WELCOME to the latest edition of the weekly BSPA bulletins keeping you in touch with news, views and fixtures from the tracks up and down the country.
BIG EVENT LATEST
TOP Premier League stars will be battling for the prestigious individual league championship at Swindon this Sunday, September 30 (6pm).
And Birmingham’s Australian ace Jason Lyons reckons he is in some of the best form of his career going into the plum event.
The former Belle Vue man said: “Things are going really well for me right now and I’m riding with a lot of confidence which is great.
“I’m pretty cool about the PLRC and it would be great for me to win it, especially for the Birmingham fans!”
LINE-UP: Jacek Rempala (Berwick), Tai Woffinden (Rye House), Chris Holder (Isle of Wight), James Wright (Workington), Tomas Topinka (King's Lynn), Jason Lyons (Birmingham), Daniel Nermark (King's Lynn), Andre Compton (Sheffield), Michal Rajkowski (Newport), Kaj Laukkanen (Edinburgh), Gary Havelock (Redcar), Magnus Zetterstrom (Somerset), Craig Watson or Trent Leverington (Glasgow), Kyle Legault (Mildenhall), Josef Franc (Newcastle), Glenn Cunningham (Stoke).
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST
ARENA ESSEX-LAKESIDE will stage a rare Saturday meeting on October 6 as they take on Coventry in the semi-finals of the Knockout Cup.
Promoter Jon Cook said: "This will be the most important fixture staged at our Raceway so far this season and by running it on a Saturday evening I hope that it will enable the supporters of both clubs, along with neutrals, to come along to witness what is likely to be a great evening’s racing.
"Both teams will be determined to get through to the Final and I believe that if all our team ride to their full potential we have an excellent chance. I appreciate our League results at Coventry have been disappointing but we will be doing all we can to keep it close up there and then fight for the aggregate win at our Raceway."
BELLE VUE promoter Chris Morton says that Aces man Antonio Lindback, in good Elite League form of late, will benefit from a year out of the Grand Prix in 2008.
Morton said: "We must remember that Antonio is still only a youngster, and I am sure what has happened to him this year will be an experience that will hold him in good stead for the future.
"I'm sure he'll have the intention of going into the GP qualifying system but what he's really thinking about is getting back to the kind of form he was in a couple of years ago."
COVENTRY had a mood of quiet optimism after emerging from the first leg of the Elite League Grand Final at Swindon with a 49-43 deficit ahead of next Mondays return fixture at Brandon. Co-boss Peter Oakes said: "The team again showed their character, because at one stage the meeting could easily have slipped away from us.
"We'll almost be starting afresh next Monday and we've just got to go out and win by seven points. There are no celebrations in our camp, and the Grand Final and the title are a long way from being won. We have to show the same resolve at home."
EASTBOURNE promoter Bob Brimson says skipper Nicki Pedersen is assured of a hero's welcome when he returns to Arlington as World Champion this weekend.
Brimson said: "It's a huge honour for our club. The World Champion, the best rider in the world, rides at No.1 for our team - that should give us all a great sense of pride.
"He is a total professional who demands the maximum from those around him, but he has never forgotten to be a great guy as well. He is everything I ever wanted a professional to be, and I know he will get the best kind of welcome when he turns up against Poole."
IPSWICH star Jesper B Jensen is still struggling from a long-standing rib injury as the Witches battle to remain off the foot of the table.
Jensen, who sustained the injury last month, struggled on his comeback to Foxhall against parent club Peterborough recently.
He said: "I rode on the continent the previous night and felt fine on a big circuit. But there was discomfort on the tighter bends at Foxhall."
PETERBOROUGH's rising star Daniel King has paid tribute to former World Champion Michael Lee, who acts as both his engine tuner and mentor.
King said: "I absolutely love my speedway and owe everything I have achieved to Michael. Without him I would not be where I am and I feel it is only right and proper he gets the credit publicly for all the wonderful work he does for me.
"He has been by far the biggest and greatest influence on my career and I only hope our relationship can continue for many years."
POOLE boss Neil Middleditch has urged the Pirates fans to get behind new recruit Adrian Gomolski, who has been signed to replace Craig Boyce for the last month of the season.
Middleditch said: "Adrian is a young rider and he's looking for experience, so good on him for coming over. It's a tough call for him to step into Boycey's shoes.
"So I would like people to give this guy a good welcome because I'm sure he'll come in and do the best he can. We have proved you have to take a gamble now and again."
