Whereeaglesdaretofly

The Eagles need a new promoter to step in and take financial control for 2010 if they are to continue. See the story below.

Eagles eye replacements

Eastbourne Eagles have put Polish Grand Prix rider Grzegorz Walasek top of their hit lost to replace David Norris.

After talk of a comeback, Norris now looks like missing the rest of the season with an arm injury.

Eagles are keen to sign a stand-in rather than continue to operate rider-replacement.

Walasek, currently 15th in the GP standings, looks most able and willing to fit their remaining fixtures into his busy schedule.

The former Poole rider, 32, races for Zielona Gora in his homeland and alongside Eagles reserve Simon Gustafsson for Indianerna in Sweden.

Eagles have been interested in the 19-year-old Gdansk rider for some time and have been told by his manager he could be interested in gaining experience in the English league.

Mikael Max has been unable offer a definite reply to Eagles' offers of a team place.

Antonio Lindback, Greg Laguta and Seb Alden have also been considered and Eagles even made a tentative enquiry as to whether Mark Loram was ready to begin his comeback from long-term injury.

Eagles could move for Piotr Swiderski if they still need a rider and the Pole is let go by Ipswich, as seems possible.

Promoter Bob Dugard admits the time is right to make a signing, albeit on a tight budget.

He said: "We've been looking all over the place because rider-replacement doesn't really work for us at the moment.

"We can only offer riders peanuts compared to what they earn in Poland and Sweden.

"But Vaculik needs experience. He is interested but he is also busy and it could depend on his manager's input.

"David is going to be out for about three months now and that's the end of his season really.

"He has got a big protection over his burned arm and he can't hold on to a bike."

Eagles are still hunting for guests for Saturday's home clash with Peterborough.

Lukas Dryml and Davey Watt both miss the meeting due to GP qualifiers, as do Ales Dryml and Arlington specialist Kenneth Bjerre for the Panthers.

The sides lock horns at Alwalton tonight (7.30pm) with both looking to end bad runs.

Eagles, who name a first-choice side with the exception of Norris, have failed to take a point from their last three meetings.

They were hammered 53-40 at Peterborough earlier this season but scored an impressive win there late last year.

Panthers, for whom Ales Dryml also misses out tonight, are in a slump of their own.

They were spared what would probably have been a fourth straight defeat when their fixture at Wolverhampton on Monday was rained off.

New averages see Lewis Bridger move to No.1 for Eagles while Kenneth Hansen replaces Henning Bager in the home top five.

Geer defiant on play-offs

Trevor Geer insists his off-colour Eastbourne Eagles can still make the four-team Elite League play-offs.

But their hopes are receding fast after they suffered a second dispiriting home defeat in succession in losing 50-40 to a powerful Swindon outfit last night.

Other than a wholehearted performance from No.1-in-waiting Lewis Bridger, three super wins for Lukas Dryml and a late revival by Simon Gustafsson, it was poor stuff against a Robins side with no weak links.

Ricky Kling faded after winning heat two, Cameron Woodward tried hard for little reward and Davey Watt’s stint in the No.1 berth ended in depressing fashion.

Watt misses this Saturday’s home clash with Peterborough due to a GP qualifier and a break from the Sussex track could not have come at a better time after a poor run for the skipper.

With promoter Bob Dugard stepping down and no replacement lined up, there is an undeniably depressed air around Arlington at the moment which not even a glorious summer’s evening could lift.

Geer did his best to be upbeat after what was a poor result and pretty ordinary meeting.

“We could go to Wolverhampton next Monday and win or Peterborough and win with the side we’ve got. They are capable of doing it.

“It’s still our aim to get in the play-offs. This was always going to be a tough one with the side Swindon have got.”

At least Dryml gave his flag-waving fan club on the home straight something to cheer. The Czech got the evening off to stunning start, keeping a tight inside line to fend off Leigh Adams to the chequered flag in heat one.

Eagles kept that two-point buffer through the next four heats with Dryml adding another scorching win, this time over Matej Zagar.

Then the tables turned. Zagar won heat six in style to lead a 4-2 before two 5-1s followed to put the Robins firmly in charge.

Travis McGowan and Simon Stead squeezed out Dryml in heat seven and Ryan Fisher and McGowan rode Woodward out of it in the next race to put their team eight points clear.

McGowan produced another great ride in heat ten, holding off Watt and Bridger for a 3-3 when Eagles desperately needed a heat advantage.

