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SPEEDWAY: WEEKLY ROUND-UP
03 October 2006 - British Speedway Promoters Association
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST ARENA-ESSEX promoter Ronnie Russell was pleased for Swedish star Mikael Max,
who was unbeaten in the Hammers'' big win over Oxford after having a tough
time on his return from serious injury.
Russell said: ''Mikael showed everyone what he could do. He has struggled at
times this year but recently he has showed signs of getting it back together
and tonight looked like his old self.
''We now aim to continue that form against Eastbourne and give us a chance of
another three league points.''
BELLE VUE boss Ian Thomas backed referee Paul Carrington''s decision to
abandon their Cup semi-final at Poole with the result standing - sending the
Aces into the Final against Coventry.
Thomas said: ''We''re in one final and can still make another in the Craven
Shield in what will be a great end to the season.
''Poole boss Neil Middleditch and his team wanted to complete the meeting but
it was the correct decision by the referee because it was raining heavily.''
COVENTRY star Olly Allen says the Bees will go into their Knockout Cup Final
against Belle Vue full of confidence after sweeping Eastbourne aside last
week.
Allen said: ''We''re pleased to be in the Final and have the chance of winning
a trophy. I think we can win it - it''s not worth trying to get there if you
don''t think you can win it, so we''ll be giving it our best shot.
''I don''t really know why we were so dominant because obviously the track was
different to how it is normally, but we just seemed to all click together at
the same time.''
EASTBOURNE promoter Jon Cook has explained the reasons behind the early
postponement of the Eagles'' home Craven Shield semi-final, which will now
take place this Saturday.
Cook said: ''We needed a dry afternoon for the meeting to go ahead, and we
checked the forecast with Metcheck.com, the BBC and the Met Office. All
forecast heavy and continuous periods of rain in the afternoon and evening.
''We did not want to risk losing what could be our last meeting of the season
to an early finish or being run in rubbish conditions, and I fail to
understand when we have so much technology available that the weather
forecast can be so appallingly wrong!''
IPSWICH boss Mike Smillie has re-iterated his desire to keep former British
Champions Mark Loram and Chris Louis at the head of the Witches'' team next
year.
Smillie said: ''Mark has been a big hit both on and off the track. It is a
reflection of his enjoyment this year that he has ridden so well.
''It is too early to concern ourselves with next year yet, but having Mark
and Chris at our top end will be a priority for 2007.''
OXFORD could be on the verge of gaining new financial investment.
Club owner Aaron Lanney has admitted he has founf life tough commercially this season and he could be set to sell the club.
''You need deep pockets to be an Elite League promoter and I am in talks with someone who would guarantee Elite League speedway here next season.''
PETERBOROUGH boss Trevor Swales was relieved to emerge from the Elite League
Grand Final first leg with a narrow two-point deficit after a dramatic late
comeback.
Swales said: ''We went far too many points behind, but we had a team talk at
the interval with two or three riders not doing what we hoped they would do
and we got them motivated to take some more race wins.
''I think we''ll have to alter the programme next week to start after Heat 7,
I don''t know what it is but we just can''t seem to get started until then.''
STAND-IN Poole skipper Craig Boyce felt the Pirates'' rain-shortened KO Cup
semi-final with Belle Vue, which saw the Aces go through, summed up the way
the season has gone.
Boyce said: ''We were really up for it, and I think we could still have won
if it had been allowed to run its full course.
''I''m bitterly disappointed because I was gunning for another KO Cup
appearance for Poole. I''m gutted our cup campaign has ended like this.''
READING manager Jim Lynch gave praise to Peterborough for their strong
comeback in Monday''s Elite League Grand Final which leaves the Bulldogs
defending a slender two-point lead at the Showground next week.
Lynch said: ''The match showed that we are the best two teams in the League.
We got ahead but succumbed to two tactical rides, but maybe that will happen
next Monday.
''Fair play to Peterborough, at one time they looked dead and buried but they
came back into it and rode really well.''
