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…
NO less than seven Grand Prix stars will do battle in the Elite League Riders' Championship at Birmingham next Wednesday, October 8.
The meeting, re-arranged after the washout of the original staging in August, is sure to pull in a bumper crowd at the Perry Barr venue.
Former World Champion Jason Crump will represent Belle Vue and other Grand Prix stars include Leigh Adams of Swindon, Coventry's Hans Andersen and Poole star Bjarne Pedersen.
And in Jurica Pavlic and Chris Holder, two riders tipped for a massive future in the GP series are also included.
British Speedway Chairman Pete Toogood said: "This is a terrific line-up and we're looking forward to a great night of racing.
"It's a great way for us to bring the curtain down on the Super 7even series for this season and it's hard to predict a winner on the neutral track."
The action starts at 7.30pm and re-admission tickets are valid from the washout on August 21.
LINE-UP: Chris Holder (Poole), Jason Crump (Belle Vue), Freddie Lindgren (Wolverhampton), Leigh Adams (Swindon), Chris Harris (Coventry), Edward Kennett (Eastbourne), Piotr Swiderski (Ipswich), Kenneth Bjerre (Peterborough), Charlie Gjedde (Belle Vue), Jurica Pavlic (Swindon), Leigh Lanham (Lakeside), Bjarne Pedersen (Poole), Danny King (Peterborough), Rory Schlein (Ipswich), Hans Andersen (Coventry), Niels Kristian Iversen (Wolverhampton).
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST
BELLE VUE boss Chris Morton says it is not a foregone conclusion that Tomasz Jedrzejak - currently starring on-loan at Lakeside - will be back with the Aces next year.
Morton said: "There's still plenty of detail to be talked about whether or not he might be here next season, notably how his other commitments would fit in with Elite League requirements.
"Obviously, though, how we build the team depends on the mathematics of staying under the points limit so there's a long way to go yet on that situation."
COVENTRY manager Peter Oakes feels the Bees' recent results will give them confidence as they seek their sixth major trophy in four years in next month's Craven Shield Final.
Oakes said: "We were very happy with a point (from a draw) at Ipswich, and it keeps our good run going at the end of the season.
"It's a pity the season is coming to an end, because lately we've shown what we felt we were capable of at the start, and the team are currently feeling confident and working well together."
EASTBOURNE manager Trevor Geer has expressed some concern over the Eagles' lack of track activity before they face Poole in the Knockout Cup Final at the end of the season.
Geer said: "We need something to warm everyone up. It's alright for the likes of Scott Nicholls and Lee Richardson racing abroad, but the others need to get match fit.
"It's like starting the season all over again. We will see what we can do." IPSWICH will stage a benefit meeting for their former rider Kim Jansson at Foxhall on Thursday.
Jansson was seriously injured in a crash in Sweden earlier this season, and all proceeds from the meeting will go to his Fund.
The meeting will see two six-man teams compete over 15 heats, with former Witches skipper Scott Nicholls re-joining the Ipswich squad for the night.
LAKESIDE owner Stuart Douglas was delighted to see the Hammers complete the job they set out to do, by overcoming Swindon to reach the Elite League Grand Final.
Douglas said: "Swindon perhaps didn't have the best of luck on the night but I'm so proud to be in the Final and our team did a terrific job.
"Through all our injury problems Jon (Cook) has kept it together with some key moves, and it's a great moment for us to reach the final."
PETERBOROUGH manager Trevor Swales feels Wolverhampton will be strong opponents if the sides meet again in the relegation race-off - with the Panthers requiring a Coventry win at Belle Vue to keep them out of the bottom two.
Swales said: "Yes we beat Wolverhampton well (last week), but I felt they grew in stature during the meeting and the final score didn't reflect how well they rode.
"We certainly can't take anything for granted if we have to face them again because no team is going to want to lose in the relegation play-off. We don't want to be involved in those meetings and we have to bank on Coventry doing us a big favour."
POOLE star Davey Watt says the Elite League Grand Final between the Pirates and Lakeside could well be too close to call over two legs.
Watt said: "They are going to be two great meetings, two tough ones with the final outcome going down to the last few heats, maybe even to the final race.
"But they are the big events we all race speedway for and we all want to be involved in. I can hardly wait for the final, and we're under no illusions about the fact they will be extremely tough."
SWINDON'S Travis McGowan made a remarkable return to the Robins team - four weeks after being axed - with a 13-point score at Lakeside, although the Hammers still ended their interest in the Elite League title with a stronger middle-order.
