|
SPEEDWAY WEEKLY ROUND-UP + FIXTURES
15 August 2006 - British Speedway Promoters Association
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST. ARENA-ESSEX promoter Ronnie Russell hopes that the signing of Swedish youngster Andreas Messing will give his team a welcome boost in the closing stages of the season.
Russell said: ''He is a rising star in Sweden and we are pleased to have got his name on a contract. I feel sure he can be a great signing for us.
''We have been talking to Andreas for a while and once I knew that Mariusz Puszakowski would be out for the season I had to act.''
BELLE VUE manager Ian Thomas says that aggregate bonus points will be the key to the Aces clinching a play-off spot this season.
Thomas said: ''When we had to weaken the side last autumn to meet the reduced limit on team strengths, I built a team capable of winning bonus points.
''I''m sure that bonus points will be crucial in the final reckoning. It isn''t easy to win away from home and, while we have struggled to do that, we have still turned in some good away performances.'' COVENTRY co-promoter Colin Pratt has confirmed that the club are now looking elsewhere for a replacement for Polish rider Pawel Hlib, who has been deemed to be withholding his services.
Pratt said: ''I had to refer the situation to the BSPA because he had not provided us with a doctors'' certificate, and I have to bring in a new rider before the end of August.
''I''m disappointed in him because he had seemed very keen to come over here and do well, so it''s surprising that things have turned out like this.'' EASTBOURNE boss Jon Cook stressed that he could not allow Arena-Essex to track Troy Batchelor as a guest in last Friday''s Elite League clash at Arlington, as the Hammers would have been in breach of the eight-day rule.
Batchelor had ridden for Coventry at the Sussex venue the previous week, and Cook said: ''Rules are rules. If we do not abide by the rules we have nothing.
''The riders were aware of the furore before the meeting. They strongly felt that they did not want to race against an illegal team, and I think it was a bit of a distraction.''
IPSWICH reserve Daniel King says that he is ready to make the move into the Elite League full-time next season.
King said: ''I want to go as far as I can in my career and the only way to do that is to ride in the Elite League.
''This season has been a great one for me and next season I can see myself moving on in leaps and bounds. I feel I will be ready to move up.'' OXFORD promoter Aaron Lanney says there is much thinking to be done at the end of the season - after a difficult first year in charge at Cowley.
Lanney said: ''I have had to overcome some seriously big hurdles along the way this season, and I will sit down and have a long hard think about things during the winter break, before making any comments about my intentions for next season.
''We still have a lot of pride to play for, and my guys will be out to scupper the play-off ambitions of many of the leading Elite League teams.''
PETERBOROUGH star Jesper B Jensen has set a target of the Panthers'' trip to Arena-Essex on September 1 for his comeback from a broken shoulder.
Jensen said: ''I feel as if I am making really good progress and I can do a little more with my arm every day.
''It is difficult to watch speedway because I want to be out there racing, but I know it won''t be long before I can get back on the bike.''
POOLE co-promoter Mike Golding is hoping that the signing of doubling-up rider Matt Wethers will prove to be the answer to the Pirates'' problems at reserve.
Golding said: ''Matt has been competing in Edinburgh''s one to five and not at reserve. Their promoter John Campbell felt he was ready to step up, and hopefully he will be experienced enough to ply his trade in a higher League.
''Hopefully he will produce some consistency. The club badly needs some spark in the No.7 position and the fand will get behind him if he''s doing his best for the team.''
READING manager Jim Lynch said the Bulldogs got the result they required in defeating Poole by 12 points to stay at the top of the table.
Lynch said: ''Poole are a very good side and started to come back into it in the second half of the meeting, but the lads pulled together and pulled off what is an important victory for us.
''We''ve got to set ourselves a minimum target of winning all our remaining home meetings and scoring at least 50 points in each one in the process.''
SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter believes his team can overcome the absence of Adrian Miedzinski, who is likely to be out until early September with a shoulder injury.
Rossiter said: ''It''s not too much of a problem, especially if Tomasz Chrzanowski continues riding the way he has been and Lee Richardson will also get an extra run.
