Main Man

COVENTRY will stage the final scheduled meeting of the British Speedway season at Brandon on Sunday afternoon (4pm). The City Gearboxes Storm complete their National League campaign with a double-header against Eastbourne and Mildenhall in the last official fixtures of 2015. And the home side, who go into the matches on a run of six straight wins, need to avoid defeat in either of the clashes to confirm a top-four finish in the table - which would go down as a significant achievement with a much-changed team from last year. Their first opponents, Eastbourne, came close to taking the title in their first NL season and have already secured runners-up spot with an exciting young side headed by the hugely talented Bradley Wilson-Dean. And depending on the outcome of their KO Cup Final against Cradley on Saturday, they could arrive at Brandon with a third item of silverware in the bag, having already clinched the Gold Cup and National Trophy. Mildenhall, meanwhile will be looking for their first away win of the National League season in a re-arrangement from the abandoned fixture between the two clubs in late August. Fen Tigers promoter Kevin Jolly has been active in the media with his views on that match, which came to an early halt due to a serious crash involving Storm skipper Dan Greenwood which necessitated the call-out of a county ambulance. Jolly called for his side to be awarded a 16-14 win as they were in front at the time, with just five of fifteen heats completed, as well as erroneously questioning the level of medical cover at Brandon and disputing the arrangement that the Fen Tigers will be appearing second in Sunday’s double-header - having turned down the chance to come to Coventry in a stand-alone fixture earlier this month. It all adds spice to the final match of the season, and promoter Mick Horton is expecting an entertaining 30-race schedule and hoping for a good turn-out ahead of the long winter break. Horton said: “It would be great to see plenty of support for the boys in the very last meeting of the season anywhere in the country this year. “If we win both matches we’ll finish in fourth place, which would be a great effort by the lads, and we’d actually only be one point behind Cradley. “I do hope the fans can prove to us that investing in the youth, as we’ve done over the last three years, is worthwhile. It’s the last meeting so we really want to give the lads a good send-off. We want to invest in youngsters, but we need the support to do it.” The Storm go into the matches with just one change from their regular line-up with Greenwood still on the sidelines, and Buxton heat-leader Liam Carr has been booked to guest at No.1. At the other end of the team, promising 16-year-olds Callum Walker and Jamie Halder will take one match each as the Storm utilise all available members of their squad, with the remainder of the side at full strength. Boss Laurence Rogers said: “When I put our team together I knew each and every one could improve on their starting averages, and they have been a delight to work with. “It has been a very pleasing season despite our disjointed fixture list, and now we want to finish on a high in two tough matches. “I’d like to thank Liam Carr for standing in, he goes well at Brandon and has a good attitude so I’m sure he’ll score plenty of points for us, and I really hope the Coventry fans take advantage of the last chance to see some speedway this season and come and support the boys.” The action gets underway at 4pm, with admission prices £15 for adults, and all children go free. CITY GEARBOXES STORM (from): Mark Baseby, Liam Carr, Conor Dwyer, Jamie Halder (v Mildenhall), Martin Knuckey, Darryl Ritchings, Rob Shuttleworth, Callum Walker (v Eastbourne). EASTBOURNE (from): Richard Andrews, Kelsey Dugard, Ben Hopwood, Marc Owen, Daniel Spiller R/R, Bradley Wilson-Dean, Georgie Wood. MILDENHALL (from): Danny Ayres, Tom Bacon, Ben Basford, Connor Coles, Jack Kingston, Connor Mountain, Luke Ruddick.

Stoke 'Hartshill Cycles ' Spitfires 14 Sam Ward 2,2,1 =5 Sam Woods 3,1, -,= 4+1 Connor Fletcher 0, 2,2,0 =4 Sam Chapman 1*, 0, M =1+1 Milton Keynes Knights 22 Rob Watts 3, 3,3,2* = 11+1 Alfie Bowtell 2, 3,3 =8 Chris Watts 0, 1*, 1,1 =3+1 1. R.Watts, Ward, Chapman*, C.Watts 3-3 2. Woods, Bowtell, C.Watts*, Fletcher 3-3 6-6 3. Bowtell, Ward, C.Watts, Chapman 2-4 8-10 4. R.Watts, Fletcher, Woods* (pushed home), 3-3 11-13 5. R.Watts, Fletcher, C.Watts, Chapman(2Min) 2-4 13-17 6. Bowtell, R.Watts, Ward, Fletcher 1-5 14-22 Two evenly matched team but a rather unlucky meeting for the Spitfires with bike problems for Sam Chapman, and Sam Woods shedding a chain on the last lap whilst leading, but when he pushed home for a point he got the biggest cheer of the night.

