REPORT: Home setback for Oxford Spires
BETGOODWIN Oxford Spires suffered a 38-52 home defeat to the King’s Lynn Stars in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium last night (Thursday).
Spires never led, although they did level the scores at 18-18, after a 4-2 from Charles Wright and Maciej Janowski in Heat 6. Spires held a 5-1 in that race, until Chris Harris overtook Janowski on the final lap.
But Stars took the first of three successive heat advantages with a 5-1 in Heat 7 and never looked back. Wright stopped Stars moving further ahead when he swept around Nicolai Klindt to take third with a lap remaining in Heat 10.
Spires’ team manager Peter Schroeck placed Erik Riss into Heat 12 as a tactical substitute and the German won his second successive outing. But Peter Kildemand fell while third, and Spires remained eight points behind. Stars then clinched victory with two heats remaining when Harris switched lines to thrust inside Riss in Heat 13.
Oxford provided only five heat winners, while Riss and Rohan Tungate both scored 10 points apiece for the home side. Niels-Kristian Iversen, King’s Lynn guest Kyle Howarth and Harris won nine races between them for Stars.
Jody Scott – the skipper of the Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by AW Mobbs – made the first of two cameo appearances as Rising Star for King’s Lynn and rode well on his Premiership debut to score two points.
Erik Riss, who won Rider Of The Night, said: “I had a bit of a nightmare before the meeting. We found an issue with the engine I’ve used the last few times around here and I couldn’t use it. I had to jump onto my other bike and use an engine I hadn’t used around here before. My set up wasn’t good, but then we figured out what I had to do and I was fine and won a couple of races.
“As a team, we’re just not doing well enough in the home meetings. It was a different day, but the same story. We know we need to do better as a team for the supporters. We want to win at home for the fans, but it’s not happening.”
German star Riss – along with Francis Gusts from the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs powered by County Plumbing Supplies – qualified for the Grand Prix Challenge last weekend. Both riders are now just five riders away from reaching the 2026 Grand Prix series. The Grand Prix Challenge takes place in Holsted, Denmark in August, with the top four progressing to the GP Series.
Riss added: “Every rider dreams of reaching the Grand Prix series and battling for the World Championship. It was a goal this season to reach the Challenge – so I’ve already achieved that. I’ll be seen as an outsider, because I haven’t made it to that level in the past. I’m going to take it easy in that meeting and see what I can do – I’ve got nothing to lose and a lot to gain.”
For the next couple of days (Friday and Saturday), the attention shifts to Charles Wright, who is riding as the wildcard in both British Grand Prix rounds in Manchester at the National Speedway Stadium. Both meetings are almost sold out.
The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium sees the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs powered by County Plumbing Supplies take on Edinburgh Monarchs in Cab Direct Championship action next Wednesday (June 18) at 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/
BetGoodwin Oxford Spires 38: Charles Wright 4+1, Maciej Janowski 7, Craig Cook 1+1, Rohan Tungate 10, Erik Riss 10, Peter Kildemand 6+1, Luke Killeen 0.
King’s Lynn Stars 52: Richard Lawson 4, Kyle Howarth 10+1, Nicolai Klindt 5+2, Niels-Kristian Iversen 12+2, Chris Harris 13, Jan Kvech 6, Jody Scott 2.
PHOTO: Erik Riss leads Jan Kvech and Nicolai Klindt in Heat 12 (pic: Steve Edmunds)