Bridger and Gustafsson, the latter at last making a gate after three last places, halved the deficit with a heat 13 maximum but Swindon’s reply was instant and emphatic as Adams and Zagar left Watt and Dryml trailing way behind them. Watt did not even finish, falling on his own at the end of the third lap.

Swindon had it won in heat 14 with a 3-3 behind Gustafsson and ensured maximum points with a 4-2 led by Adams in the nominated race.

Eagles: Bridger 14 (6), Dryml 11 (6), Gustafsson 5+1 (5), Watt 4+1 (4), Woodward 3+2 (5), Kling 3 (4), Norris r/r.

Swindon: Adams 13 (5), McGowan 11+2 (5), Zagar 11+1 (5), Fisher 9+3 (7), Stead 4+1 (6), Hurry 2+1 (3), Pavlic r/r

Comment: It's no bluff from Dugard

But fans wondering whether his decision to quit as Eastbourne Eagles promoter was taken in haste should think again.

Nor did it really have much to do with Coventry’s team building and his subsequent outburst over the Arlington loudspeakers recently.

Dugard knew he was stepping down well before the Bees brought in Scott Nicholls.

When he confirmed his decision to The Argus at Arlington last Saturday night, he did so in a lengthy written statement over which he had clearly taken his time.

He would have retired last winter had he not felt obliged to keep Eagles running for the sake of the league.

Sport and business are facing tough financial times and speedway is no exception. It will get worse before it gets better.

Elite League clubs decided last winter they would dip into their combined savings this year to see them through a tough season.

You can only use that money once and each track is likely to receive about £20,000 less from central funds next term.

That raiding of the piggy back, by the way, explains why Dugard was so angry when Coventry, as he saw it at the time, upped the financial stakes by bringing back Nicholls.

Yet if anyone really wanted to break into the world of speedway promoting, where better to start than Arlington?

As one well-placed source pointed out to The Argus this week, you have got an established club and support, nice stadium, well-prepared track, a few riders and you don’ t have to buy the club.

Dugard will back you financially. He will even drive around the track on his tractor tending the shale.

It is tempting to think something will turn up, tell yourself a saviour will come along. But top-flight teams at Oxford and Reading have both slipped away in the past three years.

Whatever your feelings might be about speedway, one of Sussex’s few long-established professional sports club’s is in trouble.

Dugard bombshell for Eagles

Veteran promoter Bob Dugard has plunged the future of Eastbourne Eagles into doubt by revealing plans to step down.

Dugard, 67, has told The Argus he will call it a day at the end of the season but has pledged his full backing, including sponsorship, to his successor should one come forward.

He cites various reasons for his decision, including increasing problems with speedway’s congested fixture list, difficulty in keeping home-produced young riders and financial concerns.

However he insists Eagles have the infra-structure in place to offer a younger, ambitious top man the chance to run a thriving Elite League club.

In a lengthy statement handed to The Argus ahead of Saturday night’s shock 49-41 home defeat to lively Belle Vue, Dugard admitted there were no guarantees Eagles would continue to race beyond this autumn.

He wrote: “If a replacement cannot be found and, heaven forbid, Eastbourne closes it may be not such a bad thing.

“Most stadiums seem to benefit from a two or three year sabbatical by which time the GPs may have lost their appeal (if the current level of entertainment is any yardstick).”

He admitted: “At the age of 67 I cannot maintain the level of interest required to win leagues.

“There are too many complications involved for me at this stage, fighting against clubs that want to win at any financial cost by buying a team which fits the maximum averages and then drop riders at will to improve by a fraction of points.”

Dugard was angered recently when Coventry went against what he felt was the spirit of the Elite League with team changes which included a return for GP rider Scott Nicholls.

He was also disillusioned by the loss of Edward Kennett in the close season, claiming in the statement it demolished his team plans.

Eagles are on course to run at a loss greater then the £50,000 for which Dugard initially budgeted and he admits competition from the Grand Prix series and other international meetings makes it tough for the club to run with their first choice team on their preferred Saturday nights.

He has called for a drastic cut in the number of Saturday night Grands Prix and argues qualifying meetings for the following year’s series should always be staged at the same time as the current season’s GPs.

He also wants the World Team Cup for under-21s to be scrapped The Dugard family, who own Arlington Stadium, have been synonymous with the Eagles for generations.

Dugard took a more low-profile role to allow first Bob Brimson, then Martin Hagon to make a go of running the club.

However neither man lasted more than one season in charge, leaving Dugard as the front man again with team manager Trevor Geer as his co-promoter.

Privately Dugard has been keen to bring in a new boss for months but now he has chosen to go public.

He will tell fellow Elite League bosses of his plans at a promoters’ meeting tomorrow.

