BRITISH SPEEDWAY MAY 8, 2026
(SPEEDWAY 1)
JULY DATES SET FOR KO CUP FINAL
DATES have been confirmed for the Premiership KO Cup Final as holders Leicester and Ipswich contest the silverware.
The Lions were victorious in the northern section thanks mainly to an away win at Sheffield and then holding off the Tigers’ recovery efforts in a dramatic return fixture in the East Midlands.
Meanwhile the Witches, who last lifted the Cup in 2023, completed a 100 per cent record in the southern section with home and away wins over King’s Lynn and Northampton.
As in 2025 when Leicester defeated King’s Lynn, the Final will take place over one week in late July.
Ipswich will host the first leg at Foxhall on Monday July 27, with the return taking place at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park on Thursday July 30.
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP FINAL:
MONDAY JULY 27 – 1st leg – Ipswich v Leicester 7.30
THURSDAY JULY 30 – 2nd leg – Leicester v Ipswich 7.30
(SPEEDWAY 2)
OXFORD have secured their long-term future with the announcement of additional investment into the Cheetahs at BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium.
The club have been through an unsettling period following the cessation of a key greyhound streaming deal at the venue.
Now two major sponsors Spencer Timmo and Mike Austin have stepped up to assist the Cheetahs, and Austin is set to become a co-promoter alongside Jamie Courtney, subject to approval.
Courtney said: “Bringing in two new investors was vital, and with Spencer and Mike being local, committed and fully behind the club, the future looks exciting.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
SHEFFIELD overcame a strong early challenge from Ipswich to open their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership account with a 52-38 win at Owlerton.
Remarkably the first eight races of the meeting all ended 3-3, before the Tigers established the advantage with back-to-back 5-1s.
However, the Witches fought back and the home side did not secure victory until a win for Leon Flint in Heat 14, before Josh Pickering and Jack Holder raced to a 5-1 in the re-run of Heat 15.
That race was initially to feature Chris Holder, who did not take his place after a crash with Danny King, whilst Jye Etheridge was a withdrawal for the Tigers with a wrist injury.
Chris Holder therefore ended with a four-ride paid maximum (11+1) whilst brother Jack (10+3) and Pickering (11+1) were both in the major points. King top-scored for the Witches with 11+2.
Pickering said: “Ipswich are a strong side with the way they’re built, and we were up against tough opposition.
“But credit to the track staff; they had a little bit more dirt to play with tonight and it probably suited me.
“Once we get a few home meetings on the bounce and get the starts exactly how we want them, and the track, I feel we can be a force to be reckoned with once again.”
Ipswich boss Paul Hurry said: “It’s just disappointing when you hold them for that long and you lose by that many. It’s alright entertaining people, but when the result goes in our favour, it’s better.
“We stuck in there for quite a while. It’s just that sometimes in those final heats on the bigger tracks, when the home boys get their set-ups dialled in and keep their wheels in line, we just miss out.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
KING’S Lynn were 47-41 winners at Northampton in the final Premiership KO Cup group fixture – despite a remarkable display from Foxes reserve Kye Thomson.
Max Fricke and Jan Kvech secured victory for the Stars with a 5-1 in Heat 15 after the home side had pulled back from 12 points down to force a last race decider.
That was mainly down to the efforts of Thomson, who took his full quota of seven rides and piled up 18+1, with guest Zach Cook also contributing 11+2 from six.
Both sides lost their Rising Star in a heavy Heat 2 crash, with the Foxes’ Luke Harrison (concussion) and the visitors’ Jody Scott (muscular damage) unable to continue after piling up on the home straight.
Fricke scored 13 for the Stars with Jan Kvech on 10+4, whilst Cooper Rushen also took extra rides in Scott’s absence, and scored 11 from seven outings.
King’s Lynn boss Rob Lyon said: “We wanted to put on a good show, and obviously it was a pay day for the boys so they wanted to do as well as they could. Hopefully we put on a decent show for the fans, and that’s what it’s all about.
“Jody is a little battered and bruised. He’s hurt his neck but we’re not quite sure what that is. I think he’ll be a bit sore tomorrow as you’d expect, but we’ll see how he goes over the weekend.”
Northampton manager Chris Adams said: “You could tell early on that some riders were struggling, and it put us on the back foot a bit.
