Main Man

Nice one Mark Phillips ...definitely got the face for radio interviews !! LOL . I have posted on facebook a thank you to everyone who has messaged, commented, phoned , text yesterday .....from Mark and I a big thank you for the superb welcome and support we have received since the announcement ...onwards and upwards for the MIGHTY Plymouth Devils!! Read more: http://plymouthdevils.proboards.com/thread/8249/silly-season-2?page=18#ixzz4QoxsDrA7

9.56 for Kent 2013

Thank you Mike0310

Still have spaces for the Peterborough Training School / Practice Session on Saturday (Oct 15th) 10-2 for riders with own equipment. Sign on from 9am £35. Riders graded into equal ability / experience groups to maximise track time. Book by e-mailing : laurencerogers@blueyonder.co.uk or text 07801429304 with name, age, cc bike and experience.

Coventry Vikings are 2016 Midland Development League Champions. The 2106 MDL Play-offs saw Coventry Vikings take the honours to win the title for the first time since the competition started in 2011 when the Long Eaton Invaders won the inaugural championship defeating the Vikings , who were then based at Sheffield. With a solid eight point league from the first leg at Buxton the Vikings were never really troubled by the Junior Hitmen but for two blistering rides for 15 year old debutant Tom Brennan. Heat 2 saw just one finisher in Conor Dwyer after Hitmen pair Ryan Burton and William O’Keefe fell in separate incidents whilst home rider Henry Atkins blew his motor whilst on a 5-0 and try as he may to nurse the bike home was disqualified by referee Margaret Vardy . This was despite the valiant efforts of partner Conor Dwyer to not pass him before the finish line. 15 year old Devonian Atkins started to push his bike hoping to secure the two points but his exclusion light came on but he got round the first two bends before this was realised and he stopped his mammoth push. A heat three 5-1 for the Vikings from Jamie Halder and skipper Kyle Roberts put the home side within reach of the title although mathematically the Hitmen could have squared the overall scores with three 5-0’s! The title was officially wrapped up with Dwyer and Atkins (on his second bike) racing to a maximum heat win in heat 4 . Brennan took victory in heat 5 with the two Vikings behind him before the home side duo of Dwyer , who completed a 9 point maximum and Halder took heat six with a 5-1 to make the scores 24-9 on the night and 43-20 overall. Vikings team manager Laurence was pleased for his young charges , “ The lads were magnificent in both legs of the final and their team spirit amazing. They all arrived early , set their bikes up, walked the track and bounced off each other all night. Jamie found a cracked back end prior to the meeting and thanks to Martin Knuckey for helping sort that out as it was a bit of a mad panic but in the end it all paid off.” “I must thank all the lads who donned a Vikings race jacket to get us to the Final in particular Mitchell Beckett and Arran Butcher who rode the most meetings for the side . Thanks too to Carl Basford , who was injured in the first leg of the Final along with Saul Bulley, Lewis Austen, Lewis Whitmore,Sam Wright, Niall Strudwick and Jordan Jenkins who all played their part in the Vikings reaching the Final . I have tried to keep the team using young riders all year and hopefully that will pay dividends for them all in the future. At least the kids have brought some silverware to Brandon this year!!” Buxton Team boss commented , “Congratulations to Coventry Vikings and Laurence Rogers on their MDL title win against us last night. Shame about last nights score for Buxton. Bad luck all meeting. Take nothing away from Cov, they deserved it over the 2 legged final. Thank you to Ryan Burton, Tom Brennan, Ben Basford and William O'Keefe for making the journey to Coventry last night to represent the Junior Hitmen.” CITY GEARBOXES COVENTRY VIKINGS 24 (43) Jamie Halder 2 3 2’ 7+1 Kyle Roberts 1’ 2’ 1’ 4+3 Conor Dwyer 3 3 3 9 Henry Atkins X 2’ 2 4+1 BUXTON JUNIOR HITMEN 9 (20) Ben Basford F 1 0 1 Tom Brennan 3 R 3 6 Ryan Burton F 0 1 1 William O’Keefe F 1 R 1 Ht 1 : Brennan Halder Roberts Basford (f) 3-3 3-3 (22-14) 2 : Dwyer Atkins (exc) Burton (f) O’Keefe (f) 3-0 6-3 (25-14) 3 : Halder Roberts O’Keefe Burton (f/rm) 5-1 11-4 (30-15) 4 : Dwyer Atkins Basford Brennan (ret) 5-1 16-5 (35-16) 5 : Brennan Atkins Roberts O’Keefe (ret) 3-3 19-8 (38-19) 6 : Dwyer Halder Burton Basford 5-1 24-9 (43-20)

