Oxford Speedway News

There are TWO Dirt Track meetings coming up at Oxford Stadium - on Friday, September 30th and Friday, October 14th. Do try to support these if you can, as it shows the stadium management that there is a market for motorsport events at the stadium. Press release from All-Terrain Events is as follows:

British Dirt Track has an action packed run in until the end of the season with an array of race events for everyone. The events range from Dirt Track Cross, Dirt Track Oval to a Quad Dirt Track team event, catering for MX, Enduro, Quad, Dirt Trackers and Mini Bike racers there is certainly enough to ensure a busy season end for all racers.

The first event takes place at Oxford Stadium on Friday 30th September, where the Dirt Track Solos, Quads and Mini bikes race on the speedway track for British Championships points with the added attraction of some classic Dirt Track racing.

Following on from that Dirt Track Cross takes centre stage at the Dauntsey venue nr Swindon on Sunday 2nd October. Dirt Track Cross is a new format which is sprint races on a short 1000 metre track with left and right hand turns and small jumps, and is a great way for riders of all abilities to enjoy action packed racing. Classes for this event are MX/Enduro, Quad, Youth Quad, Classic MX, and Mini Bikes.

The show then heads back to Oxford Stadium on the 14th October when the Quad racers compete in a two team event, with Oxford competing against a Reading team. Alongside this the Dirt Track Solos and the Mini Bikes compete in their final British Championship rounds so expect an action packed evening.

Dirt Track events at Oxford are priced at £10 for Adults, £7 Concessions, £3 for Children 12-16 and under 11's going free. For the Dirt Track Cross event at Dauntsey, Adults and Concessions will be £5 with all under 16's going free.

Information on all of our events are on www.britishdirttrack.co.uk or www.qrauk.com or you can email info@allterrainevents.eu or call 07917 117007

Friday 30th September

British Open Dirt Track Championships - Oxford Stadium, Oxford, Dirt Track Solo, Quad Oval, Mini Bikes

Sunday 2nd October

DIRT TRACK CROSS - Dauntsey, Nr Swindon - Dirt Track Cross for MX/Enduro, Quads, Mini Bikes, Classic MX, Youth Quads.

Friday 14th October

British Dirt Track Finale - Oxford Stadium, Oxford, Dirt Track Solo, Quad Oval Team Event, Mini Bikes

Former Oxford Cheetah Greg Hancock re-wrote the speedway history books tonight, by becoming the sport's oldest-ever individual World Champion.

The 41-year-old Californian, who rode for the Cheetahs between 2003 and 2005, finished fourth in the Croatian Grand Prix, thereby putting himself out-of-reach of his nearest rivals.

Hancock was previously World Champion way back in 1997. The gap of 14 years between championships is another record.

Andreas Jonsson won the final, ahead of Englishman Chris Harris, Fredrik Lindgren and Hancock.

OXFORD CHEETAHS UPDATE

The Oxford Speedway Supporters' Club will be holding a barbeque at the Kidlington Green Social Club in Green Road tomorrow (Saturday, September 24th) to coincide with the Croatian Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the 11-round series.

The barbeque starts at 5.30pm, with coverage of the GP from Gorican, Croatia starting at 6.00pm. All the usual fun and games, such as the raffle, Find The Cheetah and the bingo, will take place.

There's bound to be a great atmosphere, as former Cheetah Greg Hancock stands on the brink on being crowned World Champion. The 41-year-old has a massive 31-point lead over nearest challenger Jarek Hampel, and the right result for Greg tomorrow would see him clinch the crown with one round remaining.

Admissions prices are: Adults £8, Children 12-16 £4, Children Under 12 £2. OSSC Members get a £1 reduction on admission.

OXFORD CHEETAHS UPDATE

Thursday, September 22, 2011
BOB KILBY MEMORIAL MEETING (at Swindon):
EXETER FALCONS 35 OXFORD REBELS 32 SWINDON ROBINS 20

Oxford Rebels narrowly missed out on victory in the Bob Kilby memorial meeting at the Abbey Stadium at Swindon.

