BRITISH SPEEDWAY WEEKLY BULLETIN 2026/07
Feature photo by: JACK CUPIDO…EDINBURGH made it back-to-back home wins in the Cab Direct Championship with a 54-36 victory over depleted Oxford on Friday night 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.
HERE’S the latest news and fixtures from around the tracks up and down the country.
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP LATEST
FOXES MOVE FOR JEPPESEN
NORTHAMPTON have signed Jonas Jeppesen to bring themselves back to a full team following the injury to Matej Zagar.
Jeppesen is set to come into the Foxes team from this Thursday’s home clash with Leicester, where Niels-Kristian Iversen is also due to make his debut.
Foxes boss Chris Adams said: “We wish Matej all the best and a speedy recovery, but with him on the sidelines and already having Niels missing for the first part of the season, we thought it best to get a replacement for the time being.
“I’ve known Jonas from last year with my time at Birmingham and I know he’s a good rider and team man. He’s been going well for Workington this year and I’m sure he can do a good job for us here at the Foxes.”
WITCHES BEATEN BY WEATHER
IPSWICH boss Paul Hurry was in philosophical mood after the Witches’ home clash with Belle Vue fell victim to a downpour in the hour leading up to the meeting.
Hurry said: “Racing them in poor conditions could have backfired on us. The track could have levelled the playing field, and we wouldn’t have had our home-track advantage.
“In saying that, when you have Dan (Bewley) and Brady (Kurtz) turning up, you want a decent racetrack to entertain the crowd, so we can see them at their best.”
ACES LOOK FOR AGGREGATE
BELLE Vue boss Mark Lemon says his side are fully capable of securing more away wins, and wants to keep clocking up aggregate points.
The Aces won their last outing on the road at King’s Lynn but their attempts to make it an East Anglian double were scuppered by a rain-off at Ipswich last Thursday.
Lemon said: “You’ve got to have that mindset that you’re capable of winning. This team is capable of winning, so if we don’t then we kind of come away disappointed – but it’s also a two-legged aggregate, so the main thing is to get the aggregate point.”
LIONS BACK AFTER BREAK
LEICESTER race for the first time in two-and-a-half weeks this Thursday when they head to Northampton looking to complete the double over the Foxes.
The Lions won 57-33 at the Hydroscand Arena earlier this month with Ryan Douglas scoring a 15-point maximum.
Manager Stewart Dickson said: “I’m sure many of our supporters will be heading down there with us. It’s obviously a meeting we will be targeting for a win, but we have to be mindful that Northampton have yet to win at home and they will be keen to change that record.”
STARS NEED TO SHINE
KING’S Lynn manager Rob Lyon is calling on his side to resolve their gating issues having dropped home points against Belle Vue last week.
The Stars are without a fixture until June 1 and will look to gain more consistency when they resume their campaign.
Lyon said: “We need to have a reset, and start winning speedway matches once we get going again.
“Preferably also we will start getting out of the gate on a consistent basis, because for whatever reason as a team we cannot consistently make starts.”
JYE AIMS HIGH
SHEFFIELD reserve Jye Etheridge is confident he can produce the scoring required at the lower end of the Tigers’ team.
The South Yorkshire side are preparing for a big Bank Holiday double against Etheridge’s former club Belle Vue next Monday.
He said: “At the end of the day, I know I can score double figures around Sheffield and that is my aim going into every meeting there.
“I know I’m a lot better than a three-point average rider in this league – now it’s up to me to turn things back around and prove that.”
THE WEEK AHEAD…
EARLY league leaders Belle Vue are in action twice on Bank Holiday Monday as they face fierce rivals Sheffield in the War of the Roses. The sides meet in Manchester at midday before the return at Owlerton at 7.30pm… Northampton are chasing their first victory when they host Leicester on Thursday, with the Lions having gained a convincing win in the reverse fixture.
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP LATEST
BIG POINTS FOR KERR
POOLE star Lewis Kerr racked up a 14+3 score in the Pirates’ impressive 51-39 win at Redcar – only missing out on a maximum in Heat 15.
Kerr admitted he had considered whether to take the extra race with the league points already in the bag, as he and Richard Lawson lost out to Jake Allen.
Kerr said: “I did ask myself whether I should step back from the last one when asked to go in it and be happy with my paid max, but then I thought it was a chance to go out and try and earn an extra few quid!
“But I have had maximums before, so I’m not really bothered I lost this one. The important thing is the team won and we are off to a good start in the league.”
BROWN: VISITORS LOVE ASHFIELD
GLASGOW boss Cami Brown says the Tigers often face hard-fought home matches because of the opposition sides’ liking for the Ashfield venue.
Brown’s side overcame a strong Workington challenge last Friday in a meeting which went down to a last-heat decider.
He said: “We have a fair track and fantastic racing and entertainment at our stadium, it’s one of the best tracks in Europe. But that also means there’s no fear factor from opposition teams. They can’t wait to enjoy themselves.
“However, it’s up to our boys to be that bit better. There are many signs of improvement but we are throwing away too many points. That needs to change.”
BEST YET FOR CLUFF
EDINBURGH made it two home wins out of two in the Cab Direct Championship by overcoming Oxford 54-36 last Friday.
And it was the best Armadale display so far for winter signing Mitchell Cluff, who dropped only one point in four rides.
Cluff said: “Great night! 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 (Masters) is not a bad night! I’ve just got to turn up next week and try to replicate the same thing.”