He said: “I sincerely hope a replacement can be found to keep speedway at Eastbourne.

“We have a great management team headed up by Trevor Geer and that is why I’ve devoted so much time and effort.

“The new promoter will be stepping into a ready-to-race stadium and can have free use of my rider assets.

“They would, however, have to stand behind any losses or gains, be responsible for all promotional activities and must be prepared to give a lot of time to the project.”

Dugard’s chances of bowing out with a play-off appearance receded as, in the absence of Lewis Bridger and with Simon Gustafsson struggling through injury, Eagles were well beaten by lowly Belle Vue.

Bridger was away qualifying for the World Under-21 Championship final by finishing fourth in his semi in Hungary while Gustafsson never recovered from various knocks incurred in a heat-two crash.

No home rider got near Krzysztof Kasprzak as he scored five wins out of five while Charlie Gjedde was a key man in his first meeting down at reserve and former Eagle Ulrich Ostergaard chipped in well.

The night started badly when Kenneth Hansen, guesting for Bridger, broke the tapes in heat one and ended worse when Lukas Dryml fell under no pressure on the final bend of the last race, gifting Aces the 4-2 they needed to take a four-point haul.

Davey Watt and Dryml managed to impede each other in heat 13 and victory beckoned for Aces in heat 14 when Cameron Woodward clipped Gjedde’s back wheel and was excluded.

Only Ricky Kling emerged with any credit from the evening and fans probably thought things could not get any worse.

Eagles: Dryml 9+1 (6), Watt 9 (5), Woodward 8 (5), Kling 8 (6), Gustafsson 5+1 (5), Hansen 2+2 (4), Norris r/r.

Belle Vue: Kasprzak 15 (5), Gjedde 12+2 (7), Ostergaard 10+1 (6), Risager 7 (5), Wright 3+1 (4), Ashworth 2+1 (3), Hougaard r/r.

Standings: Swindon (17 meetings) 40pts, Wolverhampton (15) 35, Peterborough (18) 31, Lakeside (19) 30, Coventry (18) 28, Eagles (18) 26, Ipswich (14) 15, Belle Vue (15) 15, Poole (17) 11.

Eagles crash at home - a bridge(r) too far

Eastbourne Eagles suffered a massive blow to their play-off hopes by losing to Belle Vue tonight.

The lowly Aces were deserved 49-41 winners at Arlington against an Eagles outfit lacking their usual spark.

Eastbourne suffered five exclusions, including a heat one tapes offence by Kenneth Hansen as he guested for the badly missed Lewis Bridger.

The final insult came when Lukas Dryml fell on the last bend of the last race to gift Aces a full four-point haul for winning by more than six.

Super-fast Pole Krzysztof Kasprzak was in a class of his own as he sped to five convincing wins out of five.

He got great help from Charlie Gjedde, in his first meeting down at No.7, and former Eagles reserve Ulrich Ostergaard.

Eagles: Dryml 9+1 (6), Watt 9 (5), Woodward 8 (5), Kling 8 (6), Gustafsson 5+1 (5), Hansen 2+2 (4), Norris r/r.

Belle Vue: Kasprzak 15 (5), Gjedde 12+2 (7), Ostergaard 10+1 (6), Risager 7 (5), Wright 3+1 (4), Ashworth 2+1 (3), Hougaard r/r.

Bridger in world final

The Eastbourne Eagles star came fourth in his semi-final at Miskolc in Hungary today.

He tallied 11 points from five heats but missed out on a podium place when beaten by Artim Laguta in a three-way run-off for third spot.

Bridger could yet be joined by Eagles colleague Simon Gustafsson in the final at Gorican, in Croatia, on Sunday, October 4.

Gustafsson goes in the second semi at his local track of Kumla in Sweden next Saturday.

Eagles ace doesn't want to leave it late again

Cameron Woodward admits he is fed up with being Eastbourne’s man for late heroics.

The popular Aussie would rather get things sorted early with a few more race wins.

Play-off chasing Eagles need every point they can get if they are to break into the Elite League top four.

That means winning home meetings by seven points or more, starting with the visit of rock-bottom Belle Vue Aces tomorrow (7.30pm).

And that in turn means Woodward might be under pressure when he goes to the tapes in heat 14.

All eight home meetings in the league this season have still had something riding on them going into heat 15.

Six have seen Eastbourne go into the final race still trying to secure the third point.

Clashes with Wolverhampton and Peterborough were genuine last-heat deciders, with victory up for grabs.

Asked about the responsibility for grabbing late points, he said: “It isn’t much fun.

