BRITISH SPEEDWAY WEEKLY BULLETIN 2025/04

Feature photo by STEVE DIXON…IPSWICH extended their 100 per cent start to the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership season with a 49-41 win last week at Leicester.
It was the Witches’ third victory on the road in the league so far in 2025, and their fourth overall in addition to their KO Cup wins over Belle Vue.

HERE’S the latest news and fixtures from around the tracks up and down the country.

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP LATEST

WITCHES MOTOR ON
IPSWICH kept their 100 per cent start to the season going with a 49-41 win at Leicester, with all-round strength in depth once again proving key for the Witches.
Boss Ritchie Hawkins praised his two reserves, saying: “Jordan (Jenkins) is riding well and has started the season well and before Heat 12 he and Dan (Thompson) were pretty even.

“Dan then had a superb ride in Heat 12 and we are at the stage of the season where we don’t need to stress too much and there wasn’t too much to gain long-term by taking Jordan out of a ride.
“I have full belief in him and that is why he is here, and he paid that back with a superb ride in Heat 14. He is getting overlooked a little bit because Dan is scoring big points, but it was another great meeting for Jordan.”

LIONS WIN ON THE ROAD
LEICESTER collected an Easter Monday away win at Oxford to effectively cancel out the damage of losing at home to Ipswich the previous Thursday.
Manager Stewart Dickson said: “Conditions were difficult for both teams, and they lost any home track advantage, but we were pretty good and all in all we deserved the two points on offer, so it was a good day for us.

“Sam (Masters) was very, very good, he was making lightning starts, and in fairness Max (Fricke) gave him gate two in Heat 15 which he appreciated, and he went out and did the business. 13 points was an exceptional afternoon’s work.
“I was also very pleased with Kyle (Howarth) in Heat 14, I did tell him they were putting Riss in for a tactical substitute, and Kyle responded to that. Paid-nine for him was outstanding and he just goes about his business quietly.”

LEMON: ACES SOLID BUILDING
BELLE Vue boss Mark Lemon says recent signs have been highly encouraging as the defending champions ease their way into their title defence.
Lemon said: “We are now well and truly into the season. I feel the boys are getting into a rhythm again. You just want to get some momentum.
“The last two home wins have been solid and that always gives us a good platform when we do go away from home.
“There are so many positive signs with the ATPI Aces right now. It’s a solid building process.”

SPIRES CLOSE BUT…
OXFORD manager Peter Schroeck suffered the disappointment of another loss on Easter Monday as the Spires went down by eight points to Leicester.
Schroeck said: “To me, it’s important we are competitive and that our supporters see a close meeting and today they did. It wasn’t the nicest afternoon and thank you very much to all the fans who turned up.

“Luke (Killeen) had a good meeting, with a couple of really impressive rides. We don’t put pressure on him at this level, but it’s great when he puts together the points.
“It was a tough day for Francis (Gusts), but I don’t think he’d ridden in conditions like this before, so it was a learning experience. The boys at reserve are not employed to win us matches – they are there to learn and pick the points when they can.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
IPSWICH look to keep up their 100 per cent start to the Premiership season when they host winless Birmingham at Foxhall on Thursday… Sheffield have also recorded impressive home wins so far in 2025, and they will take on Oxford at Owlerton… Monday night sees King’s Lynn host Oxford in the first televised fixture of the season, with the Stars having already defeated the Spires home and away in the KO Cup… Meanwhile Birmingham host Leicester with the Lions looking for a repeat of their big KO Cup victory at Perry Barr last month.

CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP LATEST

PERRY PRAISE AS TIGERS WIN
GLASGOW boss Cami Brown singled out young reserve Max Perry for praise after his important contribution in the Tigers’ 47-43 BSN Series win at Berwick last weekend.
Brown said: “Max was sensational and the 5-1 he scored in Heat 4 with Kyle Howarth changed the course of the meeting.
“We are delighted for him because he has worked so hard during the winter and the results are now coming for him.
“It’s a big result for us especially after the home (Scottish Cup) defeat to Edinburgh.”

NEWCOMERS SHINE FOR CHEETAHS
OXFORD’S maximum man Sam Masters praised the impact of new signings Jonas Knudsen and Mitch McDiarmid in the 48-41 comeback win at Plymouth.
Masters said: “We’ve got a young team this season and everyone is digging deep. Everyone was trying 100 per cent every race and didn’t let things get the better of them. That’s the reason we won.

“It’s not easy to come to Plymouth for the first time – we had a couple of guys in Jonas and Mitch who hadn’t seen the place before, but they still had a good night.

“Mitch doesn’t have much experience of British Speedway at all yet. But he’s a talented kid and he was getting stuck in – the future is bright for him.”

