BRITISH SPEEDWAY WEEKLY ROUND-UP
07 September 2004 - British Speedway Promoters Association

ARENA-ESSEX captain Leigh Lanham has confirmed that Team GB stars Scott Nicholls and Mark Loram will both appear at his Testimonial on October 15.

ELITE LEAGUE LATEST...

Lanham said: ''Hopefully we will get good weather and the day will be okay. I want this to be the best meeting of the season.'' BELLE VUE promoter John Perrin was stunned to receive cheques from supporters of other clubs who were keen to help the Aces through their current crisis. Perrin, who returned the cheques, said: ''To say I was surprised is putting it mildly and it was a marvellous gesture by these people. It''s great to see that my efforts are appreciated in some parts.'' COVENTRY promoter Colin Pratt has confirmed that the club were impressed with German youngster Martin Smolinski during his brief spell in the team. Pratt said: ''Depending on how things go, we would like to see him in our line-up next year. We wanted him to do more meetings, but things didn''t turn out as we hoped because of the weather.'' EASTBOURNE boss Jon Cook is once again being forced to assess his team options after seeing David Norris and Steen Jensen injured in horrific crashes on Monday. Cook said: ''We''re pleased with a draw against Swindon under the circumstances, and 48 points should be enough for the play-offs. ''It shows how determined we are to make something of this year because in May we were nowhere.'' IPSWICH star Chris Louis has praised the efforts of youngsters Kim Jansson and Daniel King in the Witches'' Elite League title bid. Louis said: ''There were one or two eyebrows raised when we included them in our team, but we had no doubts and both have made major contributuions. ''They have both suffered bouts when they appeared to go from one crash to another, but they have battled on and we have been brilliantly served by them.'' OXFORD promoter Nigel Wagstaff is sett o take charge of Elite League racing at Cowley for the last time on Friday... after being told the club would not be allowed to ride on Friday nights next season. Wagstaff said: ''I''m totally focussed on getting results for Oxford Speedway but it looks increasingly like this Friday against Ipswich will be my last home meeting at Elite League level.'' PETERBOROUGH manager Trevor Swales has explained that the Panthers'' changes at reserve, with Adam Pietraszko joining the squad, are with the future in mind. Swales said: ''The emphasis is now on next year and we need to have a look at as many potential reserves as possible. ''Adrian Rymel rode pretty well for us at Ipswich and we have seen what he is about, and Adam certainly has the speed, which is the big factor around the Showground.'' POOLE co-promoter Matt Ford is desperate for the Pirates to complete the job of winning back-to-back titles in the play-offs. Ford said: ''It is many years since a team won the league two years on the trot but we have to go into the play-offs and we haven''t won the league yet. ''To again finish top of the pack at the end of the regular season is tremendous and we now have to keep it together and try to make the most of the final.'' SWINDON manager Alun Rossiter agreed that the horrendous crashes in the Robins'' draw at Swindon had taken the shine off the meeting and an away point for his team. Rossiter said: ''I won''t argue with a draw. A win would have been nice, but not under those circumstances.'' WOLVERHAMPTON manager Peter Adams is keeping his fingers crossed that his latest masterplan works when it comes to the Elite League play-offs. He said: ''If all goes according to plan we will be fresh and raring to go in the play-offs and hopefully we can go all the way to the final and catch Poole on the hop.''

PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST...

