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…
BRITAIN’S youngsters will do battle for places in the British Under-21 Final at Lakeside.
Three riders from each of the three qualifying rounds will join the seven seeded stars in the showcase event on April 25, which is part of the Super 7even series of British Speedway’s major events.
Boston stage the first of the qualifiers at their adopted King’s Lynn home on Wednesday April 2 – followed by Plymouth on Friday, April 11 and Weymouth the following night.
Elite League duo Steve Boxall (Belle Vue) and Lewis Bridger (Eastbourne) are included in the seven seeds for Lakeside along with Stoke’s Ben Barker, Rye House sensation Tai Woffinden, Birmingham’s Adam Roynon, William Lawson of Edinburgh and Redcar’s Josh Auty.
Brtiain Under-21 co-ordinator Graham Reeve said: "I've heard all the talk about a lack of young talent coming through, but here we have a group of guys all desperate to succeed.
"I always feel the British Under-21 Final is a great event and the qualifiers will be keenly contested, I'm sure of that."
BOSTON LINE-UP (April 2): Richie Dennis, Byron Bekker, Ben Johnson, Sam Martin, Joe Haines, Andrew Tully, Guy Kendrew, Jerran Hart, Kieran Morris, Adam Lowe, Sean Stoddart, Scott Richardson, Scott Campos, Charles Wright, Simon Lambert, Benjamin Hannon. Reserve: Scott Whittington. PLYMOUTH (April 11): Chris Wildman, Kyle Hughes, Ben Reade, Harland Cook, Adam Wrathall, Robert Smith, Daniel Betson, Robert Mere, Nicki Glanz, Jack Roberts, Daniel Halsey, Ben Taylor, Jamie Pickard, Paul Starke, Rikki Mullins, Ben Hopwood. Reserves: Nicholas Mallett, Daniel Blake. WEYMOUTH (April 12): Lee Strudwick, Oliver Gay, Andrew Braithwaite, Lee Smart, Kyle Newman, Barry Burchatt, Shane Waldron, Mark Baseby, Niall Strudwick, Timothy Webster, Adam Chandler, Aaron Baseby, Gareth Isherwood, Matthew Bates, Billy Legg, Nick Laurence. Reserves: Gary Irving, John Macphail.
SUPER 7EVEN DATES AND VENUES: ELITE LEAGUE BEST PAIRS: King's Lynn, Saturday April 5 - 7pm BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: Arena-Essex, Friday April 25 - 7.30 BRITISH FINAL: Swindon, Thursday May 29 - 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset, Friday June 27 - 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Workington, Saturday July 26 - 7pm ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP: Birmingham, Wednesday August 20 - 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, Sunday September 21 - 3.30 www.super7even.com or www.speedwaygb.com
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST…
BELLE VUE manager Chris Morton was delighted to come away from the Aces' Elite League opener against Lakeside with a win despite trailing for much of the meeting.
Morton said: "This was a brilliant performance considering the position we were in at one point of the match. We were handicapped with Steve Boxall being out injured and that gave Lakeside a very strong edge in the reserve berths.
"But, on the plus side, Lukasz Jankowski turned in another improved performance and I was very impressed with the effort of Robert Ksiezak who came in for Boxall and did really well against one of the best teams in the league."
COVENTRY manager Peter Oakes says the reigning champions must quickly improve their gating after they were defeated at home by Eastbourne in their first Elite League match of the season.
Oakes said: "The result was very disappointing, and it's not the way you want to start a League season. We did have one or two little problems but I think overall Eastbourne deserved their win, and hats off to them.
"Our starting is just so poor at the moment, constantly we weren't first into the first turn and you can't win every meeting by coming from the back, so that's something everybody has got to look at."
EASTBOURNE manager Trevor Geer praised the team effort of the Eagles as they stunned title holders Coventry 47-43 to take a three-point away win at Brandon.
Geer said: "I'm delighted, it's great to come here to win and all the boys rode well. It's a good young team, and I think this result will make a lot of people sit up and take notice of us.