“We were 12 points down and came back for a last heat decider, but I’m a little disappointed at the result and I’m sure everyone else is.
“Anyone who saw that crash will know that Luke is very lucky to still be walking out of here, and the same with Jody as well. We wish them a speedy recovery, and hope they are back racing soon.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
EDINBURGH race their opening Cab Direct Championship league fixture at home to Workington tonight (Friday).
The Monarchs reached the play-offs last season and also enjoyed two convincing Armadale victories over the Comets.
However, they will be without No.1 Dan Thompson due to a broken collarbone, with Nick Morris coming in to guest.
Monarchs boss Alex Harkess said: “It is a huge blow to lose Dan but I think Nick is as good a guest as we could have got.
“Workington I think have a strong top four in theory but it’s not as strong as our top five really, which I think is as good as any in the league. If they perform at home as they did last Friday then that will be fine.”
The visitors welcome back Niklas Holm Jakobsen after he crashed out at Berwick a fortnight ago, but they are forced into changes at reserve with Darryl Ritchings and Ryan Ingram replacing Vinnie Foord (injured) and Max Perry (FIM Long Track U23 World Cup), and former Monarchs rider Craig Cook remains on the sidelines.
Manager James Denham said: “Craig is unfortunately still not fit with his rotator cuff injury.
“He is struggling to lift his arm above his head, so we are using rider replacement for him, which is not too bad an option.”
EDINBURGH: Nick Morris, Jonatan Grahn, Justin Sedgmen, Paco Castagna, Kye Thomson, Mitchell Cluff, Jordy Loftus.
WORKINGTON: Jonas Jeppesen, Niklas Holm Jakobsen, Craig Cook r/r, Tate Zischke, Troy Batchelor, Darryl Ritchings, Ryan Ingram.
(SPEEDWAY 6)
GLASGOW open their Cab Direct Championship campaign against Plymouth at Ashfield tonight (Friday) with manager Cami Brown insisting there are no second chances.
Brown’s side have already gone out of two other competitions, including a KO Cup aggregate defeat to the Gladiators, who now return in league action at the start of a northern tour.
Said Brown: “The defeat to Edinburgh last Sunday has to serve as motivation to get back on track and get a strong victory tonight against Plymouth.
“We’ve gone out of two cup competitions in a week and that’s not good enough for this club.
“The recovery starts now. We have to produce against the Gladiators and really get our season going.”
Gladiators boss Garry May said: “The meetings we’ve already had have definitely helped. It’s given the boys a chance to gel and get some race sharpness, which is important going into a big weekend like this.
“Glasgow and Workington are both difficult places to go, so the key for us will be consistency and taking our chances. If we ride to our ability, we can be competitive in both meetings.”
GLASGOW: Chris Harris, Mario Hausl, Leon Flint, Kevin Juhl Pedersen, Kyle Howarth, Sam Hagon, Freddy Hodder.
PLYMOUTH: Danny King, Joe Thompson, Daniel Klima, Ben Barker, Scott Nicholls, Anze Grmek, Tom Spencer.
(SPEEDWAY 7)
REDCAR will look to turn the tables on Poole when the sides meet in the Cab Direct Championship at the Ecco Arena tonight (Friday).
The Pirates raced to a convincing 54-36 victory at Wimborne Road on Wednesday, with Bears No.1 Nicolai Klindt scoring half of his team’s total in an unbeaten display.
The home side operate rider replacement for Jake Mulford, who is competing in the FIM Long Track U23 World Cup Final at Dutch venue Roden on Saturday morning.
REDCAR: Nicolai Klindt, Jake Mulford r/r, Jordan Jenkins, Jake Allen, Jason Edwards, Ace Pijper, Jody Scott.
POOLE: Richard Lawson, Fraser Bowes, Lewis Kerr, Kyle Newman, Zach Cook, Will Cairns, Cooper Rushen.
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY MAY 8:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh v Workington 7.30, Glasgow v Plymouth 7.30, Redcar (36) v Poole (54) 7.30
SATURDAY MAY 9:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP: Berwick v Scunthorpe 7pm, Workington v Plymouth 3pm
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP: Workington (500cc/250cc) (follows Champ fixture)
SUNDAY MAY 10:
JR ASHWORTH & SONS COLTS ACADEMY INDIVIDUAL: Belle Vue 1pm
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP: Belle Vue (500cc/250cc) 1pm
