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LINE-UPS have been declared for the National League Fours which takes place at Coventry on Sunday (2.30pm).The eight competing clubs have been split into two groups, each to be raced over eight heats, with the top two in each group progressing to an eight-heat Final.Admission at Brandon is £15 for all adults with under-16s going free.GROUP A:MILDENHALL: Jon Armstrong, Dan Halsey, Alfie Bowtell, Connor Coles.KING’S LYNN: Josh Bailey, Scott Campos, Ryan Kinsley, Tom Stokes.RYE HOUSE: Rob Branford, Ben Morley, Luke Priest, Sam Woods.CRADLEY: Luke Chessell, Max Clegg, Richard Andrews, Ashley Morris.GROUP B:BELLE VUE: Dan Bewley, Matt Williamson, Rob Shuttleworth, Lee Payne.COVENTRY: Ryan Terry-Daley, Mitchell Davey, Liam Carr, Conor Dwyer.EASTBOURNE: Georgie Wood, Ellis Perks, Adam Ellis, Jake Knight.BIRMINGHAM: Jack Smith, Tom Perry, Jack Parkinson-Blackburn, Tom Bacon.
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POOLE roared into the Elite League’s top two with a thumping 65-25 win over King’s Lynn at Wimborne Road on Wednesday.Chris Holder (14+1) and Bjarne Pedersen (9+3) both scored paid maximums for the Pirates with Brady Kurtz (11+3) and Kyle Newman (10+1) also in double figures as the home side opened up with five 5-1s in the first eight races – and finished with four in succession.The Stars, without No.1 Niels-Kristian Iversen, were further hampered by the absence of German rider Kai Huckenbeck due to the withdrawal of his starting permission.Holder said: “Brady was hot tonight and that will have done himself the world of good in terms of confidence.“He reckons he hasn't been riding that well and he might be being a little hard on himself to be honest but you couldn’t fault that performance of his.”Stars co-promoter Dale Allitt said: “The situation with Kai only came to light today, and we thought at one stage we may have it resolved, but there wasn’t anything we could do in the end.“The SCB were fighting on our behalf, but we have to abide by his national federation, who withdrew his start permission. “We don’t go anywhere to lose, so it was a very disappointing night. At the end of the day, they were much better than us tonight so we can’t have any complaints.”Meanwhile Birmingham are eleven points clear at the top of the National League table after a 53-35 win over Coventry at Perry Barr.The Storm actually had the majority of race wins with their heat-leaders in good form, and Mitchell Davey was only denied a 15-point maximum by a blown engine in his third ride.But the Brummies were the more solid team with reserves Jack Smith and Jack Parkinson-Blackburn scoring paid-12 and paid-11 respectively, whilst captain Tom Perry scored 11. Coventry’s Ryan Terry-Daley was withdrawn from his last ride with lower back pain.Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: “We struggled out of the starts at the beginning of the meeting and it looked as though it was going to go all the way."But we made some better gates and we came on strong between heats eight and 11 in particular."Fair play to Coventry, their heat-leaders came and gave us a run for our money but our strength in depth proved important once again and it's yet another three very welcome league points.”Coventry boss Laurence Rogers said: “Our top three were absolutely superb, even with a bit of bad luck mixed in because Mitchell would have had his first-ever 15-point maximum but for blowing his engine to smithereens.“All in all, we pushed them hard and it would have been closer but for that and Liam being disqualified in Heat 15 which was very peculiar, and I did disagree with the decision.”
