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.
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST…
BELLE VUE boss Chris Morton felt his team had restored some pride with their home win over Coventry, although the Bees still qualified for the Final on aggregate.
Morton said: “If we had ridden with the same determination last week then there would have been a fair chance we would have avoided bottom place in the table.
“This was a good team performance in a match where we had nothing to lose. The spirit was there but that made last week all the more disappointing.”
COVENTRY have reached the Knockout Cup Final for the third time in four seasons and will now face Lakeside having defended their 12-point first leg advantage at Belle Vue.
Bees co-boss Peter Oakes said: “I don't really think we were ever in danger of not going through to the Final. The important thing is that it's over two legs and you have to make sure you don't do something stupid.
"We were grateful for the cushion we had, but we probably deserved a draw on the night even though we were only really firing on four cylinders.”
EASTBOURNE promoter Bob Dugard says he is still working on future plans for the club despite his intention to stand down at the end of the season.
Dugard said: “I will be working right up until the last minute to leave Eastbourne in the best position I can.
“I’m still looking at next year. I will leave the club in good shape for someone to take it on, but I think things will go quiet until after the play-offs are over.”
IPSWICH manager Pete Simmons has confirmed that he is keen to bring Scott Nicholls back to Foxhall next season after his successful mid-season loan move.
Simmons said: “We'll be doing our best to bring Scott back into the fold but he's a Coventry asset and so unfortunately we don't have the first pickings - just like (Troy) Batchelor, who's a Swindon rider.
“We need to improve in reserve though too, because that's where we have struggled this year.”
LAKESIDE boss Jon Cook is looking for his riders to bounce back from their Elite League play-off disappointment by getting the better of Coventry in the Knockout Cup Final to bring silverware to Purfleet.
Cook said: “With the benefit of hindsight, letting the heart rule the head when it came to team changes in August was perhaps the wrong decision, but there is no point bleating on about it now.
“Stuart (Douglas) and I are bitterly disappointed, but we still have a very prestigious trophy to win this season, and our job is to move forward and re-motivate the riders to prove that we weren't wrong in our team selection and to win the Cup."
PETERBOROUGH complete their home season with a Midland League fixture against Wolverhampton on Thursday, with co-boss Wayne Swales confirming that the club have options open regarding next year’s line-up.
He said: “Wolves have been solid and consistent right from the start, and they will be keen to finish on a high. I think for us to finish the match on top our heat-leaders must be able to compete with theirs, but it’s definitely not going to be easy.
“This end of season competition provides riders with a chance to put themselves in the shop window for next year. We are intending to win, and it’s a good way to finish.”
POOLE star Chris Holder has confirmed that he will sit out the Pirates’ remaining fixtures this season, but he fully intends to be back at Wimborne Road in 2010.
Holder said: “I was more than happy to take a break and help (promoter) Matt Ford out with looking at new riders for next year.
“I’m sure Poole will do much better in 2010 and be back near the top of the table, and I have no reason to go anywhere else as long as they have an Elite League team.”
SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter is urging a big response from his team in order to pull back a 16-point deficit in the second leg of the Elite League Grand Final against Wolverhampton next week.
Rossiter said: “It was probably the worst starting performance all season, and what a time to go missing. Our gating was atrocious and if we do that at the Abbey then it’s goodnight.
“We’ve got to make sure we’re up for it and we’ll do everything we can to claw it back. On our own turf in front of our own fans and with a different mentality, we’ll be on track.”
WOLVERHAMPTON manager Peter Adams insists there will be no premature celebrations amongst his riders with the second leg of the Grand Final to come at Swindon next week.
Adams said: “Of course I’m delighted with the 16-point lead but we still have a job to do at Swindon next Monday.
“They are dangerous on their own track and we cannot take anything for granted.”
PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST…
BERWICK skipper Paul Clews scored a paid maximum at Workington as the Bandits showed what might have been by winning the second leg of their Young Shield quarter-final – one week on from a heavy home defeat.
