BRITISH SPEEDWAY OCTOBER 25, 2025
(SPEEDWAY 1)
REDCAR STEERS THEIR WAY TO VICTORY
REDCAR are celebrating a dramatic victory in the BSN Series Final to secure major team silverware for the first time in six years.
The Bears drew 45-45 at Poole on Friday for a two-point aggregate victory which in the process shattered the Pirates’ hopes of completing a double Treble.
The visitors were behind overall with five races remaining, but reserve Jody Scott was the hero as he partnered skipper Charles Wright to a 5-1 in Heat 11 and then added a 4-2 with Jason Edwards in the next.
Home No.1 Richard Lawson was disqualified from Heat 13 for an incident which saw both Bears riders come to grief, but Wright and Danny King picked themselves up to score another big 5-1 in the re-run.
That left Redcar needing just a second place from Heat 14 but the pressure was on Scott after team-mate Jake Mulford crashed out with a broken chain, and he delivered the result they required by splitting Zach Cook and Paul Starke to seal the trophy.
Bears boss Gavin Parr said: “Words can’t describe the feeling. We’ve worked so hard this season and these guys (Poole) have got in front of us every single time!
“Just to win at home was a massive thing and then to come down here, we knew the pressure was on Poole and everyone expected Poole to do it.
“But we kept plugging away and it’s unbelievable. There were a couple of times my heart was in my mouth with Jody bouncing off the fence, it was unbelievable, and that’s for all the fans.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
POOLE manager Neil Middeditch had to be satisfied with two trophies out of three after their BSN Series hopes were dashed by Redcar on Friday.
The Pirates were strong favourites to complete the Treble at Championship level for the second year running, but they were unable to overturn a two-point deficit from the first leg back on their own track.
A key turning point came in Heat 10 when the home side were on a 5-1 which would have put them six points ahead on aggregate, only for Tobias Thomsen to crash heavily within yards of the chequered flag. The Dane was taken to hospital for checks on his neck.
Middleditch said: “Trophy number 34 will have to wait until next year, but fair play to Redcar.
“I’m not making any excuses, Redcar were the better team tonight and they deserved to win, but obviously that race when we lost Toby when we had a dead cert 5-1 really unsettled us.
“Their manager Gavin (Parr) said before the start of the meeting that we had stopped them at every corner – knocked them out of the play-offs, beat them in the Knockout Cup, but they rose to the occasion tonight and I congratulate them for doing so.
“We have all had a fantastic season here at Poole this season. Many teams would be happy to get one trophy and we have got two, so we should feel proud on that score.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
PLYMOUTH have made an early start to 2026 team building with the headline news that Great Britain speedway legend Scott Nicholls will return to the Gladiators next year.
Nicholls joined the club in mid-July after sitting out the first half of the season with a serious shoulder injury sustained at the end of the 2024 campaign when he had been racing for Oxford.
His arrival at the Coliseum coincided with a run of big crowds and dramatic meetings at the south-west venue, and promoter Mark Phillips is delighted the 47-year-old has committed once more.
Phillips said: “We’re thrilled to have Scott back for 2026. His professionalism, experience, and attitude made a real impact on and off the track when he joined us this season.
“He’s a class act and a great influence on the younger riders — exactly the kind of person we want representing the Gladiators.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
LEICESTER have received a major boost ahead of the 2026 season with the renewal of their long-running team sponsorship deal with Watling JCB.
The locally based JCB franchise will mark a decade as title team sponsors of the club’s senior side next season, with the Lions having finished runners-up in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership this year as well as lifting the KO Cup.
Sales director Chris Armitage said: “It was a shame we couldn’t quite get the win in the Grand Final but it was great to see such a massive crowd, and now I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone at the club.
“I’m aware that this is now a decade into Watling JCB as team sponsors of Leicester Speedway, and this is a perfect example of a local company supporting our local team.
“We’re very proud to be able to continue that next year, and we’re delighted to support and be part of the Leicester Speedway journey.”
(FIXTURES)
SUNDAY OCTOBER 26:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Middlesbrough (43) v Belle Vue (46) 12pm
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TROPHY: Leicester (41) v Kent (47) 7.30
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP (250cc): Leicester 6pm
FOUR TEAM TOURNAMENT: Oxford Select v Coventry Select v Swindon Select v Wolverhampton Select 7pm
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 29:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Leicester (48) v Belle Vue (42) 7.30
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP (500cc): Leicester (follows NDL fixture)
