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SPEEDWAY WEEKLY ROUND-UP
12 September 2006 - British Speedway Promoters Association
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST... ARENA-ESSEX promoter Ronnie Russell was disappointed that his team could not continue their improvement as they suffered heavy defeats at home to Belle Vue and away at Peterborough.
Russell said: ''We just didn''t perform and we have had two bad results in consecutive evenings. That is particularly disappointing as we started the week so well at Belle Vue.
''We just couldn''t handle a superior team, and Peterborough used their home track knowledge to great advantage. We gated a lot better but just didn''t have the speed to contain them.''
BELLE VUE''S chances of honours this season have been hit by the loss of Joe Screen, who is expected to be out for the rest of the campaign after a grasstrack crash last weekend.
Screen suffered a broken collarbone and potential other injuries, although even without him the Aces worked hard to establish a 12-point lead over Poole in the first leg of their Knockout Cup semi-final.
Promoter Ian Thomas said: ''It''s a real blow for Joe and for us. He was in good form just at the right time with important Knockout Cup and Elite League matches coming up in quick succession.''
COVENTRY youngster Morten Risager is eager to impress during the closing weeks of the season after spending three months on the sidelines with a broken leg.
Risager said: ''It''s good for me to come back at reserve because for most of my time at Coventry I''ve been at No.2 and that''s one of the hardest places in the team to ride.
''Obviously reserve isn''t where I want to stay, I want to be a top rider, but it''s a good way to get your confidence back, score points and earn some money.''
EASTBOURNE will call up No.8 Kevin Doolan for Saturday''s Knockout Cup semi-final tie against Coventry as they look to build a lead for the Brandon return.
Doolan is in because Edward Kennett will be racing in the Premier League, with the match becoming the first leg after last Monday''s scheduled meeting at Brandon was called off due to heavy rain.
IPSWICH skipper Chris Louis has hit back at critics who have questioned his acceptance of a guest booking for Belle Vue, which saw him sustain a broken collarbone.
Louis said: ''I cannot understand how anybody can begrudge me taking a guest booking. Every time I ride I am in the firing line and in with a chance of getting injured.
''It was just another meeting and if I had said no, another rider would have filled the gap. This is how speedway works unfortunately, and I earn money by riding speedway and not sitting at home.''
OXFORD promoter Aaron Lanney has admitted that there is a possibility of another party bringing a fresh financial injection into the club next season.
Lanney said: ''I am looking at an option which would see someone coming into the club with some financial support whilst I continue running the day-to-day business of the Cheetahs.
''I would like to see Oxford move forward as a club over the next few years and the priority has to be to get a competitive team on track.''
PETERBOROUGH boss Trevor Swales knows that his team need to quickly re-group after their home defeat by Reading if they are to ensure a home play-off semi-final tie from next Monday''s crunch clash with Swindon.
Swales said: ''Reading are the best away team to have ridden at the Showground this season, and we just didn''t do ourselves justice on the night.
''Now we have to put it behind us and go out and beat Swindon next week. It looks like we''ve got to beat them to be able to race them at home again, depending on what Reading do in their away matches.''
POOLE are anxiously awaiting medical reports on Antonio Lindback, who suffered potential cruciate knee ligament damage in a crash at Belle Vue on Monday.
Team boss Neil Middleditch said: ''We''ll just have to wait and see what the doctors say. We can ill afford to lose Antonio from the side, he has a big part to play in our efforts to reach the Cup Final.
''Although we went down tonight (by 12 points), we are far from out and I still think that we are more than capable of pulling back the deficit in the second leg. Of course it will be harder if Anton is not fit, but we have a good home record this season which should stand us in good stead.''
READING boss Jim Lynch was delighted to book a home draw in the play-off semi-finals with a stunning win at his former club Peterborough.
The Bulldogs triumphed at the Showground for the second time this season in convincing fashion and now know they will be back at Smallmead a week on Monday.