''The League is very close at the moment and our main goal has got to be keeping focussed on moving up and going for those top two spots.''''
WOLVERHAMPTON skipper Peter Karlsson is looking for his team to keep their momentum going in two important away matches this week.
Karlsson said: ''We''ve got six away matches to go in the League and if we can perhaps get two wins from them that would be good. Peterborough and Coventry will both be hard but we''ve got to try our best to get some points from them.
''I always look forward to going back to Peterborough. It''s always been a tough trip in the history of Wolves, but maybe they will be a little off their guard and we can surprise them.'' PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST. BERWICK promoter Peter Waite is taking nothing for granted after the Bandits moved into the top eight of the Premier League for the first time this season.
Waite said: ''I''m under no illusions that it will be easy to stay that high. We will have to up our game and fight some serious battles to remain in a play-off place, but the lads want it and so do I.''
EDINBURGH chairman Alex Harkness has spelt out the importance of the remaining fixtures to his riders, with the Monarchs unlikely to reach the play-offs.
Harkness said: ''It''s probably impossible for us to make it, but we have to keep battling away. Some of the riders are not riding to their capabilities and they must prove to us that they want to remain with us next season.''
GLASGOW manager Stewart Dickson says his top-of-the-table team must not expect an easy ride against Redcar this weekend.
Dickson said: ''Redcar have been a real surprise outfit this season and are a very decent side with plenty of effort and enthusiasm in their side and that is usually worth several points in a meeting.''
ISLE OF WIGHT youngster Chris Johnson was rushed to hospital to have micro-surgery for suspected appendicitis last weekend instead of racing for the club at Stoke.
Manager Dave Croucher said: ''It''s a big blow for the lad as he has been in really good form, but the main thing is that he listens to the doctors and doesn''t try to come back too soon.''
KING''S LYNN promoter Jonathan Chapman says the Stars could do with some improved fortune with the weather as they look to fit in all of their fixtures before the mid-September cut-off.
Chapman said: ''It just seems that come Tuesday or Wednesday we are always worrying about the weather, and our biggest headache is that if we have any more rain-offs we will be stuck for alternative dates.''
MILDENHALL captain Jon Armstrong is desperate to beat the target set by doctors in terms of making his comeback from injury - despite a recent setback in practice.
Armstrong said: ''I''m still hoping to get back inside the month the doctors are saying I need off.''
NEWCASTLE manager George English believes that the Diamonds should still reach the top eight in the Premier League despite a fixture backlog due to the weather.
English said: ''We are still confident of reaching the play-offs and, once we catch up on fixtures, we are certain the league table will reflect that.''
NEWPORT promoter Tim Stone is hoping to catch Somerset out in their League fixture at the Oak Tree Arena the night before the Rebels defend the Premier League Fours title.
Stone said: ''We normally have some friendly but robust meetings there, and we are certainly going with the intention of getting some points from them.''
REDCAR manager Brian Havelock paid tribute to Sheffield''s rearguard action in protecting the aggregate bonus point at the South Tees Motorsports Park last Friday.
Havelock said: ''Sheffield rode better than I expected them to. The two 5-1s they scored near the end did it, and I''m disappointed because I thought we could take the bonus - but it wasn''t bad luck.''
RYE HOUSE manager John Sampford has praised the efforts of reserves Danny Betson and Adam Roynon who have come into the Rockets team in mid-season due to injuries.
Sampford said: ''The team has settled well and the work-rate and effort put in by both of the new boys and the established riders has been fantastic. Everyone pulls together and we function as a team.''
SHEFFIELD are hoping that Kyle Legault can overcome his recent injury problems and return to the saddle in their home clash with Edinburgh this week.
Promoter Neil Machin said: ''It''s very difficult covering for a rider like Kyle with the rider-replacement facility, in fact it makes the job virtually impossible and we have certainly missed him, but hopefully he''ll be back soon.''
SOMERSET''S Jamie Smith has confirmed his intention to return to racing next season after missing virtually the whole of 2006 due to a badly broken leg.