Manager Dave Peet said: “The lads did well tonight, and that was without Gino Franchetti and Josef Franc, but the main men, Paul, Stan (Burza) and Michal (Makovsky) went into this match determined to get a result and they certainly did that. It’s a good way to end the official season.”
BIRMINGHAM will definitely race on in 2010 after a one-year planning extension was granted – and promoter Graham Drury says there are positive signs for a long-term future for the club at Perry Barr.
Drury said: “I was highly delighted with my meeting with three councillors which was very positive. They were keen to emphasise that they didn't want to see the speedway end but they wanted to work with us to reach a solution which would be suitable for all parties concerned.”
EDINBURGH reserve Aaron Summers ended a run of mechanical problems with double figures in the first leg of the promotion semi-final at Newcastle – mounted on an engine belonging to former team-mate Thomas H Jonasson.
Summers said: “I'm just so glad I didn't have any engine problems. I've blown five or six motors this season and I seem to be paying out for repairs all the time and not making any money for myself. But we’ve given ourselves a realistic chance of reaching the Final.”
GLASGOW reserve Lee Dicken is hopeful that his good form towards the end of the season will put him in the frame for a return to Ashfield next season.
Dicken said: “I want to come back to Glasgow, although I appreciate that will very much come down to the numbers game, but I have had nothing but good times up there and I am certainly ready to talk if the call comes.”
KING’S LYNN’S bid to win the Knockout Cup and complete the Treble of League/Cup/Trophy has suffered a blow with an injury to skipper Tomas Topinka, who suffered concussion and ankle damage in a crash in the Czech Republic on Sunday.
Team boss Rob Lyon said: “It is a blow to team morale to lose Tomas although I do believe (guest) Ty (Proctor) is just as capable as him on the track. We want to make our third final of the 2009 season and win our fourth KO Cup title in five years so I am sure the fans will be 100% behind us at both legs, and that will be a huge help.”
NEWCASTLE’S promotion semi-final against Edinburgh appears finely poised after the Diamonds were restricted to a nine-point first leg advantage.
Team boss George English said: “We lost points where we shouldn’t have early on, but Edinburgh rode well as they have a tendency to do on Tyneside. It leaves us with a fairly big hill to climb on Friday, but on our night we can put in some excellent performances up there too, so it really is all to play for.”
NEWPORT promoter Steve Mallett has confirmed the club will continue to operate in 2010 after a tough first season in charge with the Wasps collecting the Premier League’s wooden spoon.
Mallett said: “We have learnt the rights and wrongs, and we now have a lot more knowledge of what to expect going into 2010. We hope that with the team we are already planning, we can draw the crowds back with some big home wins.”
REDCAR boss Brian Havelock was bitterly disappointed to see his side crash out of the Young Shield with a heavy defeat at Scunthorpe – and hinted at changes for next season.
Havelock said: "If you want to win things you have to come to places like this and come up with the goods. But three or four in that team didn’t want to win anything. They weren't prepared properly."
RYE HOUSE manager John Sampford says this season’s Premier League competition has been one of the best yet, with several clubs vying for play-off qualification at the end of the regular schedule.
Sampford said: “I believe the standard has gone up a notch if you look at the next four teams down from the play-offs, as they have all been one match away from being in the top four. There’s almost nothing between them, so at least half the league is very high quality.”
SCUNTHORPE got the better of Redcar in the quarter-finals of the Young Shield and will now face Rye House in the next round.
Promoter Rob Godfrey said: "It was an absolutely terrific night's speedway with some first-class racing and a good win. At the moment we're confident of beating anyone and we know we can go all the way and win this."
SHEFFIELD’S official season came to a cruel end as they lost a thrilling Young Shield quarter-final against Rye House by just one point on aggregate.
Tigers co-promoter David Hoggart said: “It was a massive effort by the boys, particularly Ricky (Ashworth) and Josh (Auty). We thought we could pinch it and we're gutted to miss out.”