McGowan said: "Unfortunately it wasn’t quite enough tonight and we were beaten by a much better team from the gate. We had no answer to their gating and they just got it right from the get-go and put us under pressure.
"Personally it was a really good night for me. I’ve been working very hard all year with very little success and the break did me good."
WOLVERHAMPTON promoter Chris Van Straaten says his team will be well prepared for the first-ever relegation race-off, which will be against either Belle Vue or Peterborough.
Van Straaten said: "We want the lads together the day before the meeting. We've arranged a meal and a night out for them the night before, we'll be at a club in Wolverhampton and we'll be trying to relax as a team at the same time as staying concentrated on the task in hand.
"Naturally we'd be delighted to pull through and survive at the first hurdle and that has to be our priority right now. If not, we will have no alternative but to face the winners of the Premier League Play-offs and we will take that as it comes."
PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST
BERWICK promoter Peter Waite says his No.1 rider Adrian Rymel can reflect on having his best season in the sport.
Waite said: "Adrian has had a tremendous year. He has scored points almost everywhere he has gone this season, home and away, and as he is approaching a near 10-point average for us he should be proud of his achievements."
BIRMINGHAM owner Tony Mole has confirmed that admission prices at Perry Barr will remain unchanged next season.
Mole said: "We’ve decided to peg our admission prices for 2009 and we believe this represents good value. We’re expecting to remain in the Premier League and our first meeting will be on Wednesday, March 18."
EDINBURGH wrapped up two major trophies in the space of five days with their Premier League title triumph being followed up by the Premier Trophy.
Monarchs boss John Campbell said: "This is the best Monarchs team I've worked with. They are just a great bunch of guys and are very deserving of this success. I'm just delighted for them. I can't praise them enough."
GLASGOW newcomer Peter Juul scored five points in Sunday's Ashfield Classic and will now join the Tigers team for the remainder of the season.
Co-promoter Stewart Dickson said: "This is an ideal opportunity to give Peter a few meetings prior to the end of the season and give him a little understanding of things here prior to next year. It could prove to be very beneficial."
ISLE OF WIGHT co-promoter Dave Pavitt said the reserve positions had made the difference as the Islanders completed a disappointing season of away results with defeat at Stoke.
Pavitt said: "The team all tried hard, but we couldn't match the points scoring of their two Danish reserves. We had hoped to end our league campaign on a high note but it was not to be and now we must turn our attention to the Young Shield."
KING'S LYNN have described their Premier League promotion play-off semi-final against Rye House as a "dream draw."
Manager Rob Lyon said: "My aim is to get at least a 20 point win in the first leg and then the team can go to Rye House, a track that most of them enjoy riding, with a good lead that they should be able to defend."
MILDENHALL completed their Premier League season with the unwanted record of no points on the board, having been beaten by Stoke at West Row.
Promoter Jonathan Chapman said: "I was pleased overall and encouraged by the crowd that was here. Kozza (Smith) and Richard (Sweetman) did a fantastic job for us as well as Luke (Priest).
Kozza was very brave in some of his rides and races from the heart which the fans love." NEWCASTLE co-promoter George English feels the club have unearthed another Danish star of the future in recent signing Kenni Larsen.
English said: "Kenni has performed better than Kenneth Bjerre did when he first joined us, and we all know how far Bjerre has gone in the sport. He's determined to do well and he's a real racer who we are delighted to welcome to the club."
READING promoter Malcolm Holloway is optimistic of his side's chances of knocking defending Young Shield champions Redcar out of the competition in the quarter-finals.
Holloway said: "One of our three away league victories was achieved at Redcar on 19 June, so we can take heart from that. Clearly, the lads know the quickest route around the Redcar circuit, so it is a matter of application for the task in hand."
REDCAR promoter Glyn Taylor has secured the services of double World Champion Jason Crump for the South Tees Silver Helmet on October 23.
Taylor said: "If we manage to get the other Grand Prix rider I'm chasing, I think we can say it's the best field assembled on a Premier League track this season."
RYE HOUSE skipper Chris Neath says the Rockets are entering the Premier League top-four play-offs as the form team.
Neath said: "People have doubted us all year, but we've known that if we ride to our potential we can beat anyone home or away. Over the last few weeks we've really upped our game, and we really mean business now."
SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey has set his side a ten-point victory target from the first leg of their Young Shield quarter-final tie with Workington.
