WELCOME to the latest news from the BSPA, featuring items on all nine competing teams in the Elite League.
LYNCH BACKS THE YOUNG GUNS
NEW Great Britain boss Jim Lynch is backing the younger generation to challenge for a place in the British Grand Prix.
For the second successive season, the highest placed rider outside GP regulars Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris in the British Final will go to the Millennium Stadium as the Wild Card - and the next two will be meeting reserves.
The British Final takes place at Swindon on Thursday, May 29 - and Lynch is excited by the prospect of a new generation of riders challenging the established stars.
He said: "I don't buy into all the doom and gloom about the national side, we have some exciting youngsters who are ready to explode onto the big stage.
"Established lads like Joe Screen, Gary Havelock and Chris Louis are ready to step aside and let the new boys come through. I'll be interested to see what the likes of Tai Woffinden and Adam Roynon can do in the British Final.
"I would think lads like Lee Richardson, Simon Stead and David Howe will be knocking on the door for Cardiff but it wouldn't surprise me if we saw one of the younger lads making a strong claim.
"The British Final also carries qualifying places for the 2009 World Championship rounds, not to mention the prestigious British title itself!"
The field will be known shortly with Lynch having the facility of three wildcard picks at his discretion alongside the three British Under-21 qualifiers and the top 10 in average order.
(ELITE LEAGUE LATEST)
BELLE VUE are contemplating their team strengthening options as they could be without Billy Forsberg and Steve Boxall for much of the month of May - although Lukas Jankowski is set to return this week.
Manager Chris Morton said: "We have a busy schedule in May so it is a real problem being without Forsberg and Boxall, especially as both of them were doing well when they were injured.
"I am still searching for a suitable signing and considering plans for the rest of the month. I have discussed possibilities with a number of riders but I cannot name any names yet. Two riders have to ld me they could be available to ride for us in June but that is no good to us at the moment."
COVENTRY manager Peter Oakes saluted his team's attitude in two spectacular Bank Holiday wins - a dramatic Craven Shield comeback at home to Poole, followed by their first away win of the season at local rivals Wolverhampton.
Oakes said: "You could see on Friday night when we got into the Craven Shield Final that everyone got an enormous lift, and that shows you how confidence plays it part.
"I know it might have got a bit boring and clichéd earlier in the season when we said there was an awful long way to go, but now we've pulled three points back with an away win so we're more or less on a level keel."
EASTBOURNE manager Trevor Geer's decision to select Edward Kennett for a crucial Heat 15 against Swindon was justified when the youngster salvaged a match-clinching third place with an overtaking move on Travis McGowan.
Geer said: "Scotty (Nicholls) was a definite choice but we didn't know whether to go with Lee (Richardson) or Ed. Lee was popping out of the gate but Edward was fantastic in Heat 13. I just thought with Leigh Adams out there we needed a real battler.
"Lee is still suffering with his wrist so I thought 'Edward's fit, he'll take it.' There was a bit of a conflab in the pits but I really wanted Edward out there."
IPSWICH have declared Steve Johnston as their new team captain with Chris Louis set for a long spell out after breaking his upper right arm last month.
Manager Pete Simmons said: "We considered Jarek Hampel to replace Chris as skipper, but went for Steve as he gets around the pits and there will be no possible language barrier with him.
"I saw Chris and he had just gone back to see his specialist as his hand has swollen. He will be missed, and we will not know for how long for a month or so. Then the injury should have settled down, and we have around a month's grace before he ceases to be or No.1, an d have time to assess whether to re-declare our one-to-seven."
LAKESIDE promoter Stuart Douglas is relishing the prospect of the Craven Shield Final against Coventry - having kept in touch with the Bees' remarkable comeback against Poole in the semi-final.
Douglas said: "We were celebrating a good home win against a team (Ipswich) that had given us a wake up call earlier in the season, but we had one ear on developments up at Coventry where we knew the Bees were mounting a strong fightback.
"I must admit that I thought Poole had done enough but it just shows that the Shield has significant importance this year, because Coventry fought bravely to battle through to face us in the final. The two legs are going to see an epic battle at Brandon and back here at the Arena Essex raceway. I know both teams really want this trophy."
PETERBOROUGH manager Trevor Swales sprung to the defence of captain Hans Andersen who scored an uncharacteristically low eight points from si x rides in another heavy Panthers defeat at Ipswich.
Swales said: "We simply cannot expect to rely on Hans in every meeting. He is one of the most professional riders I have ever known, but it is not realistic to expect him to score maximums home and away every time he gets on his bike.
"He had arguably his worst meeting for the club at Ipswich, but you won't find me knocking him. The major problem is that when Hans does have an off-day there are no other riders weighing in with loads of points to cover for him."
POOLE will not be able to make a second team change in time for this week's trip to Peterborough due to concerns over the availability of their main target.
The Pirates have already introduced club asset Krzysztof Kasprzak to cover for injured skipper Bjarne Pedersen (broken wrist) but were hoping to make a further re-declaration.
Promoter Matt Ford said: "Over the weekend it had looked hopeful that we would be able to introduce a new rider who I rea lly believed would have come in and done a job for us, but there was a big question mark over how long he would be willing to come to us for and whether he would have been available for sufficient meetings. I respect the fact that the rider was up-front with us."
SWINDON manager Alun Rossiter has no concerns about his team's ability to bounce back after suffering away defeats against Eastbourne and Poole over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Rossiter said: "It was a bad night at the office (at Poole) that was plagued with various gremlins throughout. The key is not to let our heads drop and remain positive. There is a long way to go in this season and we are still top of the Elite League.
"These youngsters will come on strong again, tonight just hasn't been our night. We've had a great run and with such a string of good scores this result has acted as a reminder of how hard we need to work."
WOLVERHAMPTON duo David Howe and Christian Hefenbrock are facing a race against time to be fit for the trip to Ipswich on Thursday.
Both riders crashed in Heat 11 of Monday's agonising 45-44 defeat by Coventry at Monmore Green.
Parrys International Wolves boss Peter Adams said: "Both have to be rated as doubtful after what happened in that race.
"David was badly knocked about and is generally battered and bruised and Christian went back out in the re-run just to pick up the formality of a point. It's a tough time for us but we will continue to strive for some away wins to get our season back on track."