"I had a feeling when we came here that we could do something, they all got stuck in and we've had a great start to the League season."
IPSWICH manager Pete Simmons does not expect every meeting at Foxhall to be as straightforward as their 61-31 win over Peterborough which puts the Witches in with a chance of Craven Shield qualification.
Simmons said: "I don't believe we will have it quite as easy every Thursday throughout the season, but I told the team we needed a big win to put the pressure on Lakeside and Peterborough in the group.
"It was a truly awesome home performance, everyone did as I asked and when we are firing on all cylinders we showed the great potential we have this season."
LAKESIDE star Andreas Jonsson crashed out of the Hammers' narrow defeat at Belle Vue on Monday and is set for tests on a wrist injury.
Jonsson said: "I'm feeling really bruised and have a headache. The hit must have been very hard as it cracked my new helmet, which was taken by the referee later.
"I destroyed my bike too, but that's not the most important thing. I was examined at the stadium but will have an x-ray and other examinations in Sweden. I think it's not that bad as I can move both hands."
PETERBOROUGH manager Trevor Swales accepts that the Panthers have resembled a one-man team through three heavy away defeats in three days, with only skipper Hans Andersen scoring points of note.
Swales said: "Things have got to change and they are going to - riders have got to stand up and be counted. Everyone else seems to be gating well and the majority of our lads are not. We have one rider that is doing anywhere near what he should be.
"I will be putting on a team bonding exercise to try and sort things out because at the moment we are in a dark tunnel and there is not much light at the end of it."
POOLE'S in-form Polish star Adam Skornicki may require an operation on his broken wrist - and the Pirates are set to rue his absence over the coming weeks.
Promoter Matt Ford said: "They are now considering an operation on Thursday, or he could leave it. It is a small bone that is broken in his wrist, and the bones in your wrist are important.
"It's awful timing with us going to Wolves and Belle Vue away in the league in an eight-day spell. They were two fixtures we always felt we would have a good chance of winning because Adam is a track specialist at Wolves and rode at Belle Vue last season and the fact of how well he is riding at the moment."
SWINDON rider Theo Pijper is expected to be out for around a month after suffering a broken collarbone and concussion.
Manager Alun Rossiter said: "Hopefully we'll deal with Swindon Town and get Theo down there for some physio and laser treatment on his shoulder to aid his recovery.
"The collarbone is one of the weakest bones in your body - I know, I've suffered a few breaks in my time. But speedway riders are made of steel, and Theo will be back and stronger than ever."
WOLVES star Kenneth Hansen has flown back to Denmark for treatment.
Hansen crashed heavily in the penultimate race of Monday's impressive Elite League win over Poole and has sustained a serious cut below the waist and he also had tyre burns on his hip from the impact of the crash.
Wolves chief Chris Van Straaten said: "It's an uncomfortable injury for Kenneth and he felt it was best to go back home to Denmark for treatment and rest.”
PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST…
BERWICK promoter Peter Waite hailed the Bandits’ sensational 61-29 win at Mildenhall in their Premier League opener as one of his best days in the sport.
Waite said: "This was what we’ve been waiting for. This was an awesome match for the Bandits and it was so brilliant to see the lads really click and go for it big-time! This has gone down as one of my best speedway moments of all time."
BIRMINGHAM boss Graham Drury has admitted he was one of the driving forces behind the new ruling which rewards an away win with three-points.
He said: “I very much believe in the new rule and I was one of the people who pushed for it. I believe the league table will be a fair reflection of those teams who are stronger all-round rather than those who simply have a massive home track advantage and rely on an aggregate win.
“Only time will tell, but I believe it’s a good move for the sport.”
EDINBURGH are hoping talented young Swede Thomas H Jonasson is able to return to their team soon after missing last Friday's home clash with Workington due to a jarred back.
Promoter John Campbell said: "It's the last thing we wanted. What we really need for him is an injury-free run while he learns about UK tracks to develop his full potential over here. Hopefully the problem will clear up."