SWINDON owner Terry Russell has taken the positives from the Robins'' run to
the play-off semi-finals this season and hopes to be able to improve still
further in 2007.
Russell said: ''In the three seasons since we came back into the top flight
this is the first time we have actually made the play-offs - that is a plus
as seven teams weren''t in it.
''We will now get a feel for what the points limit is going to be and look at
what kind of team we can put together for next year. In principle I hope not
to have too many changes.''
WOLVERHAMPTON will hand Swedish youngster Ricky Kling his British debut at the Banks''s Olympique on October 16.
Kling, 18, is highly rated by Wolves star Freddie Lindgren and will appear in the showpiece individual meeting which always attracts a bumper crowd and will also feature the club''s end of season firework spectacular.
Kling will be mounted on Lindgren''s machinery for the meeting, which features the unique handicap system. PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST... BERWICK promoter Peter Waite feels that his end-of-season programme at
Shielfield Park has been successful after an incident-packed junior
challenge on Saturday.
Waite said: ''Once again the youngsters really gave the event their all and
made it a meeting full of talking points. These junior challenges are good
value for the fans.''
EDINBURGH are likely to be without Matthew Wethers for the rest of the
season, with the home Scottish Cup tie against Glasgow re-arranged for this
Friday.
Wethers has pulled ligaments in his thumb, and the Monarchs also have Henrik
Moller and Theo Pijper riding through the pain barrier after recent crashes.
GLASGOW co-promoter Stewart Dickson is hoping that the powerful partnership
of Shane Parker and Danny Bird can combine to lift the Premier League Pairs
title on home soil this Sunday.
Dickson said: ''We know we must have a chance of defending the trophy, but
there are so many good pairings there who could challenge our top two. We
can expect nothing other than a great battle.''
ISLE OF WIGHT boss Dave Croucher says the Islanders could go all the way to
lifting the Premier League title after their dramatic play-off quarter-final
win over Glasgow.
Croucher said: ''The tension going into that final race really was
unbelievable. It was a match that had everything, the team did the club
proud and who knows, we could go on to win the title at this rate.''
KING''S LYNN manager Rob Lyon is pleased to be facing Somerset in the
Knockout Cup Final as the Stars continue their quest for a clean sweep of
honours this season.
Lyon said: ''''It''s great to see different teams making the various finals
instead of the same two like last year. Somerset have a really good team,
and it will be great for our fans to have the second leg here at King''s
Lynn.''
MILDENHALL star Daniel King will miss the rest of the season after a freak
workshop accident saw him slice his finger on a grinder, an injury requiring
six stitches.
King will miss the forthcoming Premier League Pairs and Fours, and the news
is also a blow to Elite League Ipswich''s Craven Shield hopes.
NEWCASTLE boss George English believes that ex-Diamonds captain Kevin Little
is a man his current team need to watch out for as they face Redcar in the
Tyne/Tees Trophy.
English said: ''It''s a tough looking match as former World Champion Gary
Havelock and our old skipper Kevin Little are riding, while [Newcastle
asset] Lee Smethills never misses a chance to remind us of what he can do.''
NEWPORT promoter Tim Stone feels that this year''s new system of grading
reserves to aid the progression of British youngsters has been positive for
the sport.
Stone said: ''I can see some tuning being done to the rule before next
season, but all in all the philosophy of the idea has to be applauded.''
REDCAR skipper Gary Havelock defended the riders after the call-off of
Sunday''s Tyne/Tees first leg tie at Newcastle.
Havelock said: ''The referee warned us we could be fined or reported but we
all stuck to our guns. He said the track was fine but it would have been a
case of follow the leader with everyone covered in mud.''
RYE HOUSE skipper Chris Neath says the Rockets fear nobody in the play-offs
having booked a semi-final tie against title favourites King''s Lynn.
Neath said: ''It''s great to make it through to the semi-finals, but we are
always taking it one match at a time. We feel strong going forward and we
know we can do a good job.''
SHEFFIELD will face Hull in a special challenge match at Owlerton this Thursday.
The meeting could be the last-ever between the sides as hopes are fading of a return for the Vikings after losing their Craven Park home last year.
