(SPEEDWAY 1)
RICHARD Lawson took victory in front of his home crowd in Sunday’s season-opening Ben Fund Bonanza at Glasgow.
Team-mate Richie Worrall had led the scorers after five qualifying races apiece, but it was Lawson who romped home in the Final ahead of Chris Harris, Worrall and Ricky Wells.
The meeting is expected to have raised thousands of pounds for the Speedway Riders’ Benevolent Fund, which supports injured racers.
Lawson said: “I'm really happy with the result. I wasn't totally happy with the way I was riding but it came together in that last one - I made a good start.
“It's nice to be in action this early in the season. You can practice all day long but when you come to the tapes and race, that's the best practice.
“There were some good riders in this meeting so it's great to come away with the win.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
THE draw has been made for the British Under-21 Semi-Final at Peterborough on Tuesday, April 11.
The top ten scorers will join the six seeded riders, Robert Lambert, Adam Ellis, Josh Bates, Liam Carr, Max Clegg and Dan Bewley in the Final at Poole on Wednesday, April 26.
GB Youth Boss Neil Vatcher said: “Considering the top six British Under-21 riders have already been seeded directly to the Final, the quality of this Semi-Final is very strong indeed.
“I would imagine that there will be some disappointed riders out there who have not been included, but the standard of these young British riders has increased over the last few years.
“I for one would not like to pick out the riders in this Semi-Final who will qualify for the Final.”
LINE-UP: 1. Jack Smith (Belle Vue/Glasgow/Belle Vue Colts), 2. Kelsey Dugard (Eastbourne), 3. James Shanes (Poole), 4. Zach Wajtknecht (Swindon/Lakeside), 5. Luke Harris (Cradley), 6. Nathan Greaves (Wolverhampton/Isle of Wight), 7. Connor Mountain (Ipswich/Mildenhall), 8. Ellis Perks (Rye House/Redcar/Buxton), 9. Jack Thomas (Kent), 10. Josh Bailey (Kings' Lynn/Scunthorpe/King's Lynn Young Stars), 11. Jack Parkinson-Blackburn (Sheffield/Birmingham), 12. Danny Phillips (Newcastle/King's Lynn Young Stars), 13. Danno Verge (Mildenhall), 14. Nathan Stoneman (Kent), 15. Alfie Bowtell (Lakeside), 16. Danyon Hume (Ipswich/Birmingham). Reserves: 17. Joe Lawlor (Cradley), 18. Jamie Halder (Unattached).
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BELLE Vue are closing in on a full septet for the SGB Premiership campaign after confirming the signing of Kenneth Bjerre.
The Dane returns to Manchester over a decade after last appearing for the Aces, having initially expected to be lining up for Coventry this season.
Bjerre said: “It’s one of those clubs where I’ve always felt I would like to go back if the opportunity ever arose. I raced three seasons with the Aces many years ago.
“I was always very happy to ride for them. This time around though, things are very different. They not only have a new promotion in charge but they also have a very good-looking new stadium.
“When I base myself primarily in the UK, it makes sense for me to be racing frequently here. So when I got a phone call from Mark Lemon, I was really happy with the idea of racing for Belle Vue.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
RETURNING Poole favourite Krzysztof Kasprzak has stepped into the line-up for the Darcy Ward Invitational at Wimborne Road on March 24.
Kasprzak takes the place of fellow Polish star Maciej Janowski, who is still recovering from a broken collarbone sustained in Italy over the winter.
Kasprzak said: “I was sorry to hear that Magic was unable to race, but am very happy that Darcy thought of me.
“I should have been riding for Gorzow in Poland but that meeting has now been postponed which allows me to ride for Darcy. He was second to none when he was racing and it will be an honour for me to race for him.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
LEICESTER and Cradley star Danny Ayres has declared himself fit and raring to go for the new season.
Ayres ended 2016 on the sidelines with a serious shoulder injury but after successful winter surgery he took his first laps of practice at Peterborough on Saturday.
He said: “I wanted to get back on the bike a little sooner than this if I'm honest but things didn't quite work out.
“I've spent the last three weeks training twice a day and feel good so I knew I was ready. I was a little nervous pulling the helmet on but as soon as I opened the throttle it felt great to be going full gas again.
“The shoulder feels fine and I've had no reaction at all apart from being a little sore from not being on the bike for a while.”
(FIXTURES)
SATURDAY MARCH 18:
50TH SEASON SPECTACULAR: Berwick 7pm
SUNDAY MARCH 19:
CHALLENGE: Peterborough v Coventry 12pm
PETER KARLSSON FAREWELL: Wolverhampton 5pm
Sunday March 12, 2017
Results:
BEN FUND BONANZA, Glasgow
1 Richard Lawson (Glasgow)
2 Chris Harris (Rye House)
3 Richie Worrall (Glasgow)
4 Ricky Wells (Edinburgh)