“I’d rather make the starts and win every race than do stuff at the end of the meeting “They don’t tell me what we need when we go out for those races.

“I’d be doing a lot better, though, if I was making starts. I wouldn’t have to go out then and win my last race or whatever.”

Woodward’s tenacity and passing ability can make him a handy option to throw into heat 15, as he proved with his win against Swindon and a thrilling third place to secure the bonus against Coventry.

His last programmed ride is heat 14, in which he averages two paid points per race in Eagles’ eight home league meetings so far this season.

Replicate that in other races and his figures would be matching what was probably expected him of at the start of the year.

Instead, he is disappointed with his form and hopes a recent visit to engine tuner Craig Boyce might help put things right.

“Boycey has changed an engine for me although I don’t know if I’ll get it in time for Saturday.

“I only got two points at Wolverhampton on Monday but I don’t think I disgraced myself. It was only their top four who beat me.”

That defeat at Monmore was big let down for an Eagles side who looked to be gaining momentum after wins over Poole and Coventry.

They must do without Lewis Bridger tomorrow as he rides in the first semi-final of the World Under-21 Championship in Hungary.

Travis McGowan was Eagles’ first choice of guest replacement but has a commitment in Poland.

Instead the booking goes to Kenneth Hansen, the young Dane who came last in heat two when he visited Arlington with Peterborough this season, then scored paid ten from his remaining four rides.

Belle Vue operate rider-replacement for Patrick Hougaard, who is at the same meeting as Bridger.

Charlie Gjedde’s shockingly poor early season form for the Aces is reflected in the fact he is now at reserve.

The Aussie was pulled from his last ride for Rzeszow in Poland last week and saw it given to the No. 8.

“The last three meetings over there I’ve been going well and seen other guys lose rides. I only had two points this time but I was fast.

Belle Vue: Kasprzak, Hougarrd r/r, Ostergaard, Wright, Risager, AN Other, Gjedde.

Eagles borrow Hansen

Eastbourne Eagles have booked Kenneth Hansen of Peterborough to guest for Lewis Bridger when they host Belle Vue Aces in the Elite League on Saturday.

Bridger is away at a World Under-21 Championship semi-final in Hungary and Eagles’ first choice of guest, Travis McGowan, is needed by his Polish club.

Hansen, a 21-year-old Dane, scored 8+2 (5) from reserve in Panthers’ recent 50-43 defeat at Arlington, despite coming last in the reserves’ race.

He had a win and two paid wins and beat five of the six home riders on duty that night, including McGowan.

Norris targets TV comeback

David Norris is lining up a dramatic comeback for Eastbourne Eagles in front of the TV cameras.

Norris, who suffered third degree burns in a televised meeting against Swindon, plans to practise at Arlington Stadium next Friday.

Ironically, his comeback would also be at home to Swindon in front of the cameras.

Norris suffered horrific injuries when his arm became trapped between the spinning wheel and mudguard of his bike after a smash with Swindon’s Troy Batchelor.

He was signed off from the burns unit at East Grinstead yesterday and will have a special cover fitted to protect the wound.

His return will be subject to the approval of co-promoters Bob Dugard and Trevor Geer.

But he has assured mechanic Dean Barker he has no fears about returning live on television.

Norris admitted: “It would be ironic to come back against Swindon but, if I’m going to do it, we may as well get on with it.

“I’m not worried. I’ll check with Bob and Trevor that it’s all right because I know the team can cover for me nicely at the moment.

“I’m going back to hospital next Tuesday to have a special thing fitted which massages and presses the wound where it has healed and gone lumpy. Then I’ll hopefully practise on the Friday.”

Norris was one of three riders taken to hospital in a crash-strewn marathon of a meeting when Swindon were beaten 50-41 at Arlington last month.

Meanwhile Swindon star Travis McGowan could ride for Eagles when they host Belle Vue this Saturday.

McGowan, who has put in two impressive guest appearances for Eastbourne in recent weeks, tops the hit list to cover for Lewis Bridger against the Aces.

Bridger misses the meeting after his request to ride in the first World Under-21 Championship semi-final was granted.

The 19-year-old racer was originally listed to go in the second semi at Kumla in Sweden a week on Saturday but was keen to ride in a GP qualifier in Croatia on that day.

His switch means he can do both the GP qualifier and the under-21 semi in Hungary this Saturday.

Big-scoring reserve Simon Gustafsson remains in the second semi at his home track in Sweden, meaning he does not miss an Eastbourne fixture.

