PREVIEW: Final curtain call for Spires *Meeting now postponed*

* PLEASE note this meeting has now been postponed due to the weather *

BETGOODWIN Oxford Spires are looking to finish their 2025 fixtures on a high, when they entertain the Leicester Lions in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on Thursday evening (September 4) at 7.30pm. It will be the final chance to see top-flight action at Cowley this season.

Spires will finish sixth in the table, ahead of bottom club Birmingham. Meanwhile, Leicester are hoping for a victory which could propel them into second place ahead of play-offs, also dependent on the two fixtures between Ipswich and Sheffield this week.

With the advent of the September Green Sheet averages, Erik Riss moves to No 1 for Spires. However, the German is still ruled out through a long-term illness, and Richard Lawson – who recent scored 12+1 for King’s Lynn at Cowley – will come in as the guest replacement.

Spires’ skipper Maciej Janowski finished ninth in the Polish Grand Prix in his hometown Wroclaw last weekend. The former World No 3 scored six points in the heats, before finishing last in his semi-final and being eliminated. Lions are led by Australian Max Fricke, who is currently seventh in the World Championship standings.

Oxford manager Peter Schroeck says: “We’d love to win against the Leicester Lions. It’s been a tough season for Spires, but I know how much the boys want to win their last home meeting of the season, and give the fans something to celebrate. Every team wants to finish their season with a victory.

“It’s also the last chance to see the top boys racing at Oxford this season – last weekend, both Maciej and Max Fricke were battling against the best riders in the world in the Polish Grand Prix. Now there’s an opportunity to see them doing battle around the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium.

“With the averages changing and Erik moving to No 1, we made the decision to not include Mitch McDiarmid, because it would have not be fair on Mitch to use him at No 1. Therefore, we’ve booked Richard Lawson, who top-scored for King’s Lynn in the previous ROWE Motor Oil Premiership meeting at Oxford.

“Richard has already put in some good performances in previous guest appearances for Spires. We wanted the very best guest we could track, because we’re seeking to go out with a victory. My sincere thanks go to the fans who has supported the Spires all season, and I hope we can give them a last meeting to cherish.”

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

Admission is available at the early bird price of £23 for all adults, which increases to £25 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. Spectators are also reminded that they will need to pay £2 if they are planning to park in the Unipart car park.

It’s the final home meeting of the season for Spires and the 30th meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium this season, but not the final action at Cowley this season, since the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs powered by County Plumbing Supplies still have at least two home meetings left. Both the Cheetahs and Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by AW Mobbs – who are currently top of the WSRA National League – are still in the hunt for silverware this season.

Teams:

BetGoodwin Oxford Spires: Richard Lawson (G), Victor Palovaara, Rohan Tungate, Maciej Janowski (C), Charles Wright, Peter Kildemand, Luke Killeen (RS).

Watling JCB Leicester Lions: Max Fricke (C), Luke Becker, Ryan Douglas, Kyle Howarth, Sam Masters, Drew Kemp, Joe Thompson (RS).

PHOTO by Ian Wagstaff