MDL Sunday October 18th Buxton JUNIOR Hitmen 18 Wolverhampton Wolf Cubs 18 Hitmen 1. Jack Parkinson-Blackburn 3 3 x/m =6 2. Stephen Whitehouse f/x 0 3 = 3 3. Lewis Millar F 1’ 0 = 1+1 4. Sam Woolley 3 2 1 2 = 8 Wolf Cubs : 1. David Holt 2 3 3 =8 2. Mitchell Beckett 1’ 0 0 = 1+1 3. Sam Chapman 1’ 1’ 1 = 3+2 4. Kyle Roberts 2 2 2 = 6 Ht 1 : JPB Holt Beckett Whitehouse(f/x) 3—3 3-3 2 : Woolley Roberts Chapman Millar (f) 3-3 6-6 3 : JPB Roberts Chapman Whitehouse 3-3 9-9 4 : Holt Woolley Milllar Beckett 3-3 12-12 5 : Whitehouse Roberts Woolley Beckett 4-2 16-14 6 : Holt Woolley Chapman Millar JPB(x/2m) 2-4 18-18

did not take place

MDL The 2015 MDL title has been a close run competition. Despite a cut-off point on September 15th the new champions have not been declared whilst consideration of fixtures up to that point were looked at by the SCB and the MDL. Although Belle Vue led the table at the cut-off date ahead of Kings Lynn a cancellation at late notice by Long Eaton at Kings Lynn was investigated. The Invaders pulled out of the fixture due to being unable to track a team with no dates before the cut-off date forfeited the meeting. Until a full investigation was made the points had not been awarded to Kings Lynn but this has now been concluded and the points awarded to Kings Lynn. Belle Vue were unable to race their match with Peterborough after the Elite League Play-Off semi-final after rain caused that meeting to be curtailed after heat 14. All these points were considered in the final decision and as a result of all this the 2015 MDL title goes to Kings Lynn Lightning.

Peterborough stage their final Training School / Practice session on Saturday October 31st with the usual 10am start with sign on from 9am. Cost is £35 and is for riders with their own equipment. Bookings must include name, age, cc of bike and experience so the riders can be placed in equal ability / experience groups to maximise track time. Bookings by text to 07801429304 or e-mail : laurencerogers@blueyonder.co.uk

BELOW is the SCB's statement concerning the abandoned Coventry v Rye House meeting: This Meeting was the 2nd part of a Double-Header being staged after the NL Coventry v Buxton meeting. It was scheduled as a Double Header due to there being a 13th September cut-off date for the NL Gold Cup Qualifiers. However due to circumstances and the onset of rain, the meeting had to be abandoned after 8 completed heats with the score standing at 32-19 in favour of Coventry. As the Meeting could not be restaged before 13th September, it nevertheless meant that Rye House duly qualified for the NL Gold Cup Competition and the Semi-Final meetings with Eastbourne were set in the Fixture List. Coventry, due to their difficulties in restaging the Meeting, as they currently have 3 NL meetings to re-arrange, have requested the SCB to consider implementing SR 15.12 by awarding the Meeting result as the 32-19 meant it was mathematically sure, ie. a 0-5 result in both Heats 9 & 10 would still have resulted in a 32-29 result. Having carefully considered the situation this request has been granted, therefore the Result of this Meeting will be a result of Coventry 32 Rye House 19.

COVENTRY Storm will be staging a National League double-header on Sunday October 25. The opposing teams will be Eastbourne, whose earlier scheduled visit was rained-off, followed by Mildenhall whose appearance in August was abandoned. Start-time on October 25 is 4pm.

Unfortunately just had call off Ged Rathbone and our Training School / Practice on Saturday (26th) at Peterborough has had to be cancelled due to a large show at the Showground over the weekend. Apologies to one and all but beyond my control ..we have been promised an alternative date to replace it and once know I will post it . Next session is due to be Sat Oct 31st unless we get an earlier date in the month.

