BRITISH SPEEDWAY JULY 17, 2026
(SPEEDWAY 1)
LIONS IN SECOND POSITION IN 2026 PREMIERSHIP PURSUIT
LEICESTER consolidated second position in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership with an entertaining 51-39 win over King’s Lynn at the Hydroscand Arena.
The Lions raced into a 12-point lead after six heats and although the Stars at one stage halved that gap to six, they were immediately put on the back foot again.
Former Leicester man Max Fricke joined Chris Harris for a 5-1 in Heat 9 for the visitors, but the home side hit back in the next race when Ryan Douglas and Dan Thompson both came from the back, and Fricke then blew an engine just after he had taken the lead in Heat 11.
Douglas scored 13+1 for the home side, dropping his only point to Fricke in the last race, whilst Thompson (10+2) and the returning Kyle Howarth (10) were both also in double figures. Fricke led the Stars’ scoring with 12 from six rides.
Leicester manager Stewart Dickson said: “It was convincing when you look at the scoreline, although I never actually felt we were that far away from them during the meeting.
“When they got the tactical substitute it worked for them, and fair play, but we rallied back and got a 5-1 in the very next race with Dougy and Dan, and that one-two partnership has been very strong for us.
“There was a real feel-good atmosphere in the stadium tonight. I know it’s hot which is challenging for everybody, but the racing was good, we got the three points and a score of 51 didn’t flatter us at all.”
King’s Lynn boss Rob Lyon said: “The gates were the key in the first four races. We knew gates one and three were better, and Leicester took advantage of that.
“Once again we were hanging on to their coat tails, and we got back into the match before having the misfortune with Max’s engine blow-up, where there would still have been the possibility of getting something, but that four-point swing really killed it off.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
IPSWICH returned to winning ways with a 52-38 victory over Sheffield as a dramatic finale to the meeting also saw them take the aggregate point.
There were only four points between the sides after Heat 12 but the Witches finished with a 4-2 and two 5-1s, with the aggregate scores being tied when Tigers skipper Josh Pickering crashed out of second place in Heat 15.
Pickering picked himself up to win the subsequent Super Heat but crucially it was home duo Tom Brennan and Scott Nicholls who kept Chris Holder at the back as their side moved back to third place in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership table.
Witches skipper Danny King returned from a broken rib with a 12-point maximum from four rides, whilst Nicholls (12+2) and Brennan (9+1) both made major contributions. Pickering top-scored for the Tigers with 11+1, but they currently find themselves outside the top four.
Ipswich boss Paul Hurry said: “At some point, people have an off-night, and when you do, the others have to step up. Those are the ingredients you need to have a winning team.
“When Tobi (Musielak) and Richard (Lawson) didn’t have their best nights, Danny, Scott and Tom stepped up. It was a great effort.
“People don’t become bad riders overnight, and you stick with them. When you drop them and they regain their form, other teams benefit from that.”
Pickering said: “If I stayed up, it would’ve been enough and we’d have been okay and it wouldn’t have been a Super Heat.
“But, unfortunately, when you’re racing it’s hard to switch off sometimes and if I’d have known it was so ‘marbley’ how it was, there’s no way in the world I would’ve followed Tom in on the outside – and that’s rider error.
“I know we could’ve been in a much better position from other riders to get us that point – but we weren’t. We were then in that point in Heat 15 and I stuffed it.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
CAB Direct Championship leaders Scunthorpe host unbeaten Poole in what promises to be a thriller at the Eddie Wright Raceway tonight (Friday).
The Scorpions have hit consistent form at home and look good for a play-off place, and whilst the Pirates are currently outside the top four, that is down to their lack of meetings so far as they have won all three of their league matches.
Scorpions promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We have got to be on it if we want to win against Poole; there can be no passengers. We need to be on top of our game for sure.
“We know we can do it because we beat the Pirates here earlier in the season in the KO Cup and I’d like to think we are a better team now than we were then.
“It’s going to be an absolute cracker of a meeting – I have no doubt about that. It’s going to be top-notch racing between two committed teams and it’s going to be one of the highlights of the season at the Eddie Wirght Raceway and a meeting not to be missed.”
Pirates racer Fraser Bowes has been ruled out of the rest of the season and he is replaced as a guest by Edward Kennett, who forms an ultra-experienced reserve pairing with Kyle Newman as Will Cairns moves into the top five.
Promoter Dan Ford said: “Cooper (Rushen) has already ridden for us at No.4 and he coped admirably. Now, under the July averages, Will comes up from reserve and we have slotted him in at No.2, which is never an easy position, but the lad can gate and could well claim a few scalps.
“We are effectively starting our season again after what feels like an eternity. We have only ridden three league matches so far this season, so we find ourselves having to play catch-up as we look forward to some big meetings ahead, starting with Scunthorpe on Friday, then straight on to Workington on Saturday.”
