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...

PETER Toogood reckons the Premier League Pairs at Somerset on Friday, June 26 could be the best yet.

The British Speedway chairman and former Somerset promoter says the line-up offers a mouth-watering meeting in prospect.

It’s a perfect way for fans to start the Cardiff weekend with a bumper night of action featuring the Premier League’s top stars.

Said Toogood: “It’s always a good event but when you look at the line-up this has all the makings of a sensational night of racing.

“In fact it could be the best ever Premier League Pairs event and the venue is fitting because of all the work that’s gone in at the Arena.

“I honestly cannot predict a winner, and that’s not me just sitting on the fence! I think it will be a terrific night of racing where every rider will give as much effort as those riding in the Millennium Stadium the following night.

“I hope the riders really show us all everything that’s good about our sport. It is a fantastic product.”

Home duo Somerset are represented by Steve Johnston and Emil Kramer but they are sure to be tested in the same group by teenage sensation Darcy Ward and Tomas Topinka of King’s Lynn.

And Workington duo Kevin Doolan – top of last year’s averages – and Adrian Rymel are sure to be a threat in Group Two.

GROUP 1: King's Lynn (Tomas Topinka, Darcy Ward), Somerset (Steve Johnston, Emil Kramer), Berwick (Michal Makovsky, Josef Franc), Rye House (Linus Sundstrom, Chris Neath), Scunthorpe (Magnus Karlsson, David Howe).

GROUP 2: Glasgow (James Grieves, Shane Parker), Workington (Kevin Doolan, Adrian Rymel), Redcar (Gary Havelock, Ty Proctor), Edinburgh (Ryan Fisher, Andrew Tully), Birmingham (Jason Lyons, Tomasz Piszcz).

ELITE LEAGUE LATEST...

BELLE VUE chief David Gordon has defended the Aces' move to include Kevin Doolan as their new No.8, which was the subject of a Poole protest prior to Monday's Cup clash being rained off.

Gordon said: "We have an approved declaration from the BSPA that we can use Doolan in the team. Poole have questioned this but our team is within the spirit of the rule and we strongly believe there is no reason why we couldn’t or shouldn’t use him.

"We put in the declaration of the team change to the Promoters Association last Friday which was within the required 72 hours before the match."

COVENTRY co-boss Peter Oakes says a team effort is required as the Bees look for their first points in a fortnight in Friday's crunch clash with Swindon.

Oakes said: "We've got to start picking up points again, we've had two bad meetings where we didn't pick up any points and this will be another tough one.

"They've got a very powerful side around Brandon with basically three big guns, and we need our lower-order to go out and score points, especially when they're against the Swindon reserves. I think it will be one heck of a meeting."

EASTBOURNE manager Trevor Geer admitted the margin of the Eagles' 55-39 defeat at Wolverhampton on Monday had surprised him.

Geer said: "I’m disappointed. I was expecting a close meeting. I didn’t know which way it could have gone but, even if we had lost, I thought we might get a point out of it. I always think if one team can do well around Wolverhampton it’s Eastbourne.

"Unfortunately we were carrying a few people who were struggling with machinery and things. Without an out-and-out No. 1 we really need everybody to be firing and that wasn’t the case."

FORMER World Champion Mark Loram has been given the go-ahead to ride again - over two years after breaking his thigh in Ipswich's opening Elite League match of 2007.

Loram said: "The wound is still healing satisfactory and specialist Norwich-based bone surgeon AD Patel has given me clearance to ride again.

"I have not firmed up any dates yet, but I plan to be back on a bike again soon. But whether it means just messing about on a bike or a full time return to speedway remains to be seen. I appreciate that time is running out for me."

LAKESIDE co-promoter Jon Cook has backed the recent decision for the end-of-season play-offs to revert to being a four-team competition - even though the Hammers themselves are currently outside those positions.

Cook said: "We will have to work considerably harder now as a team to make the top four but we voted with Speedway's best interests in mind, rather than that of our team.

"A six team Play Off system in a League of only nine was clearly too large an amount of fixtures to race late in the season and the idea that a team could come from 5th or 6th to win the title totally undermines the whole 32 match League season before it."

PETERBOROUGH promoter Mick Bratley admits he would relish putting an end to the Panthers' poor record at Swindon when they travel to Blunsdon for a big top-three clash on Thursday.

