(SPEEDWAY 1)

BELLE Vue have secured top spot in the Elite League ahead of the play-offs with a 48-45 win over Poole.The Aces held off a late Pirates comeback at the National Speedway Stadium with a Heat 14 mechanical failure for Brady Kurtz proving costly for the visitors.Craig Cook top-scored for the Aces, who now get choice of play-off opponents, with 11 points, whilst Chris Holder piled up 16+1 for the Pirates, dropping his only point in Heat 1.Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “To have held on to top spot since July is astounding and to have seen it through to the end of the domestic league campaign is tremendous. I couldn’t be prouder of my Belle Vue team.“Let’s not get carried away though! This is only the second phase of our 2016 goals. We knew it was going to be a tough tussle on Monday to secure the league points we needed for phase two.”Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “We ran them close and had it not been for Brady's misfortune then we might well have been in contention still for top spot, but now we will have to wait to be told who we are riding in the semi-finals. “We could still claim that fourth title if we up our game all round, we have yet to all click on the same night this year, perhaps the play-offs will be the perfect time to do so.”Meanwhile Wolverhampton wrapped up their Elite League regular season with a 52-41 win over Coventry at Monmore Green.The home side put in a professional team display to ensure they will head into the play-offs high on confidence, with reserve Kyle Howarth clocking up a paid maximum from five rides.British Champion Danny King was in stunning form for the Bees as he scored 17+1 with skipper Chris Harris adding 14+1 to keep the visitors in contention.Wolves boss Peter Adams said: “There were some positives to take from tonight. It was pretty obvious from watching the racing that some of the riders were trying different things in advance of our biggest meeting of the season, which is coming up in the play-offs. “I was particularly impressed with Howarth tonight, he rode exceptionally well and was never in trouble in that reserve position.“It was a good win and the boys are confident they can take anybody on. We haven’t got long to wait now and we’re excited to find out who we’ll be facing in the semi-finals.”Harris said: “It’s the story of the season really, we started off badly and finished good, but it was nice to get a 5-1 with me and Danny in the last one.“I don’t know if some of the boys were out with set-up or whatever, but Wolves is a hard place to come with the team they’ve got, so they just have to learn and move on.“Everything was working well for me and there was good speed in the bike, and it’s always nice to beat their riders around here so I’m happy, other than the points I dropped!”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

PETERBOROUGH came through a ‘do or die’ last heat decider to triumph in their final home meeting of 2016 – and boost their Premier League play-off hopes.The Panthers edged to a 46-43 triumph against Rye House at the East of England Showground last night after big-guns Kenneth Bjerre and Ulrich Ostergaard slammed in a 5-1 in a dramatic finale.They arrived at the tapes for heat 15 with Peterborough’s season hinging on the outcome as they trailed by a point against a Rockets side who had not sampled success on the road all season.And their task became easier when both visiting riders hit the deck on the opening lap as Stuart Robson came down spectacularly when going through the third bend and partner Cameron Heeps took instant evasive action. Robson was excluded as the cause of the double-spill, but it was the swift-thinking Heeps who came off worse as he had to leave the track in an ambulance with concussion and muscle damage to his leg.Rye House boss Peter Shroeck opted to send out high-scoring reserve Robert Branford as his sole representative in the re-run, but he couldn’t live with Bjerre and Ostergaard as they clinched a success which lifted Peterborough back up to fifth place in the standings.“It really was do or die in heat 15,” admitted team manager Carl Johnson. “Our season was over if Kenneth and Ulrich didn’t come up trumps in that race.“No-one likes to see riders get hurt and it was a shame that Cameron had to leave the track in an ambulance in what could be the final race of the season at the Showground, but our guys still had a massively important job to do and they had to stay focused on doing it in the re-run.“We have put ourselves back into a play-off spot by beating Rye House and now the pressure is on other teams to get results.”Schroeck said: “It was a big price to pay for our match point. We were looking to win the meeting, but now the most important thing is that Cameron is going to be well again. It looks like there’s nothing broken, but he’s badly bruised. “We are really gutted, because we showed so much spirit. I said right from the off that we had come here to give it a go – and that’s what we did all night. All the boys from one to seven did their bit in a great effort.”Meanwhile Newcastle again showed their home strength with a dominant 57-33 win over Workington at Brough Park.Robert Lambert raced to a 12-point maximum for the home side with Matej Kus scoring 13+1, Ludvig Lindgren 11+2 and guest Rene Bach 10 in a convincing performance, whilst Comets’ No.1 Ricky Wells scored 10.Newcastle co-promoter Alan Hedley said: “Once again this Diamonds' side has shown its’ total commitment to winning and making a real go when it comes to the play-offs.“If we keep this team spirit and determination going then we will be a force to be reckoned with in the Cup as well.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

