(SPEEDWAY 1 – WEDNESDAY REVIEW)
BIRMINGHAM’S re-opening night resulted in a big crowd at Perry Barr – and also an emphatic victory for defending National League champions Cradley.The Heathens, who share the venue this season, won the first leg of the Travel Plus Tours Challenge 63-27 with reserve Ellis Perks celebrating his 18th birthday with a paid maximum.Skipper Max Clegg added 14 points from the No.1 berth, whilst the Brummies’ only two heat wins both came from their captain Tom Perry, who scored ten.Heathens manager Will Pottinger said: “It was a great performance by everybody. I don’t think anyone really expected that sort of performance, so fair play to the lads – they all deserve a lot of credit.“There are some very positive signs so far, but it’s still early days and we can’t get too carried away. It’s very promising because Birmingham are perceived to be one of the stronger teams in the league, but there is still a very long way to go.Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: “The purpose of these sorts of meetings is obviously to try and win, but the main thing is that the lads really did learn an awful lot.“It was a learning curve, and we’ve got a lot to work on, but it was great to see everyone out practising to work on things after the meeting and I’m sure we’ll be much more prepared when the National League campaign does start.”
(SPEEDWAY 2 – THURSDAY PREVIEW)
IPSWICH launch the new season by staging the Billy Sanders Memorial at Foxhall on Thursday.A host of former Witches riders will be attending the meeting paying tribute to the Australian, who won the British League title on three occasions with the club prior to his death in 1985.Ricky Wells and Kevin Doolan are recent additions to the line-up, which also includes all of the 2015 Ipswich team as well as Adam Ellis and Morten Risager who were part of their side last year. There will also be three heats of 250cc demonstration youth racing, along with machinery and memorabilia from Sanders’ racing career.
(SPEEDWAY 3)
FREDDIE Lindgren is hoping to mark his return to British racing with victory in the Elite League Riders’ Championship at Leicester on Saturday.Lindgren is back as No.1 for parent club Wolverhampton this season, and his first official business of the new campaign is the weekend showpiece at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium, which features the top two riders from each club.He said: “I’d like to think I’m a contender for sure, and I’ll be giving it everything to try and come out on top on the night.“I won the meeting in 2010 which was a great moment for me, and it’s a really brilliant meeting to win. It’s the best riders in the league, and to come out on top is a really nice feeling, so if I could manage to do it again it would be the perfect way to start the season.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
POOLE manager Neil Middleditch has high hopes for his side to claim their third successive Elite League title.The Pirates have made several changes with skipper Maciej Janowski and reserve Kyle Newman the only men to return from the line-up which emerged victorious last October, but Middleditch says hopes are high again in 2015.He said: “It never ceases to amaze me that Matt (Ford) always assembles a highly competitive team each season, and this year is no different. If you look down through the team all you can see is riders who are capable of riding above their average and that is so often a key ingredient of a successful season.“I have said on the last two occasions that we can go and win the title, and we delivered both times, and I see no reason why we shouldn't do something that has not been done since the 70's, I seem to recall, and win three in a row.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
PETERBOROUGH bosses are attempting to beat the clock to bring in a new face.Panthers chief Ged Rathbone confirmed the club are keen to name a short-term replacement for injury victim Adam Roynon, who crashed in the season-opening Challenge match at the Showground last weekend, but they must declare any new rider by 1pm on Thursday in order for him to be eligible for Sunday’s League Cup match against Somerset.Rathbone said: “We don’t feel it would be beneficial to operate the rider replacement facility for any length of time.“We would much prefer to go down the road of bringing in a temporary replacement for Adam. We are still assessing our options but I must make it very clear that any signing would only be for the short-term. Adam will return to the team as soon as he is able to do so.”
(FIXTURES)THURSDAY MARCH 19:BILLY SANDERS MEMORIAL: Ipswich 7.30
FRIDAY MARCH 20:EAST MIDLANDS BOWL 2nd leg: Coventry v Leicester 7.30REMEMBERING #RICO SPRING CLASSIC: Lakeside 8pm (7pm for NL Pairs-level event)THEO PIJPER TESTIMONIAL: Edinburgh 7.30
SATURDAY MARCH 21:ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Leicester 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Rye House v Ipswich 7pm
SUNDAY MARCH 22:LEAGUE CUP: Peterborough v Somerset 1pmRICKY ASHWORTH BENEFIT: Sheffield 5pm