DANISH youngster Patrick Hougaard will make his Reading debut on Thursday in the Racers' Craven Shield tie at Peterborough.
Promoter Malcolm Holloway said: "We were at Peterborough last Thursday for a league match, so most of the lads will know what set-ups to use, with the exception of Krzys (Buczkowski) who had severe toothache, and new boy Patrick.
"Hopefully that will stand us in good stead. It would be good if we could pull back a few points from the first leg result at Poole, as it would set things up nicely for our home round on October 8."
SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter insists his side still have it all to ride for in the second leg of the Elite League Grand Final after seeing their first-leg lead over Coventry limited to six points. Rossiter said: "I'd rather be six up than six down. I keep saying that we've won at Coventry once this year and with everything on it, we can do it again.
"It doesn't hold any fears for us, but we know we have got to raise our game. The guys in the team know they can go better and that is what we must do."
WOLVERHAMPTON will have Danish prospect Kenneth Hansen back in their side for the Craven Shield trip to Ipswich on Thursday.
Promoter Chris Van Straaten said: “Kenneth took a bad knock at Reading and has tried to ride since but it was obviously the wrong decision.
“It will be good to have him back for the Ipswich meeting but when we go to Coventry on Friday he is unavailable because of a big meeting abroad.”
PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST
BERWICK promoter Peter Waite was relieved to take a point from a draw against Mildenhall in the Bandits' final home fixture of a troublesome season.
Waite said: "We’ve waited a long time to see Berwick race with this level of confidence and determination and it’s only a shame we had to wait till our very last home meeting to see it, but what a great match it was. Our guests were excellent value, Paul Clews and Tony Atkin were nothing short of superb."
BIRMINGHAM boss Graham Drury has no complaints about missing out on the Premier League play-offs due to the weather.
He said: “Glasgow tried to get us back there before the cut-off date but to do so would have meant the co-operation of other promoters and sadly it wasn’t forthcoming.
“We now look forward to the Young Shield where we face Mildenhall and we’re desperate to go through.”
EDINBURGH captain Derek Sneddon says the battle to reach the Young Shield competition is giving the team something to aim for after a difficult season. Sneddon said: "It is giving us a lift, especially after all the bad luck we've had with injuries and changes to the side this year. We are all hungry to get an extra couple of meetings as it is a long winter with no pennies coming in!"
GLASGOW will be hoping for good news on skipper Shane Parker as they build up to a busy final month of the season.
Parker was concussed in a smash with James Grieves in the Tigers' clash with Redcar, and the Ashfield club are looking to make an impact in the Young Shield as well as having two Premier League matches to fulfil.
ISLE OF WIGHT team boss Dave Croucher was fuming after the Islanders were eliminated from the Knockout Cup in controversial circumstances against King's Lynn.
Croucher said: "To say King's Lynn used the reserve guest facility rule to their advantage would be a massive understatement. I am gutted for our fans and for Chris Holder, who wanted a winning team this year. We deserved to be in the final and a sick note has robbed us of the chance."
KING'S LYNN have finished top of the Premier League table and have therefore chosen to face Sheffield in the semi-finals of the championship play-offs.
Promoter Buster Chapman said: "We have a good record against them and tactically it leaves Rye House and the Isle of Wight to fight it out. Make no mistake, it will still be tough against Sheffield but hopefully we can hit form once again by then."
MILDENHALL will come up against their former promoter Graham Drury in the first round of the Young Shield, with the home leg to be staged at West Row on Tuesday October 2.
The Fen Tigers are also planning to stage a Conference-level individual meeting and a season-ending Big Bang event during a busy month to complete the campaign.
NEWCASTLE manager George English was not too despondent with Sunday's home loss against Birmingham, believing his side will come back strongly in the Young Shield.
English said: "The big reason we lost was when Sam Dore clattered out of the meeting leaving our other riders stretched to the limits and it really was just a bit too much for them to handle, especially as Paul Clews had already done 14 rides in the previous 48 hours guesting for other teams. 21 races in three days is tiring!"
NEWPORT promoter Tim Stone has several injury problems to review before confirming his team for Friday's Knockout Cup semi-final at local rivals Somerset.
Stone said: "I'd say Tom Hedley is looking unlikely for Friday and we'll have a further update on Tony Atkin as well, so we'll be looking at our options as we need to re-group for that match. We're also looking at the reserve riders because of Barry Burchatt being out."