Bratley said: "Every year we say it's our bogey track. Myself and (manager) Trevor Swales said to each other years ago, that we would surely win here once during our lifetime. I’m getting worried, because we aren’t getting any younger!

"If we collectively 'click' together, we can cause an upset. To be honest, I would be more than happy with a point, something no other club this season has thus far achieved."

POOLE manager Neil Middleditch is hopeful that his side will be back at full strength when their Knockout Cup tie at Belle Vue is re-arranged - as Chris Holder would have missed Monday's rained-off meeting.

Middleditch said: "Chris is doing well and he could return for us at home to Lakeside on Wednesday.

"He'll have a late fitness test after saying he feels a lot better, and hopefully we'll have him back for when we are at Belle Vue in the Cup again."

SWINDON manager Alun Rossiter was angry to be without Matej Zagar due to the requirements of his Polish club for the first leg of the Robins' Cup semi-final against Lakeside.

Rossiter said: "It’s absolutely shocking. I am bitterly disappointed, and I am sick to death of this kind of politics in speedway.

"We have to concentrate on the league now. We’ve missed out on the cup yet again but now we have to bring home the golden nugget."

WOLVERHAMPTON skipper Peter Karlsson collected a five-ride paid maximum as the Monmore club went back to the top of the Elite League table with victory over Eastbourne on Monday.

Karlsson said: "Of course I’m happy to be unbeaten, that goes without saying. Everything felt good for me, the bikes were going quick and the track was excellent I thought.

"It’s a great position for us to be in but we’ve got some tough tests away from home to come. It doesn’t matter about our league position just yet, we just have to be in contention and then make sure towards September."

PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST...

BERWICK missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the Premier Trophy after being held to a draw at home by Sheffield on Saturday - with Workington going through instead.

Bandits manager Dave Peet said: "They were much stronger at reserve, and I have to say Tero Aarnio's injury is a disastrous loss for us. We only hope he'll be back as soon as possible as at the moment the rest of the team cannot carry the shortfall in scoring."

BIRMINGHAM captain Jason Lyons says the Brummies' win at Scunthorpe last week is a message to the rest of the Premier League that the Perry Barr side are serious contenders.

Lyons said: "I think that result proved a point to a few people. Perhaps those who wrote us off because of our poor start to the season can now start taking us seriously. We've changed the team and we've got some strength throughout."

EDINBURGH bosses are scouring Europe as they look to secure a suitable replacement for Thomas H Jonasson, who left the club last week.

Co-promoter John Campbell said: "I'm looking in Poland, the Czech Republic and Scandinavia. We are looking at riders who are doing well in their own country, and I'm hoping we can find someone who can score heavily on away tracks for us."

GLASGOW'S Anders Andersen is almost certain to be out for the rest of the season as the leg he broke at the end of April is not knitting together as surgeons would want.

Tigers co-promoter Stewart Dickson said: "I was worried that he would come back too quickly, such is his determination to ride for the team again. Now he cannot, and all I hope is that he is back fighting fit for the start of 2010 when he is almost guaranteed a starting place."

KING'S LYNN manager Rob Lyon is hoping to collect big points from two meetings this week ahead of a fortnight's break from Premier League action.

Lyon said: "During this period all we can do is cross our fingers and hope that we don’t slip down the league, as there really is nothing more we can do about it until our busy run of four home meetings and four away meetings comes in July."

NEWCASTLE have signed promising Danish youngster Rene Bach and released Steve Boxall after a disappointing run of form this season.

Co-promoter Darryl Illingworth said: "A change had to be made as frustrations were running high, although I have to say it may not be the last change before we’re finished! Rene is one of the best prospects coming out of Denmark at the moment."

NEWPORT skipper Craig Watson remains hopeful of a return to racing this season following his broken leg injury in the very first meeting of the year.

Watson said: "I'm pleased to report that I'm healing well, and the fact that it has begun to hurt more in recent weeks is actually a good sign! Of course it's frustrating and I look forward to getting back on my machine before the season ends."

REDCAR reserve Arlo Bugeja is hoping to take the confidence from winning the club's open meeting last Thursday into his forthcoming Premier League matches.

Bugeja said: "I’m riding in the Premier League so I should win a meeting like this - and that makes it harder. But you need that pressure on you to show you can get through it. I wanted to win it to prove myself."

