BRITISH SPEEDWAY JUNE 27, 2025
(SPEEDWAY 1)
LIONS END FIFTY YEAR DROUGHT
LEICESTER ended Sheffield’s reign as Premiership KO Cup holders with a 46-44 win at Owlerton to reach their first top-flight Cup Final since 1975.
The Lions took an 18-point lead to South Yorkshire for the second leg of their semi-final, and then stunned the Tigers by racing into a 21-9 advantage on the night to eliminate home hopes of a comeback.
The match itself went down to a last-heat decider with Lions skipper Max Fricke holding his nerve to defeat Jack and Chris Holder after a tight battle, and they went through by 20 points overall.
Fricke scored 12 from six rides for the visitors with Ryan Douglas adding 10 in a solid team display, whilst Jack Holder led the Sheffield scoring with 11 despite conceding a 5-1 in Heat 1.
Leicester manager Stewart Dickson said: “We got off to a really good start, and I did say that the choice of gates could be very important.
“Credit to both teams; they were still throwing their bikes at each other in Heat 15, enjoyable to watch and an enjoyable meeting from our point of view.
“Tonight is about us, we got to the Final, we got the job done and we never got put under the pressure that I was expecting.”
Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “It was always going to be a tough task, but I just feel like nothing really went our way from losing the toss to gate swing, and it just felt like we were on the back foot all night.
“It would’ve been nice to rescue it at the end and at least finish with a win because we all don’t like losing at home, but I just feel like we’re battling against it at the moment.
“Look, no excuses though, over the course of the two legs we’ve got absolutely schooled, so we need to go back to the drawing board and we need to find some improvement.”
Leicester will now face either King’s Lynn or Ipswich in the Final, with the second leg of the East Anglian rivals’ tie taking place on July 17. Lynn lead by six points going into the decider in Suffolk.
(SPEEDWAY 2)
OXFORD slammed Birmingham 62-28 in a one-sided ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash at Cowley as the Spires hit top form for the first time this season.
The scores were level after four races but the home side then turned on the style, recording eight 5-1s in the remaining 11 heats.
Skipper Maciej Janowski was unbeaten with an 11+1 paid maximum, whilst Erik Riss (11+3) and Rohan Tungate (11+2) were also in double figures.
Meanwhile the Brummies provided just two race winners, with Paco Castagna collecting eight from six rides and new signing Ben Barker picked up 7+1 at reserve.
Oxford manager Peter Schroeck said: “It was a great night, and there was a different energy in the team.
“When we had our track walk I said to the lads, ‘everyone’s written us off already, let’s try and do it in a different way,’ and it’s worked.
“I’ve said all along these boys are all classy riders. We’ve got a good side on paper, it hasn’t worked until now, but today was very convincing.”
Birmingham boss Chris Adams said: “I don’t really know what went on. If you’d have told me that this was going to be the final score after those four races, I’d never have believed you in a million years.
“It was painful to watch and simply just not good enough. I feel sorry for all the travelling supporters and anyone who watched the live stream, and we know we’re better than that and we expect better.
“Our Championship riders were our top scorers; Ben battled away all night and answered the critics, just like Paco has since he came to the club. They deserved Heat 15 and I made a point of putting them in, the same as I did when I put Paco in as a tac sub as well.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BERWICK co-promoter Sarah Bulman has landed a dream job opportunity with Premier League football giants Newcastle United.
The 43-year-old has become Safeguarding and Wellbeing Manager for Clubs and Partnerships at the St James’s Park club, who secured qualification to the Champions League last month after winning the Carabao Cup earlier in the season.
Bulman, who became a co-promoter with the Bandits earlier this year, has held several senior roles in the children services social care sector, and now she will be able to combine positions at both clubs.
She said: “The job is pretty much to ensure that everything Newcastle United’s name is attached to maintains the club’s highest ethical standards and that everyone leading or taking part does so in a safe environment.
“At Christmas I was still just a Bandits supporter and a Newcastle United fan, but suddenly I’m involved in the day-to-day running of two of the North-east’s greatest sports clubs!
“Both jobs fall under the ‘dream come true’ category and while the Bandits is a voluntary post, I still needed to make sure that I could give it the time necessary.
“When I was going through the interview process one of the things I stressed was that I would only take the Newcastle United job if there was time for my speedway promoter’s work.
“They understand how important that is and assured me that the flexibility will always be there. Both clubs mean an awful lot to me, and to be involved in the day-to-day running of them is just amazing.”
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY JUNE 27:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh (40) v Redcar (50) OFF, Glasgow (45) v Scunthorpe (45) OFF
SATURDAY JUNE 28:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick v Workington 7pm
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Middlesbrough v Leicester 3pm
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP: Redcar (125cc – 2pm ; 500cc – after NDL fixture)
SUNDAY JUNE 29:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester v Oxford 12pm, Oxford v Leicester 6.30