Paul Thorp will skipper the Hull side which also includes Australian duo Mark Lemon and Shane Parker.
SOMERSET boss Mick Bell is in an upbeat mood ahead of Friday''s Knockout Cup Final first leg tie with King''s Lynn at the Oak Tree Arena.
He said: ''Somebody is going to beat King''s Lynn, so why can''t we? I really do believe we have what it takes to do it and we''ll all be up for it on Friday.''
STOKE team manager John Adams feels that the mid-season loss of Luke Priest,
who was seriously injured in a Conference League match, had a detrimental
effect on the Potters'' campaign.
Adams said: ''Having good reserves makes a huge difference and Luke was
pulling in scores above his standing, there''s no doubt about that.''
WORKINGTON boss Graham Drury has confirmed this Saturday''s Premier League Fours Championship will be the last meeting of the season at Derwent Park.
He said: ''It''s a massive weekend for the Premier League and I''m looking forward to it,'' said Drury.
''We have as good a chance as any of the other teams to win the competition on Saturday and it would be a great way to bring the curtain down on our season.'' FIXTURE PICTURE... TUESDAY OCTOBER 3:
CHALLENGE: Isle of Wight v Plymouth 7.30 WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 4:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Arena-Essex v Eastbourne 7.30
CRAVEN SHIELD SEMI-FINAL: Belle Vue v Coventry v Peterborough 7.45, Poole v
Reading v Swindon 7.30
PRIDE OF THE EAST: King''s Lynn 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Stoke v Sittingbourne 7.30 THURSDAY OCTOBER 5:
CRAVEN SHIELD SEMI FINAL: Peterborough v Belle Vue v Coventry 7.30
16-LAP CLASSIC: Ipswich 7.30
TYNE/TEES TROPHY: Redcar v Newcastle 7.30
CHALLENGE: Sheffield v Hull 7.45 FRIDAY OCTOBER 6:
CRAVEN SHIELD SEMI FINAL: Coventry v Peterborough v Belle Vue 8pm
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Somerset v King''s Lynn 7.30
SCOTTISH CUP: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30pm
DEVON/DORSET TROPHY: Plymouth v Weymouth 7.30 SATURDAY OCTOBER 7:
CRAVEN SHIELD: Eastbourne v Ipswich v Wolverhampton 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Workington 7pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL 1st leg: Rye House v Scunthorpe 7pm
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Sittingbourne v Scunthorpe 12pm followed by Sittingbourne
v Buxton
BRITISH UNDER-15 CHAMPIONSHIP: Redcar 3pm SUNDAY OCTOBER 8:
PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Glasgow 3pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL 2nd leg: Scunthorpe v Rye House 3pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Newport 4.30pm
CONFERENCE TROPHY: Stoke v Buxton 7.30 MONDAY OCTOBER 9:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF FINAL 2nd Leg: Peterborough v Reading 7.30
ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Belle Vue v Coventry 7.45 TUESDAY OCTOBER 10:
PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL 1st leg: Isle of Wight v Sheffield 7.30 WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 11:
CRAVEN SHIELD SEMI FINAL: Reading v Swindon v Poole 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: King''s Lynn v Somerset 7.30 THURSDAY OCTOBER 12:
PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL 2nd leg: Sheffield v Isle of Wight 7.45
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Cleveland Bays v Buxton 7.30 FRIDAY OCTOBER 13:
ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Coventry v Belle Vue 8pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Plymouth v Scunthorpe 7.30 SATURDAY OCTOBER 14:
PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Rye House v King''s Lynn 7pm
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Stoke v Scunthorpe 7.30
LINCOLNSHIRE TROPHY: Boston 7.30 SUNDAY OCTOBER 15:
SCOTTISH CUP: Glasgow v Edinburgh 4pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Buxton 4.30
CONFERENCE TROPHY FINAL 2nd leg: Scunthorpe v Plymouth 7.30 MONDAY OCTOBER 16:
BANKS''S OLYMPIQUE: Wolverhampton 7.30
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