The Rebels were one point in front going into the final race, and represented in that race by the previously unbeaten Scott Nicholls.

However, with final choice of gate, Nicholls found himself boxed in going into the first bend, and spent the whole race unsuccessfully trying to overhaul Simon Stead. Meanwhile, Rory Schlein (who survived one scary moment, when he bounced off the air fence on the second bend of the final lap!) won the race to clinch the meeting for the Exeter Falcons.

The Rebels got off to a slow start and were trailing after Heat 3, but then six successive heat advantages between Heats 4 & 12 put them in with a great chance of overall victory.

Oxford were not involved in Heat 1, which ended in a 4-2 to Swindon over Exeter – Swindon’s only heat advantage of the night.

Nicholls led all the way in Heat 2 ahead of Jesper B Monberg, but with Richard Sweetnam overhauling Lubos Tomicek on the opening lap, the heat was shared 3-3 between Oxford and Swindon.

The Rebels were left trailing coming out of the gate in Heat 3, but Charlie Gjedde stormed inside Mark Lemon down the back straight, almost passing race-leader Lewis Bridger as well, but Bridger held on. A battle ensued for third, with David Howe briefly into third, but Lemon repassing him. A 4-2 to Exeter and scores after 3 races read: Swindon 7, Exeter 6, Oxford 5.

Heat 4 was re-run after the bike of Kenny Ingalls set on fire at the tapes at the first attempt to run the race, needing a fire extinguisher to put it out! Nicholls was leading at the time of the stoppage, and again trapped in the re-run, to head home Stead, as the Rebels moved into a joint lead with the Robins.

In Heat 5, a 5-1 for Bridger and Lemon over Sweetnam, with Monberg pulling out with machinery problems, thrust the Falcons from last to first.

Gjedde kept a challenging Schlein at bay in Heat 6, and with Howe in third ahead of Kyle Newman, the Rebels took a 4-2 over the Falcons. Scores after 6 races: Exeter 13, Oxford 13, Swindon 10.

Heat 7 was the best race of the evening. Lemon was the early leader, but he was overhauled by Stead at the end of the first lap. Bridger then took second from his team-mate, and a fine battle for the lead between Stead and Bridger ensued, with Bridger eventually coming out on top.

Gjedde & Howe gated in Heat 8, but Monberg moved past Howe into second place on the second bend, to restrict the Rebels to a 4-2.

Nicholls kept up his unbeaten record in Heat 9, keeping comfortably ahead of Schlein, while Tomicek took third to leave the Rebels ahead after 9 races: Oxford 21, Exeter 19, Swindon 14.

Tactical rides were permitted in this meeting even if a team were 6 points or more behind the leaders, so Heat 10 saw Swindon boss Jan Staechmann nominate Stead for double points. The move did not pay off, as Gjedde & Howe rocketed from the start. Gjedde held back to team-ride for a couple of laps, then moved off to secure the win, while Howe kept his old rival Stead at bay. The 5-1 to the Rebels killed off any challenge from Swindon in the meeting.

A quirk of the rules saw Exeter allowed a tactical ride in Heat 11 – there were 7 points behind Oxford, but largely because they had rode in one race less! Schlein & Newman got out in front for the Falcons, but Monberg raced around Newman on the opening lap. However, Monberg ground to a halt on the third lap, and Newman (having fended off the challenge of Sweetnam) moved back into second place. An 8-1 to Exeter to move them into the lead by one point.

Heat 12 saw the clash of the two unbeaten riders in Nicholls and Bridger. It turned into something of an anti-climax, with Bridger making a shocking start and then pulling up from fourth place with bike problems. Meanwhile, Nicholls cut back to move inside early race-leader Lemon on the second bend of the second lap, to take a lead he never surrendered. A 4-2 to the Rebels who moved back into the lead with just one race remaining: Oxford 30, Exeter 29, Swindon 16.

