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...
Win your way into the TEAM Great Britain picture!
With Speedway Great Britain and the Speedway Star Speedway Great Britain has teamed up with the Speedway Star Magazine and Legendary Speedway photographer Mike Patrick for one lucky supporter to appear in their very own Team GB team Picture.
By entering the Speedway Great Britain reverse auction, the winner who will have the lowest unique bid at the end of the competition will receive two tickets the World Cup qualifier at Peterborough on the 13th July, feature in the Team GB picture taken by none other than Mike Patrick as well as receive free Team GB pit wear. The picture itself will also appear in the Speedway Star.
Full details of how to enter the competition and terms and conditions are below.
All you need to do to enter is to TEXT what you think the unique lowest bid will be from 1 to 99999 To Enter simply SEND: YOUR TEAMS NICKNAME ie ACES (SPACE) AUCTION (SPACE) ie 521 (your chosen bid. 521 is for £5.21)
EXAMPLE ACES AUCTION 123 to 86248
Nicknames to use for your local clubs are as follows:
ACES – For Belle Vue BANDITS – For Berwick BEARS – For Redcar BEES – For Coventry BRUMMIES – For Birmingham COMETS – For Workington DEVILS – For Plymouth DIAMONDS – For Newcastle EAGLES – For Eastbourne GTIGERS – For Glasgow HAMMERS – For Lakeside HITMEN – For Buxton ISLANDERS – For Isle of Wight MONARCHS – For Edinburgh MTIGERS – For Mildenhall PANTHERS – For Peterborough PIRATES – For Poole POTTERS – For Stoke REBELS – For Somerset ROBINS – For Swindon ROCKETS – For Rye House SCORPIONS – For Scunthorpe Scorpions STARS – For Kings Lynn STIGERS – For Sheffield WASPS – For Newport WILDCATS – For Weymouth WITCHES – For Ipswich WOLVES – For Wolverhampton
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: TEXTS COST JUST £1 (plus your standard network charge) 'In the event that there is no 'unique' lowest bid' a tie-break question will be asked and a winner selected at random from the correct responses sent to the tie-break question, winners will be notified as per the Terms & Conditions'. The winner is not required to pay the winning bid amount in order to claim the prize
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST...
BELLE Vue experienced the full range of emotions with their first Elite League away win in over a year coming at Eastbourne on Saturday - before going down to a home defeat against Coventry 48 hours later.
Manager Chris Morton said: "We were beaten by a better balanced team on the night. Our strong point was at reserve but you can't compete against a powerful team like that if your reserves don't perform.
"We couldn't afford any mistakes but we made them. It was so disappointing after the Eastbourne win but there was no shame in losing to a very strong side."
COVENTRY put their play-off challenge back on track with a 53-36 win at Belle Vue on Monday - highlighted by a 15-point maximum from captain Chris Harris.
Harris said: "It's a nice circuit here and the track was really good, it's one I enjoy riding. It's always easier if you make the starts and I was doing that in most of my races.
"We've got to get that consistency going, because that has let us down recently, and if we do that we can get higher up the table."
EASTBOURNE promoter Bob Dugard has revealed plans to step down at the end of the season - although he has pledged his full backing, including sponsorship, to potential successors.
Dugard said: "I sincerely hope a replacement can be found to keep speedway at Eastbourne. The new promoter would find himself in a fantastic position.
"We have a great management team headed up by Trevor Geer and that is why I’ve devoted so much time and effort. The new promoter will be stepping into a ready-to-race stadium and can have free use of my rider assets."
IPSWICH have named Daniel King as their new captain after former skipper Leigh Lanham became the man to make way in a team re-shuffle which sees Robert Miskowiak return to Foxhall.
King said: "It is an honour to be asked to take on the captaincy although I wish it was under different circumstances. I enjoyed it when I was filling in for Leigh earlier in the season and I will be talking to Chris (Louis) to find out what I can do to make sure I do the best job possible.
“He served the club through thick and thin as captain so no one knows better. It's always tough when team changes are made because you know it could be you, but we have to move on and I'm really looking forward to welcoming Robert back."
LAKESIDE will compete in their televised fixture against Wolverhampton on Wednesday in a one-off Royal Navy race-jacket design, whilst one of the Purfleet bends will be adorned with Royal Navy branding.
