Coventry Cycle Speedway club entertain Elite League giants Horspath Hammers of Oxford at Hearsall Common in the biggest ever team match ever in the history of the sport in Coventry at Hearsall Common (Sunday 12th June), commencing at 2pm.
Joint league leaders Coventry will take on Horspath, the most successful team in Elite league history, knowing only a win will do to keep up their early season bright start and championship challenge.
The Oxfordshire village side will be packed with international stars, including several world championship finalists. They have dominated the Elite League for several seasons and need to win at Coventry after losing to Ipswich recently.
Horspath will be spearheaded by former world champion Lukasz Nowacki, who is in the form of his life. They also track the reigning British champion Zac Payne, together with Welsh Test match star Mark Carmichal and former Coventry man Lewis Osbourne.
Coventry will parade their strongest side, led by the powerful form of three times British champion Andy Angell. The Hull based speedster had a rare off day in his home Coventry debut in April but is currently running into peak form.
Supporting Angell will be pin-up boy Michal Sassek, the 18-year-old world junior number 2. Sassek has opened his Coventry account with three outstanding performances and they will
need the young Pole to be on top form to combat Horspath`s leading stars.
Home grown racer Myke Grimes is sure to rattle up the points and the Hersall Common men are boosted with the first Elite League appearance of the year by Dominik Rycharski – now in his twelfth year at the club.
A key figure will be Stockport based Ben Higham, whose brilliant tactical riding has been one of the highlights of the season to date. Ex-British champion Jake Read is also included along with the stylish Chris Parish, whilst Adam Watson retains his place after a battling display last time out.
BOY WONDER RETURNS IN BRILLIANT STYLE
Kyle Roberts made a brilliant competitive return to the Coventry Cycle Speedway team last Sunday afternoon in top scoring as he inspired his weakened side to within one race of a dynamic shock victory against powerful East Park Wolves.
Coventry were without four key riders and fielded a youthful and inexperienced side against the powerful Wolverhampton side. In a superbly entertaining affair, Coventry slipped to an agonizing last gasp 91-86 defeat.
Roberts, nick-named `Boy Wonder` after a string of stunning individual wins at the tail-end of the 2014 campaign, returned in style. Jet propelled from the starting gate, the supremely talented 17-year-old raced to 19 points, losing just once.
Inspired by Roberts, and supported by an outstanding performance by a revitalized Matthew Hambidge, Coventry drew heat 1 and held on in the early heats against a determined Wolves onslaught.
Roberts, and skipper Myke Grimes, piled up the race wins as the first half progressed. They were well supported by ex-world champion Ray Oliver – making his first Coventry team appearance for 12 years.
Oliver, his razor sharp starting to the fore, teamed up with Grimes for several heat wins in an astonishing comeback performance as Coventry reached half time just two points adrift.
More spectacular racing followed, with Coventry`s younger riders more than competitive against the experienced visitors. Hambidge, displaying a previously unseen tactical awareness, then won his first ever senior team race in Coventry colours as the two teams fought out a classic match.
Hambidge followed up his maiden victory with an even more impressive race in heat 15. With partner Dan Drewett relegated to the back, Hambidge skillfully team rode an East Park opponent wide – with a gleeful Drewett taking full advantage on the last bend.
The match was decided in the crucial heat 17 penultimate race. Drewett, showing a more focused and physical approach, needed to make the start. With tension at fever pitch, the talented 18-year-old jumped the start and was excluded – and with it Coventry`s victory hopes.
In the final analysis, Coventry`s youthful tail was just too much to carry but once again they showed terrific fight, and potential for the future, in one of their best team performances of recent seasons.
Coventry point scorers: Kyle Roberts 19, Myke Grimes 16, Matthew Hambidge 15, Ray Oliver 13, Dan Drewett 10, Mattie Lawrence 6, Ben Wells 4 and Ollie Morris 3.
CITY YOUNGSTERS IN TROPHY WINDFALL
Racing in the final regional round of the British Junior League at Wednesfield last Saturday afternoon, Coventry`s ever improving youngsters enjoyed a trophy windfall.
Ben Wells continued his recent meteoric rise to stardom by winning the under 14s regional championship final in only his second year of racing. Wells now heads to the national rounds as one of the favorites.
In the under 12s category, Coventry scooped both second and third places. Jack Reynolds took silver after leading in the earlier rounds, whilst newcomer Jacob Slezak overcame a nasty crash to take bronze.
Turning to the under 10s classification, fast improving Wyatt Jacobs underlined his continued improvement by also winning bronze in only his first full season of racing.
And, to complete a successful day for the Coventry club, Autumn Smith also captured a superb overall third place finish in only her first year of competition in the under 8s final. Along with the other Coventry riders, Autumn now moves on to the national series finals, starting next month.
The club continue their hugely popular `Clubnight` at their Hearsall Common headquarters this and every Wednesday from 6pm, aimed at youngsters and first time riders. Bikes and safety equipment are supplied and the first session is free. For more information, please go to: www.coventrycyclespeedway.co.uk