Oxford boss heralds value of WSRA National League, ahead of Chargers’ clash at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on Sunday

OXFORD SPEEDWAY promoter Jamie Courtney has lauded the ongoing impact that the WSRA National League has had on British Speedway, ahead of the big clash between the two sides who have won the competition for the last four seasons at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on Sunday afternoon (August 23) at 3pm, when defending champions Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers host the Leicester Lion Cubs.

Accompanied children are again free, as they are throughout the whole season at Oxford Speedway.

With season completed for Oxford Cheetahs, it’s Chargers who take the spotlight at Sandy Lane, starting from Sunday’s mouth-watering clash.

Both Senna Summers and Harry Fletcher has passed fitness tests to ride for Chargers on Sunday. Fletcher picked up a knock to his knee at Buxton earlier this month, while Summers has been out of action for around a couple of months.

Jamie Courtney won a third-tier league championship himself at Oxford, when he was part of the Oxford Silver Machine Academy side that won the 2005 Conference League, when he was 17-years-old.

He says: “When it comes down to it the only real way of marking the strength of a development league is to ask a simple question: ‘Is it producing riders for the higher tiers?’

“From the point of view of the two teams in action at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on Sunday afternoon, the answer is a resounding yes.

“From Leicester, think Joe and Dan Thompson, Max Perry, Vinnie Foord and Ryan Ingram. The Chargers have given a solid foundation to Jordan Jenkins, Luke Killeen, Jody Scott and Darryl Ritchings.

“Elsewhere Freddy Hodder, Sam Hagon, Ace Pijper, Dayle Wood and Luke Harrison have all come through the ranks in the past couple of years, along with Cooper Rushen and Will Cairns.

“Go back slightly further to the first year of the Chargers in 2022 and the likes of Leon Flint, Jason Edwards, Jake Mulford and Jack Smith were pushing their way through the ranks.

“At the end of the day, whether it’s a final of a Grand Prix, or Heat 2 of a WSRA National League fixture, whenever four speedway riders go to the tapes the opportunity for excitement is high, and I’m sure it will be a tremendous meeting on Sunday afternoon.”

Going further back, Britain’s last World Champion, Tai Woffinden, plus current British Grand Prix stars Robert Lambert and Dan Bewley started off in British speedway’s third tier.

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

Admission is available at the early bird price of £13 for all adults, which increases to £15 on Race Day. All under-16s go free. Ultimate Season Passes ARE valid for this meeting.

Please note, as usual with Chargers, the Unipart car park is NOT available for this meeting. On-site parking at the stadium is available for just £2, but it must be purchased at the same time as your online ticket. Any parking passes still apply. Please allow extra time due to the current roadworks around the area.

On Race Day, there is now also the chance to buy tickets (plus parking) by cash or card at the box office (opening time to be advised).

A full preview for Sunday afternoon will follow later.

PHOTO by Steve Edmunds