WELCOME to the latest edition of the weekly BSPA bulletins keeping you in touch with news, views and fixtures from the tracks up and down the country.
BIG EVENT LATEST…
LEE Richardson is determined to build on his fine start to the season – by reaching the Millennium Stadium in June!
The Lakeside star, who freely admitted he almost sat out British racing this season, is enjoying a new lease of life with the Hammers and his form has been good.
Now he wants to build on that by finishing as the highest placed non-Grand Prix star in the British Final at Poole on May 20.
With Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris already assured of their place in Cardiff as GP regulars, Richardson is keen to join them to prove he is still one of the world’s top riders.
He said: "I went through a phase in my career where I knew my time in the Grand Prix was coming to an end and it was all very frustrating for me.
"But I feel like I’ve gone full circle now and I would love to have a go at getting back in there and it would be a special moment for me if I could go to Poole, win the British title and go to Cardiff as the wildcard.
"I'm still very ambitious and my time at Lakeside has been great so far. The management have been great with me and I'm really enjoying my speedway so far this season.
"I'd love to get a place back in the Grand Prix and I’d also like to see a big improvement in the Great Britain team, of course I would.
"But the British Final will be tough, it always is because everyone there wants to become national champion and you can include me in that list!"
SUPER 7EVEN SERIES 2009 BRITISH UNDER 21 FINAL: Lakeside, Friday April 24. BRITISH FINAL: Poole, Wednesday May 20. PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset, Friday June 26. PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Workington, Saturday July 25. ELITE LEAGUE PAIRS: Eastbourne, Saturday August 8. PREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, Sunday September 27. ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP: Coventry, Friday October 2
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE LATEST...
BELLE VUE boss Chris Morton was delighted to see No.1 Krzysztof Kasprzak showing his ability on the Kirkmanshulme Lane track with a full maximum in Monday's first-leg Cup win over Ipswich.
Morton said: "It was a terrific display by Krzysztof. He helped us to take a decent lead for the second leg next month, even though I would have liked to have won by a few more.
"Polish riders aren’t used to small circuits like ours but now he’s shown he can handle it and we can expect more big scores from him."
COVENTRY went top of the Elite League table with home and away wins over Poole - and their emphatic win at Wimborne Road was particularly special for reserve Jordan Frampton, who scored a paid maximum against his local club.
Frampton said: "There was a bit more pressure on me, my whole family were there and it seemed that an entire section of the stadium were my friends and relatives!
"I've had that pressure before and normally get a bit pumped up with it, so I tried to stay calm and enjoy it, and getting the first win out of the way helped."
EASTBOURNE continued their impressive start to the season by taking maximum points from their 55-41 win over in-form Lakeside at Arlington.
Eagles skipper Davey Watt said: "It was brilliant. We had a good team to ride against and every one of the boys rode really well.
"A couple of the boys had a little trouble and I didn’t have a great night but we still pulled through. They threw two tactical rides at us and did well out of both of them and we still won by a whole bunch of points so I’m really happy with everyone."
IPSWICH'S bid to move off the foot of the early Elite League table was hampered by the rain-off of last week's home match against Eastbourne - so the Witches will now look to get the better of Poole on Thursday.
Team boss Pete Simmons said: "We were all ready to go and all the lads were up for it. We were looking to build on last Friday's home win over Lakeside.
"It has not been the best of starts for us this year and we are looking at the lads, but we need to ride and it was a blow not to see some action against the Eagles."
LAKESIDE boss Jon Cook says the Hammers can look forward to an exciting run of matches at Purfleet over the coming weeks, with a number of attractive fixtures ahead.
Cook said: "May looks like being the toughest month of the season and a great one for the fans to enjoy with all of the current form teams visiting.
"We have had an extremely encouraging start to the year with crowds up over 15% on last year, now averaging over 1300, and we now have to get back to winning ways once this fortnight break concludes."
PETERBOROUGH boss Trevor Swales saw his side come up short in Monday's televised clash with Swindon at Blunsdon, despite plenty of effort from the Panthers.
Swales said: "Some of the boys did okay and some didn't, so it was a bit disappointing because I actually thought we stood a good chance of coming down here and turning Swindon over.
"But fair play to Swindon, they were the better team on the night and the big difference was in the reserves."
POOLE boss Neil Middleditch was left disappointed by the Pirates' second-half collapse at Wolverhampton on Monday which left the reigning champions without a point from four meetings in six days.