REDCAR snatched the aggregate point after a remarkable comeback saw them go down by just one point at Glasgow on Sunday - despite an injury to James Grieves.
Manager Brian Havelock said: "To come back from 17 points down was amazing. We missed out on the win, but we got the aggregate point and I’m very happy about that."
RYE HOUSE successfully booked their play-off place with a 56-37 win over Somerset, with both Tai Woffinden and Chris Neath dropping just one point against the Rebels.
The Rockets can now look forward to a semi-final clash with the Isle of Wight, with the winners to face King's Lynn or Sheffield in the Grand Final.
SHEFFIELD insist they have no fears about facing up to reigning champions King’s Lynn in the Premier League play-off semi-finals.
Club co-promoter Neil Machin said: “We’re on form right now and anything can happen in the play-offs.
“We’re all in a positive frame of mind and there is no reason why we can’t take them all the way.”
SOMERSET star Simon Walker is facing a race against time to be fit for the club’s Young Shield campaign after suffering a cracked rib at Edinburgh last week.
He said: “I’ve been riding well recently, I’ve been happy with my form so for this to happen now is a real blow to me.”
STOKE will be represented by Glenn Cunningham at his former track Swindon in this Sunday’s Premier League Riders’ Championship.
WORKINGTON have signed brothers Craig and John Branney on full transfers from Reading.
Comets general manager Ian Thomas said: “We like to have a solid base of riders at the club as Comets assets and it made sense for us to try and get Craig and John on board.
“I’m happy to say that we’ve done a deal with Reading and both rides are now permanently with us.”
FIXTURE PICTURE
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25: PETE REDFERN MEMORIAL: Isle of Wight 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26: PREMIER LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Isle of Wight 7.30, Stoke v Berwick 7.30 SECOND CITY TROPHY: Birmingham 7.45
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 27: CRAVEN SHIELD: Ipswich v Wolverhampton v Coventry 7.30, Peterborough v Reading v Poole 7.30 SUNDAY SPORT TROPHY: Sheffield v Stoke 7.45 TYNE/TEES TROPHY: Redcar v Newcastle 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 28: CRAVEN SHIELD: Coventry v Ipswich v Wolverhampton 8pm, Arena Essex-Lakeside v Peterborough v Poole 8pm PREMIER LEAGUE KOC: Somerset v Newport 7.30 CONFERENCE LEAGUE KOC: Boston v Scunthorpe 7.30, Plymouth v Weymouth 7.30 CHALLENGE: Edinburgh v Finnish Select 7.30 CHEETAHS BEST PAIRS: Oxford 7.30
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 29: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Poole 7.30 CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Stoke v Oxford 7.30 CONFERENCE LEAGUE KOC: Weymouth v Plymouth 7.15 ROBBO'S CHAMPIONS CHASE: Rye House 7pm CUMBERLAND CLASSIC: Workington 7pm
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 30: PREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP: Swindon 6pm CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Buxton v Plymouth 3pm CONFERENCE LEAGUE KOC: Scunthorpe v Boston 3pm
MONDAY OCTOBER 1: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Coventry v Swindon 7.30
TUESDAY OCTOBER 2: PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL: Isle of Wight v Rye House 7.30 YOUNG SHIELD: Mildenhall v Birmingham 7.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 3: YOUNG SHIELD: Birmingham v Mildenhall 7.45 CHALLENGE: King's Lynn v Leicester 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 4: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Poole 7.30 CRAVEN SHIELD: Swindon v Eastbourne v Belle Vue 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL: Sheffield v King's Lynn 7.45
FRIDAY OCTOBER 5: ELITE LEAGUE KOC: Coventry v Arena Essex-Lakeside 8pm SCOTTISH CUP: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30
SATURDAY OCTOBER 6: ELITE LEAGUE KOC: Arena Essex-Lakeside v Coventry 8pm CRAVEN SHIELD: Eastbourne v Belle Vue v Swindon 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL: Rye House v Isle of Wight 7pm
SUNDAY OCTOBER 7: PREMIER LEAGUE KOC: Newport v Somerset 3pm NEW ERA TROPHY: Oxford 7.30
MONDAY OCTOBER 8: CRAVEN SHIELD: Belle Vue v Swindon v Eastbourne 7.30, Reading v Arena Essex-Lakeside v Peterborough 7.30, Wolverhampton v Coventry v Ipswich 7.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 10: PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL: King's Lynn v Sheffield 7.30
