PREVIEW: Oxford Spires entertain league leaders

OXS Oxford Spires are seeking to add three ROWE Motor Oil Premiership points to their account, when they host the world-famous Belle Vue Aces at Oxford Stadium for the first time in 17 years on Thursday evening (7.30pm).

As well as the two points for victory, there is also an aggregate bonus point at stake, after Belle Vue beat Spires by 51-39 at the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester last Monday. Aces went top of the table after a victory over King’s Lynn this Monday.

Belle Vue are the most successful team in British Speedway history, having been top-flight league champions on 11 separate occasions. Oxford have won five top-flight championships of their own, and Thursday night will the first top-level clash between the two great clubs at Sandy Lane since 2007.

Both sides are due to unchanged from last Monday. Craig Cook will make his home debut for Spires, after impressive away performances at Sheffield and Belle Vue, while it will also be the first home meeting since Australian Champion Rohan Tungate moved to No 1 for Spires.

Belle Vue are led by British Grand Prix star Dan Bewley, who makes his first appearance at Oxford Stadium. Bewley won the 2022 British GP at Cardiff and is currently sixth in the world standings after three rounds in 2024.

Team manager Peter Schroeck said: “The boys go into the meeting knowing exactly what we need to do. It’s essential to win your home meetings, that’s the minimum, while we haven’t ruled out the aggregate bonus point by any means because I feel we’re more than capable of pulling back the 12 points.

“Our track is very different to Belle Vue, plus four of their side haven’t ridden around our track before. Our track is very fair and it’s a track that many visiting riders enjoy, but we’ll be looking to be firing from the off and pulling those points back.

“Belle Vue are currently flying high in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership table and much of that is based on their 100% record so far in picking up the aggregate points. It would be very nice to be the first team to take the bonus point off the Aces this season and I honestly think we’re capable of doing it.

“Belle Vue are a big club, full of speedway history, and the Aces haven’t been at Oxford for many years. It will be a fabulous occasion to have Dan Bewley and the rest of the Aces competing at Oxford Stadium, but we’re keen to send them back to Manchester with no league points to show for their efforts. It promises to be a fabulous evening.”

Tickets are already on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Admission is available at the early bird price of £22 for all adults, which increases to £24 on Race Day. All under-16s go free. A reminder that Oxford Speedway is online ticket sales only – tickets remain on sale on the website until the start-time of the meeting.

Teams:

OXS Oxford Spires: Rohan Tungate, Erik Riss, Charles Wright, Maciej Janowski, Chris Harris (C), Craig Cook, Ashton Boughen (RS).

Belle Vue Aces: Brady Kurtz R/R, Norick Blodorn, Jaimon Lidsey, Ben Cook, Dan Bewley, Connor Mountain, Connor Bailey (RS).

PHOTO: Action from Oxford v King’s Lynn last month, the previous Premiership action at Sandy Lane (pic: Steve Edmunds)