Lynch said: ''It''s great news for us to be at home in the semi-finals and I thought we were magnificent. Anything can happen in the play-offs!''
SWINDON promoter Alun Rossiter is keen to secure the club''s first League title since 1967 - and knows that next week''s trip to Peterborough will have a vital bearing on the final table.
Rossiter said: ''The town has been starved of success for a very long time and we could possibly change that. The final run-in to the play-offs will be interesting and I think we could finish top.
''The crunch will come when we ride at Peterborough. If we could win there it would be great.''
WOLVERHAMPTON promoter Chris Van Straaten is planning further talks with Magnus Karlsson, who was suspended for one match after missing the club''s trip to Oxford last week due to a clashing Swedish fixture.
Van Straaten said: ''I had a long chat with him again on Sunday morning and we agreed to talk again during the week because there is the possibility of another clash further down the line.
''I must stress there is no shouting between Magnus and I. I can understand what a difficult situation he was in with SVEMO demanding he returned on Thursday, but it''s important that people know my own view on the matter.'' PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST... BERWICK star Jacek Rempala suffered a fractured vertebra in an horrific crash during the Bandits'' home draw with Newport.
Promoter Peter Waite said: ''We wish Jac all the very best with his treatment, and we hope for a quick recovery. We managed to peg Newport back to a draw with only four full team men from Heat 6 onwards.''
EDINBURGH promoter Alex Harkness believes that wins in the Monarchs'' final two home fixtures will be enough to stave off the threat of the Premier League wooden spoon this season.
Harkness said: ''The other teams are well aware of just how vulnerable we are at home and will fancy their chances, that''s for sure. But we must go for it.''
GLASGOW have a mountain to climb if they are to reach the Knockout Cup Final after they were held to a draw by King''s Lynn in the first leg of their semi-final at Ashfield.
Tigers co-promoter Alan Dick said: ''We face a huge task because King''s Lynn have showed they are the best team in the Premier League, but we will give it everything.''
ISLE OF WIGHT promoter Dave Pavitt believes that if his team can take the aggregate bonus point from Rye House this weekend - defending a 35-point advantage - they should be secure in a play-off place.
Pavitt said: ''I''m confident we will pick up the bonus, and if we don''t then we won''t deserve to be in the play-offs!''
KING''S LYNN boss Rob Lyon has expressed his delight at the Stars finishing top of the Premier League table for the first time in their history.
Lyon said: ''Even though we have to go through the play-off system to be officially crowned League Champions, we feel we should celebrate our phenomenal achievement. This year has been such a pleasure and it would be a real shame for us not to recognise that.''
MILDENHALL promoter Mick Horton has hinted that he could make major changes to the Fen Tigers team in an effort to run in the Premier League at an affordable level next season.
Horton said: ''Hand on heart I couldn''t say whether any of the riders that are with us now will be here next year or not, only time will tell. We''ll see what the rules are and what finances we''ve got to play with.''
NEWCASTLE promoter George English has explained why he sought a 28-day facility for Austrian Manuel Hauzinger, who has been deemed to be withholding services despite the rider claming to be ill.
English said: ''There has never been any sign of a medical certificate sent to the Diamonds and, as far as we know, nothing has been sent to the BSPA either. You would think this would be a vital part of any appeal against his ban.
''We don''t like going down this road but we had to take steps, for the sake of all clubs and not just for Newcastle, to show riders can''t treat clubs in this way.''
NEWPORT promoter Tim Stone was relieved to see the Wasps finally end their losing sequence with a nail-biting one point victory over title-chasing Sheffield.
Stone said: ''I know Sheffield came down here expecting to win, and it was a really tough match. We knew the start in Heat 15 would be vital, and fortunately Chris (Neath) made it.''
REDCAR skipper Gary Havelock accepted that he was not at the top of his game as the Bears ended their regular League campaign with a home defeat against title favourites King''s Lynn.
