win at home and compete well away from Cowley.''

PETERBOROUGH''S new Polish signing Karol Zabik took an immediate liking to the Showground track with a score of 13 points, including four race wins, against Belle Vue.
Zabik said: ''I found it easy to ride on this kind of circuit. You could see that the track at Wolverhampton was much harder for me.

''It was hard to make the turns when I rode there so I could score just four points, but this night was much better and I hope I can do more in the future.''

POOLE team boss Neil Middleditch is pleased that Antonio Lindback should be fit for an important home match against Coventry on Wednesday.

Middleditch said: ''That takes a little of the pressure of the rest of the side. He has been in exceptionally good form recently and to lose him from this match would really stretch our resources.

''I seem to be saying every week, but we have to continue winning at home if we are to stay with those sides above us in the league standings. Our poor away form puts even more pressure on us not to drop points when we race at Poole.''

READING boss Jim Lynch feels that Monday''s win over Poole was a good prelude to the forthcoming Cup clashes between the clubs.

Lynch said: ''The quality of racing we''re witnessing at Reading at the moment is second to none. Smallmead is certainly the place to be these days.

''The track is sorted now and it''s starting to provide some excellent entertainment, and next week''s cup ties against the Pirates are going to be really exciting as well.''

SWINDON''S management have stated that they intend to keep faith with their current line-up despite suffering several defeats with riders unavailable recently.
Promoter Terry Russell and manager Alun Rossiter held talks after last week''s home defeat by Reading and said: ''We will not be making any team changes at the moment as there is nobody out there better than what we have got at present.

''We have had a good team meeting with all of the riders. It was positive and they all want to ride for Swindon, contrary to some of the rumours going around that certain riders want to be back home in their own country.''''

WOLVERHAMPTON star Billy Hamill says there is even more to come after dropping just one point from five rides against Coventry on Monday.

Hamill said: ''I had a pretty bad off-night last week so I was very determined to get back to my best this week.

''We got it about 75 per cent right for Monday so it certainly wasn''t bad and it''s something I can take stock of, and hopefully find a sweet set-up and excel from there. I think I''ve still yet to find that this year.''

PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST...

BERWICK promoter Peter Waite is relieved that the Bandits currently have a break from fixtures after seeing several riders pick up injuries recently.

Waite said: ''I only hope riders return to fitness soon otherwise we might be in desperate stakes, but thankfully our next match is not until Redcar on July 6.''
EDINBURGH skipper Theo Pijper says that a recent meeting between the riders and management has paid dividends for the Armadale club.

Pijper said: ''We want to have a better team spirit and I think the get-together helped. When we started the season the spirit among the team was wonderful, and I think we are getting back to what we had.''

GLASGOW co-promoter Alan Dick says the Tigers have much to look forward to in the remainder of the campaign having moved into the last four of the Knockout Cup.
Dick said: ''It''s important that we build up a new momentum and make the second half of the season even more successful.''

THE Isle of Wight are looking to further boost their Premier League position during a busy spell of four matches in five days this week, during which Jason Bunyan should return from a broken collarbone.

Co-promoter Dave Pavitt said: ''It''s going to be tough on both man and machinery but, hopefully, we can return south with some vital Premier League points in our possession.''
KING''S LYNN co-promoter Buster Chapman hailed the 20-point showing of in-form Kevin Doolan at Hoddesdon as the Stars qualified for the Knockout Cup semi-finals at the expense of Rye House.

Chapman said: ''Ideally I would have liked to have seen us take a bigger lead from the home leg than just 13 points but in the end that proved to be enough, and Kevin''s score was amazing.''

MILDENHALL assistant boss Blayne Scroggins says the riders owe the fans some improved home form after crashing out of the Cup to Somerset.

Scroggins said: ''We''ve lost two at home now and we can''t afford to lose any more at West Row. The riders have to lift their heads up and put in a performance that the fans deserve and the management too.''

NEWCASTLE manager George English was in no doubt that the damage had been done in the away leg at Glasgow as the Diamonds were knocked out of the Cup.

English said: ''Had we got a decent result up at Glasgow, then we might have stood a chance, but there were too many points lost up there where we should not have ever lost them.''

NEWPORT promoter Tim Stone says the return from injury of Neil Collins should make life easier for his team who have also been without top man Craig Watson.
Stone said: ''We hope that now that we are able to field seven riders the enforced burdens we suffered are now a thing of the past, and we can enjoy the benefits of having seven in the team.''

REDCAR boss Brian Havelock was encouraged by a narrow seven-point defeat at Workington after several heavier away losses earlier in the season.
Havelock said: ''It was a solid all-round performance. We began well and led 11-7 after three races, and managed to stay with them.''