Middleditch said: "Once again we lost our way after getting ourselves into a good position early on. We were in with a chance of taking something from this match, but seemingly fell apart midway through the match when there were only two points between the teams.
“Of course it’s a disappointing time for us and our fans, but we haven’t given up our hopes of retaining our league title. The season has only just started and there is still time for us to rebuild and get back into the championship fight.”
SWINDON showed their strength in depth in Monday's televised fixture against Peterborough, with doubling-up reserve Ryan Fisher giving a spectacular display - but boss Alun Rossiter is not getting carried away at this stage.
Rossiter said: "It was very tough, but I felt the reserves in particular did really well. We're not firing on all cylinders yet, but if we're still winning whilst not firing on all cylinders, that's good enough for me.
"I'd like to think we've got what it takes, but there's a long way to go yet and we're not thinking that far ahead - we're just thinking ahead to Coventry on Thursday."
WOLVERHAMPTON star Fredrik Lindgren remains unbeaten from three home Elite League matches after carding yet another maximum in Monday's 58-34 win over Poole.
Lindgren said: "I’m feeling so good around Wolverhampton, I feel confident every time I go out there on the bike and I would love that feeling to continue for a long time yet. I feel better than I ever have done here.
"We kept the form going that we’d shown against Belle Vue the previous week and everyone scored points which was good to see. Now we need to get it right away from home."
PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST...
BERWICK moved up a gear in the final stages of their Premier Trophy fixture at rivals Newcastle - turning a 29-25 deficit into an impressive 51-39 away win.
Bandits manager Dave Peet said: "Over the opening seven heats I honestly worried about the result as we were losing silly points from some poor gates, but once the lads got dialled into the track we were flying, confidence grew and we took a much-deserved win."
BIRMINGHAM boss Graham Drury says Daniel Halsey's past form at Perry Barr was a factor in him joining the club this week as a replacement for Marek Mroz.
Drury said: "Tony Mole and myself looked at his scores from last season and he scored six on his visits to Perry Barr. He’s also very excited about joining Birmingham."
EDINBURGH star Andrew Tully sustained soft tissue damage to his shoulder in a crash at Swindon on Monday and will hope to recover in time for Friday's clash with Berwick - after scoring a maximum at Armadale last week.
Tully said: "I feel comfortable at Armadale and feel I can dominate round there, it's just away from home I'm having problems. I want to increase my average to the same degree I managed last season."
GLASGOW produced another spectacular late comeback to maintain their 100 per cent home record in the Premier Trophy with a 50-43 win over Workington.
Co-promoter Alan Dick said: "As far as the group is concerned, it is still wide open, and we are still in with a chance of a place in the semi-finals."
KING'S LYNN manager Rob Lyon has dismissed claims that the Stars find things too easy in their home matches.
Lyon said: "I find it a real pleasure to see our team riding so well and taking the competition to pieces. Everyone fears us, and if we were to take it easy, we might get caught out. I keep the team focused on winning every single race and racing for every single point."
NEWCASTLE boss Richard Juul was not about to offer excuses after his team were dismantled in the second half of their home match against Berwick.
Juul said: "There are six unhappy lads in our changing room who know they were very much second best when Berwick started racing rather than just riding on the track. For us to have just two winners in a 15-heat match is not good enough."
NEWPORT co-promoter Nick Mallett hinted at possible changes after the Wasps slipped to a disappointing 55-37 home defeat against Stoke.
Mallett said: "We will take a long, hard look at the team and see what can be done. We can assure the Wasps fans this result hasn't set the tone for the rest of the season."
REDCAR boss Brian Havelock is looking for more points from his reserve duo - but he still believes the riders in possession are the best men for the job.
Havelock said: "If I found another three-point rider, he wouldn't be as good as what I've got. There isn't a rider in the country who could come in and do better than those two are on a three-point average - they are riding their socks off."
FORMER Rye House star Stefan Ekberg visited the club last weekend and did not rule out a racing comeback after a serious crash at King's Lynn last autumn.
Ekberg said: "I am much better now, but I don't honestly know yet if I will be back on a bike. We'll see how things progress, and hopefully by the end of the season I'll go out on a bike and make a decision for next year."
SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey was a frustrated man after seeing his side crash to a 67-25 reverse at Rye House - just four days after a fine win at Birmingham.
Godfrey said: "The whole team were embarrassed about the performance. We held a post-mortem and have realised there is a problem. From the Newcastle meeting onwards, we will be making some changes which will hopefully address the problem, and we will endeavour to be more competitive on difficult tracks."
