LATEST British Speedway news from around the tracks up and down the country...

PREVIEW: KING’S LYNN v BELLE VUE (ROWE Motor Oil Prem)
KING’S Lynn stage the first ROWE Motor Oil Premiership fixture of the season tonight (Monday) as they take on defending champions Belle Vue at the Adrian Flux Arena.

Stars boss Rob Lyon has called on his side to keep up the momentum from a positive first week which saw them secure home and away wins against Oxford in the KO Cup.

And Lyon is keen to avoid a repeat of last season, when his side also started their home league campaign against the Aces and went down to a 42-48 defeat.

The home side switch captain Nicolai Klindt to the No.2 berth with Jan Kvech moving to No.3, whilst the visitors are unchanged after an opening week which did not go to plan – culminating in Thursday’s hammering at Ipswich.

Lyon said: “From our point of view we can only ride what’s in front of us, and Monday night will be a good match because I’m sure Belle Vue will come out fighting.

“They’ve got riders who get around our place pretty well and I’m sure it will be a different meeting to what they experienced at Ipswich on Thursday.

“But we take one match as it comes, and we can’t ask for any more than how we’ve started. We go into Monday with a bit of confidence, and hopefully we can keep the run going.


PREVIEW: BIRMINGHAM v LEICESTER (NDT)
THE new National Development Trophy competition gets underway at Birmingham tonight (Monday) as the Bulls host Leicester Fox Cubs.

The Trophy runs in parallel to the National Development League aiming to give more track time to British youngsters, and Leicester will operate a side in both sections.

The Bulls are led by Darryl Ritchings as he makes his comeback to the sport whilst 15-year-old Will Cairns lines up at No.1 for the Fox Cubs.

Birmingham boss Laurence Rogers said: “I think we have a solid side that will do us proud.

“I tried to maintain some Birmingham connections in the side and it’s great to have been able to.”

Leicester co-manager Jen Crossland said: “It’s very early in the season and this will be the first competitive racing of the year for the majority of riders in the meeting.

“There’s certainly no pressure on our riders, we want them to go out there and enjoy it, and work together as a team as we’ve always done at Leicester.”

“We probably do owe Belle Vue one early doors. We beat them here at the end of last season, as we did with other top teams, but early on when we’ve met them we’ve faltered, and we need to put that right on Monday.”


WOFFINDEN HURT IN POLAND
TREBLE World Champion Tai Woffinden was airlifted to hospital in Poland after a serious crash during a sparring fixture for his new club Rzeszow.

Woffinden, who was due to return to Sheffield in this season’s ROWE Motor Oil Premiership, was involved in a three-rider accident going into the first bend of Heat 7 of the match at Krosno on Sunday.

A social media statement from the Tigers said: “Sheffield Speedway are aware of a racing crash involving Tai Woffinden in Poland this afternoon.

“Out of respect for Tai and his family, we politely ask supporters not to respond to, or share, any rumours.

“We will provide supporters with an official update when it is appropriate to do so.”

British Speedway sends our best wishes to Tai as we await news of the full diagnosis, and we hope for a speedy recovery.