PIRATES HANDLE THE PRESSURE
POOLE No.1 Richard Lawson was delighted to turn around a tough start to the meeting and play his part in a Super Heat triumph at Oxford as he twice combined with skipper Zach Cook in the crucial final races.
Lawson said: “I started off terrible tonight, I don’t know what is going on with the engine I was using early on and at King’s Lynn too, so we are going to whip that out and send it back.

“Once I swapped bikes it was a different ball game for me, and I felt more like myself.
“We had some pressure there at the end but as I have said before you carry pressure being with Poole as the fans expect a lot, but I revel in that. We want to win, and it is those kind of heats where you need the set-up, and we got there.”

BANDITS TAKE POSTITVES
BERWICK manger Stewart Dickson says there was plenty to take from opening night at Shielfield Park, where mechanical failures were a contributory cause to a home defeat by Glagsow in the BSN Series.
Dickson said: “You never want to lose but I think there are massive positives to take from our performance.
“One or two of our riders were lacking race time and you could see how they improved as the meeting progressed.
“We now have to use the BSN to make sure that everything is set up to perform for the Knockout Cup and league.”

COMETS CHASE HOME COMFORTS
WORKINGTON manager James Denham says his team will be targeting an unbeaten home record at the GT Tyres Arena this season to boost their play-off hopes.
Denham said: “As it was last season, our target this year is to finish in the top four and be unbeaten at home, especially in the league.
“Our reserves could be key for us and if everyone can score an average of seven points a meeting, that is what we need. We have to trust the process.”

CHAIRMAN PRAISE FOE HARRIS WIN
SCUNTHORPE promoter and British Speedway Chairman Rob Godfrey has praised Glasgow skipper Chris Harris for his victory in the recent CLRC at the Eddie Wright Raceway.
Godfrey said: “It was the first time we’ve staged that event and I felt it went very well. It produced a fair winner in Chris Harris, there was no home track advantage and ‘Bomber’ deserved to win it in my opinion.

“We all know he’s been an absolutely brilliant servant to British speedway, he’s come close to winning the CLRC many times in the past and I was chuffed for him that he finally won it this time.
“Equally, I was gutted for our winter signing Stevie Worrall who missed out in the Final, although he’s still got youth on his side in comparison to ‘Bomber’!”

MONARCHS – PLEASE PARK CONSIDERATELY
EDINBURGH reported a bumper crowd for their Scottish Cup opener against Glasgow, with the Tigers due back this week in the BSN Series – and the club are urging supporters to show consideration with their car parking.
Co-promoter John Campbell said: “We were delighted to welcome our biggest crowd for a number of years to our opening event but that also brought the biggest number of cars for a number of years.

“Our car parks quickly filled up and many cars then used the neighbouring housing estates across the road at Birkdale Park and Mallace Avenue on the left as you head into town.
“All I can ask is that all supporters use consideration in parking and think how they would feel if someone parked at their front door in an equivalent situation.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
POOLE and Plymouth have an important BSN Series double ahead as the sides meet at Wimborne Road on Wednesday with the return at the Coliseum on Saturday… Fierce rivals Edinburgh and Glasgow also clash in the BSN Series at Armadale on Friday, whilst Redcar host Scunthorpe who won by just two points when they met at the Eddie Wright Raceway last week… Berwick take on Edinburgh at Shielfield Park on Saturday as they look to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Glasgow.

*PLYMOUTH also have a big meeting at the Coliseum next Tuesday (April 29) as they stage the British Under-21 Qualifier, with eight places available for the Final at Glasgow.

WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE INS AND OUTS

(Starting averages shown. Ins and Outs refer to each club’s final team declaration of 2024.)

BELLE VUE: William Cairns 10.22, Freddy Hodder 7.11, Jack Kingston 6.45, Mason Watson 4.82, Jack Shimelt 3.00, Harry Fletcher 3.00, Billy Budd 3.00
IN:  Watson (from Edinburgh), Shimelt (returns to one-to-seven), Kingston, Fletcher, Budd.
OUT: Matt Marson (to Edinburgh), Sam Hagon, Chad Wirtzfeld, Luke Muff, Harry McGurk.

EDINBURGH: Connor Coles 8.00, Dayle Wood 7.76, Matt Marson 6.20, Sam McGurk 5.56, Kyran Lyden 3.53, Mark Parker 3.00, Lee Harrison 3.00.
IN: Marson (from Belle Vue), Harrison.
OUT: Max Perry (to Leicester), Mason Watson (to Belle Vue).

