(SPEEDWAY 1)

EDWARD Kennett returns to the Lakeside team for Friday’s home Elite League clash with Leicester.Kennett has missed out on the early stages of the season through a combination of fixture clashes and the form of Richard Lawson – but the duo will now race in the Hammers’ team together subject to BSPA approval, with Piotr Swiderski missing out.Lakeside co-promoter Jon Cook said: “Edward has waited for his chance and driving back from a very disappointing display at Coventry, Kelvin Tatum (coach) and I both felt now was the time to shake things up as we have stalled away from home.“Piotr was due to be missing Friday and in truth is unlucky to miss out on his home form, but like others in the team his away performances have started to wane.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

PLYMOUTH have completed the signing of Australian Champion Brady Kurtz who will make his debut in their home clash with Workington on Friday.Kurtz, who will continue to race for Poole in the Elite League, has moved back into the Premier League with the Devils as a replacement for Charlie Gjedde, who quit British Speedway last month.Team boss Lee Trigger said: “Brady has been a long time target of mine even through the winter, but wanted to concentrate on racing full time in the Elite League and also wanted to make his way onto the Polish speedway scene.“I have been in talks with Brady for the last six weeks when it became apparent that Charlie was having doubts about continuing his British speedway career commitments.“Signing Brady has put a massive smile back on my face and now we can continue our quest for a Premier League play-off position confident that we have a one to seven back in place very capable of achieving our ambition.”(SPEEDWAY 3)

BIRMINGHAM were reduced to five riders early on but still raced to a 60-30 win over Rye House at Perry Barr on Wednesday.Already without Tom Perry, the Brummies lost Tom Bacon in Heat 3 of the National League clash as he collided with the Raiders’ George Hunter who had lifted at the start of the back straight.Bacon suffered a suspected fractured foot and Hunter was also withdrawn with a gashed leg – but the home side’s teenage reserves Jack Parkinson-Blackburn (15+4) and Jack Smith (13+4) both piled up points from seven-ride shifts with their three remaining team-mates also in double figures. Robert Branford scored 13 for the Raiders.Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: “I'm so proud of this bunch of lads and it is a pleasure to work with such a professional, determined group of young riders. To go down to five riders and pull off a result like that deserves a huge amount of credit.“The two Jacks were both outstanding and to get through seven rides with scores like theirs at their ages is remarkable. It's another huge result for us and I'm so proud of the lads.”Rye House manager Peter Schroeck said: “Perry Bar is a really tough place to come. Birmingham are pretty much taking everyone to the slaughter this year.“George’s injury put a downer on it for us. We’ve already received a text from him from the hospital saying that he requires a skin graft, but until we’ve spoken further to him, we don’t fully know how long he will be out of action.”Elsewhere, King’s Lynn re-captured top home form with a dominant 62-27 win over Buxton at the Adrian Flux Arena.No.1 Josh Bailey and reserve Scott Campos both struck four-ride paid maximums whilst Nathan Greaves raced to three wins on his way to double figures. Oliver Greenwood scored 10 for the Hitmen.Young Stars boss Dale Allitt said: “The riders responded really well to tricky conditions, and even though the track wasn’t perhaps to our liking we responded well.“It wasn’t ideal at the start, but both teams got on with it which they deserve a lot of credit for and it was a very good win for us.”Belle Vue are through to the Knockout Cup quarter-finals after completing aggregate victory over Stoke – even though the Potters took the honours in the second leg at the National Speedway Stadium.The visitors were 35-31 up after eleven races when rain caused a halt to be called, but the Colts still maintained a ten-point aggregate margin.Belle Vue manager Graham Goodwin said: “We had a 14-point lead coming into this and it was all about defending that lead while riding within our limits. We accomplished that, though obviously we would have liked to have seen things through.“Full credit to both teams though. They gave it their best in difficult conditions so we can’t fault their efforts at all, and Belle Vue’s reward for doing so is progressing to the next round of the Cup.”Stoke boss Malcolm Vasey said: “I was delighted with the performance in very difficult conditions. There had been heavy rain throughout the day and drizzle during the meeting before track conditions finally brought a halt to the meeting. “Tonight proves we are capable of going and doing a job anywhere. Everyone rode hard on a track that they’d never seen before and they all deserve the credit for their performance.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