COOK’S STRONG COMEBACK
WORKINGTON manager James Denham praised Craig Cook for his successful return from injury in a narrow defeat at Glasgow last Friday.
Cook scored an impressive 11+1 on his old home circuit but the Comets missed out 48-42 in a last-heat decider.
Denham said: “Craig was fantastic considering he’s only just come back after three weeks off the bike. To jump into a meeting like that, at a place as tough as Glasgow, and deliver a performance like he did says a lot about him.
“It’s disappointing to lose it like that because I genuinely thought we pushed them hard all night and we took it right down to a last heat decider. Around Glasgow that’s never easy to do because they are such a strong side at home.”
GLADIATORS MAINTAIN FORM
PLYMOUTH boss Garry May admitted he’d hoped for a bigger win over Scunthorpe, but was pleased to see his side keep their run of success going.
The Gladiators won 49-41 to back up their away victory at Workington one week earlier as their encouraging run continues.
May said: “We started struggling getting out of the gates, and then it all sort of came together at the end. We had a couple of 5-1s, but all the boys dug deep tonight.
“We take eight points up there. I’d have liked a little bit more because Scunthorpe are really good, but it’s what I got, so I’ve got to play with it.”
HIGH HOPES FOR GILKES
SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey is backing recent signing Dan Gilkes to make a real impact with the Scorpions this season.
Gilkes enjoyed a promising opening weekend with the club, scoring well in the big home win over Berwick and then in a tight away loss at Plymouth.
Godfrey said: “Everyone will have their opinion over whether we have done the right thing or not, but my view is that Dan was a diamond in the rough and if he does what I think he’s going to do, he will push on very quickly and be a tremendous signing for us.
“When he suddenly became available thanks to Poole’s decision to retain Kyle Newman, I think we would have been daft not to make a move for him. He’s got an opportunity to ride at reserve, which he wouldn’t get with many other teams, and we needed to find some firepower from somewhere.”
WOOD BACK ON SONG
OXFORD reserve Dayle Wood continued an impressive start to life with the Cheetahs by scoring 11+1 as a depleted side were beaten at Edinburgh on Friday.
Wood admitted he had quickly put a rare bad night at Cowley behind him, having struggled in the home defeat to Poole 48 hours earlier.
He said: “I’ve got a 24-hour rule, so I’ve forgotten about Wednesday, when I didn’t have such a good night. You always have to move onto the next meeting and focus on that.
“I’ve started the season pretty well and I love riding for Oxford. It’s my best year in speedway so far. Everyone is just so good at the club and I’m enjoying my racing.”
PARR: NOT ACCEPTABLE
REDCAR manager Gavin Parr took to Facebook after a disappointing 51-39 home defeat to defending champions Poole last Friday.
Parr said: “Not what we want as a club and certainly not what I want as a manager.
“A lot of discussion will take place over the next few days and I can assure you all that we won’t be just sitting back and accepting the situation.”
BANDITS BELOW STANDARD
BERWICK boss Stewart Dickson made clear his disappointment after the Bandits went down to a heavy defeat at Scunthorpe last Friday.
The Bandits have enjoyed a good start to the season with progression in both Cup competitions, but they were unable to replicate that form as they went down 59-31 at the Eddie Wright Raceway.
Dickson said: “It’s a very disappointing performance after the standard we have set ourselves this season.”
THE WEEK AHEAD…
POOLE and Oxford complete their MAXiCAB KO Cup quarter-final at Wimborne Road on Wednesday with the Pirates ten points up from the first leg… League action takes place at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday as Scunthorpe host Glasgow.
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE LATEST
THE WEEK AHEAD…
EARLY NDL leaders Middlesbrough race home and away against Edinburgh this weekend, travelling to Armadale on Friday before hosting the Monarchs Academy on Saturday… Buxton take on a Stoke Potters Select at the Hi-Edge Raceway on Sunday.
ALSO… The final eight places for the British Under-21 Final will be determined on Sunday with 16 hopefuls lining up for the Qualifier at Leicester.
FIXTURE PICTURE…
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 OFF
THURSDAY MAY 21:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Northampton (33) v Leicester (57) 7.30
FRIDAY MAY 22:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Scunthorpe v Glasgow 7.30
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Middlesbrough 7.30
SATURDAY MAY 23:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Middlesbrough v Edinburgh 7.30
SUNDAY MAY 24:
BRITISH UNDER-21 SEMI-FINAL: Leicester 3pm
CHALLENGE: Buxton v Stoke Potters Select 3pm
MONDAY MAY 25:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Belle Vue v Sheffield 12pm, Sheffield v Belle Vue 7.30
WEDNESDAY MAY 27:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Oxford (36) v Edinburgh (54) 7.30, Poole v Glasgow 7.30
THURSDAY MAY 28:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: Ipswich v Northampton 7.30, Leicester v Sheffield 7.30
FRIDAY MAY 29:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Redcar v Scunthorpe 7.30
BSN SERIES SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Edinburgh v Poole 7.30
SATURDAY MAY 30:
FIM GRAND PRIX QUALIFIER: Glasgow 7pm
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Workington v Scunthorpe 6pm
SUNDAY MAY 31:
NDL CHALLENGE 2nd leg: Leicester (49) v Buxton (41) 3pm
MONDAY JUNE 1:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1: King’s Lynn v Leicester 7.30