Hammers boss Jon Cook said: "For this club to be associated with an organisation as prestigious as the Royal Navy is a feather in the cap for us, and for speedway as a whole, as it shows our sport can be used effectively as an alternative advertising force in these belt tightening times.
"We are very proud of our armed forces here at the Hammers, and we feel privileged to have been chosen for this new initiative."
PETERBOROUGH promoter Mick Bratley has underlined the importance of the club's upcoming clashes with Wolverhampton after the Panthers suffered two heavy defeats at Swindon and Lakeside last week.
Bratley said: "The last two results on the road have been dire; we can’t hide that fact and nor should we. We are not looking very comfortable in the league form guide either.
"We need to ask ourselves the question 'do we really want to be in the mix at the end of the season, or do we want to be also-rans? Have we got the desire that is needed to push on?’ Maybe we will get the answer after Thursday and Monday."
POOLE threatened to become the first visiting team to take a point from Wolverhampton this season, only to fall away in the closing stages at Monmore Green, conceding 18 points from the last four races.
Manager Neil Middleditch said: "Wolves showed us why they are mounting a challenge at the top of the league table, and although our top three men scored well, our lower order riders didn’t give them any real support.”
"We started well enough but were playing catch-up in the second half of the match and we just didn’t have the firepower to get back on terms."
SWINDON have confirmed that hugely successful mid-season signing Matej Zagar will be staying with the club for the rest of the year - with Troy Batchelor set to be loaned out when he returns to fitness.
Robins co-promoter Gary Patchett said: "It’s clear that Matej’s inclusion has had a profound impact on the squad. The opportunity to extend his stint with Swindon was one that couldn’t be missed.
"The reaction from Troy was one of disappointment but exceptional professionalism.
He understands that the management needed to look at the bigger picture when considering this decision."
WOLVERHAMPTON star Adam Skornicki is targeting back-to-back championships after being part of Poole's Elite League winning team last season, and now being back at the sharp end of the Elite League table with Wolves.
Skornicki said: "I think this team can prove to be as strong as the one we had at Poole last season, but whether we will have enough to win the league remains to be seen!
"We were a superb team down there last season and it’s sad to see them having a bad season, but my focus is on Wolverhampton. I'm thrilled to be back here and doing really well this season."
PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST...
BERWICK made a rapid recovery from their massive home defeat by King's Lynn in the Knockout Cup by notching a brilliant away win at Glasgow less then 24 hours later.
Bandits co-owner John Anderson said: "I’m going to congratulate all the lads, not one individually as they all pulled so well as a unit for the victory. They all were so annoyed with themselves last night, and all said how they were completely dedicated and determined to go out today and make amends."
BIRMINGHAM reserve Richard Sweetman made the most of extra outings to rack up a 15-point haul in the Brummies' win over Redcar - despite suffering retirements in his first two rides.
Sweetman said: "I want to be in the top five as soon as possible, I'm sick of this reserve. I want to be a heat-leader soon, and I've just got to keep winning and have no bike breakdowns to get there."
EDINBURGH are still keeping an open mind with regards to finding a replacement for Thomas H Jonasson, who has quit British racing. The Monarchs have until July 10 before their 28-day facility expires.
Promoter John Campbell said: "We will take whoever we think is up to the job. It's just trying to convince somebody to come across and ride for us. And, while some riders have schedules mapped out, anyone interested in joining us will change them, that's how it works in world speedway now."
GLASGOW co-promoter Alan Dick is keen to introduce another new face to the Tigers' line-up soon as they attempt to cover for the injured Ross Brady.
Dick said: "If there were riders available then there is little doubt we would have signed one by now but that has proven not to be the case. There is the possibility of a little rider movement in the not too distant future and if that is the case then we shall keep a very close eye on things."
KING'S Lynn remember the life and career of Ashley Jones in a special Memorial meeting for the popular Australian at the Norfolk Arena on Wednesday - with the weather conditions likely to be much-improved on the downpours which forced the May staging to be postponed.
Stars team boss Rob Lyon said: "The Legends team is packed full of track specialists, and it will be fascinating to see how riders like Olly (Allen) and Kevin (Doolan) do against Darcy (Ward). Fans will be torn picking a winning team and all I can say is they should be here to watch it because it will be one of the best meetings seen anywhere this year."
