BRITISH SPEEDWAY JULY 20, 2025
(SPEEDWAY 1)
COMETS SOAR TO VICTORY
WORKINGTON’S revival gathered pace with a thumping 58-32 home win over Scunthorpe in the Cab Direct Championship.
The Comets made it two wins on the bounce since returning from their season pause, as they dominated proceedings at the GT Tyres Arena.
Captain Troy Batchelor dropped a point to Steve Worrall in Heat 1 but was then unbeaten as he racked up 16+1, whilst Fraser Bowes (14+1) and Tate Zischke (9+2) were both involved in exciting racing as the hosts secured the win using rider replacement for heat-leader Antti Vuolas.
Defeat capped a bad weekend for the Scorpions, with the only significant back-up for Worrall (12) coming from reserve Luke Harrison with 8+1, and they will face a defining week of away matches in early August well as a big home clash with Edinburgh this Friday.
Comets boss James Denham said: “It’s a fantastic result and I couldn’t be any more proud. These guys just keep proving everyone wrong.
“I think we’re a force to be reckoned with, especially around here. We knew we had to make this place a fortress and we didn’t at the start of the year, but these guys have covered Antti’s rides brilliantly as well.”
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It was borderline embarrassing. We only had a few riders coming to the tapes, and coupled with last night (Friday) it’s been one of the most disappointing 48 hours of my life.
“When I put a team together, I put it together believing we can get to the play-offs, but at this rate it’s going to be about avoiding the wooden spoon.
“We started in Heat 14 basically, and I apologise to the Scunthorpe fans, I feel your pain more than anybody.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
IPSWICH have moved to sign Jason Edwards as a 28-day injury replacement for Jordan Jenkins.
Edwards started the season with Birmingham in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership with the Brummies bringing in Sam Hagon when Edwards himself spent a spell on the sidelines.
He has guested on three occasions for the Witches since returning to fitness and now comes in at Foxhall as Jenkins is out with knee trouble following a recent crash at Belle Vue.
In an ironic twist, Edwards will make his full debut for Ipswich in their home clash with Birmingham on Thursday.
Witches boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “After Thursday’s meeting Jordan had a practice and as much as he got round, he is not close to being fully fit yet.
“We have brought Jason in, and he is a great replacement, he fits in with the team brilliantly. He really wanted the opportunity to be with us, and he wants to make sure it is for the rest of the season.
“He has got 28 days to get himself in the side and Jordan has got 28 days to prove he is fit and ready to attack the play-offs.
“Jordan will be staying as part of the side, and we will help him as much as we can in his recovery and will help Jason settle into the side which won’t take very long. We need to attack the rest of the season now.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BIRMINGHAM have confirmed Sam Hagon will retain their Rising Star role after impressing in recent matches.
The British Under-21 Champion was signed by the Brummies last month after injury to Jason Edwards, who has now joined Ipswich on a 28-day deal.
Manager Chris Adams said: “Firstly, I don’t think Sam deserved to lose his team place, especially after his last two or three meetings for us – it would have been harsh.
“Away at Sheffield he really attacked that track and he was one of our best riders there and then he backed that up with another solid display at Belle Vue when he was our only race winner.
“I have spoken to Jason since he declared himself fit and at first I looked at a way where he might come in as our No.6.
“But if we did that, Jason would have had to have stayed in our line-up for 28 days, effectively leaving Ben (Barker – appendix operation recovery) with very few meetings left to do for Birmingham.
“Jason’s a good lad, he clearly wants to make up for the lost time he’s suffered through injury by becoming a ‘free agent’ and possibly get some meetings with a team destined for the play-offs. So you could say it was a mutual decision in the end, and we do wish him all the best.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
GREAT Britain finished level with Poland just outside the medal places in Saturday’s European Pairs Championship at Daugavpils.
Ipswich duo Tom Brennan (12) and Adam Ellis (9) totalled 21 points in Latvia with Leon Flint (Sheffield/Glasgow) a non-riding reserve as Denmark retained the title courtesy of Leon Madsen and Andreas Lyager.
They finished one point ahead of the hosts, with Czechia being the surprise packages in third place thanks to King’s Lynn’s Jan Kvech and youngster Adam Bubba Bednar.
The Czechs were five points ahead of Poland and GB in the eight-nation contest, with Birmingham captain Tobiasz Musielak scoring seven for the Poles.
(SPEEDWAY 5)
KENT is the venue for the next British Youth Championship round today (Sunday, midday) with all four classes in attendance.
A total of 31 races are scheduled, including the current leaders in each of the 250cc, 125cc and 125 Support classes Casper Kluczniak, Lewis Hague and Callum Hague.
Unfortunately, the current leader of the 500cc class Jamie Etherington misses out due to the broken arm he sustained at King’s Lynn on Wednesday when representing Kent in their National Development Trophy fixture.
With Etherington missing, this round this will give an opportunity for the likes of Ryan Ingram, Charlie Southwick and Cooper Rushen to gain some valuable championship points on the current leader.
The 250cc class has currently only had one round, so although Kluczniak leads after winning at Leicester back in May this class is wide open with the other nine competitors all still with a chance.
The 250cc class is particularly competitive and includes the recently crowned Women’s Gold Trophy 250cc winner Demi Blu Harris, who is making her first appearance back in the UK having won the gold medal in Croatia only eight days ago.
The rider who will have the biggest support of the day will be eight-year-old Oscar Berwick, who lives in Kent and is a regular mascot at Eagles fixtures and will be sure to make the most of his home track knowledge.
A competitive 125cc class includes Hague who has this season being nigh on untouchable along with Fraser Buckle, who has just competed in the SGP Academy in Sweden and the FIM Gold Trophy in Latvia, Rex Austin who maxed out at the Redcar round in the Support class, and Charlie Fletcher who was the 2024 Support Class Champion.
The Young Lions would like to thank the Kent club for their support of British Youth Speedway as well as their series sponsors Friends of Speedway, Northern Scaffolding Solutions, HG Aerospace Ltd, Royle T Racing, Ignite Insurance Brokers Ltd, Rentruck, Wessex Marine and Nuneaton Speedway Supporters Club.
(FIXTURES)
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
