HUGE NIGHT IN PROSPECT FOR PLAY-OFF HOPEFULS

BELLE Vue aim to kick off the second half of their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership campaign in style on Monday, June 24, 7.30pm when they face the Leicester Lions at the National Speedway Stadium.

The Mancunians’ attention turns to home after being almost a month since they were last in action in front of their home crowd, and the team is anxious to make it a good night.

With temperatures set to soar on race night, club bosses are urging fans to turn out in force to support the ATPI Aces as the race for the top four intensifies.

With captain Brady Kurtz now targeting July 1 for his return to the helm of Belle Vue, the club will operate Rider Replacement at No.1, with the rest of his team mates able to take his rides.

Leicester, meanwhile, are at full strength with former Aces skipper Max Fricke leading the side, and who recently returned to full-time Speedway Grand Prix action in place of Jason Doyle.

The Lions suffered a heavy defeat to Ipswich last week and, like Belle Vue, are looking to bounce back and return to winning ways, but the home team will not be making things easy.

Club boss Mark Lemon said: “This will be a meeting between two very evenly matched teams and both are very much in the hunt for a place in the end-of-season play offs.

“I’m hopeful that it won’t be too much longer for Brady to return to us. He is targeting July 1 to be back with the team and though he is still recovering, he is able to manage the injury. 

“Leicester have a similar goal to us in this meeting. They took a heavy loss at Ipswich and will be very keen to set the record straight, particularly with our last encounter in mind.

“Even without our usual 1-7 we’re more than capable of replicating our performance and I back the Aces to do their jobs even with the added pressure of having no Brady.

“We we won’t underestimate the Lions, with the calibre of riders they have and especially led by our Belle Vue asset and SGP rider Max Fricke, and we expect them to put up a fight.

The Belle Vue ‘ATPI’ Aces take to the shale at the National Speedway Stadium on Monday, June 24 against the Leicester Lions, commencing the second half of their top flight campaign. 

Belle Vue ‘ATPI’ Aces: Brady Kurtz R/R 8.87, Norick Blodorn 5.40, Jaimon Lidsey 7.82, Ben cook 6.60, Dan Bewley (C) 8.26, Connor mountain 4.62, Connor Bailey RS; TM: Mark Lemon

Leicester ‘Watling JCB’ Lions: Max Fricke (C) 8.32, Richard Lawson 6.76, Sam Masters 6.61, Luke Becker 6.30, Ryan Douglas 7.58, Craig Cook 5.03, Sam Hagon RS; TM: Stewart Dickson