Godfrey said: "We went down by eleven points on aggregate in the league so if we score three points more in each leg and they score three less then we’d be through. If we can get ten points up on them on Friday then I really fancy our chances on Saturday."
SHEFFIELD star Ben Wilson says the Tigers can still take some consolation from a disappointing season with success in the Young Shield.
Wilson said: "I know I’ve been up and down, but so have some of the other lads and it would be nice to end the season on a high. It’s an opportunity to make something of the season and it’s something we should be determined to do."
SOMERSET saw their hopes of the Premier League title ended by defeat at Birmingham last Wednesday - but the Rebels can still reflect on a superb season.
Manager Steve Bishop said: "It was gutting to get so near, only to lose out right at the end, but although we are disappointed not to get the title, it has been a terrific year for the club - especially when you consider that nobody gave us a prayer at the start of the season."
STOKE completed a successful weekend by securing their second away win of the season at Mildenhall on Sunday.
Co-promoter John Woolridge said: "This was always a potential banana skin for us, but we dealt with everything they threw at us very comfortably. We just weren't making starts and had to earn a lot of our points from the back."
WORKINGTON have suffered a major blow ahead of the Knockout Cup Final with skipper Kauko Nieminen picking up a suspected broken collarbone in a crash whilst racing for Lakeside in the Elite League.
Comets boss Ian Thomas said: "He was in a lot of pain and felt certain that the collarbone was broken. I feel absolutely gutted for Kauko. He has been enjoying a magnificent season and had so much to look forward to in the last month."
FIXTURE PICTURE
(Please note, at this stage of the season fixtures can be arranged at short notice. Please note updated versions in our daily press releases.)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 1: PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL: King's Lynn v Rye House 7.30 YOUNG SHIELD: Birmingham v Berwick 7.45
THURSDAY OCTOBER 2: YOUNG SHIELD: Redcar v Reading 7.30 KIM JANSSON BENEFIT: Ipswich 7.30 TOP GUN INDIVIDUAL: Sheffield 7.45
FRIDAY OCTOBER 3: PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL: Edinburgh v Somerset 7.30 YOUNG SHIELD: Scunthorpe v Workington 7.30 CHALLENGE: Plymouth v Isle of Wight 7.30, Weymouth v Swindon Sprockets 7.15 SOMERSET JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Somerset 7.30
SATURDAY OCTOBER 4: PREMIER LEAGUE: Stoke v Reading 7.30 YOUNG SHIELD: Berwick v Birmingham 7pm, Workington v Scunthorpe 7pm CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Rye House v Weymouth 7pm ARLINGTON TROPHY: Eastbourne 7.30
SUNDAY OCTOBER 5: YOUNG SHIELD: Reading v Redcar 6pm SCOTTISH CUP: Glasgow v Edinburgh 4.30 CONFERENCE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL: Boston v Redcar 7.30 DAVID NIX MEMORIAL: Scunthorpe 3pm
MONDAY OCTOBER 6: ELITE LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Lakeside v Poole 7.30 SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry 7.30
TUESDAY OCTOBER 7: YOUNG SHIELD: Isle of Wight v Sheffield 7.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8: ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP, Birmingham 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL: Somerset v Edinburgh 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 9: YOUNG SHIELD: Sheffield v Isle of Wight 7.45
FRIDAY OCTOBER 10: CONFERENCE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL: Plymouth v Weymouth 7.30 CONFERENCE LEAGUE KO CUP: Scunthorpe v Boston 7.30
SATURDAY OCTOBER 11: PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL: Rye House v King's Lynn 7pm CONFERENCE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL: Weymouth v Plymouth 7.15 NEIL COLLINS FAREWELL: Stoke 7.30 BRITISH UNDER 15 CHAMPIONSHIP: Buxton 3pm
SUNDAY OCTOBER 12: PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Edinburgh 4.30, Newcastle v Scunthorpe 5.30
MONDAY OCTOBER 13: ELITE LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Poole v Lakeside 7.30
TUESDAY OCTOBER 14: ELITE LEAGUE RELEGATION PLAY-OFF: Wolverhampton v TBC 7.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 15: MIDLAND SHIELD: Birmingham v Wolverhampton 7.45
THURSDAY OCTOBER 16: CRAVEN SHIELD FINAL: Lakeside v Coventry 7.45 FOUR-TEAM TOURNAMENT: Ipswich 7.30 SOUTH TEES SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 17: CRAVEN SHIELD FINAL: Coventry v Lakeside 8pm