RYE HOUSE skipper Chris Neath praised the Rockets' team effort in overturning a 16-point first leg deficit to put holders Somerset out of the Knockout Cup.

Neath said: "We were really up for it, and we desperately wanted to get through to the next round for ourselves and the supporters. I was really pleased with it and happy that I could deliver for the team."

SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey has been left frustrated by the current inconsistency within his side - who went down to a surprise home defeat against Birmingham last Friday.

Godfrey said: "We just can't seem to fire all seven at the same time. If all seven could fire together we would have a great team."

SHEFFIELD reserve Paul Cooper feels he has now regained his form and is pleased with his reserve combination with Joel Parsons for the Tigers.

Cooper said: "It's going well for Joel and me at reserve, and I know we have an important part to play. Joel's had problems just like me and there have been times when he must have wondered what he had to do to put things right. But we both seem to be back on track."

SOMERSET have secured the services of Australian star Steve Johnston for the next two seasons after making him a full asset of the club and agreeing a deal to the end of 2011.

Johnston said: "Everything has been just gone just great since I first came to Somerset, and I cannot foresee any reason as to why I wouldn’t want to be involved with the Rebels for as long as I’m still riding."

STOKE star Phil Morris was pleased with an improved display in Saturday's comfortable home win over Scunthorpe, despite a final-race retirement.

Morris said: "It may well have been more for me had I not suffered the puncture. I felt I could have scored in that race, but on the team front it was a solid performance. We need to keep winning at home, and hopefully that will carry into our away performances."

WORKINGTON boss Ian Thomas has selected Kevin Doolan and Adrian Rymel to defend the club's Premier League Pairs title at Somerset on June 26.

Thomas said: "I’ve always worked on the basis that it’s only fair for the top two riders in the averages to get to do the job. We’ve got an exceptionally good record in the competition, but it’s going to be very hard this year looking at the field."

NATIONAL LEAGUE action continues and all the latest club press releases are now available at the news section on our website www.speedwaygb.com

FIXTURE PICTURE...

WEDNESDAY JUNE 17:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Lakeside 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Birmingham v Redcar 7.30, King's Lynn v Scunthorpe 7.30

THURSDAY JUNE 18:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Peterborough 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Scunthorpe 7.30, Sheffield v King's Lynn 7.45

FRIDAY JUNE 19:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Swindon 8pm, Lakeside v Peterborough 8pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Redcar 7.30, Somerset v Newcastle 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP: Edinburgh v Workington 7.30
NATIONAL LEAGUE: Plymouth v King's Lynn 7.30,
NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP: Weymouth v Bournemouth 7.15

SATURDAY JUNE 20:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Belle Vue 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Newcastle 7pm, Stoke v Newport 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP: Berwick v King's Lynn 7pm, Workington v Edinburgh 7pm

SUNDAY JUNE 21:
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP: Glasgow v Berwick 4pm, Newport v Redcar 2.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Rye House 3pm, Mildenhall v Newport 4pm

MONDAY JUNE 22:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry 7.30, Wolverhampton v Poole 7.30

TUESDAY JUNE 23:
NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Rye House 7.30

WEDNESDAY JUNE 24:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Wolverhampton 7.30
ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP: Poole v Belle Vue 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Birmingham v Newcastle 7.30
ASHLEY JONES MEMORIAL: King's Lynn 7.30

THURSDAY JUNE 25:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Lakeside 7.30, Peterborough v Wolverhampton 7.30, Swindon v Coventry 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Birmingham 7.30, Sheffield v Scunthorpe 7.45
NATIONAL LEAGUE: Bournemouth v Isle of Wight 7.30

FRIDAY JUNE 26:
PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset 7.30
NATIONAL LEAGUE: Newport v Scunthorpe 7pm, Plymouth v Buxton 7.30

SATURDAY JUNE 27:
BRITISH GRAND PRIX: Cardiff, 5pm

SUNDAY JUNE 28:
WELSH OPEN: Newport 1pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Glasgow 2pm, Stoke v Berwick 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Newport 7.30

MONDAY JUNE 29:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Lakeside 7.30, Eastbourne v Swindon 7.30, Wolverhampton v Peterborough 7.30

TUESDAY JUNE 30:
NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Mildenhall 7.30

WEDNESDAY JULY 1:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Wolverhampton 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Birmingham v Stoke 7.30, King's Lynn v Rye House 7.30