KING’S Lynn will be out for revenge as they host Swindon at the Adrian Flux Arena on Thursday.The Stars slipped to a disappointing 55-38 defeat when the sides met at the Abbey last week, a result which maintained a winning sequence for the Robins which now extends to five matches.The home side are at full strength, whilst the visitors are waiting on the fitness of No.1 Jason Doyle who will have further physio on Thursday morning following a crash in Poland last weekend. Rohan Tungate has been declared fit to ride.Stars boss Rob Lyon said: “It’s important we get revenge on Swindon after last week and get another three points on the board.“We want to keep our good home run going, I’m sure all the boys were up for it and we want to try and push ourselves back up the table.”Swindon manager Alun Rossiter said: “Things have been going well for us recently, and it was another good win against King’s Lynn at our place last week.“We just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing and hopefully get another good result from the away meeting.”In the Premier League, Sheffield look to make it four wins out of four when they host Berwick at Owlerton.The Tigers have Jason Garrity back in the side after he missed their win at Scunthorpe last weekend due to injury, whilst the Bandits hand a debut to teenage Dutchman Romano Hummel at reserve, with Zach Wajtknecht guesting for the injured Liam Carr.Sheffield co-promoter Damien Bates said: “We’re going through a good spell at the moment, everybody in the team is riding extremely well and even Nathan (Greaves) is riding much better than his points suggest. “Everyone has stepped up their game, the team are getting on well and long may it continue.“We’ve had a couple of great away wins, and now we’ll be looking to get three more points at home against Berwick this week.”Berwick co-promoter Dennis McCleary said: “Romano will form part of probably our youngest-ever reserve pairing with 18-year-old guest Zach Wajtnecht, but that’s a record we’ll break on Saturday night when Dan Bewley, who is even younger than Romano, joins us for one night only. “These young guests are required as Liam Carr, our regular No 7, suffered a broken wrist in a track crash at Coventry on May 13 and is expected to be sidelined until sometime in June.”In the Knockout Cup, Redcar host Glasgow with the visitors in control of the tie after their 60-29 win at Ashfield last Sunday.The Bears are still sweating on the fitness of Hugh Skidmore, who damaged his wrist last weekend and has missed the last two away meetings. If he is not fit, rider replacement will operate in his place.Redcar boss Jitendra Duffill said: “Its fair to say we were poor at both Glasgow and Newcastle and we got hammered in both meetings. We have left ourselves with far too much to do to progress to the next round of the Knockout Cup and tonight I'll be happy just to win the meeting. “Glasgow are a very strong side and I believe that this will be our toughest fixture yet. We need everybody on top of their game if we are to win, especially with ex-Bears Aaron Summers and Richard Lawson in their side.”In the Travel Plus National League, the Isle of Wight take on Belle Vue, with Lee Smart and Tyler Govier set to return for the Warriors after crashes last week.Colts boss Graham Goodwin said: “A few of the lads haven’t been before but they’re looking forward to it. It should be an interesting meeting because the Warriors are a bit of an unpredictable team. It’ll be a tough one to call.“Smallbrook is a pretty big track and not quite like any other in the National League. But we’ve proved our mettle on the road already this year and our target will be on another away win.”

(SPEEDWAY 5)

NEW Peterborough No.1 Craig Cook declared himself happy with his Panthers debut – but insists there is more to come.Cook recovered from a first-race retirement to score 11 points in the 48-45 win over Ipswich on Sunday, sharing in a 5-1 with guest Kenneth Hansen in the last race of the League Cup clash.He said: “It would have been a big disappointment to lose the first meeting after making team changes, and it was good to be able to win the final race to make sure we won it.“We need to be winning more comfortably at home going forward and I don't think we're a million miles away from doing that.“I know there is still much more to come from me as well. Joining Peterborough has really got my season going.”

(FIXTURES)

THURSDAY MAY 26:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Swindon 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Berwick 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Redcar v Glasgow 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Belle Vue 7pm

FRIDAY MAY 27:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Belle Vue 7.30, Lakeside v Leicester 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, Plymouth v Workington 7.15CHALLENGE: Exeter v Isle of Wight (at Somerset) 7.30

SATURDAY MAY 28:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Lakeside 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Redcar 7pm, Workington v Sheffield 7pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Cradley 7.30, Stoke v Rye House 7pm

SUNDAY MAY 29:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Newcastle 3pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Coventry 3.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Buxton v Cradley 3pm