BRITISH SPEEDWAY WEEKLY BULLETIN 2025/16

Feature photo by: BRETT THURLOW…WORKINGTON made a sensational return to Cab Direct Championship action after their recent sabbatical with a 51-39 win over leaders Poole on Saturday.
Zischke top-scored for the Comets with 12+1 and Antti Vuolas added 11+1 with all seven home riders having at least one win or paid win, whilst Richard Lawson piled up 15 from six rides for a Poole side who misfired in other areas.

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

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP LATEST
 
STARS JUBILANT AFTER DERBY WIN
KING’S Lynn are celebrating one of the most remarkable wins in their top-flight history after overcoming local rivals Ipswich on Monday.

The Stars won 46-44 despite having been trailing by eight points with six races to go, in a meeting which saw them without two of their top five riders.
Manager Rob Lyon said: “It will go down in the annals of history for King’s Lynn as one of the most backs-to-the-wall performance we’ve ever had.

“As a team, I was really proud of the boys tonight. There’s always a local rivalry with Ipswich, and it’s always been like that, so to get three victories over them at home is a nice feeling for the fans and the club.
“As Ipswich are out-and-out favourites for the league it’s nice to turn them over three times!”

TIGERS BACK ON TRACK
SHEFFIELD boss Simon Stead was delighted to see his side rack up 60 points against Oxford despite losing Anders Rowe to an arm injury after two rides.
Stead said: “It’s been difficult the last few home meetings. I feel like we’ve been on the back foot missing riders for all sorts of different reasons and I feel like we haven’t been as convincing as I’ve known us because of that.

“This was a real good step in the right direction though and it just shows what a difference it makes to turn up with all seven of your team.
“Yes we lost Anders after his first two rides, and hopefully he’ll be back next week, but I’ve got a really good group of lads here and they all work hard together.”

TEAM EFFORT FROM ACES
BELLE Vue skipper Brady Kurtz saw his long unbeaten home run ended by Leicester’s Max Fricke on Monday – but the Aces still did enough for a 50-40 win to remain comfortably placed in the top four of the league table.
Kurtz said: “It was a really tough one. Leicester are a good team, they’ve been in good form all year. They are not to be taken lightly, that’s for sure.

“It was a hard-fought battle and a few mistakes from everyone really. We rallied and we got it over the line.
“Max knows his way around here, there’s no doubt about that. He’s done a lot of laps around here. We can’t always rely on me and Dan (Bewley) to get 15 every week. It’s good to have the back up from all the boys.”

LIONS’ HOME RUN CONTINUES
LEICESTER skipper Max Fricke and Ryan Douglas both scored paid-18 maximums in their win over Oxford on Thursday to maintain control of a top four place.
Lions also collected an aggregate point at Belle Vue on Monday and they now hold an eight-point advantage over King’s Lynn in the race for the play-offs.

A particular highlight of the last week was Fricke’s ride from a 15-metre handicap to defeat Spires duo Craig Cook and Charles Wright.
Manager Stewart Dickson said: “We are going to see a lot of the Max Fricke race, but it was a great team performance and very pleasing to see.
“We had great backing from the supporters, and the noise in the stadium when Max did that was superb. I’m delighted to have two riders with six-rjde maximums, and I’m really pleased to see smiles on people’s faces.”

WITCHES’ KO CUP FOCUS
IPSWICH chief Ritchie Hawkins says it’s full focus on the KO Cup semi-final this Thursday, where his side need to pull back six points over King’s Lynn – who beat them once again the league at the Adrian Flux Arena on Monday.
Hawkins said: “We are six points down but that is more than achievable for these boys. We had a good chat after Monday’s meeting and everyone’s minds are focused on Thursday night and making another Cup Final.

“Our ambition is to have won two trophies by the end of the year. We have been very good this year on the whole and we are extremely determined, and we go into it wanting to win by as many as possible. If we all perform as we should do, that will be more than six points.”