COVENTRY have a major concern over inspirational skipper Chris Harris ahead of Friday’s crunch play-off clash with Poole. Harris was involved in a heavy crash in Poland on Sunday and has returned to the UK with ankle, wrist and elbow injuries. He plans to see a specialist early this week and it leaves the Buildbase Bees sweating just days before their biggest match of the season. Harris said: “It was a big crash on the first bend with me, Sebastian Ulamek and Michal Szczepaniak, and we all went straight into the fence together. “Me and Seb were actually under the fence for a time and they had the ambulance out but we did manage to walk away. “I carried on in the meeting, it was an important one for the club, but it was afterwards when the adrenaline had eased that I really felt the pain, and I’ve got a swollen wrist and ankle. “I’ve got to get plenty of treatment over the next few days, I really want to be fit for Friday but I’ll have to see what the specialist says.” Bees already have Joonas Kylmakorpi on the sidelines, with Freddie Lindgren booked to guest, and it is now a relief that the initially-scheduled first leg against the Pirates tonight was put back by four days. That call was taken on Saturday afternoon due to an adverse weather forecast, with the conditions of Monday already fully justifying that decision. Boss Gary Havelock said: “You’re always worried about receiving a call saying one of your riders has crashed in another meeting, and now we have to wait and see with Bomber. “He’s massive to our team, and being without him is not really something I want to think about. It’s a huge concern for us. “I will be looking at our options, of course, but we already know how limited they are and at the moment we just have to keep our fingers crossed.”

MDL --Sun Sept 13th BUXTON Junior Hitmen 20 SCUNTHORPE Stags 16 Hitmen : 1. Jack Parkinson-Blackburn R N 3 3 = 6 2. Sam Wright 2 3 2 3 =10 3. David Morgan R/R 4. Chris Bambury 0 2’ f/x 2’ = 4+2 Stags : 1. Emerson Jones 3 f/x N =3 2. Stephen Whitehouse 1 1 1’ = 3+1 3. Luke Whitehead 1’ 1 0 = 2+1 4. Sam Chapman 2 3 2 1 = 8 Ht 1 : Jones Wright Whitehouse JPB (ret) 2-4 2-4 2 : Wright Chapman Whitehead Bambury 3-3 5-7 3 : Chapman Wright Whitehead 2-4 7-11 4 : JPB Bambury Whitehouse Jones (f/x) 5-1 12-12 5 : Wright Chapman Whitehouse Bambury (f/x) 3-3 15-15 6 : JPB Bambury Chapman Whitehead 5-1 20-16 Peterborough Thundercats 14 Kings Lynn Lightning 22 Thundercats : 1. Mitchell Beckett R R = 0 2. Tom Sipos 1 1 0 = 2 3. Sam Darroch f/x 0 1 = 1 4. Alex Wilson 2 3 3 3 = 11 Lightning : 1. Adam Kirby 2’ 2 2 = 6+1 2. Adam Portwood 3 1’ 2 = 6+1 3. Jack Thomas 1 2’ 0 = 3+1 4. Layne Cupitt 3 3 1’ = 7+1 Ht 1 : Portwood Kirby Sipos Beckett (ret) 1-5 1-5 2 : Cupitt Wilson Thomas Darroch (f/x) 2-4 3-9 3 : Cupitt Thomas Sipos Beckett (ret) 1-5 4-14 4 : Wilson Kirby Portwood Darroch 3-3 7-17 5 : Wilson Portwood Cupitt Sipos 3-3 10-20 6 : Wilson Kirby Darroch Thomas 4-2 14-22

Milton Keynes 1. Jeremy Pestell F Ex, Withdrawn 2. Lee Springthorpe 1, 1, 1 (3) 3. Rob Watts 0, 1, 1 (2) 4. Niall Strudwick 1, 0, 0 (1) Belle Vue Colts 1. David Holt 2+, 3, 2 (7+2) 2. Andy Mellish 3, 2+, 2+ (7+2) 3. George Hunter 3, 2+, 3 (8+1) 4. Sam Woods 2+, 3, 3 (8+1) Heat 1. Mellish, Holt, Springthorpe (Pestell F Ex, re run). Time: 57.1. 1-5 Heat 2. Hunter, Woods, Strudwick, Watts. Time 57.5. 1-5 (2-10) Heat 3. Woods, Hunter, Springthorpe. Time: 57.7. 1-5 (3-15) Heat 4. Holt, Mellish, Watts, Strudwick. Time: 58.2. 1 -5 (4-20) Heat 5. Woods, Mellish, Springthorpe, Strudwick. Time: 58.2. 1-5 (5-25) Heat 6. Hunter, Holt, Watts. Time: 58.5. 1-5 (6-30)