SHEFFIELD star Ritchie Hawkins gained the confidence boost of a win in David Meldrum's Farewell meeting at Berwick last weekend.
Hawkins said: "It was a massive boost to win against top riders because there have been times this season when I've found my form a little bit worrying. I set myself high standards and I haven't done as well as I thought I could have done on my return to the sport after a year out."
SOMERSET stage their first-ever televised fixture at the Oak Tree Arena next Tuesday with powerhouse King's Lynn the visitors in a meeting which should provide excellent racing.
Rebels chief Dave Croucher said: "I think the racing at the Oak Tree Arena will be a great advert for both the club and the Premier League. Next Tuesday’s meeting is yet another huge milestone in the club's history."
STOKE manager John Woolridge is in much more optimistic mood after the Potters took all four points available from a big win at Newport.
Woolridge said: "It’s been a good weekend for us, although I felt we let a point slip at home to Birmingham - but this has more than made up for it. It was a solid team display, and to come away from home and have only two last places is superb."
WORKINGTON rookie Richard Lawson enjoyed the night of his career with a paid-19 score in the Comets' hugely entertaining weekend win over Redcar.
Comets owner Keith Denham said: "Until Whit Monday last year, Richard had never been on a speedway bike. After four laps I knew he was going to be able to ride, but never in a million years did I thin he was going to score 19 points and win this match for us."
NATIONAL LEAGUE LATEST...
A full round-up of club press releases from the third tier of British racing is available online at our website www.speedwaygb.com Results will be included alongside those from the Elite and Premier Leagues and e-mailed out at the end of a night’s racing and league tables will become available when relevant.
FIXTURE PICTURE…
TUESDAY APRIL 21: CHALLENGE: Isle of Wight v Weymouth 7.30
WEDNESDAY APRIL 22: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Wolverhampton 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Birmingham v Somerset 7.30, King's Lynn v Newport 7.30
THURSDAY APRIL 23: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Swindon 8pm, Ipswich v Poole 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Redcar v Glasgow 7.30, Sheffield v Workington 7.45 CHALLENGE: Bournemouth v Isle of Wight 7.30
FRIDAY APRIL 24: BRITISH U21 FINAL: Lakeside 8pm PREMIER TROPHY: Edinburgh v Berwick 7.30, Scunthorpe v King's Lynn 7.30, Somerset v Stoke 7.30 CHALLENGE: Plymouth v Weymouth 7.30
SATURDAY APRIL 25: PREMIER TROPHY: Berwick v Glasgow 7pm, Stoke v Scunthorpe 7.30, Workington v Edinburgh 7pm NATIONAL LEAGUE: Rye House v King's Lynn 7pm CHALLENGE: Weymouth v Plymouth 7.15
SUNDAY APRIL 26: PREMIER TROPHY: Glasgow v Berwick 4pm, Newcastle v Edinburgh 6.30, Newport v Birmingham 2.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Isle of Wight 4pm NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP: Newport v Bournemouth (follows PT fixture)
MONDAY APRIL 27: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Poole 7.30, Peterborough v Coventry 7.30, Wolverhampton v Eastbourne 7.30
TUESDAY APRIL 28: PREMIER LEAGUE: Somerset v King's Lynn 7.30
WEDNESDAY APRIL 29: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Ipswich 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP: Birmingham v Rye House 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: King's Lynn v Stoke 7.30
THURSDAY APRIL 30: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Wolverhampton 7.30, Swindon v Belle Vue 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Redcar v Edinburgh 7.30, Sheffield v Newcastle (provisional) 7.45 NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP: Bournemouth v Newport 7.30
FRIDAY MAY 1: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Peterborough 8pm, Lakeside v Wolverhampton 8pm PREMIER TROPHY: Edinburgh v Redcar 7.30
SATURDAY MAY 2: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Ipswich 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Berwick v Newcastle 7pm, Rye House v Somerset 7pm, Stoke v Workington 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Plymouth 7.30, Scunthorpe v Mildenhall 3pm BRITISH U15 CHAMPIONSHIP Round 1: Scunthorpe (follows NL fixture)
SUNDAY MAY 3: PREMIER TROPHY: Birmingham v King's Lynn 6pm, Glasgow v Sheffield 4pm, Newcastle v Workington 6.30, Newport v Somerset 2.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Plymouth 3pm
MONDAY MAY 4: SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Peterborough 2.30, Wolverhampton v Coventry 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Berwick 2pm, Workington v Stoke 7pm
TUESDAY MAY 5: PREMIER LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Sheffield 7.30
