BRITISH SPEEDWAY MAY 16, 2026
(SPEEDWAY 1)
PIRATES IN COMMAND
DEFENDING champions Poole are top of the early Cab Direct Championship table thanks to an emphatic 51-39 away win at Redcar on Friday.
The Pirates were without two regular team members with Cooper Rushen missing due to a wrist injury alongside the already absent Fraser Bowes, but they still raced to a big victory on Teesside.
They trailed by two points with six races remaining but a stunning run of three 5-1s in four races put them in charge, and the performance was inspired by Lewis Kerr and teenager Will Cairns.
Kerr (14+3) was unbeaten until he dropped a point to Jake Allen (13+1) in the last race, whilst 16-year-old Cairns took seven rides and racked up 15+1 including three wins.
Pirates manager Gary Havelock said: “All the boys did well tonight and I am proud of each of them. I would have been happy with a 46-44, but to hit fifty – well, that was just sensational.
“Obviously, and justifiably, Will and Lewi will be making the headlines, but the contributions of the rest of the lads should not be overlooked.
“I have to admit though, for a sixteen-year-old, Will is something else. In all honesty, I have not seen a great deal of him live, but he really impressed me tonight.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
GLASGOW overcame Workington 48-42 in a tense last-heat decider at Ashfield to make it two Cab Direct Championship wins in a row.
Leon Flint and Kyle Howarth combined for a 5-1 in Heat 15 for the Tigers to see them edge a meeting which they never led by more than six points.
The Comets put on a strong performance with Craig Cook (11+1) making a successful return from injury, and No.1 Jonas Jeppesen (11) was also in double figures.
But Flint recovered from failing to score in his first ride to collect 11 points from his next four, backing up Howarth on 13+1 to see the home side to victory despite the withdrawal of reserve Freddy Hodder with a knuckle injury.
Glasgow boss Cami Brown said: “We really had to dig deep for that one. Workington love Ashfield and they were excellent throughout the meeting.
“A great deal of things went against us. Leon had a bike issue in Heat 3 and Mario Hausl’s bike gave up when challenging for the lead in Heat 8. It was also a blow to lose Freddy in Heat 4.
“So it was a struggle to get the job done. Kyle and Leon were excellent all night. Everyone else chipped in and that was just enough to get the victory.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
SCUNTHORPE slammed Berwick 59-31 at the Eddie Wright Raceway with Josh Pickering scoring a 15-point maximum and Michael Palm Toft also unbeaten by a visiting rider.
The Scorpions put the Cab Direct Championship match effectively out of their opponents’ reach by racing to a hat-trick of 5-1s in Heats 2-4 and powered on throughout the evening to record a big victory.
Pickering reeled off five wins out of five whilst Palm Toft added 12+3, finishing second behind his team-mate in three 5-1s.
Youngster Ryan Ingram also underlined his rapid progress with a bumper 12+2 haul from six rides, and debutant Dan Gilkes picked up eight points in a strong first appearance.
The Bandits’ only real moment of success came when top scorers Nick Morris (12) and Jack Smith (8+2) combined for a 5-1 in Heat 9.
Ingram said: “It was a really good and confidence boosting night for myself and an awesome performance from the whole team.
“It was nice to get a few heat wins and try out some different lines. I also had a few tough races but I really enjoyed my night.”
Berwick manager Stewart Dickson said: “It’s a very disappointing performance after the standard we have set ourselves this season.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
EDINBURGH made it back-to-back home wins in the Cab Direct Championship with a 54-36 victory over depleted Oxford at Armadale.
Justin Sedgmen (13) and Kye Thomson (12+1) were both in the major points for the Monarchs, with reserve Mitchell Cluff enjoying his best night in their colours as he picked up 9+2 from four rides.
The Cheetahs were only able to track three of their regular riders, and after a 5-1 from Anders Rowe and Dayle Wood in Heat 9 they had restricted the home side to an eight-point lead, but the closing stages saw the Monarchs pull away once again.
Sam Masters scored 12 from five rides on his old home track whilst Wood, also with strong Edinburgh connections, raced to 11+1 from a busy seven-ride schedule at reserve.
Cluff said: “I expect this from myself most weeks, probably not that high but being in amongst it in every race. That’s what I’m capable of and it’s just about doing that week in week out now.
“Only dropping one point to Sam’s not a bad night! I’ve just got to turn up next week and try to replicate the same thing.”
Wood said: “I messed up my first ride in Heat 2, when I got too much grip out of the start, but after that, I was pleased how it went. Sedgy (Justin Sedgmen) is pretty tough to beat around here, so that was a good race from us to get a 5-1 over him in Heat 9.
“On paper, we do have a 1-7 that can win when we’ve got a full team out. It was hard coming here with so many of the boys missing, but all the riders who came in gave it their all and tried their hardest and we can’t ask more than that.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
PLYMOUTH return home for their first Cab Direct Championship match at the Coliseum tonight (Saturday) as they face Scunthorpe.
Gladiators boss Garry May has hailed the spirit in the side, with the Devon club having already reached the MAXiCab KO Cup semi-finals and secured an away win in the league at Workington.
They are without Daniel Klima for the clash with the Scorpions as he is racing in a SEC qualifier, with former Plymouth rider Alfie Bowtell coming in to guest. The Scorpions continue to operate rider replacement for Luke Harrison who is ruled out under concussion protocols.
May said: “The team have gelled really well through the cup stages and we are one big family unit. That goes from the riders and mechanics right through to all the staff behind the scenes.
“It’s important to have a good environment around the club and I feel we’ve got that here.
“Now it’s really time for us to get dialled in for the league campaign. The Cab Direct Championship is hugely competitive and every home meeting is important.”
PLYMOUTH: Danny King, Joe Thompson, Alfie Bowtell, Ben Barker, Scott Nicholls, Anze Grmek, Tom Spencer.
SCUNTHORPE: Josh Pickering, Luke Harrison R/R, Nathan Ablitt, Connor Mountain, Michael Palm Toft, Ryan Ingram, Dan Gilkes.
(SPEEDWAY 6)
BERWICK and Redcar are both bidding to bounce back from defeats on Friday when they clash in the Cab Direct Championship at Shielfield Park tonight (Saturday).
The Bandits were heavily beaten at Scunthorpe whilst the Bears went down to a home loss against champions Poole.
Former Berwick No.1 Drew Kemp makes a guest appearance for his old club, taking that spot in place of the injured Peter Kildemand, whilst Sam Hagon again stands in for Reid Battye at reserve.
Redcar have called up Simon Lambert to guest for Jordan Jenkins, who withdrew after three rides on Friday due to illness.
BERWICK: Drew Kemp, Jye Etheridge, Victor Palovaara, Lasse Fredriksen, Nick Morris, Jack Smith, Sam Hagon.
REDCAR: Nicolai Klindt, Jake Mulford, Simon Lambert, Jason Edwards, Jake Allen, Ace Pijper, Jody Scott.
(FIXTURES)
SATURDAY MAY 16:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick v Redcar 7pm, Plymouth v Scunthorpe 7pm, Workington v Oxford OFF
MONDAY MAY 18:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: King’s Lynn (40) v Ipswich (50) 7.30
WEDNESDAY MAY 20:
MAXICAB KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Poole (49) v Oxford (39) 7.30
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Leicester 7.30