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KING’S Lynn host Poole on Thursday in a rapid return against the Pirates following a heavy defeat in Dorset.The Stars go into the meeting without No.1 Niels-Kristian Iversen who is unavailable, and there are also doubts over Kai Huckenbeck due to start permission issues.Co-promoter Dale Allitt said: “It’s going to be tough without Niels, but there is nothing we can do about it and we have to make the best of the situation.“We’ll need everyone to be on the top of their game, especially against a team as strong as Poole, but I think we can still get three points.”In the Premier League, Sheffield host leaders Somerset with the Rebels still unbeaten in the competition this season.The visitors have drafted in teenage sensation Dan Bewley to guest for the injured Zach Wajtknecht at reserve as they look for a 15th successive league win.Sheffield star Josh Bates said: “If we can beat Somerset it would be great for us and put some points on the board. The fans want to see us winning so we’ll try to make them happy.“Somerset are doing well, they are a strong side but we’re good enough to win at home and that’s what we’ll be looking to do.”Rebels boss Garry May said: “From initially riding high in the league table, Sheffield have hit a bit of a lean spell in recent weeks, so we will be looking to capitalise on that when we travel to their place on Thursday.”Meanwhile Redcar are chasing a third successive home win when they host Workington at the Media Prime Arena.The Bears hand a debut to new signing Jye Etheridge, who has replaced Simon Nielsen in the line-up.Boss Jitendra Duffill said: “Our league position is looking slightly healthier but we must keep the momentum going now until the end of the year. “Workington are sure to be strong competition and have already won at Redcar in 2016, so we are keen to make amends for that. A lot may depend upon how ex-Bear Adam Roynon rides as he is possibly a trump card for the Comets at reserve.”Ipswich look to keep up their push for the top six with a home match against Scunthorpe – who won at Foxhall on the opening night of the season.Since then, Lewis Kerr has left the Witches and joined the Scorpions, who were the last team to beat the Suffolk club prior to their five-match unbeaten run.Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “We're on a good run of form and we're looking like a good team so we expect another win on Thursday to keep that momentum going.“Scunthorpe are a capable team especially at our place and they've got Wilko (Carl Wilkinson) at reserve who is good around Foxhall, but with the form we are in and the way we are riding we've got to get a win and keep it going.”In the Travel Plus National League, Buxton duo Ryan Blacklock and Ryan Burton have declared themselves fit for the trip to the Isle of Wight.Ellis Perks guests at No.1 in place of Oliver Greenwood for the Hitmen, whilst Lee Dicken returns at No.1 – but Shelby Rutherford is out with shoulder and ankle problems, and is replaced by William O’Keefe.Buxton boss Jason Pipe said: “We head off to the Isle of Wight confident that we can give them a good meeting and maybe pick up a result. “The IOW team has now been weakened by the loss of their Rider Replacement facility for a No.1 and it’s up to us to capitalise on that. I know all the lads are up for this.”
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THE sixth round of the Mitas British Youth Championship at Belle Vue will now take place on Saturday (6.30pm).The meeting had initially been scheduled for Sunday afternoon but has now been brought forward.British Youth boss Neil Vatcher said: “Not only is it exciting to be going to the National Speedway Stadium, there is also real excitement about the British Youth Series this year, and anyone who has witnessed a round at any of the previous five venues would support that.“The racing is as good as you get in any senior event, and as we are getting near to the conclusion of the Championships in both the 500cc and 250cc classes the race for the titles is really hotting up.“In the 500cc class only one point is separating the top two of Tom Brennan and Kyle Bickley, and it would be foolish to rule out Jordan Jenkins who seems to have hit form just at the right time.“In the 250cc championship Leon Flint and Jason Edwards are on exactly the same race points of 82, so in this class it’s definitely all to race for.“Also an interesting fact that Nathan Ablitt, who races in the 150cc support class, is yet to lose a race in the whole series, so it will be interesting to see if he can continue that remarkable record.“For anyone who has not witnessed a British Youth Championship event, then this is one not to be missed, along with perhaps their first visit to the National Speedway Stadium.”
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THURSDAY AUGUST 11:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Scunthorpe 7.30, Redcar v Workington 7.30, Sheffield v Somerset 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Buxton 7pm
FRIDAY AUGUST 12:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Peterborough 7.30, Plymouth v Glasgow 7.15, Somerset v Sheffield 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Rye House 7.30
SATURDAY AUGUST 13:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Peterborough 7pm, Rye House v Glasgow 7pm, Workington v Ipswich 7pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Stoke 7pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 6: Belle Vue 6.30
SUNDAY AUGUST 14:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Ipswich 3pm, Newcastle v Sheffield 6.30NATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: Coventry 2.30