Havelock said: ''I''m not making the starts like I was and it''s annoying. It''s nights like these when you need the captain to go out and score big points and lead by example, but that didn''t happen.''
RYE HOUSE boss John Sampford has praised the efforts of Tommy Allen, who has worked hard for the Rockets this season despite suffering numerous mechanical problems.
Sampford said: ''He''s maintained his average of last season in a tougher position in the team, and had he not had the engine failures and problems his average would have been at least a point higher.''
SHEFFIELD''S stand-in skipper Ricky Ashworth is expected to be fit for the Tigers'' home clash with Mildenhall on Thursday despite a painful crash at Newport last weekend.
Ashworth said: ''It''s nothing major, thanks goodness. It seems like a bit of ligament damage and I''ve got cuts and bruises. I''m determined to race because I know what an important meeting it is for the team.''
SOMERSET boss Mick Bell says the Rebels need a big first leg lead from their Knockout Cup semi-final clash with Sheffield at the Oak Tree Arena on Friday.
Bell said: ''I know they beat us here in the league but we want some revenge for that and I think we''ve improved as a team since then. I really cannot believe they will be as powerful again because when they came here they were magnificent.''
STOKE took victory on the night but missed out on the bonus point when they overcame Edinburgh 47-43 to keep their hopes of a top-eight finish alive.
Potters team manager Nigel Crabtree said: ''It was a bit frustrating, but the score-line showed
yet again what a fair track Loomer Road is.''
WORKINGTON promoter Graham Drury is pleased that owner Tony Mole has spelt out his continued commitment to the Comets, with the club definitely not for sale.
Drury said: ''The problem with rumours is that they do have an unsettling effect on people involved with the club. I''ve had several riders asking me what is going on and I''ve had to tell them that that''s all they are - rumours.'' FIXTURE PICTURE... TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12:
CHALLENGE: Isle of Wight v Weymouth 7.30 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 13:
PREMIER LEAGUE: King''s Lynn v Newport 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Stoke v Cleveland 7.30 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 14:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Eastbourne 7.30, Poole v Reading 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Mildenhall 7.45 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Oxford 8pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, King''s Lynn v Isle of Wight 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL: Somerset v Sheffield 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Weymouth v Stoke 7.30 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16:
ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL: Eastbourne v Coventry 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Isle of Wight 7pm, Stoke v Somerset 7.30, Workington v Newcastle 7pm
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Cleveland Bays v Sittingbourne 3pm followed by Cleveland Bays v Weymouth
TWEED/WEAR TROPHY: Berwick v Sunderland 7pm SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Berwick 4.30, Newcastle v Stoke 6.30, Newport v Rye House 2.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Buxton v Stoke 3pm, Scunthorpe v Sittingbourne 3pm
ANDY SMITH TESTIMONIAL: Belle Vue 4pm
60TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING: Glasgow v Rest of the World 4pm MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Swindon 7.30, Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 19:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Wolverhampton 8pm WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 20:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Reading 7.30, Oxford v Ipswich 7.30, Poole v Wolverhampton 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI FINAL: King''s Lynn v Glasgow 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Stoke v Scunthorpe 7.30 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21:
CRAVEN SHIELD SEMI-FINAL: Swindon v Poole v Reading 7.30 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Arena-Essex v Eastbourne 7.45
PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Workington 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Weymouth v Cleveland Bays 7.30
MATT READ FAREWELL: Somerset 7.30
CHALLENGE: Plymouth v Isle of Wight 7.30 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23:
CONFERENCE LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL: Rye House v Scunthorpe 6pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Rye House v Boston (follows KOC fixture)
PAUL CLEWS TESTIMONIAL: Stoke 6pm
ANDERSON''S QUALITY BUTCHERS NORTHERN FOURS: Berwick 7pm
CUMBRIAN CLASSIC: Workington 7pm SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 24:
PREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield 6pm
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Buxton v Scunthorpe 3pm followed by Buxton v Weymouth MONDAY SEPTEMBER 25:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS: TBC
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