screm

The re-arranged date for this fixture is Thursday May 15th.

Sad but true, but most of us knew this was the case ages ago.

I`d sell, Mr Check could be your man to sell them to.

Today brought the astounding news from Berwick Bandits' speedway promotion that for 2015 they intend to return to a new, purpose-built speedway-only stadium on the site of their former Berrington Lough home, near Wooler. Promoter Dennis McCleary explained: “We have given this matter a lot of thought, and decided to announce our news today, rather than have it leaked on the internet or other means”. “We are aware how successful big-league racing at Berrington Lough was when we were there before, and have decided to make an immediate start on rebuilding the stadium, with a view to attracting a team capable of emulating the glories of 1991”. “If all goes well, we will apply for elevation to Elite League status as early as next season, and bring the best riders in the world back to Berwick-upon-Tweed”. Fund-raising for the project will begin almost immediately, with the first planned venture being the launch of a calendar, featuring members of the club's promotion in tasteful speedway-themed "calendar girl" nude poses. Dennis McCleary is available to talk about the projected move on 07713-101372.

REDCAR Bears will have to overturn a yawning 20-point deficit if they are to get their hands on the Tees Tweed Trophy. They're also going to have to look a whole lot sharper if they are to open their League Cup account at Newcastle this evening. It's true that early season matches such as last night's at Shielfield Park, the Ecco Finishing Bears' first for the year which they lost 57-37, are primarily an exercise in blowing away the cobwebs. After all, many of the riders haven't raced since October. But it was Berwick's first match of the year too and they dealt out a lesson in gating, leading from the moment they clocked up a 5-1 in heat two and were never seriously under threat from their visitors. New Bears No 1 Richard Lawson won his first race as a Bear, as well as the last race of the evening and was never out of the top two all evening. If he can keep that up all year he'll be a cracking spearhead for the team. But Carl Wilkinson was their only other heat winner, swooping round Steen Jensen to take the chequered flag in heat eight. Hugh Skidmore did his job as a second string and would have increased his five-point return but for an uncharacteristic fall in heat seven while third with the Bears on course for a 3-3, while skipper Aaron Summers was hampered by clutch problems but always looked up for it and snatched a dramatic second place on the line while on a tactical double ride, inflicting Matthew Wethers' only defeat of the night. But Jan Graversen had a stinker of a meeting, falling in heat two and retiring with bike problems before he'd even reached the first bend next time out. That said he was all over the Berwick pair in his first race and fell looking for a last gasp way around them. One more lap and he'd have had them, for sure. Richard Hall will be disappointed with his debut for the club while Luke Crang managed only one point on his first appearance at Premier League level although the former spent some time out injured last term and the latter is still very much a newcomer to the sport and is still on a learning curve. Crang in fact was second in his second outing when he hit the deck. So while the Bears were very much second best on the night and, with their home leg of the TTT lost to the weather will have to get dialled in fast, a big defeat isn't the end of the world by a long stretch - the Bears were brushed aside by Newcastle in their first match last year, remember, but went on to reach the play-offs and the KO Cup semi-finals. "My main observation is that we weren't making starts," said team manager Jitendra Duffill. "Berwick showed us the way into the first corner in every heat, but after that we matched them for pace. "I think every rider showed some promise in at least one heat so we just need to take that and build on it. "Berwick are a strong side and I think a lot of people will be turned over there this year but all over our riders showed glimpses of promise. "A couple of daft engine failures cost us points to but that's what these meetings are all about - getting the gremlins out of the way. A lot of the lads were on new equipment. I'm not going to read to much into that. "Tonight at Newcastle is where it starts for real and that's when we have to get it right." For Berwick Claus Vissing scored a four-ride maximum while former Bear Matej Kus clicked into gear after a sluggish start and won his last two races.

WORLD Speedway Champion Tai Woffinden has vowed to race through the pain barrier to launch the defence of his world title next weekend. Woffinden crashed during Wolverhampton's Elite League thriller at Leicester on Saturday and was taken to hospital. He travels to Auckland for the New Zealand FIM Speedway Grand Prix next weekend nursing serious back pain and ligament damage in his right foot. Speaking from departures at Heathrow Airport, Woffinden said: "I discharged myself from hospital to get this flight. "I'm on pain killers. I'm struggling for movement in the left leg because of the impact on my lower back, hip and backside. It's seriously painful but the scans showed it's all good where the bones are concerned, nothing broken. "But I'm on crutches and the problem is I have to use my right foot which is the one with the ligament damage. "That was caused by the first crash. I thought I'd fractured my foot at first, but thankfully that's not the case and I will be trying to rest it completely once I get to Auckland. "Then in the last race it was one of those incidents with Mads (Korneliussen) and I knew I was in a bit of trouble when I bounced off the track. "They weren't too impressed when I said I'm leaving, I've got a flight to catch to New Zealand! But that's the way it is, it had to be done. "Now I'm going to arrange daily physio from the time we get to Auckland as well as resting up in the hotel. If I have to miss the first practice then so be it. "I'm planning to ride next Saturday. I'm determined to do all the right things this week, but it's not the best preparation for the first GP of the season! "One thing I'm pleased about is the team won. It's a great result for Wolverhampton and thanks to Chris Harris who was a good guest for us."

A more than reasonable way to start the 2014 season, and on a bitterly cold night it was pleasing to see the meeting run at a good pace with all 15 heats done and dusted at 8-30.

No problem cuz, glad to have been of service.

We will help you pack.

Good grief. The season would've started for Berwick & Redcar last Thursday, had it not been for the weather. It would've started for both last night, again the weather intervened, so for anyone out there who is hard of understanding, the season starts tonight.