SCUNTHORPE: Josh Pickering, Connor Mountain, Dan Gilkes, Michael Palm Toft, Luke Harrison, Ryan Ingram, Nathan Ablitt.
POOLE: Richard Lawson, Will Cairns, Lewis Kerr, Cooper Rushen, Zach Cook, Edward Kennett, Kyle Newman.
(SPEEDWAY 4)
GLASGOW manager Cami Brown has warned his side they cannot afford home slip-ups ahead of tonight’s (Friday) Cab Direct Championship clash with Berwick.
The Tigers go into the meeting second in the league standings thanks mainly to two away wins – and Brown is keen to avoid a repeat of last week’s Ashfield reverse to Edinburgh in the Scottish Cup.
A crash during that meeting means Kevin Juhl Pedersen is ruled out tonight, with rider replacement in operation, whilst Berwick also use R/R to cover Nick Morris, who is out with a back injury.
Brown said: “The bottom line is that we cannot afford any more slip-ups in the race for the top four.
“We have to remain unbeaten at home and win the aggregate points where we can. We may even need something out of the three away meetings remaining at Edinburgh, Redcar and Plymouth.
“Berwick are always a dangerous proposition at Ashfield. They’ve just reached the KO Cup final after knocking out Poole, it’s a wonderful achievement for the club.
“It underlines that they are a very capable side this season and tonight will be another big challenge for the boys.”
GLASGOW: Kyle Howarth, Kevin Juhl Pedersen R/R, Chris Harris, Mario Hausl, Leon Flint, Sam Hagon, Freddy Hodder. No.8: Liam Greens.
BERWICK: Peter Kildemand, Jye Etheridge, Victor Palovaara, Jordan Jenkins, Nick Morris R/R, Jack Smith, Reid Battye.
(SPEEDWAY 5)
REDCAR have captain Charles Wright back in their team as they face Workington at the Ecco Arena tonight (Friday).
Wright has yet to appear for the Bears in the Cab Direct Championship this season after suffering shoulder damage in a crash on opening night way back in March.
He has now resumed his place in the team declaration with his replacement Nicolai Klindt making way.
The Bears are sixth in the table whilst the Comets go into their first league matches for a month this weekend currently in bottom place, although with matches in hand on most of the clubs around them.
REDCAR: Charles Wright, Simon Lambert, Jake Mulford, Jason Edwards, Jake Allen, Ace Pijper, Jody Scott.
WORKINGTON: Jonas Jeppesen, Vinnie Foord, Drew Kemp, Tate Zischke, Troy Batchelor, Niklas Holm Jakobsen, Max Perry.
(SPEEDWAY 6)
EDINBURGH look to extend their 100 per cent record in the WSRA National Development League when they host a much-changed King’s Lynn team tonight (Friday).
The Monarchs Academy have won all three matches so far and currently lead fellow unbeaten club Leicester by one point in the table.
James Shanes returns for the home side, who make one alteration for their former rider Mark Parker comes in for Vinnie Foord who is on Championship duty.
The Young Stars bring in Ben Morley and Charlie Southwick to guest for Simon Lambert and Jake Mulford for the same reason, whilst Lee Harrison, Harry Sadler and Seth Norman also come into the side who are captained by former Academy rider Mickie Simpson.
Edinburgh boss Scott Wilson said: “We come into Friday looking to stretch our unbeaten start to the season to four meetings, though again missing one of our riders. This gives me the opportunity to welcome back our friend Mark Parker for a guest appearance.
Young Stars manager Jason Pipe said: “Many people have already written us off from getting anything from this meeting and think we will get hammered.
“But let me tell you, this is not a bad little side I’ve put together for this meeting and every one of them is looking forward to it. They all get on with each other and have all previously raced on this track.”
EDINBURGH: Jordy Loftus, Jamie Halder, Mark Parker, James Shanes, Dayle Wood, Anika Loftus, Ben Whalley.
KING’S LYNN: Ben Morley, Lee Harrison, Harry Sadler, Charlie Southwick, Mickie Simpson, Sam Woods, Seth Norman.
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY JULY 17:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow (44) v Berwick (46) 7.30, Redcar v Workington 7.30, Scunthorpe v Poole 7.30
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Edinburgh v King’s Lynn 7.30
SATURDAY JULY 18:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Workington v Poole 6pm
BSN SERIES SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Berwick (31) v Redcar (58) 7pm
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP: Redcar OFF
SUNDAY JULY 19:
BRITISH SEMI-FINAL: Leicester 2pm
DERBYSHIRE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Buxton 3pm
JR ASHWORTH & SONS COLTS ACADEMY & BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP (125cc): Belle Vue 1pm
