BRITISH SPEEDWAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
(SPEEDWAY 1)
PIRATES ARE AGGREGATE TROPHY WINNERS
POOLE regained the BSN Series trophy with a 52-38 win over holders Redcar at Wimborne Road for an eight-point victory on aggregate.
The Bears put up a strong defence of the silverware in Dorset and they were still ahead on aggregate midway through a tense encounter.
Pirates levelled overall with a 5-1 from Will Cairns and Slater Lightcap in a controversial Heat 8, as Cairns and Jake Mulford clashed prior to the start, and maximum points from Lewis Kerr and Cooper Rushen in the next race put them in front overall.
Rushen secured the aggregate success by winning the penultimate race, before home No.1 Richard Lawson became the first rider to beat Redcar counterpart Charles Wright in Heat 15 after Jake Allen had crashed out.
Pirates manager Neil Middleditch said: “Early doors we just didn’t seem to have that much fire in us. I had a chat with them and Zach (Cook) was screaming at them being the captain, and just saying we need to get some guts going, and they responded brilliantly.
“We got there in the end, but fair play to Redcar for a fantastic performance. My boys were brilliant and big up to Havvy (Gary Havelock) who has been a big part of this trophy win. I’m very, very pleased.”
Bears boss Gavin Parr said: “To get them to Heat 14, I can’t ask for much more from most of them. They’ve all given a good shift and put in 110 per cent.
“Unfortunately as we knew from the start Poole are excellent, they’re a brilliant team and they’re not where they are for nothing.
“I think we caused them a few little heartaches at times, and the palpitations were going, so we can hold our heads up high and have given them a really good battle.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
SHEFFIELD and Leicester go into ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-off action with the first leg of their semi-final at Owlerton tonight (Thursday).
The Tigers and Lions have been regular rivals over recent years with the East Midlands side coming out on top in a dramatic encounter at the same stage in 2025.
This season, only one point separated the teams in the league stage although Leicester go into the play-offs having lost their last two regular fixtures.
Former Lions captain Max Fricke guests for Sheffield in place of the injured Jack Holder, whilst Leicester bring in British Under-19 champion Jody Scott for the retired Kyle Howarth at reserve.
Sheffield manager Simon Stead said: “I would love for all seven of the lads to perform to their very best – but this is play-off speedway and we know how tough these fixtures can be no matter what your form.
“Anything is possible on any given day and Leicester have had another solid season so we won’t be taking them lightly.
“But we have to take control of as much as we can and we know we need to really push on now if we are to make it through to that Grand Final to take us a step closer to bringing that trophy home.”
Lions boss Stewart Dickson said: “The simple instruction to the riders on Thursday will be to keep it as close as possible. We’ve had a couple of doings at Sheffield this season, so we know it’s going to be tough.
“I’m not playing it down, but I felt we were probably favourites this time last year, and I don’t think we’ll be labelled favourites by neutrals before the semi-final this season.
“But it all starts from zero, and I need all my seven riders to be on form. I don’t need nonsense talk about riders needing to ride above themselves, but I do need them all to be on their game for us to have a chance going into the second leg.”
SHEFFIELD: Max Fricke, Anders Rowe, Chris Holder, Leon Flint, Josh Pickering, Jye Etheridge, Luke Killeen.
LEICESTER: Ryan Douglas, Drew Kemp, Sam Masters, Dan Thompson, Nick Morris, Jody Scott, Joe Thompson
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BERWICK skipper Jye Etheridge says he and his team-mates are fully aware of the significance of Saturday’s MAXiCAB KO Cup Final to the town as a whole.
The Bandits face Plymouth in Saturday’s first leg in their first appearance at this stage of the competition since way back in 1989 when they defeated Poole at previous venue Berrington Lough.
Now Etheridge knows crowd backing is crucial as they face the Gladiators over two legs, starting this weekend at Shielfield Park.
He said: “It is even more important that the crowd gets behind us on Saturday. Not that I have any doubt that they will.
“Myself, Reid Battye and Nick Morris all live in Berwick and wherever we go at the moment people want to talk about the Cup Final and wish us good luck.
“Whenever you meet Bandits supporters they talk about the teams of 1980 and 1989 who, quite rightly, are club legends.
“It would be good to get mentioned in the same breath as them, so it’s up to us to get it right on the night.”
(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24:
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 1st leg: Sheffield v Leicester 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Glasgow (37) v Scunthorpe (53) 7.30
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26:
MAXICAB KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Berwick v Plymouth 7pm
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 27:
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Oxford (39) v Edinburgh (51) 5pm
DERBYSHIRE OPEN: Buxton 3pm
