BRITISH SPEEDWAY JULY 24, 2025

(SPEEDWAY 1)

PIRATES ON THE CHARGE

POOLE extended their lead at the top of the Cab Direct Championship with a win over Workington – but the Comets became the first team to take an aggregate point against the Pirates this season.
The league leaders were held to a 47-43 scoreline, being taken down to a last-heat decider where a 5-1 to the visitors would have set up a Super Heat.

Richard Lawson secured the victory by winning the race, although team-mate Lewis Kerr was kept at the back by Fraser Bowes and Jye Etheridge.
It was more than enough for the Comets to return to Cumbria with a point having won the reverse fixture 51-39, despite the absence of Tate Zischke with a foot injury and Vinnie Foord being withdrawn after a Heat 8 crash with Tobias Thomsen.
Lawson scored 13 for the Pirates with Kerr on 11, dropping just one point before Heat 15, whilst Bowes impressed again for the Comets with 13 and Jye Etheridge racked up 12+2.

Kerr said: “It was good. A bit frustrating for me in the last two, especially Heat 15 as I messed up the start and that was that one gone, but hopefully I will get another one.”
Comets boss James Denham said: “This was a fantastic result with a patched-up team. Losing Tate on the eve of the meeting was always going to be tough, but we covered his rides brilliantly. “Also losing Vinnie after his second ride was a blow, he’s bit his tongue in the crash and had quite the grisly wound to it but luckily that’s his only injury from a nasty crash.

“Fraser, Jacob (Hook) and Jye rode their socks off, but in fairness they all dug deep and I feel we could have won the meeting with a bit more luck, but more importantly the team spirit was unbelievable throughout which is key.
“The boys are really making things happen now and I feel the aggregate point is what we deserved over the two legs.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

OXFORD moved back into the Cab Direct Championship play-off places with a hard-fought 47-43 win over Plymouth at Cowley.
The Cheetahs were facing a Gladiators side with plenty of top-end power, and they were without Mitch McDiarmid due to an injury in Poland.

But a ten-point lead heading into the closing stages proved enough to defend despite the concession of a 5-1 in Heat 13 when skipper Sam Masters was disqualified after a clash with former Oxford captain Scott Nicholls.
There was more drama in Heat 15 with Cameron Heeps and the previously unbeaten Nicolai Klindt both penalised for starting infringements, before Nicholls beat Masters to narrow the gap to four points ahead of Saturday’s return in Devon.

Cheetahs reserve Luke Killeen scored an all-important 11+1 from seven rides, with Masters and Jonas Knudsen both on 9+1, whilst Klindt racked up 16 for the visitors and Nicholls continued his positive comeback with 10+2.
Killeen said: “I’m happy with my night. I didn’t win a race, but I scored consistent points throughout the night and that helped us win.

“I was flat out and took seven rides, but that’s what happens when you’re riding a reserve and doing well – I have no complaints about being busy!
“It’s tough when we’re using guests and rider replacement, but at the same time we came together as a side tonight and made sure we took the win.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

SHEFFIELD and Leicester meet for the second time in a week in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership at Owlerton tonight (Thursday).
The Lions have won all four clashes between the clubs this season, including a KO Cup semi-final victory in South Yorkshire last month.

However, the Tigers were much closer in their league match at the Hydroscand Arena on Monday, holding their opponents to a six-point margin – although on this occasion they face a 22-point deficit for the aggregate point.
Sheffield are at full strength whilst Leicester switch from their regular policy of rider replacement for the injured Luke Becker as they bring in Richad Lawson to guest.

Tigers boss Simon Stead said: “We know the 22 point deficit is a big ask – but anything can happen in speedway!
“First and foremost though, we just want to make sure we do enough over the 15 races to keep our 100 per cent home record in the league intact, and add the two match points to our current total.
“Leicester are obviously the only team to win here this year – but we want to set the record straight there and we know we’re going to need to be at it from start to finish.”

Lions manager Stewart Dickson said: “I think rider replacement is just taking its toll on the riders a little bit, so I’m going to use Richard at No.2 on Thursday.
“We certainly should be capable of getting the aggregate point there. This is the meeting where we are 22 points up, so if we don’t get that we need our backsides kicked!

“Then we get ready for our first KO Cup Final in 50 years at the highest level, and we have an opportunity to get major silverware there, so it’s a really exciting week or so ahead.”
SHEFFIELD: Jack Holder, Anders Rowe, Josh Pickering, Lewi Kerr, Chris Holder, Justin Sedgmen, Leon Flint.
LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Richard Lawson, Ryan Douglas, Kyle Howarth, Sam Masters, Drew Kemp, Joe Thompson.

(SPEEDWAY 4)

IPSWICH have the chance to bounce back from their KO Cup disappointment when they face bottom club Birmingham in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership at Foxhall tonight (Thursday).
The Witches were stunned in the semi-final by King’s Lynn last week but they will return to the top of the league standings with points against the Brummies.
Recent 28-day signing Jason Edwards makes his official Ipswich debut against the team who replaced him when he was injured earlier in the season, whilst Ben Barker returns for the visitors at reserve.
Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “They have a team with ex-Ipswich riders in and I’m looking forward to seeing Keynan (Rew) and catching up with him and seeing how he is coming on this season in a year away from us.

“They also feature Ben who is back from his recent illness. He is always exciting and provides a lot of entertainment as we have seen over the years.
“Birmingham have run us close the last couple of years and have beaten us. They probably have a better record against us than any other team in the league in the last two years so we can’t take anything lightly and need to perform and put right the wrongs from last week.”

Rew said: “We know Ipswich is going to be tough and we know our chances are going to be overlooked.
“But that’s when I think the meetings are better when we have no pressure and we go and do what we can do.
“The result at the end of the night is what it is but hopefully all of the boys can have a good night, keep it somewhat close or nip a win – we’ll see what happens.”

IPSWICH: Jason Doyle, Danny King, Adam Ellis, Tom Brennan, Emil Sayfutdinov, Dan Thompson, Jason Edwards.

BIRMINGHAM: Tobiasz Musielak, Paco Castagna, Jonas Jeppesen, Keynan Rew, Matej Zagar, Ben Barker, Sam Hagon.

(FIXTURES)

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 (43) v Oxford (47) 7pm, Workington v Redcar 6pm

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