FURIOUS Berwick boss Peter Waite has threatened to make late-season team changes at Shielfield Park after a home defeat against Stoke. Waite said: ''I can inform our crowd, who are also very unhappy with things, that I will not sit back and be walked over. We cannot finish our season like this and moves are afoot to make changes very soon indeed.'' EDINBURGH manager John Campbell has confirmed he is expecting a different-looking Monarchs team to be on-track next season. Campbell said: ''Nothing is definite as we don''t know what the finishing averages of our riders will be, nor do we know if the combined 45-point team limit will be retained.'' EXETER No.1 Mark Lemon is looking forward to facing Premier League Champions Hull in the semi-final of the Knockout Cup. Lemon said: ''I rode there briefly in 1999 so I''m up for the task of going up there. Hopefully I can give the rest of the guys some sound advice from my previous experience of that track, but we have to knock the wind out of them at home.'' GLASGOW are hoping that James Grieves can return to action soon as they chase a place in the top eight to qualify for the Young Shield. Co-promoter Stewart Dickson said: ''A lot will depend on whether James is fit but we can only keep our fingers crossed.'' HULL manager Eric Boocock says his team''s break from action has come at a good time as they bid to add the Knockout Cup and Young Shield to the Premier League title. Boocock said: ''Riders do like to be kept busy, but we''ve had a hectic schedule so the rest has probably done everyone a bit of good, and they can re-charge their batteries.'' ISLE OF WIGHT co-promoter Dave Pavitt says the Islanders are right at the top of their form as the season moves into its closing weeks. Pavitt said: ''The team is absolutely brimming with confidence right now, and while Hull have wrapped up the league title, we''re on course to finish in the top three. ''We''re in the semi-final of the Knockout Cup and we can safely look forward to competing in the end-of-season play-offs for the Young Shield, so there''s still much for us to aim for.'' KING''S LYNN boss Keith Chapman has said that Australian star Kevin Doolan could still be a little way off making a comeback from injury. Chapman said: ''Kevin''s not back on a bike yet, his hand''s not strong enough. He can hardly grip at the moment.'' NEWCASTLE boss George English played down a last-race disagreement between Richard Juul and Jamie Robertson in the Diamonds'' win over Exeter. English said: ''Team disagreements between two of the most excitable riders who possess the will to win with a passion are hardly surprising, and the situation was quickly rectified.'' NEWPORT skipper Craig Watson will start as one of the favourites for the Premier League Riders'' Championship at Sheffield later this month. Watson has impressed when guesting for the Tigers this season and scored another full maximum for the Wasps in their weekend win over Glasgow. READING star Danny Bird says his injured shoulder has stood up well in the meetings since his return to the saddle. Bird said: ''The doctors said I wouldn''t make the situation any worse by riding again, and putting off a possible operation until the off-season. It''s great to be back riding again.'' RYE HOUSE reserve Steve Boxall has made a rapid return to action despite suffering a toe injury in a freak workshop accident. Boxall dropped a heavy toolbox on his foot and missed two meetings last week, but X-rays confirmed that the toe was badly bruised and not broken. SHEFFIELD promoter Neil Machin insists he has no regrets about booking arch rival Paul Thorp as cover for injured skipper Sean Wilson. He said: ''Thorpy is a professional and scored a maximum for us against King''s Lynn. That should be enough to answer the critics.'' SOMERSET boss Mick Bell has revealed some of the injuries sustained by Matt Read at the weekend. He said: ''We do know that Matt has head, chest and back injuries but as to the full extent of the injuries, we don''t know. ''We feel very strongly that the full details of treatment taking place within the hospital should remain private to Matt and his family.'' STOKE manager Paul Gray is pleased with the Potters'' recent away performances, especially their win at Berwick on Saturday. Gray said: ''It''s been a really productive period for the club. We completely outraced Berwick and the scoreline doesn''t tell the whole story because we lost a lot of points through bad luck.'' WORKINGTON boss Ian Thomas believes his side are facing an uphill battle to survive in the Knockout Cup after losing the first leg of their semi-final by 18-points at the Isle of Wight. He said: ''It leaves us with a mountain to climb now on September 18 to make the final but it isn''t an impossible task. We have been riding really well at Derwent Park, although it will need a monster effort by everybody.''

FIXTURE PICTURE

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 8:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Oxford 7.45, Wolves v Coventry 7.30

PREMIER LEAGUE: Hull v Berwick 7.30, King''s Lynn v Newport 7.30

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Stoke v Mildenhall 7.30, Wimbledon v Rye House 7.30

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 9:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 7.45, Ipswich v Arena Essex 7.30, Swindon v Oxford 7.30, Poole v Belle Vue 7.30

PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Workington 7.45

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 10:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Oxford v Ipswich 7.30, Arena Essex v Belle Vue 8pm

PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Stoke 7.30, Somerset v Newport 7.30, King''s Lynn v Isle of Wight 7.30

CONFERENCE TROPHY: Weymouth v Sheffield 7.30

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 11:

ELITE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Eastbourne v Ipswich 7.30

PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Edinburgh 7pm, Rye House v Isle of Wight 7pm, Stoke v Newport 7.30, Workington v Hull 7pm

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 12:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS'' CHAMPIONSHIP: Poole 4pm

PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v King''s Lynn 3pm, Sheffield v Stoke 6.45, Newport v Reading 2.30, Newport v Berwick (follows Reading meeting), Glasgow v Workington 3pm

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Swindon v Stoke 6.30, Swindon v Oxford (follows Stoke
meeting)

CONFERENCE TROPHY: Buxton v King''s Lynn 3pm

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 13:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Oxford 7.45, Belle Vue v Swindon 7.45, Wolverhampton v Peterborough 7.30

PREMIER LEAGUE: Reading v Isle of Wight 7.30, Exeter v Rye House 7.30

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 15:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Ipswich 7.45

CHALLENGE: Arena Essex v Polish Select 7.45

PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Newcastle 7.30

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Stoke v Weymouth 7.30, Wimbledon v Buxton 7.30

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 16:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Arena Essex 7.30, Ipswich v Peterborough 7.30, Coventry v Belle Vue 7.45

PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Isle of Wight 7.45

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17:

PREMIER LEAGUE: Somerset v King''s Lynn 7.30

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Oxford v Mildenhall 7.15 followed by Oxford v Carmarthen

CONFERENCE TROPHY: Weymouth v King''s Lynn 7.30

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 18:

PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Newport 6pm, Berwick v King''s Lynn 7pm

PREMIER LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Workington v Isle of Wight 7pm

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Rye House v Newport (follows PL meeting)

CONFERENCE TROPHY: King''s Lynn v Wimbledon 7pm, King''s Lynn v Weymouth (follows Wimbledon meeting)

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 19:

PREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS'' CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield 7.30

CONFERENCE TROPHY: Mildenhall v Buxton 4pm followed by MIldenhall v Coventry

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