SPIRES LOOK FORWARD
OXFORD manager Peter Schroeck says attentions have to turn towards Thursday’s big home clash with champions Belle Vue, after a tough week on the road with defeats at Leicester and Sheffield.
Schroeck said: “I don’t want to make too many excuses. Sheffield are a strong side, especially around their own track, and they were the better side tonight.
“We now switch our focus to our home meeting with defending champions Belle Vue at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on Thursday. We pushed title favourites Ipswich all the way last week in our last home fixture and it should be another exciting night of action.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
IPSWICH and King’s Lynn will resolve their KO Cup semi-final at Foxhall on Thursday with the Stars travelling to Suffolk holding a six-point lead… the play-off chase continues in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership with Belle Vue visiting Oxford, and then making the trip to King’s Lynn on Monday… Televised action features two of the top four as Leicester host Sheffield… Birmingham will look to finally defeat Oxford when the sides meet at Perry Barr.
 CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP LATEST
 PROUD DAY FOR COMETS
WORKINGTON star Antti Vuolas said it had been a dream return as the Comets resumed their Cab Direct Championship programme with a stunning victory over champions Poole.
Vuolas said: “It was just what we needed, it has been tough times for the whole club, but today was a proud day for Workington. We showed what we can do when we get the chance, everyone did a great job – and I would think that the fans enjoyed the racing.
“For me it was a three-week break from racing, but it just made the hunger even bigger. We go one heat at a time and do our best, but our goal is the play-offs and we will work hard towards that every meeting.”

SCORPIONS DO THE DOUBLE
SCUNTHORPE’S 50-40 win over Plymouth saw them complete the double over the Gladiators in a boost to their play-off hopes.
The Scorpions had been successful at the Coliseum the previous weekend as they bid to repair the damage from dropped points at home to Glasgow and Oxford.
Promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We just don’t seem to be consistent at the moment but we are hanging in there and the play-offs are still very much within reach. We need the Plymouth result to pick the boys up and spur them on now.
“It has given us a lifeline and we have more away fixtures we can target for sure. Workington will be one of them, and Berwick is another, but we do need to keep winning our home matches at the same time.”

MONARCHS SETTLE FOR WIN
EDINBURGH defeated Redcar 47-43 to remain in the frame for the Championship play-offs, but they were denied the aggregate point by a late Bears fightback.
Monarchs racer Jonatan Grahn said: “It was a bit disappointing that we didn’t take the aggregate point but we move forward and take the win.
“It will be important to get some more track time after the postponements and see our supporters here every week. I’m learning and getting more experience on this track.”

CRUNCH TIME FOR BEARS
REDCAR’S back-from-injury Jason Edwards says the upcoming period is crucial for his side who are involved in all three Championship competitions.
Edwards said: “The next two months are vital, we can either qualify for everything or get knocked out of all three competitions, so this stage of the campaign is basically our season, we need to make this run of fixtures count.
“After a little time off, I feel refreshed and ready to go. It was always the plan to return earlier than I was told but your body and your mind are two different things.”

NO PANIC FOR PIRATES
POOLE skipper Zach Cook says the Pirates won’t get carried away by a 51-39 reverse at Workington on Saturday despite many having been expecting a win from the defending champions.
Cook said: “I think the track was completely different to how it has been before and even when Lewi [Kerr] and I came here in the Pairs earlier on this year. So it caught us a bit off guard, but their boys were better out of the starts early on.
“We had a better second half to the meeting after that dreadful start when they really hit us hard, making full use of the better gates. They have to come to Poole yet and we will just have to go better. Today was just a bump in the road.”

JJ WAITS ON KNEE NEWS
OXFORD’S Jordan Jenkins says he can’t yet put an exact timeframe on his recovery date from the knee injury he picked up in a recent crash at Belle Vue.
Jenkins said: “It’s the MCL so it’s not quite as bad as an ACL, and I’m waiting for the full extent. I’ve got a letter from the consultant, who is worried about something else which I can’t even pronounce but can sometimes be worse than the actual ligament injury.
“I’ll wait to see what this result from the scan says, and once we get that I can take the next steps. It’s pretty disappointing, I’ve had a tough time of it, but I’m already looking forward to coming back.”

