BRITISH Speedway will roar into an exciting new era with live coverage on BT Sport this year.
All eight Premiership clubs will feature in a sizzling summer of action on the channel, which will also be showing the FIM Speedway Grand Prix and Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup for a second season.
The move means BT Sport is the new home of speedway on British TV – and fans are in for a treat.
Keith Chapman, Chairman of the British Speedway Promoters’ Association, said: “We are delighted to welcome BT Sport as our broadcast partners for the 2017 season.
“They have successfully hosted both the Grand Prix and World Cup last year and we are pleased to showcase our sport alongside those tournaments on the same channel.
“We also believe this is good news for British viewers who can now see regular speedway, both at league and international level, on the same platform.
“We sincerely hope we have an exciting and entertaining season and once again show the wider audience what a thrilling spectacle the sport is.”
Terry Russell, of Go Speed International Ltd who negotiated the new deal, said: “Our thanks go to BT Sport for welcoming British Speedway into their stable of sport.
“We are extremely pleased British Speedway has a home on TV and of course it sits very nicely alongside the GP and World Cup. It’s good news for the sport in general and I’m sure our fans will enjoy the coverage BT Sport provide.
“There will be 18 shows throughout the summer and into the autumn, including the play-offs which always provide great drama and TV entertainment.
“We are also working hard with the clubs to make every TV meeting an exciting event, to promote it hard and make it work for everyone.
“These are exciting times and we look forward to working with BT Sport.”
(SPEEDWAY 1)
TREBLE British Champion Chris Harris has joined the line-up for Sunday’s Ben Fund Bonanza at Glasgow.
The Rye House newcomer will be one of the top stars at the annual fund-raising event as he appears in the meeting for a sixth time.
Harris said: “I’ve been in a few Bonanzas, obviously it’s a good cause for the injured riders, you don’t want to see riders get injured but it’s part of the sport and it’s nice that it can help out when it is necessary.”
Harris, who scored 14 points in a challenge match at Ashfield in 2016, added: “I enjoyed it there last year, it’s a nice shape and well prepared, so hopefully I can do the same again and have some fun.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
LAKESIDE have named Ben Morley as club captain for the 2017 season.
Morley, who has ridden recently for Kent and Rye House with much success at National League level, has been chosen to lead the Hammers as they prepare for their move into the third tier.
He said: “We have some practice coming up soon where we can all get together, gel and talk about set-ups. I think we can look forward to a good season.
“It is a solid team. There is a lot more to come from George Hunter and Alfie Botwell, they are really good prospects.
“David Mason is steady, Nick Laurence will do a job at reserve and Zach Wajtknecht has come on really well over the past couple of years so I think we have good strength throughout the team.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
KING’S Lynn’s top three all-time appearance leaders are set to appear at club asset Simon Lambert’s Testimonial meeting on March 26.
Czech star Tomas Topinka, who spent 15 seasons with the Norfolk outfit, was an early mentor of Lambert, whilst Ian Turner’s career revolved entirely around the Stars with the exception of 11 meetings for Boston.
Meanwhile Terry Betts remains the club’s all-time points scoring and appearance record holder, and he and Turner were part of a famous KO Cup win over Reading in 1977.
Lambert said: “I am truly thrilled to have them join me for my Testimonial. They are all absolute legends.
“Terry and Ian’s reputations go before them, and Tomas played such a key part in my early career. He looked after me when I first started at King’s Lynn, and taught me so much both on the track and in the workshop. He was a true role model and consummate professional.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
STOKE have welcomed Adam Isherwood to the management team as the Potters’ Assistant Team Manager.
Adam has been brought in to take some of the pressure off team manager Malcolm Vasey on matchdays.
His speedway experience has been as a mechanic and mentor to son Gareth, a former Stoke rider, and he has also ridden grasstrack and in speedway training schools.
Potters boss Vasey, who hopes to move them up the National League table this season, said: “This shows our club is moving forward.”
