WELCOME to the latest news from the BSPA, featuring items on all nine competing teams in the Elite League.
BELLE VUE stalwart Joe Screen has stepped down as club captain as he concentrates on finding the solution to mechanical problems which have seriously affected his recent scores.
Screen said: "I had a chat with team manager Chris Morton and promoter David Gordon about the situation and told them I wanted to stand down as captain.
"I said I needed time to sort myself out and that I didn't feel I could do the captaincy job the way I wanted because I was too busy with my own stuff. The decision was down to me and it seems the best thing for the club and myself."
COVENTRY manager Peter Oakes says the Bees are braced for a hectic spell later in the campaign after a sequence of postponements has left them with multiple matches in hand.
Oakes said: "We've still only ridden eight league matches, and some of the other teams have done 15 or 16. I suppose what it means is that we're going to have a super-busy run in the summer and at the tail-end of the season.
"In a strange way it could end up helping us because we could get on that roll that we've done over the last few years. Sometimes that co-incides with having a lot of matches because riders get into racing trim when they do meeting after meeting."
EASTBOURNE promoter Bob Dugard is calling for Eagles fans to support his play-off chasing team after hailing the entertainment on show in their narrow win over Peterborough on Saturday.
Dugard said: "There is plenty to support. The likes of Cameron Woodward with his paid 11, for instance. I thought it was an excellent meeting with good race times so the entertainment is there.
"People should come out and support it. I think I have got to say whatever happens we have got to try to keep GP riders in there."
IPSWICH will have a new-look riding order for their home clash with Poole next Monday - but are yet to confirm whether they will be making a new signing in place of injured captain Chris Louis.
Manager Pete Simmons said: "Our guests came up trumps in our three away wins on the trot, but this facility has gone now and we have a decision to make.
"We are looking for a replacement, but it depends on two things - whether we can attract a suitable rider to agree to come, and also convince ourselves that he would score more than four or five points. That level of scoring would not be good enough."
LAKESIDE have moved into second place in the Elite League table with their third away win of the season at Belle Vue on Monday.
The Hammers have now won eight of their last nine matches with Finnish star Joonas Kylmakorpi producing a series of impressive scores at reserve, including 12 (paid 14) at Kirkmanshulme Lane and Andreas Jonsson suffering no ill-effects from his Swedish GP crash by breaking the Purfleet track record last week.
PETERBOROUGH'S Kenneth Bjerre has ruled himself out of his forthcoming meetings after riding in a World Championship qualifier with a broken leg over the weekend.
Panthers boss Trevor Swales said: "The big question we have to answer is whether there is anyone out there who could score more points than the rider replacement facility is currently gaining.
"If we can find someone that will do a better job we will look to take that route and make a change providing we can secure the necessary authorisation, but I am not revealing who any targets might be."
POOLE promoter Matt Ford is considering a change of race-night next season after admitting football's recent Champions League fixtures have hit crowd figures at Wimborne Road on Wednesdays.
Ford said: "With football being the country's number one sport and with the emergence of the big four English clubs in the Champions' League, something has to be done about our Wednesday race day. We have come up against it on seven or eight occasions already this season.
"I've spoken to Poole Stadium manager Shaun Spencer-Perkins and touted the idea that perhaps we would have to consider Thursday speedway at the stadium to give ourselves every opportunity of attracting a suitable crowd."
SWINDON are back on top of the Elite League after a third away win of the season at Wolverhampton on Monday - with skipper Leigh Adams breaking the Monmore Green track record.
Promoter Alun Rossiter said: "We said last week (at home to Poole) was a bit of a blip, and it's good to come back with this win. The team did well, and James Wright's performance at reserve was a bonus for us.
"I think Leigh Adams was pretty upset after the first race, but we then saw a mean Leigh Adams and there were no prisoners taken after that."
WOLVERHAMPTON have confirmed the appearance of legendary Dane Finn Thomsen at their 80th anniversary celebration meeting on June 30.
The meeting will also include demonstration races featuring Sam Ermolenko, Ronnie Correy and Jan Staechmann. Championship winner Graham Jones is also showing an interest in joining them.
Said Wolves owner Chrs Van Straaten: "We're delighted to confirm the news that Finn and his wife will travel from their Spanish base after I sent out an appeal for information in tracking him down!
"There's a lot of work going into this and it will be an emotional night for sure. We're looking forward to it and all the former riders attending are relishing the prospect of linking up with old friends.”
