PREVIEW: Monarch Cheetahs return to home action after a three-week break
Oxford Cheetahs return to British Speedway Championship action on Wednesday night after a three-week absence when hosting Newcastle Diamonds at Oxford Stadium (7.30pm).
The Monarch Cheetahs experienced mixed results in the first half of their league campaign, winning four of their eleven meetings including victories on the road to Birmingham and tonight’s guests.
It leaves Jason Crump’s side outside the four-team play-off frame in eighth with 13 points secured from 11 meetings.
Despite this, club coach Peter Schroeck is confident Cheetahs’ summer break would have served his riders well and hopes a positive performance against Newcastle tonight can spark a turnaround in fortunes.
“We’re not quite where we wanted to be in the table, but that’s testament to the competitive nature of Championship speedway,” said Schroeck. “Our results against Birmingham prove just because you beat a team on the road does not guarantee you success at home.
“We need to be aware of this when Newcastle visit tonight. They will be disappointed with where they are in the table and determined to prove a point.
“We require a solid run of results between now and the middle of August if we’re to challenge for a play-off spot, so the hard work begins tonight. We’ve got the advantage of racing more meetings at home between now and the end of the season, but that counts for little unless everyone is firing on all cylinders.
“Every rider has contributed so far, but we’re yet to get everyone racing to their true potential at the same time. When we unlock this, we know we can be a dangerous team.”
Following sell-out fixtures against Scunthorpe Scorpions and Poole Pirates, Cheetahs’ management have been encouraged by crowd sizes in ties against Birmingham and Redcar.
Schroeck is particularly keen to tap into Oxford’s ‘lost generation’ and hopes more youngsters will try speedway for the first time during the summer months.
“We’ve got a huge run of Championship fixtures coming up, and then the Summer Trophy to focus on,” said Schroeck. “It’s been fantastic to see so many people living in the city who never experienced speedway before connect with the sport.
“Our challenge is to retain their interests and hopefully the outstanding racing our riders are delivering week in week out can ensure our regeneration campaign continues to be a success.”
Tickets for the Monarch Cheetahs’ fixture against Newcastle are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here. Adults are priced £18 with juniors gaining entry for £6. Children U12 can watch for £1.