RYE HOUSE have announced another free admission night of Conference League
racing when the Raiders take on Plymouth on Saturday July 8.

The original promotion earlier in June was a huge success and the club hope that existing supporters bring along family and friends for the match against the Devils.
SHEFFIELD skipper Andre Compton feels the Tigers are bang on course to win silverware later this season as they continue to be involved in all competitions.

Compton said: ''It''s looking good for us and there is definitely a belief within the camp that we can go all the way this season. Hopefully we can keep it together and avoid any injuries.''

SOMERSET owner Pete Toogood is delighted to have captured the services of Emil Kramer as a replacement for the injured Paul Fry.

Toogood said: ''He''s in an environment where he feels comfortable and that''s an important aspect of any rider making a success out of his career. He made a superb debut on Sunday.''

STOKE have postponed Saturday''s Premier League clash with Somerset due to England''s football World Cup quarter-final clash with Portugal.

Promoter Dave Tattum said: ''We know that a lot of supporters are following England''s fortunes and we have taken this decision in order to save them making a choice.''
WORKINGTON star Paul Thorp was happy enough with his comeback from injury when he won two races in a seven-point score against Redcar.

Thorp said: ''I''m about 70 per cent fit at the moment. I can just about get my boot on and we have another week before our next meeting to rest it. I''ve been out long enough and want to get back.''

FIXTURE PICTURE...

TUESDAY JUNE 27:
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP: Newport v Edinburgh 7pm

WEDNESDAY JUNE 28:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Arena-Essex v Eastbourne 7.45, Belle Vue v Wolverhampton 7.45, Oxford v Peterborough 7.30, Poole v Coventry 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Sheffield 7.30, King''s Lynn v Somerset 7.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Stoke v Newport 7.30

THURSDAY JUNE 29:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Ipswich 7.30, Swindon v Eastbourne 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Newport 7.15, Redcar v Newcastle 7.30, Sheffield v Isle of Wight 7.45

FRIDAY JUNE 30:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Swindon 8pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newport 7.30, Workington v Isle of Wight 7.45
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Boston v Scunthorpe 7.30, Plymouth v Rye House 7.30
JUNIOR CHALLENGE: Somerset v Newport 7.30

SATURDAY JULY 1:
ELITE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Eastbourne v Wolverhampton 8pm
BORDERNAPOLIS: Berwick 7pm
VIC HARDING MEMORIAL: Rye House 7pm

SUNDAY JULY 2:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Isle of Wight 4pm, Mildenhall v Redcar 3.30, Newport v Workington 2.30
PREMIER TROPHY: Newcastle v Stoke 6.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Buxton v Plymouth 3pm, Newport v Scunthorpe (follows PL fixture), Stoke v Plymouth 7.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE KO CUP: Mildenhall v Rye House (follows PL fixture)

MONDAY JULY 3:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Arena-Essex v Peterborough 7.30, Belle Vue v Poole 7.30
ELITE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Wolverhampton v Eastbourne 7.30
CHALLENGE: Scunthorpe v Cleveland Bays 7.30

WEDNESDAY JULY 5:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Oxford v Arena-Essex 7.30
ELITE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Poole v Reading 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: King''s Lynn v Edinburgh 7.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Stoke v Scunthorpe 7.30

THURSDAY JULY 6:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Belle Vue 7.30, Peterborough v Coventry 7.30, Swindon v Poole 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Mildenhall 7.30, Redcar v Berwick 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP: Sheffield v Newport OR Edinburgh 7.45

FRIDAY JULY 7:
ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP: Arena-Essex v Belle Vue 7.45pm, Coventry v Ipswich 8pm, Reading v Poole 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Rye House 7.30, Somerset v Mildenhall 7.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Plymouth v Mildenhall 7.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE KO CUP: Boston v Buxton 7.30

SATURDAY JULY 8:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Reading 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Rye House 7pm, Stoke v Redcar 7.30, Workington v Newcastle 7pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Rye House v Plymouth 7pm

SUNDAY JULY 9:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Rye House 4pm, Mildenhall v Isle of Wight 3.30, Newport v Sheffield 2.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE KO CUP: Buxton v Boston 3pm
BRITISH UNDER-15 CHAMPIONSHIP at Scunthorpe 3pm

MONDAY JULY 10:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Poole 8pm, Reading v Eastbourne 7.30, Wolverhampton v Swindon 7.30
ELITE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Belle Vue v Arena-Essex 7.45
PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Edinburgh 7.30

TUESDAY JULY 11:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v King''s Lynn 7.30

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