LONG ROAD FOR HUME
INJURED Berwick captain Danyon Hume has had successful surgery and has now taken his first steps after suffering two fractured vertebrae in a crash earlier this month.
Hume’s partner Jade said: “We both really appreciate all the messages and calls. We have received so much love and support it hasn’t gone unnoticed and I have read everyone’s messages to Danyon.
“Danyon will get round to responding to everyone at some point; however, he is concentrating on his road to recovery at the moment. Thank you so much for all the love.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
LEAGUE leaders Poole look to bounce back from their defeat at Workington when they host Edinburgh on Wednesday… The Pirates then visit Scunthorpe on Friday, whilst the Scorpions also have a trip to Workington to come on Saturday… Friday’s action also includes a big clash between Glasgow and Redcar, whilst Plymouth are on Northern tour as they visit Edinburgh on Friday and Berwick on Saturday.
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE/NATIONAL TROPHY LATEST
 LION CUBS HOLD ON
LEICESTER did just enough to defeat the Steelers in the WSRA NDL as they look to keep their title defence on track.
The Lion Cubs won 47-43, taking a 3-3 in Heat 15 when visiting guest Ben Morley hit mechanical trouble just as he was looking to complete a 5-1 to draw the match and sent it into a Super Heat.
Leicester boss Jen Crossland said: “The team really pulled together because once again we finished with only five riders, but we got the win and we’re delighted.
“It’s great to get the win we all wanted, but the most important thing is this the foundation of British Speedway.”

YOUNG STARS ARE BEATEN
KING’S Lynn lost their 100 per cent record in the NDT when they were beaten at Plymouth on Saturday – although the Young Stars are still well placed at the top of the table.
Manager Jason Pipe said: “We can’t win them all, at some point we had to come up against a defeat.

“It’s a bit disappointing because they had rider replacement, but there was also some luck going both ways tonight so we just have to take the defeat on the chin and just move on.
“We are all positive. There’s no doom and gloom in the camp. We’ll move on to Wednesday and hopefully pick up some points at home to Kent.”

THE WEEK AHEAD…
NDL action takes place at Redcar on Saturday with Middlesbrough hosting leaders Oxford… in the NDT, King’s Lynn will attempt to bounce back from defeat at Plymouth when they face Kent on Wednesday… meanwhile Iwade is the venue for the latest round of the British Youth Championship on Sunday.
 FIXTURE PICTURE…
 WEDNESDAY JULY 16:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Poole (48) v Edinburgh (42) 7.30
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TROPHY: King’s Lynn v Kent Eagles 7.30

THURSDAY JULY 17:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Oxford (32) v Belle Vue (58) 7.30
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Ipswich (42) v King’s Lynn (48) 7.30

FRIDAY JULY 18:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh (44) v Plymouth (46) 7.30, Glasgow v Redcar 7.30, Scunthorpe (35) v Poole (55) 7.30

SATURDAY JULY 19:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick v Plymouth 7pm, Workington v Scunthorpe 6pm
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Middlesbrough (42) v Oxford (48) 3pm

SUNDAY JULY 20:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP: Kent 12pm

MONDAY JULY 21:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Birmingham v Oxford 7.30, King’s Lynn (42) v Belle Vue (48) 7.30, Leicester v Sheffield 7.30

WEDNESDAY JULY 23:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Oxford v Plymouth 7.30, Poole (39) v Workington (51) 7.30

THURSDAY JULY 24:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Ipswich (49) v Birmingham (41) 7.30
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Sheffield (34) v Leicester (56) 7.30

FRIDAY JULY 25:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow v Berwick 7.30, Redcar (39) v Poole (51) 7.30, Scunthorpe v Edinburgh 7pm
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Steelers v Edinburgh (follows Champ fixture)

SATURDAY JULY 26:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick v Glasgow 7pm, Plymouth v Oxford 7pm, Workington v Redcar 6pm

SUNDAY JULY 27:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester v Edinburgh 3pm, Oxford (58) v Belle Vue (32) 3pm

MONDAY JULY 28:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Birmingham v Belle Vue 7.30