LEICESTER: Ben Trigger 8.71, Max James 7.20, Max Perry 6.89, Sonny Springer 5.60, Eli Meadows 3.00, Ryan Ingram 3.00, Cooper Rushen 3.00.
IN: Trigger (from Middlesbrough), Perry (from Edinburgh), Ingram, Meadows, Rushen.
OUT: Tom Spencer (to Middlesbrough), Arran Butcher (to Oxford), Joe Thompson, Vinnie Foord, Luke Crang.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Tom Spencer 7.22, Ace Pijper 6.44, Danny Phillips 6.33, Jamie Halder 5.08, Stene Pijper 4.82, Ben Rathbone 3.80, Kai Ward 3.58
IN: Spencer (from Leicester), A.Pijper (from Steelers), S.Pijper (from Steelers).
OUT: Ben Trigger, Jake Mulford, William Hocaniuk.

OXFORD: Jody Scott 8.10, Ashton Vale 6.17, Arran Butcher 5.37, Jacob Clouting 5.04, Darryl Ritchings 5.01, Senna Summers 3.44, Max Broadhurst 3.00.
IN: Butcher (from Leicester), Ritchings, Broadhurst.
OUT: Luke Killeen, Jason Garrad, Declan Killeen.

STEELERS: Nathan Ablitt 8.33, Luke Harrison 7.66, Vinnie Foord 6.29 Mickie Simpson 4.49, Luke Harris 4.00, Jamie Etherington 3.00, Harrison Rogers 3.00.
*Previously known as Scunthorpe/Sheffield
IN: Foord (from Leicester), Harris, Rogers.
OUT: Ace Pijper (to Middlesbrough), Stene Pijper (to Middlesbrough), Kean Dicken.

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TROPHY

(Starting averages shown. New competition this season.)

BIRMINGHAM: Tom Spencer 7.22, Max James 7.20, Sam McGurk 5.56, Arran Butcher 5.37, Darryl Ritchings 5.01, Senna Summers 3.44, Eli Meadows 3.00.

KENT EAGLES: Nathan Ablitt 8.33, Ben Morley 8.32, Vinnie Foord 6.29, Jacob Clouting 5.04, Nathan Hargrave 3.00, Jamie Etherington 3.00, Charlie Wood 3.00.

KING’S LYNN: Jody Scott 8.10, Luke Harrison 7.66, Max Perry 6.89, Ashton Vale 6.17, Harrison Rogers 3.00, Cooper Rushen 3.00, Calum Mitchell 3.00.

LEICESTER: William Cairns 10.22, Ace Pijper 6.44, Sonny Springer 5.60, Stene Pijper 4.82, Mason Watson 4.82, Max Broadhurst 3.00, Caydin Martin 3.00.

PLYMOUTH: Team to be declared/approved.

THE WEEK AHEAD
OXFORD Chargers go into action for the first time this season when they host Middlesbrough at Cowley on Sunday. Darryl Ritchings and Max Broadhurst make their Chargers debuts with Arran Butcher back with the club in 2025.

FIXTURE PICTURE…

WEDNESDAY APRIL 23:
BSN SERIES: Poole v Plymouth 7.30

THURSDAY APRIL 24:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Ipswich (47) v Birmingham (43) 7.30, Sheffield v Oxford 7.30

FRIDAY APRIL 25:
BSN SERIES: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30, Redcar (44) v Scunthorpe (46) 7.30

SATURDAY APRIL 26:
BSN SERIES: Berwick v Edinburgh 7pm, Plymouth v Poole 7pm

SUNDAY APRL 27:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Oxford v Middlesbrough 3pm

MONDAY APRIL 28:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Birmingham v Leicester 7.30, King’s Lynn v Oxford 7.30

TUESDAY APRIL 29:
BRITISH UNDER-21 QUALIFIER: Plymouth 7pm

WEDNESDAY APRIL 30:
BSN SERIES: Oxford (48) v Plymouth (41) 7.30

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TROPHY: King’s Lynn (48) v Birmingham (41) 7.30

THURSDAY MAY 1:
BRITISH SEMI-FINAL: Leicester 7.30

FRIDAY MAY 2:
BSN SERIES: Edinburgh v Berwick 7.30, Redcar v Workington 7.30

SATURDAY MAY 3:
MAXICAB KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Berwick v Redcar 7pm
BSN SERIES: Workington v Scunthorpe 3pm

SUNDAY MAY 4:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TROPHY: Leicester (38) v Birmingham (51) 3pm

MONDAY MAY 5:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Belle Vue v Sheffield 12pm, Oxford v Birmingham 1pm, Ipswich v King’s Lynn 2.15, Birmingham v Oxford 7.30, Sheffield v Belle Vue 6.30
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Steelers v Belle Vue (at Sheffield) (follows Prem fixture) 

WEDNESDAY MAY 7:
BSN SERIES: Poole (45) v Oxford (45) 7.30