NEWCASTLE were beaten twice on their travels over the weekend, although manager George English felt there had been encouraging signs from the defeat at
Somerset, with little to take from the following match at Rye House. English said: "I was a happier man last night than here tonight. It's another visit to Hoddesdon to put at the back of our memories, and indeed down to experience."
NEWPORT are building up to a big weekend at the Hayley Stadium with the British Grand Prix taking place at nearby Cardiff either side of two home meetings.
The club's National League team face Scunthorpe on Friday evening, and then the prestigious Welsh Open takes place at 1pm on Sunday with the likes of David Howe, Leigh Lanham, Ty Proctor and Wasps star Mark Lemon amongst the favourites.
REDCAR have made a change at reserve with Stuart Swales returning to the sport after an eight-year retirement, and having impressed in non-league events so far, he replaces Benji Compton in the Bears team.
Manager Brian Havelock said: "It's very hard to tell a rider he is being dropped from the team mid-season as he may not get back into a side to ride again during 2009.
Benji has done a great job for the Bears in the past and we wish him well in his riding career."
RYE House skipper Chris Neath said there had been a good team attitude as the Rockets ran up a 61-point haul against Newcastle to keep up their healthy position in the table.
Neath said: "You must never take anything for granted, and you just go out there and do the best you can. On the whole, as a team we were all pulling together, and with most of us getting to top form at the moment I think it showed out there."
SCUNTHORPE have replaced recent signing Nick Simmons with Adam Allott - in a move which also moves Simon Lambert to a reserve berth.
Promoter Rob Godfrey said: "We have struggled at reserve this season, especially away from home. I’m sorry to have to do this to Nick, but to get Simon down at reserve is what we have wanted to do for a while now and I’m sure we will see a real upturn in his scoring."
SHEFFIELD are sweating on the fitness of Ricky Ashworth, who is rated at 50/50 to ride against Scunthorpe on Thursday after a crash when taking an Elite League booking for Belle Vue over the weekend.
Ashworth said: "It's getting better day by day, but I'll make a decision on the morning. I want to ride, but we also have some big meetings coming up and I don't want to aggravate the situation."
SOMERSET general manager David Croucher is urging supporters to arrive at the Oak Tree Arena as early as possible for Friday's eagerly-awaited Premier League Pairs event.
Croucher said: "If the experiences of the past two seasons' competition here are anything to go by, then we are going to be in for a bumper crowd, and so I would strongly urge fans to get to the Oak Tree Arena early to avoid any last minute queues and rush at the turnstiles. We aim to start proceedings at 7.30pm sharp."
STOKE maintained their position in the top three of the Premier League table by coming back from an early deficit to notch a 12-point victory over Newport.
Manager John Woolridge said: "Things were looking a little bit awkward for us early on, but we kept on battling and got the result. We hit them hard in the last few heats, and it keeps us as the right end of the table."
WORKINGTON manager Ian Thomas is in a stable condition in a Bradford hospital - and remains keen to keep in touch with the progress of the Comets.
His wife Dot said: "He wanted to know the score (against Edinburgh) even though he's having a hard time of it. He developed an infection after he'd had a small operation on Tuesday, and was admitted to hospital again after coming home an feeling awful."
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..
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
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 King's Lynn 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
THURSDAY JULY 2: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Eastbourne 7.30, Swindon v Ipswich 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Birmingham 7.45 PREMIER TROPHY: Redcar v Newcastle 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP: Bournemouth v Weymouth 7.30
FRIDAY JULY 3: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Peterborough 8pm PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newport 7.30, Scunthorpe v Workington 7.30, Somerset v Sheffield 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Plymouth v Scunthorpe 7.30, Weymouth v Mildenhall 7.15
SATURDAY JULY 4: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Peterborough 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Newport 7pm, Rye House v Edinburgh 7.30, Stoke v Birmingham 7.30, Workington v Glasgow 7pm NATIONAL LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Buxton 7.30
SUNDAY JULY 5: PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Stoke 4pm, Newcastle v Sheffield 6.30, Newport v Rye House 2.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Isle of Wight 3pm, Mildenhall v Bournemouth 4.30
MONDAY JULY 6: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Swindon 7.30, Peterborough v Ipswich 7.30, Wolverhampton v Eastbourne 7.30
WEDNESDAY JULY 8: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Ipswich 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Birmingham v Berwick 7.30, King's Lynn v Newcastle 7.30