Heat 1 Bacon, Hunter, Bambury, Fletcher 2-4 Heat 2 Geary, Wright, Whitehouse, Beckett(Fell) 2-4 Heat 3 Hunter, Geary, Fletcher, Whitehouse 4-2 Heat 4 Bacon, Bambury, Wright, Beckett(Fell) Awarded 1-5 Heat 5 Hunter (R/R for Beckett), Bambury, Whitehouse, Fletcher (Fell) 3-3 Match ended due to curfew Wolf Cubs 12 Invaders 18

Wolverhampton 'Wolf Cubs' 12 George Hunter 2,3,3,Ab =8 Connor Fletcher !0,1,F =1 Sam Wright 2,1,Ab =3 Mitchell Beckett Frm,Fx,(GH) =0 Long Eaton 'Invaders' 18 Tom Bacon 3,3,Ab =6 Full Maximum Chris Bambury 1,2*,2 =5+1 Lee Geary 3,2,Ab =5 Stephen Whitehouse 1,0,1* =2+1 Abandoned after 5 heats- curfew. != 15m handicap, tapes Ab = Abandoned

MDL Weds 9th September 2015 CITY GEARBOXES Coventry Vikings 20 Scunthorpe Stags 15 (amended to 20-12 due to ineligible rider) Vikings : 1. Conor Dwyer 3 3 3 3 = 12 2. Sean Phillips N N F/x N =0 3. Rob Watts R/R 4. Jez Pestell 3 2’ 3 N = 8+1 Stags: 1. Eryk Borczuch F 1 2 = 3 (points do not count) 2. Kurtis Scarboro 2 0 1’ = 3+1 3. Luke Whitehead 2 2 1’ = 5 +1 4. Sam Chapman 1’ 1’ 2 = 4+2 Ht 1 : Dwyer Scarboro Borczuch(f/x) Phillips (N) 3-2 3-2 2 : Pestell Whitehead Chapman Phillips (N) 3-3 6-5 3 : Dwyer Whitehead Chapman Phillips (f/x) 3-3 9-8 4 : Dwyer Pestell Borczuch Scarboro 5-1 14-9 5: Pestell Chapman Scarboro Phillips(N) 3-3 17-12 6 : Dwyer Borczuch Whitehead Pestell(N) 3-3 20-15 (amended to 20-12) Eryk Borczuch not eligible and his 3 points deducted from Scunthorpe total.

Still spaces left for the Peterborough Training School / Practice on Sat (12th) ......riders with own equipment , any cc, experience. 10 am onwards with signing on from 9 am... £35 . Day licences available. E-mail : laurencerogers@blueyonder.co.uk ot TEXT 07801429304 with name, age, cc bike and experience. Riders in same experience/ ability groups of 3 or 4 to ensure maximum track time given

Still spaces left for the Peterborough Training School / Practice on Sat (12th) ......riders with own equipment , any cc, experience. 10 am onwards with signing on from 9 am... £35 . Day licences available. E-mail : laurencerogers@blueyonder.co.uk ot TEXT 07801429304 with name, age, cc bike and experience. Riders in same experience/ ability groups of 3 or 4 to ensure maximum track time given

Up to and including Sunday, September 06, 2015 M W D L W D L F A Pts 1 Belle Vue 16 8 0 0 4 1 3 317 242 25 2 King's Lynn 16 7 0 1 4 2 2 282 204 24 3 Peterborough15 6 0 2 4 0 3 281 211 20 4 Buxton 15 4 0 3 5 0 3 255 242 18 5 Long Eaton 15 6 1 2 2 0 4 266 250 17 6 Scunthorpe 16 5 0 4 1 0 6 237 299 12 7 Coventry 15 2 1 3 3 0 6 255 265 11 8 Wolverhampton15 4 0 4 1 0 6 195 26710 9 Milton Keynes14 1 1 4 3 0 5 223 252 9 10 Stoke 15 2 0 5 1 0 7 174 253 6

MDL Sun 6th September BUXTON Junior Hitmen 19 BELLE VUE Colts 17 Hitmen: 1. Jack Parkinson-Blackburn 1 3 3 2 =9 2. David Morgan R/R 3. Ryan McDonald 0 3 2 1’ =6+1 4. Stephen Whitehouse 2’ 2’ N 0 =4+2 Colts : 1. David Holt 3 1 R = 4 2. Andy Mellish 2’ 3 2 3 = 10+1 3. Sam Woolley 0 0 = 0 4. Connor Fletcher 1 1 1 =3 Ht 1: Holt Mellish JPB MacDonald 1-5 1-5 2 : MacDonald Whitehouse Fletcher Woolley 5-1 6-6 3 : JPB Whitehouse Fletcher Woolley 5-1 11-7 4 : Mellish MacDonald Holt 2-4 13-11 5 : JPB Mellish Fletcher Whitehouse 3-3 16-14 6: Mellish JPB MacDonald Holt(ret) 3-3 19-17