GLASGOW remain optimistic about their prospects for the season and gained confidence from a four-point win over Workington in a tough Premier Trophy encounter.
Promoter Stewart Dickson said: "Our realistic aim is to do the best we can in the Trophy but use it mainly to set us up for the League fixtures. With it being such a short, sharp group, if we could get a run going that would be great."
ISLE OF WIGHT manager Dave Croucher says his team will have benefited from their early challenge matches against Reading, despite going down to a 19-point aggregate defeat.
Croucher said: "When you consider that it was our first away meeting of 2008 against one of the stronger sides in the Premier League, then I'm not totally unhappy with the way we rode. Having said that, neither the boys nor the management will want to see repeat performances."
KING'S LYNN youngster Simon Lambert enjoyed the best night of his career with a paid-18 point maximum from six rides as the Stars recorded an emphatic 61-31 win over reigning Premier League champions Rye House.
Lambert defeated Rockets' big guns Chris Neath and Stefan Ekberg, and his team manager Rob Lyon said: "Simon was magnificent. There's no other way to describe it."
MILDENHALL promoter Simon Barton pulled no punches after the Fen Tigers were routed 61-29 at home by Berwick in the first fixture of the Premier League campaign.
Barton said: "The performance was totally unacceptable. We could make many excuses but at the end of the day we were taken apart by a Berwick team that were sharper out of the gate and who attacked the track with much more energy than us."
NEWCASTLE roared to the top of their Premier Trophy group with an emphatic 63-27 win over much-fancied Sheffield.
Co-promoter Darryl Illingworth said: "We’ve had some hidings at Sheffield over the years, so it’s a great feeling to get one back and knock them off the top of the group table with one of our best performances for many a long day."
NEWPORT promoter Tim Stone says that everyone at the club is working to put things right after heavy defeats at Somerset and at home to Reading leaves them without a win so far in the Premier Trophy.
Stone said: "Everyone is aware of the problems we have, and everyone is working hard to correct them. We were totally out-gated on Sunday despite getting off to a great start with a 5-1 in the first race."
READING experienced a weekend of mixed fortunes in the Premier Trophy with their biggest away win since 1980, at Newport, being followed by a surprise home defeat at the hands of Somerset.
Racers boss Tim Sugar said: "Newport was a must-win match and we produced the goods, but it was very disappointing to slip up at home 24 hours later. We now have to pick ourselves up and come up with a big result ourselves if we're going to qualify."
REDCAR's in-form American Chris Kerr is facing three months on the sidelines with a broken leg after a tangle with Viktor Bergstrom at Scunthorpe on Sunday.
Bears boss Brian Havelock said: "It wasn’t an especially heavy crash but Chris said he knew it was broken immediately. He was due to have an operation to plate it and I think we're looking at three months without him. He'll be difficult to replace and I think we're going to have to re-declare our 1-7."
RYE HOUSE skipper Chris Neath says the Rockets are capable of winning their Premier Trophy group as they prepare for a tough trip to Birmingham this week.
Neath said: "We've got nothing to fear and I honestly believe if we ride to our capabilities, we can win the group. We're going to try to be as positive as we can this year on all types of tracks and in all types of conditions."
SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey has confirmed that Swedish star Magnus Karlsson will move up the riding order as the Scorpions bid to improve the way in which they start meetings.
Godfrey said: "We’re going to make a change for next week with Magnus moving to No.1. We've had three meetings and conceded three 5-1s in Heat 1. That can not continue to happen so I've told Magnus we need him at No.1."
SHEFFIELD will be without reserve Lee Smethills for the next week at least after suffering muscle damage in his foot.
The Owlerton side have booked King’s Lynn’s Simon Lambert for their three meetings this week – home and away with Redcar and a trip to Stoke.
Co-promoter Neil Machin said: “Thankfully Lee’s injury isn’t that bad but he needs to rest it for a week or so.”
