(SPEEDWAY 1)
COVENTRY captain Chris Harris is looking to finally reach the top step of the Elite League Riders’ Championship rostrum on Saturday.Harris lines up at Brandon with three runners-up finishes behind him in previous stagings, with the event also marking his last appearance for the Bees as he prepares for a change of club next year.Harris said: “I’ve never quite managed to win the ELRC, but I’ve gone close a few times. I’ve had some second places but never got to the top step, so it would be great if this was the year I did it.“It would be a perfect time to win it, being on home shale in my last meeting at Coventry, so I hope I can get the job done on the night.“It’s never an easy meeting, there is always a strong line-up, but like I say I’m determined to win it in front of the Coventry fans and go out on a high.”(SPEEDWAY 2)
BIRMINGHAM boosted their hopes of a place in the National League Grand Final with a 53-37 win over Cradley at Perry Barr.The Brummies produced another solid team display to build up a 16-point lead to take to the second leg of their semi-final tie at Monmore Green on Monday.They established their margin by the halfway stage of the meeting and extended it to 20 prior to a last-race 5-1 from Heathens duo Max Clegg and Ashley Morris.Reserves Jack Smith (13+2) and Jack Parkinson-Blackburn (9+3) led the way for the home side with Morris (13+1) and Clegg (12+1) dominating the Cradley scorechart.Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: “We got some heat advantages under our belts early on and they set the tone for the rest of the meeting.“We always knew that Cradley's top three would score well but if you'd have offered me a 16-point lead before the meeting started I'd have ripped your hand off!”Cradley manager Will Pottinger said: “We were really pleased overall with our heat-leaders but the lower order of our team struggled to match their strength on the night.“We have to stay positive though and it's never over until it's over. If we can hit a couple of 5-1's or 4-2's in the first few races on Monday then it's game on I guess.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
SOMERSET and Ipswich commence the Premier League play-off semi-finals on Friday as the two sides clash at the Oaktree Arena.The Witches got the better of reigning champions Edinburgh at the quarter-final stage, whilst the Rebels received a bye to the top four after topping the regular table.Somerset bring in Robert Branford and Tom Bacon to guest for injured reserves Bradley Wilson-Dean and Zach Wajtknecht, whilst Connor Coles continues to stand in for Danyon Hume for the Witches.Rebels boss Garry May said: “Although we have already done the double over the Witches earlier in the season, they are a different proposition to when we met them back in April, and they come into Friday’s match on the back of a decent run of results.“In saying that, however, I know that the boys are doubly keen to make amends for our KO Cup exit, and there will be no better way to do that than to build up a healthy first leg lead against the Witches with which to go to Suffolk the following Thursday.”Ipswich manager Ritchie Hawkins said: “The mood in the camp is amazing and confidence is at a massive high, and everyone's determination and focus is in the right place and we go there looking to win. “The way we are riding and with the confidence we have, we are only focusing on ourselves. If we perform as we have been we will get the result we want and I'm not scared of going there at all.”Edinburgh wrap up their season with a re-arranged Premier League clash with Glasgow, which also sees the farewell to British Speedway for Ryan Fisher.The American is bowing out after a career dating back to 2002 when he first rode in the Elite League with Coventry, and has enjoyed plenty of success at Armadale even though they missed out in this year’s title defence.Edinburgh boss John Campbell said: “It’s better to win trophies than lose trophies but we did think at the beginning of the season that this would be a season of transition.“I think we did create a team that could have gone all the way but for that dreadful Dan Bewley crash at Newcastle at the end of August.”Glasgow boss Stewart Dickson said: “This weekend is just as big for me as last weekend was. I hear all the talk that Edinburgh's a meaningless match - not for me it's not. I want to go through and beat them.“I want to beat Workington and I want to beat Somerset on Sunday.”Meanwhile Eastbourne and Kent race the second leg of their Travel Plus National League play-off semi-final at Arlington.The Eagles have a four-point lead from last week’s clash at Central Park but are keen to guard against complacency as they return home.Ben Hopwood guests for the Kings in place of the unavailable Danny Ayres, and Kyle Roberts stands in at reserve for the injured Luke Clifton.Eastbourne boss Connor Dugard said: “The win at Kent was a brilliant success but that is only half the job. We must not relax our guard one little bit.“The job is only half done and we must hit Kent hard right from the off to finish any thoughts they may have about getting back into the tie.”Kent manager Chris Hunt said: “It’s only four points we need to make up and we know we are good around Eastbourne. “We tend to go into away meetings rather more relaxed than home meetings. I think to be honest it’s down to there being less pressure on us than at home and I’m hoping this will be the case on Friday.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
BELLE Vue CEO David Gordon has hailed a successful year for the club – despite their Elite League Grand Final disappointment. The Aces finished as runners-up for the second season running after missing out to new champions Wolverhampton over two legs this week.Gordon said: “I am proud of what we have achieved this year under a difficult set of circumstances. Since the catastrophe of the Grand Opening Meeting caused by defective circuit construction we’ve been on the back foot.“We’ve had to deal with and endure the financial and legal issues forced onto us as a result, which ultimately became distractions that have absorbed a considerable amount of time and energy.“We must also give credit to the riders and Mark Lemon for everything they’ve done and for their patience after the disrupted start to our season. They’re Aces heroes who’ve ridden under immense pressure.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
PLYMOUTH captain Kyle Newman accepts he will be moving to a different Premier League club in 2017.Newman has admitted his frustration over the announcement that the Devils’ trading company has been placed into liquidation, which leaves the future uncertain at the St Boniface Arena.Newman said: “It’s an extremely frustrating situation and I feel sorry for (manager) Lee Trigger in all this. He has acted as a middle man between the riders and promotion all season even though he has nothing to do with payments.“I’d like to say thanks to the Plymouth fans for their support all season. It been an extremely difficult time, my hardest in speedway, but I think it’s time for me to move on.“I’ll be looking for a new Premier League club next season and I’m already looking forward to a new challenge, wherever that may be.”
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY OCTOBER 7:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v King’s Lynn OFFPREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 1st leg: Somerset v Ipswich 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Eastbourne v Kent 8pm
SATURDAY OCTOBER 8:ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Coventry 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Rye House v Newcastle 7pmLEAGUE CUP S/F 2nd leg: Workington v Glasgow 7pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Isle of Wight 7pm
SUNDAY OCTOBER 9:PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Newcastle v Rye House 6.30LEAGUE CUP FINAL 1st leg: Glasgow v Somerset (provisional) 3pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Isle of Wight 3pm, Buxton v King’s Lynn (follows previous fixture)