Smith said: ''I am getting focused for next year and want to make up for missing out on 2006. As soon as my surgeon gives me the green light, I''ll be back building up my fitness.''
STOKE star Mark Lemon was pleased to round off a busy week which included Elite League call-ups for Reading with a maximum for the Potters against the Isle of Wight.
Lemon said: ''It''s been a huge learning curve for me and it''s very satisfying both personally and for the team. I''ve found a bit more top end speed from somewhere and that is making the difference.''
WORKINGTON''S Ritchie Hawkins will be out for the rest of the season as he is still suffering from serious headaches and tiredness after his horrific crash against Glasgow in mid-July.
Promoter Graham Drury said: ''I''m devastated for the lad because he had done everything we asked of him this season. He was 100 per cent professional throughout and he''d achieved all of the goals he had set himself, so it really is a massive blow.'' FIXTURE PICTURE. TUESDAY AUGUST 15:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Rye House 7.30 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 16:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Oxford v Swindon 7.30, Poole v Reading 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: King''s Lynn v Rye House 7.30
CONFERENCE TROPHY: Stoke v Buxton 7.30 THURSDAY AUGUST 17:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Poole 7.30, Peterborough v Wolverhampton 7.30, Swindon v Reading 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Somerset 7.30, Sheffield v Edinburgh 7.45
BRITISH UNDER-15 CHAMPIONSHIP: Isle of Wight 7.30 FRIDAY AUGUST 18:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Arena-Essex v Poole 7.45, Coventry v Wolverhampton 8pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, Somerset v Newport 7.30
CONFERENCE TROPHY: Boston v Scunthorpe 7.30, Plymouth v Stoke 7.30
FOUR-TEAM TOURNAMENT: Weymouth v Poole v Exeter v Swindon 7.30 SATURDAY AUGUST 19:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Poole 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Workington 7pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Rye House v Scunthorpe 7pm SUNDAY AUGUST 20:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Redcar 4pm, Mildenhall v Rye House 4.30, Newcastle v King''s Lynn 6.30, Stoke v Workington 7.30
CONFERENCE TROPHY: Buxton v Stoke 3pm
UK SHORT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP Round 7: Scunthorpe 3pm MONDAY AUGUST 21:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Oxford 7.45, Coventry v Peterborough 7.30, Wolverhampton v Arena-Essex 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Scunthorpe v Buxton 7.30 TUESDAY AUGUST 22:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Redcar 7.30 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 23:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Arena-Essex v Belle Vue 7.45, Oxford v Ipswich 7.30, Poole v Wolverhampton 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: King''s Lynn v Newcastle 7.30 THURSDAY AUGUST 24:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Eastbourne 7.30, Swindon v Peterborough 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Glasgow 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Cleveland Bays v Scunthorpe 7.30 FRIDAY AUGUST 25:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Wolverhampton 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Workington 7.30, Somerset v Stoke 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Weymouth v Sittingbourne 7.30
FOUR-TEAM TOURNAMENT: Plymouth 7.30 SATURDAY AUGUST 26:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7pm, King''s Lynn v Edinburgh 7.30, Stoke v Rye House 7.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE KO CUP: Rye House v Mildenhall 7pm SUNDAY AUGUST 27:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Newcastle 4pm, Mildenhall v Sheffield 4.30, Newport v Somerset 2.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE KO CUP: Newport v Plymouth (follows PL fixture)
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Buxton v Cleveland Bays 3pm MONDAY AUGUST 28:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 8pm, Peterborough v Arena-Essex 7.30, Reading v Belle Vue 7.30, Swindon v Ipswich 5pm,
Wolverhampton v Poole 7.30,
PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Glasgow 7.30, Rye House v Stoke 2pm followed by Rye House v Newport, Workington v Berwick 7.30
CONFERENCE LEAGUE PAIRS: Scunthorpe 3pm. TUESDAY AUGUST 29:
SIDECARS: Isle of Wight 7.30
www.british-speedway.co.uk
More News
For August 2006
From British Speedway Promoters Association
For Speedway
Biker247.com Home Page
|