SOMERSET made themselves favourites to qualify for the semi-finals of the Premier Trophy with a stunning 49-44 away win over Reading on Monday.
The Rebels showed their strength in depth with reserves Stephan Katt and Jordan Frampton scoring 20 (paid 22) between them for their second away win in the group so far.
STOKE promoter Dave Tattum is hoping for better luck with the weather this month after being forced to postpone Saturday's home clash with Scunthorpe.
Tattum said: "The track had taken loads of water all week and there was no way a meeting could be staged. It's so frustrating and annoying because you work all week in the expectancy of running a home meeting and we have all ready lost two in the first three weeks of the season."
WORKINGTON manager Ian Thomas says the Comets lower-order need to improve if their much-fancied team are to achieve the success that has been predicted for them.
Thomas said: "The three heat leaders are doing what we thought they would, riding well and scoring points. But the other four riders are giving a bit of concern at this early stage. The worrying thing is that they are not riding to their ability or to their average."
FIXTURE PICTURE
TUESDAY APRIL 1: PREMIER TROPHY: Isle of Wight v Newport 7.30
WEDNESDAY APRIL 2: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Wolverhampton 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Birmingham v Rye House 7.45 BRITISH UNDER-21 QUALIFIER: King's Lynn 7.30
THURSDAY APRIL 3: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Belle Vue 7.30 ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP: Ipswich v Wolverhampton 7.30 CRAVEN SHIELD: Peterborough v Lakeside 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Sheffield v Redcar 7.45
FRIDAY APRIL 4: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Ipswich 8pm, Lakeside v Swindon 8pm PREMIER TROPHY: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30, Redcar v Sheffield 7.30, Scunthorpe v Newcastle 7.30 Somerset v Isle of Wight 7.30
SATURDAY APRIL 5: ELITE LEAGUE PAIRS: King's Lynn 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Rye House v Birmingham 7pm, Stoke v Sheffield 7.30, Workington v Edinburgh 7pm KARL FRIAR MEMORIAL TROPHY: Berwick 7pm
SUNDAY APRIL 6: PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Redcar 4pm PREMIER TROPHY: Mildenhall v Birmingham 4.30, Newcastle v Scunthorpe 5.30, Newport v Isle of Wight 3pm
MONDAY APRIL 7: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Poole 7.30 ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP: Wolverhampton v Ipswich 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Reading v Newport 7.30
TUESDAY APRIL 8: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Eastbourne 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Isle of Wight v Somerset 7.30
WEDNESDAY APRIL 9: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Lakeside 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Birmingham v Scunthorpe 7.45 CONFERENCE CHALLENGE: Boston v Redcar 7.30
THURSDAY APRIL 10: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Lakeside 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Edinburgh 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE KOC: Sheffield v Scunthorpe 7.45
FRIDAY APRIL 11: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Belle Vue 8pm, Lakeside v Poole 8pm PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE KOC: Scunthorpe v Sheffield 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: King's Lynn v Birmingham 7.30, Somerset v Reading 7.30 BRITISH U21 QUALIFIER: Plymouth 7.30
SATURDAY APRIL 12: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Wolverhampton 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Newport 7pm, Rye House v Isle of Wight 7pm, Workington v King's Lynn 7pm PREMIER TROPHY: Stoke v Newcastle 7.30 CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Redcar v Buxton 3pm BRITISH U21 QUALIFIER: Weymouth 7.15
SUNDAY APRIL 13: PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v King's Lynn 4pm, Mildenhall v Reading 4.30, Newcastle v Workington 5.30, Newport v Birmingham 3pm
MONDAY APRIL 14: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Swindon 7.30, Wolverhampton v Eastbourne 7.30 CRAVEN SHIELD: Belle Vue v Coventry 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Reading v Isle of Wight 7.30
TUESDAY APRIL 15: PREMIER TROPHY: Isle of Wight v Reading 7.30
WEDNESDAY APRIL 16: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Coventry 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Birmingham v Somerset 7.45, King's Lynn v Edinburgh 7.30