The decisive Heat 13 saw all three teams represented by their top scorer, with double points on offer. Gate positions were decided with the lowest placed team getting first choice, and the leading team having last choice. As already mentioned, Nicholls and the Oxford Rebels missed out - but it had been an entertaining night with the Rebels in contention right up the end and Swindon soundly beaten!

SWINDON ROBINS 20
Simon Stead 3 2 2 1! 4# (12)
Kenny Ingalls 1 X 0 0 (1)
Jesper B Monberg 2 R 2 R (4)
Richard Sweetnam 1* 1 0 1 (3+1)
Team manager: Jan Staechmann

OXFORD REBELS 32
Scott Nicholls 3 3 3 3 2# (14)
Lubos Tomicek 0 1 1 1 (3)
Charlie Gjedde 2 3 3 3 (11)
David Howe 0 1 1 2* (4+1)
Team manager: Mick Bell

EXETER FALCONS 35
Rory Schlein 2 2 2 6! 6# (18)
Kyle Newman 0 0 0 2* (2+1)
Lewis Bridger 3 3 3 R (9)
Mark Lemon 1 2* 1 2 (6+1)
Team managers: Ron Byford & Tony Lethbridge
Referee: Jim Lawrence

! = tactical ride
# = top scorers race – double points

HEAT DETAILS:
1: Stead (S), Schlein (E), Ingalls (S), Newman (E), 66.52 (S4 O0 E2).
2: Nicholls (O), Monberg (S), Sweetnam (S), Tomicek (O), 67.18 (S7 O3 E2).
3: Bridger (E), Gjedde (O), Lemon (E), Howe (O), 67.99 (S7 O5 E6).
4: (Re-run) Nicholls (O), Stead (S), Tomicek (O), Ingalls (S) (excluded / cause of stoppage), 67.83 (S9 O9 E6).
5: Bridger (E), Lemon (E), Sweetnam (S), Monberg (S) ret), 67.43 (S10 O9 E11).
6: Gjedde (O), Schlein (E), Howe (O), Newman (E), 68.05 (S10 O13 E13).
7: Bridger (E), Stead (S), Lemon (E), Ingalls (S), 68.48 (S12 O13 E17).
8: Gjedde (O), Monberg (S), Howe (O), Sweetnam (S), 68.49 (S14 O17 E17).
9: Nicholls (O), Schlein (E), Tomicek (O), Newman (E), 67.49 (S14 O21 E19).
10: Gjedde (O), Howe (O), Stead (S) (TR), Ingalls (S), 68.71 (S15 O26 E19).
11: Schlein (E) (TR), Newman (E), Sweetnam (S), Monberg (S) (ret), 68.71 (S16 O26 E27).
12: Nicholls (O), Lemon (E), Tomicek (O), Bridger (E) (ret), 68.68 (S16 O30 E29).
13 (top scorers – double points): Schlein (E), Stead (S), Nicholls (O), 68.52 (S20 O32 E35).

REPORT: ROBERT PEASLEY.

Thursday, September 22, 2011
BOB KILBY MEMORIAL MEETING (at Swindon):
EXETER FALCONS 35 OXFORD REBELS 32 SWINDON ROBINS 20

Oxford Rebels narrowly missed out on victory in the Bob Kilby memorial meeting at the Abbey Stadium at Swindon tonight.

The Rebels were one point in front going into the final race, but the previously unbeaten Scott Nicholls could only trail in third place. Rory Schlein won the race to clinch the meeting for Exeter.

Charlie Gjedde was in fine form for Oxford scoring 11 points out of 12.

Scorers:
Swindon 20: Simon Stead 12, Kenny Ingalls 1, Jesper B Monberg 4, Richard Sweetnam 3+1.
Oxford 32: Scott Nicholls 14, Lubos Tomicek 3, Charlie Gjedde 11, David Howe 4+1.
Exeter 35: Rory Schlein 18, Kyle Newman 2+1, Lewis Bridger 9, Mark Lemon 6+1.

Full report to follow tomorrow.