MDL Play –Off Final 2nd Leg –Sat 8th October 6pm CITY GEARBOXES Coventry Vikings (19) v Buxton Junior Hitmen (11) The 2016 Midland Development League champions will be crowned at Coventry on Saturday (October 8th) prior to the Elite league Riders Championship. The MDL Play-Off Final 2nd leg between Coventry Vikings and Buxton Junior Hitmen will take place at 6pm with the gates at Brandon opening at 5pm. The presentations to the two section winners plus the trophy and medals will take place on the parade for the ELRC which starts at 7.30 and this is a big honour for the youngsters in front of a large crowd. The Vikings are 8 points ahead after the first leg at Buxton which was curtailed after heat 5 when a three rider crash in heat 6 saw the meeting abandoned with two riders requiring treatment in the ambulances. Coventry team manager Laurence Rogers is hopeful his side can bring the championship to the club for the first time, “ The lads we have used this year have been magnificent. We have had a very young side who have done us proud and each one of them who has donned a Vikings race jacket has got us to this final. We have a lead to protect and it was hard choosing the four to represent the side in this all important meeting as they all wanted to be in the play-off final. I know that the ones not in the side on Saturday will be disappointed but will be backing their team mates fully to ensure they take a gold championship medal.” TEAMS : City Gearboxes Coventry VIKINGS : 1. Jamie Halder 2. Kyle Roberts. 3. Conor Dwyer 4. Henry Atkins Buxton Junior Hitmen : 1. Ben Basford 2. Tom Brennan. 3. Ryan Burton. 4. William O’Keefe

MDL Play off Final 1st leg at Buxton Sunday 25th September. Buxton : 1. Kean Dicken 2. Jake Isherwood 3. William O'Keefe(replaced by George Rothery) 4. Sam Wright Coventry: 1. Jamie Halder 2. Mitchell Beckett 3. Carl Basford 4. Kyle Roberts

CITY GEARBOXES MDL NEWS : At the cut off point for MDL fixtures of Sunday 18th September the two section leaders are Buxton and Coventry who will meet in a two legged play off final to determine who are the 2016 MDL champions. With neither side having won the title before there will be new champions crowned to join past winners Long Eaton 2011, Milton Keynes (2012 and 2014), Belle Vue (2013) and Kings Lynn (2015). Buxton stage the first leg on Sunday 25th September after their National League clash with Eastbourne. With Coventry having no available dates the club are looking to hold their “home” leg at a neutral track with, as yet, no date or venue agreed but hopefully this will be sorted as soon as possible.

Peterborough will hold a Training Session / Practice on Saturday October 29th from 10 till 2 with sign on from 9am . Cost is £35 with free day licences for those not holding a SCB licence. It is for riders with own equipment at all levels. Bookings , stating name , age, cc bike and experience to : laurencerogers@blueyonder.co.uk or text 07801429304

CHANGE OF DATE FOR PETERBOROUGH TRAINING SCHOOL /PRACTICE Apologies but this is beyond our control as Ged has had to change dates due to other events at the Showground at Peterborough. The proposed training school/ practice we had advertised for Saturday October 29th will now be staged TWO WEEKS earlier on Saturday October 15th from 10am - 2pm. Can riders who have booked for the 29th please confirm they are able to do the 15th . Still spaces available anyway but need to be booked by e-mail to : laurencerogers@blueyonder.co,uk or text 07801429304 stating name, age, cc bike and experience. This is to ensure you are placed in the correct groups to maximise track time for everyone. Cost is £35 and for those who do not have SCB licences there are free day licences available.

CHANGE AT 16 ...WILLIAM O'KEEFE IN FOR LEE SPRINGTHORPE

Unfortunately tonight's Bees v Lakeside meeting is OFF

CITY GEARBOXES MDLRC MONDAY AUGUST 29TH AT SCUNTHORPE 1. HENRY ATKINS (COVENTRY VIKINGS) 2. JOSH EMBLETON (BUXTON JUNIOR HITMEN) 3. LAYNE CUPITT (LONG EATON INVADERS) 4. LEWIS WHITMORE (KINGS LYNN LIGHTNING) 5. SAM CHAPMAN (SCUNTHORPE STAGS) 6. ANDY MELLISH (BELLE VUE COLTS) 7. NIALL STRUDWICK ( MILTON KEYNES KNIGHTS) 8. GEORGE ROTHERY (BELLE VUE COLTS) 9. BRADLEY ANDREWS (LONG EATON INVADERS) 10. SAM BEEBEE (MILDENHALL FEN TIGER CUBS) 11. LEWIS AUSTEN (KINGS LYNN LIGHTNING) 12. KYLE ROBERTS (COVENTRY VIKINGS) 13. TAYLOR HAMPSHIRE (MILDENHALL FEN TIGER CUBS) 14. CHRIS HAY (SCUNTHORPE STAGS) 15. SAM WRIGHT (BUXTON JUNIOR HITMEN) 16. WILLIAM O'KEEFE (MILTON KEYNES KNIGHTS) 17. LLOYD DITCHBURN (SCUNTHORPE STAGS) 18. JAMES CHATTIN (SCUNTHORPE STAGS) STILL RACE SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE AT £50 AND SEMI-FINALS AT £75….E-MAIL : laurencerogers@blueyonder.co.uk or TEXT ON 07801429304

thank you Statto

SCUNTHORPE are to host the Midland Development League Riders’ Championship for the second year in succession. Each of the eight clubs will nominate two riders for the meeting on Bank Holiday Monday August 29, which was won last year by Jack Parkinson-Blackburn. Once again the organisers are looking for fans and businesses to back the meeting to allow them to provide each rider with a voucher to spend on the track van as well as a voucher for the four finalists. Race sponsorship will again be £50 per race, the semi-finals £75 each and the Final £100. In addition each rider can be sponsored for £25 and the organisers are have secured a sponsor for the methanol in Dave Roscoe whilst the trophies will hopefully be provided by Mick Chapman Trophies of Ashford, Kent. Interested parties can e-mail : laurencerogers@blueyonder.co.uk or text 07801429304.