BRITISH SPEEDWAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2025

(SPEEDWAY 1)

LIONS QUALIFY FOR GRAND FINAL

LEICESTER are through to a second successive ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Grand Final after an epic semi went right down to the wire against Sheffield.

The Lions won 47-43 on the night at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park for the narrowest of aggregate margins, 90-89, to set up a title showdown with Ipswich early next month.
The aggregate lead changed hands five times on a remarkable night of racing with Leicester losing a 5-1 in Heat 10 when Luke Becker shed a chain on the last lap, but they still moved five points ahead overall over the next two races.
The Tigers fought back with a stunning ride by Jack Holder to pass Max Fricke in Heat 13, and successive 4-2s meant they were just one point behind going into the decider.

But after a re-start when Ryan Douglas was brought down heading into the first bend, home skipper Fricke conjured a sensational start from the outside to get his team over the line.
Fricke top-scored with 12+1 whilst Kyle Howarth had a great night against his former club with nine. Holder and hard-working reserve Anders Rowe both scored 10 for the Tigers.

Lions boss Stewart Dickson said: “We got there, and I’d say it was deserved when I look back at the Luke Becker incident, which was a four-point swing when the chain went, and he rode very well tonight.
“So I think we just about deserved it, but credit to Sheffield, they wouldn’t go away and that’s what a play-off semi-final brings, and obviously I’m very glad we’re in the Final.

“I did call it before Heat 14 that Maciej Janowski would pop out and win it, and Jack (Holder) had passed Max in Heat 13 which is something we don’t normally see here.
“But normally if we have Max in Heat 15 around here and we need three points, I take it as a banker because he’s that good around here.
“I know the cheers went up on the last lap when he was going down the back straight and I don’t think Jack was catching him for a second time, but I was certainly waiting for him to cross that finish line! Then when he did the place went daft and we’re all happy.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

SHEFFIELD manager Simon Stead said his side had given maximum effort as they fell just short of a place in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Grand Final.
The Tigers missed out by one point on aggregate after the closest of semi-finals against Leicester, meaning they were beaten at that stage for the second season running.

Stead said: “I can’t ask for any more than that, they’ve given me absolutely everything over the two legs just as they have all season.
“We’re all disappointed as a team. I’m disappointed for the riders and our management and we’re all disappointed for the fans, but it was a great effort.
“It does leave a bit of a sour taste in our mouths because we didn’t lose it tonight, there were a lot of bits that went on last Thursday that made it difficult probably.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

GLASGOW face a 14-point deficit as they host holders Poole in the second leg of their MAXiCab KO Cup semi-final at Ashfield tonight (Tuesday).
The Tigers are looking to reach their first KO Cup triumph since they won it in 2016, and ironically the margin they need to pull back is identical to the one they will face in their league play-off semi-final against Edinburgh on Friday.
They are without Danish racer Villads Nagel who was injured in Poland on Sunday with Michael Palm Toft coming in to guest, whilst the Pirates are at full strength and have scored at least 39 race points in every KO Cup tie since 2019.

Tigers boss Cami Brown said: “This Tigers class of 2025 has the belief it can go all the way. This team has the spirit to dig out a big result or two.
“We need our fans to turn up in force and make one heck of a noise at Ashfield. There is nothing like Ashfield under the lights when the fans get behind the boys. It’s going to be an unmissable and epic occasion.”
Poole promoter Dan Ford said: “There is a high level of confidence in our team, and individually the riders know that they have the ability to get out there and take the meeting to Glasgow.
“The first leg advantage is a cushion but the plan will be to keep the Tigers in check and make it hard for them to eat into their deficit.”

GLASGOW: Chris Harris, Michael Palm Toft, Dan Thompson, Leon Flint, Kyle Howarth, Max Perry, Freddy Hodder.

POOLE: Richard Lawson, Tobias Thomsen, Lewis Kerr, Zach Cook, Anders Rowe, Paul Starke, Will Cairns.
 
(FIXTURES)

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 23:
MAXICAB KO CUP SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Glasgow (38) v Poole (52) 7.30

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 24:
BLUE RIBAND: Poole 7.30

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 25:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2: Oxford (40) v Leicester (50) 7.30, Sheffield (47) v Ipswich (43) 7.30

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Glasgow (38) v Edinburgh (52) 7.30
MAXICAB KO CUP SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Redcar v Oxford 7.30