SOMERSET’S official season ended with a quarter-final Young Shield exit to Stoke – but promoter Debbie Hancock still feels the Rebels can reflect on a positive campaign.
She said: “The team has exceeded a number of people’s expectations, but it has given us a good foundation to go forward with into 2010. It’s been a very steep learning curve, but when I look back it is with a fair degree of satisfaction.”
STOKE extended their season with a fine performance at Somerset to defend a nine-point first leg lead and move into the Young Shield semi-finals.
Promoter Dave Tattum said: “I’m absolutely delighted for everyone connected to the club, the team have done us all proud. I asked the lads to give a big performance over the two legs and they have come up with the goods - I could not have asked for any more.”
WORKINGTON boss Ian Thomas issued a warning to his side after their home defeat by Berwick in the Young Shield, although the Comets still progressed after a bigger away win the previous week.
Thomas said: “We didn’t seem to scrap for any points so it is a good job we did a job at Berwick. The riders have been a good bunch to work with this season but many of them were not motivated for the meeting and thought we had the match won before it even started, which I think is totally unprofessional.”
FIXTURE PICTURE…
TUESDAY OCTOBER 6: PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL: King's Lynn v Scunthorpe 7.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 7: PROMOTION PLAY-OFF 1st leg: Birmingham v King's Lynn 7.30 CHALLENGE: Poole v Ipswich 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 8: MIDLAND LEAGUE: Peterborough v Wolverhampton 7.30 CHALLENGE: Bournemouth v USA Dream Team 7.30, Ipswich v Poole 7.30 TOP GUN INDIVIDUAL HANDICAP: Sheffield 7.45
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9: ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Lakeside v Coventry 8pm PROMOTION PLAY-OFF 2nd leg: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL: Scunthorpe v King's Lynn 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Weymouth v Bournemouth 7.15 CHALLENGE: Plymouth v USA Dream Team 7.30 SIDECARS: Stoke
SATURDAY OCTOBER 10: YOUNG SHIELD SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Stoke v Workington 7.30 SUN TRAP TROPHY: Eastbourne v Poole 7.30 M25 CHALLENGE CUP: Rye House v Lakeside 7pm
SUNDAY OCTOBER 11: YOUNG SHIELD SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Workington v Stoke 3pm NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Buxton v Bournemouth 3pm SHAREHOLDERS' TROPHY: Mildenhall 4pm SCOTTISH CUP: Glasgow v Edinburgh 4pm CHALLENGE: Newport Hornets v USA Dream Team 2.30
MONDAY OCTOBER 12: ELITE LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Swindon v Wolverhampton 7.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14: PROMOTION PLAY-OFF 2nd leg: King's Lynn v Birmingham 7.30 CHALLENGE: Poole v Eastbourne 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 15: UNDER-25 TEST: Great Britain v Australia, Ipswich 7.30 FIREWORK FINALE: Sheffield v Leicester 7.45 NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Bournemouth v Buxton 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 16: YOUNG SHIELD SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Scunthorpe v Rye House 7.30 NATIONAL TROPHY: Plymouth v Buxton 7.30 CHALLENGE: Weymouth v USA Dream Team 7.15
SATURDAY OCTOBER 17: YOUNG SHIELD SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Rye House v Scunthorpe 7pm TWEED/TEES TROPHY 2nd leg: Berwick v Redcar 7pm CHALLENGE: Stoke v USA Dream Team 7.30
SUNDAY OCTOBER 18: HANDICAP OPEN: Newport 2.30 NATIONAL TROPHY: Buxton v Isle of Wight 3pm
MONDAY OCTOBER 19: BANKS'S OLYMPIQUE: Wolverhampton 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 22: 16-LAP CLASSIC: Ipswich 7.30 DANIEL GIFFARD FAREWELL: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 23: ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Coventry v Lakeside 8pm KENNY SMITH MEMORIAL: Scunthorpe 7.30