BIRMINGHAM are through to the National League KO Cup Final after a stunning 54-36 victory at Kent.The Brummies produced yet another emphatic display to seal a 103-77 aggregate win and their third success of the year at Central Park.Jack Parkinson-Blackburn made a successful return from illness with 11+1 for the visitors, with guest Ellis Perks adding 10+3 and skipper Tom Perry 10+1, whilst Tom Bacon and Jack Smith both walked away from heavy crashes. Luke Bowen collected 14 for the Kings.Team manager Graham Drury said: “This bunch of riders just continue to amaze me - they're all getting better and better every single week.“We're clicking into even better form when it matters most and as a team they're riding their socks off.“We didn't want to be put under the cosh early on and the lads got off to a tremendous start to settle any nerves.“The attitude and determination stood out for me more than anything - at times when they could have happily settled for seconds or thirds, they gave it their all and did everything they could to try and gain extra points.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

KING’S Lynn will look to end their home Elite League campaign on a high as they host reigning Champions Poole at the Adrian Flux Arena on Tuesday. The Stars have endured a season to forget but will now go in search of victory over the play-off bound Pirates.British Champion Danny King guests for Niels-Kristian Iversen, who is in Sweden, with Lewis Kerr also stepping into the Stars’ team, whilst Nicklas Porsing returns from injury. Rohan Tungate continues for the Pirates as a guest for Hans Andersen.King’s Lynn co-promoter Keith Chapman said: “It’s been a difficult season for everyone, but it would be nice if we could end on a high at home with a win over Poole.“We’ve again got issues with injuries and rider availability, but we’ll be doing our best to get a victory and head into the winter on a positive note.”In the Premier League, Sheffield face a vital trip to Rye House in the race for a top-six finish.Results elsewhere have dropped the Tigers out of the play-off places but they follow the trip to Hoddesdon with a home match against Scunthorpe as they look to move back into contention.The Rockets will have Sam Masters guesting for injured captain Edward Kennett, with rider replacement in operation for Cameron Heeps after his crash at Peterborough on Monday.Sheffield co-promoter Damien Bates said: “Ideally it’s always nice to win away, but even if we can just get a point then win at home in Wednesday it should secure our place in the play-offs.“The target is to get a point and anything else would be a bonus. Hopefully the wins for Steady (Simon Stead) and Dimitri (Berge) over the weekend will give them a boost and they can take that confidence into Tuesday.“Rye House is never an easy place to go, but I believe we are capable of getting a point and that’s what we’ll be aiming for.”Rockets boss Peter Schroeck said: “It is what it is in terms of our injuries, but we are going to deal with it. We will still have six riders left who know their way around Rye House, and they will all do it for Cameron. “They will all get stuck in and hopefully repay him for everything he put in at Peterborough.”Meanwhile the Isle of Wight wrap up their comeback season at the Smallbrook Stadium by hosting a GB Under-23 line-up assembled by regular Warriors boss Neil Vatcher.Co-promoter Barry Bishop has reflected on a successful first year in charge, and is looking forward to getting bigger and better in 2017.He said: “I cannot believe the season has gone so quickly and with it being our final home meeting this year, my mind is already racing onto 2017. “We have already started to speak with some of our sponsors for next season and these discussions are progressing well with many of them continuing the Warrior Way.”

(FIXTURES)

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 13:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Sheffield 7.30CHALLENGE: Isle of Wight v British Young Lions U23 7pm

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 14:BRITISH UNDER-19 FINAL: Birmingham 7.30ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Swindon 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Scunthorpe 7.30

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15:PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Newcastle 7.30, Redcar v Rye House 7.30CHALLENGE: Swindon Select v Premier League Select 7.30

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v King’s Lynn 7.30, Lakeside v Swindon 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Somerset 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Belle Vue (follows EL fixture)