Scunthorpe 13 Sam Darroch 2-3-2 7 Stephen Whitehouse 0-1-1 2 Luke Whitehead 2-1-0 3 Sam Chapman 1*-0-0 1+1 Milton Keynes 23 Alex Wilson 3-2*-3 8+1 Jack Thomas 1-3-3 7 Chris Bambury 3-2-1 6 Kurtis Scarboro 0-0-2* 2+1 1 Wilson, Darroch, Thomas, Whitehouse, 61.82 2 Bambury, Whitehead, Chapman, Scarboro (f.rem), 67.31 3 Darroch, Bambury, Whitehouse, Scarboro, 63.25 4 Thomas, Wilson, Whitehead, Chapman, 61.94 5 Thomas, Scarboro, Whitehouse, Chapman, 61.00 6 Wilson, Darroch, Bambury, Whitehead, 61.44

A DATE has been agreed for the National League fixture between Coventry Storm and Cradley. This match will now take place on Sunday September 13 with a MIDDAY start owing to the Heathens also being in action at Stoke later in the day.

It was a great meeting. I must admit when I got there I was a bit worried we wouldn't get to run it but the track rode superbly (as my good friend Leigh Lanham told me it would after the PL meeting). A massive thank you to Rob and Gail Godfrey for offering us the venue and to the Scunthorpe staff for all their hard work and help. It all ran smoothly thanks to all the lads co-operating and getting out quickly as we knew the rain was due again at 7 ..and we just made it with the Final and the presentations. BIG thank you to all the race and rider sponsors who enabled us to give all 18 riders a voucher to spend on the spares van (thanks to Darren Miles for getting the goodies for the boys to buy) and give vouchers to all four finalists plus medals for all riders. Thanks to Dave Roscoe (DSR ) for supplying all 18 riders with fuel, to MICK CHAPMAN TROPHIES of Ashford, Kent for the magnificent hand carved trophies for the first three . Thanks to ex-Newport promoter NICK MALLETT for supplying and sponsoring the race jackets. League sponsor Gary Drinkwater of CITY GEARBOXES was the meeting main sponsor underwriting all the staging costs. Congratulations to the 2015 MDL Champion Jack Parkinson-Blackburn along with 2nd placed Layne Cupitt, 3rd Callum Walker with commiserations to Alex Wilson who shed a chain causing him to fall in the Final. Scorers : Jamie Halder 14 , Layne Cupitt 12, Callum Walker 12, Jack Daniel Parkinson-blackburn 11, Alex Wilson 10, David Holt 10, Lee Geary Racing 10, Andy Mellish 9, Adam Sheppard 6, Ben Basford 6, Lee Springthorpe 5, Mitchell Beckett 4, David Morgan(res) 3, Rob Watts 3, Sam Darroch 2, Adam Portwood 2, Connor Fletcher 0, Sam Wright (res) 0 Semi -Final 1 : Alex Wilson , Callum Walker, Jamie Halder, Lee Geary Semi- Final 2 : Jack Parkinson-Blackburn, Layne Cupitt, Andy Mellish, David Holt Final : Jack Parkinson-Blackburn, Layne Cupitt, Callum Walker, Alex Wilson (f/x)

The outstanding Belle Vue v Peterborough MDL fixture will now take place this Saturday at Redcar, after the British Youth Round, which starts at 2pm.

Up to and including Saturday, August 29, 2015 M W D L W D L F A Pts 1 Belle Vue 15 8 0 0 4 1 2 300 223 25 2 King's Lynn 16 7 0 1 4 2 2 282 204 24 3 Peterborough15 6 0 2 4 0 3 281 211 20 4 Long Eaton 15 6 1 2 2 0 4 266 250 17 5 Buxton 14 3 0 3 5 0 3 236 225 16 6 Scunthorpe 15 5 0 3 1 0 6 224 276 12 7 Coventry 15 2 1 3 3 0 6 255 265 11 8 Wolverhampton15 4 0 4 1 0 6 195 267 10 9 Milton Keynes 13 1 1 4 2 0 5 200 239 7 10 Stoke 15 2 0 5 1 0 7 174 253 6

Sun Aug 30th MDL MK v Buxton OFF