Did last nights commentary actually happen, there's a dvd in my dvd player, dare I press play to find out.

Bit of a murky start to the day, but it is just about dry. Forecast is decent for the rest of the day so the 2014 speedway season for Berwick & Redcar will start tonight.

To be fair to Horton and Coventry Speedway, it appears the new track guy was employed by the Stadium, so its hardly anything to do with Coventry Speedway.

Very interesting, but the big question is why you posted the other day about just arriving at Brandon for the ELRC when its quite clear you were not there. Answers please.

Giving the exploits of Burnicle & Ermolenko tonight, there should never ever be anymore complaints about Pearson & Tatum. Quite simply the worst speedway commentary ever, so bad that it became very entertaining in the end.

Coventry team manager Gary Havelock was left frustrated after his sides Elite League clash against local rivals Birmingham was called off – despite no rain falling in the local area throughout the entirety of the day. Havelock, based in Middlesbrough, arrived at the track shortly before the meeting was postponed, however the reason behind the postponement was blurred. Speaking exclusively to Speedway365 shortly after the confirmed postponement, Havelock said “It didn’t look like it had been raining, I spoke to Adam Roynon who said it hadn’t rained at all today. The track was a right old state. “Apparently Jason Garrity had been up the track since 12 o’clock cause he stopped over after racing at Ipswich last night and he said they need to get the big blade to blade it all off. However he (track curator) kept saying we should put some more dry shale on the track and try to pack it down on top of the surface. “From what I was seeing down at the track they’re going to have a problem as long as they keep employing this new track guy. I don’t personally know him but apparently his credentials are to be challenged. All I can say is to go by what Jason Garrity was telling me. “They could’ve gone round and round for the next 20 hours and it wouldn’t of been raceable – that’s how bad it was. To me it’s simple; last year the guy we had doing the track would say number one problem, meet on the first and second corner. After that problem the track was good, smooth and raceable – 95% of the time I was there the track was good. The week before press day they brought in some Polish guy who was the Bydgoszcz track curator – the guy doesn’t speak a word of English and he certainly doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing. “I think this can be an on going issue. Mick is in a difficult situation, he’s the one who puts the money in and signs the riders but he isn’t in charge of track preparation. The stadium seem to be the guys who are working on the track which puts Mick in a difficult situation.” Despite the negativity surrounding the track issues, Havelock does believe Coventry has a strong side and the playoffs are the first target to meet. Said Havelock “Compared to last years team the side looks great. Everybody is raring to go and stuff like this happens. It’s difficult at this point for everybody but thankfully the travelling fans wouldn’t of travelled too far as it was Coventry vs Birmingham. If it’d been Coventry vs Poole or something like that then you’ve got to think of the poor fans that have spent their hard earned money to be turned away with no wheels being turned.” Id be grateful if the Mods do not remove this post, it has not been made up, but copied from Speedway365, so deserves to be read.

Gave up working out the points after the first few heats, as did the commentator, and just enjoyed one of the worst commentary's ever. Hope this pair wont be together when the SEC Pairs have their second round in a few weeks.

Coventry team manager Gary Havelock was left frustrated after his sides Elite League clash against local rivals Birmingham was called off – despite no rain falling in the local area throughout the entirety of the day. Havelock, based in Middlesbrough, arrived at the track shortly before the meeting was postponed, however the reason behind the postponement was blurred. Speaking exclusively to Speedway365 shortly after the confirmed postponement, Havelock said “It didn’t look like it had been raining, I spoke to Adam Roynon who said it hadn’t rained at all today. The track was a right old state. “Apparently Jason Garrity had been up the track since 12 o’clock cause he stopped over after racing at Ipswich last night and he said they need to get the big blade to blade it all off. However he (track curator) kept saying we should put some more dry shale on the track and try to pack it down on top of the surface. “From what I was seeing down at the track they’re going to have a problem as long as they keep employing this new track guy. I don’t personally know him but apparently his credentials are to be challenged. All I can say is to go by what Jason Garrity was telling me. “They could’ve gone round and round for the next 20 hours and it wouldn’t of been raceable – that’s how bad it was. To me it’s simple; last year the guy we had doing the track would say number one problem, meet on the first and second corner. After that problem the track was good, smooth and raceable – 95% of the time I was there the track was good. The week before press day they brought in some Polish guy who was the Bydgoszcz track curator – the guy doesn’t speak a word of English and he certainly doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing. “I think this can be an on going issue. Mick is in a difficult situation, he’s the one who puts the money in and signs the riders but he isn’t in charge of track preparation. The stadium seem to be the guys who are working on the track which puts Mick in a difficult situation.” Despite the negativity surrounding the track issues, Havelock does believe Coventry has a strong side and the playoffs are the first target to meet. Said Havelock “Compared to last years team the side looks great. Everybody is raring to go and stuff like this happens. It’s difficult at this point for everybody but thankfully the travelling fans wouldn’t of travelled too far as it was Coventry vs Birmingham. If it’d been Coventry vs Poole or something like that then you’ve got to think of the poor fans that have spent their hard earned money to be turned away with no wheels being turned.”

I'm recording this, it will never get recorded over, not for the racing but for the commentary, it is fantastic.

They should've stuck with the track guy they had.

As with some Polish workers in this country they will tell you anything to get a job.

In typical speedway fashion the supporters will be last to know.

Do we have a statement from Horton yet.

With that Danish 6-3, they move onto 200pts, according to hodit & dodit in the comms box.

Gary Havelock ‏@GaryHavelock 5m I'll just spend 6 hours in my car for no reason. Coventry Stadium you are a JOKE pic.twitter.com/vFQ5ThnYhc