McGowan would normally jump at the guest booking but could be called away to practise with his new Polish track Ostrow on Saturday.

Top four the target for Eagles

Trevor Geer insists the goal remains the same for Eastbourne Eagles, despite a play-off re-think.

Eagles go to Wolverhampton tonight (7.30pm) for their first meeting since being told their current league placing of fifth will not be enough to reach the Elite League play-offs.

Clubs have voted to reduce the end-of-season knockout from a six-team affair to only include the top four.

That impacts fifth-placed Eagles more than second-placed Wolves but Geer is not worried about it.

The Eastbourne team manager said: “There’s no point being in the play-offs unless you are good enough to be in the top three or four.

“I’d hate to be in the play-offs and think we didn’t really deserve to be there or we didn’t really have a chance of winning.

“Hopefully by the time we get to the end of the season we’re in the top four and we have seven riders who are fit and in form.”

Wolves are the only away team to have taken any reward back home from Arlington this term thanks to a dramatic 47-45 success last month.

Wolves have won eight out of eight at home taking the bonus point each time, while No.1 Freddie Lindgren has only been beaten once by an opponent in 38 races.

Belle Vue’s Krzysztof Kasprzak is the only away rider to have beaten the Swede around Monmore this season.

Eastbourne skipper Davey Watt will be the first Eagles rider this season to have won a race at all nine Elite League tracks if he gets a chequered flag tonight.

With tracks of a similar sizes, Eastbourne and Wolverhampton have a tradition of good tussles.

He said: “People think the tracks are the same but they aren’t really. There are different lines at Wolverhampton.

“They are going really well, especially Lindgren, but I think we can do something.”

Eagles chief has no plans to quit Elite League

Eastbourne boss Bob Dugard has assured fans he is not planning a move into the Premier League.

But the Eagles promoter admits his side’s play-off hopes for the current season could depend on their next few fixtures.

Dugard told supporters before last Saturday’s meeting against Coventry that the Bees were harming the Elite League with their team-building policy.

As a hush descended over Arlington, he added: “They have done so much damage and they don’t even realise it. Next season will show how much damage they have done.”

That comment was taken in some quarters to mean Dugard could withdraw his side from the division and apply for the less expensive Premier League in 2010.

However he insists that was not the case, though there remains dis-satisfaction in some quarters about the Bees’ decision to use four star riders.

Dugard said: “I spoke to one promoter who said if this is how things were going to be, he would definitely go down a division.

Dugard continues to monitor the club’s finances carefully, having recently admitted he expected the year’s losses to top the figure of £50,000 for which he had originally budgeted.

He was heartened by a crowd of more than 1,500 for last Saturday’s win over Coventry.

However the next home fixture, versus lowly Belle Vue a week tomorrow, looks a tougher sell despite Eagles’ status as genuine play-off contenders.

The decision by Coventry to go with four big names remains one of the talking points of the speedway world.

Dugard is among those who feel it goes against the spirit of this season’s lower-budget league.

He argues clubs looking to compete with Coventry will need to spend beyond their means on new signings.

Those who follow football might wonder what is wrong with the better-off clubs spending their cash on big name stars others cannot afford.

The answer is that speedway as a spectacle depends on close fought meetings, competitive races or, ideally, a combination of the two.

While watching Manchester United win 7-0 can be entertaining, there is nothing thrilling about the sight of two riders breaking away from their opponents at the start and coasting around for four laps.

The evidence of last Saturday and the Dean Barker Farewell in March suggest star riders draw big crowds.

At the same time, the league’s average points limit ensures any team who go for big names will lose out at the bottom end of the order.

Coventry’s club website described Dugard’s pre-match comments as a lengthy monologue and insisted: “The points limit ensures that no amount of money will ever win the Elite League.”

Eastbourne are without a fixture this weekend as attention turns to the Danish Grand Prix in Copenhagen.

Their following away meeting is at Peterborough, one of the sides with whom they are now battling for one of four play-off berths.

“The hardest one would look to be Wolves but that’s a track where we often perform well.

“I would fancy our chances there. We should have never lost the home meeting to them.”

Lukas needs engine help

The hard-racing Czech star has been in great form for Eastbourne Eagles as well as edging closer to a return to the Grand Prix circuit.

“He’s down to one good engine and really needs to do something about that.”

Dryml, whose planned permanent move from Peterborough appears to be on hold, will miss the visit of his parent club on July 4 due to a GP qualifying semi-final.

He followed his paid-16 heroics for Eagles against Coventry by turning up at Heathrow at 5am on Sunday for the trip to the Czech Republic, where he scored ten points from five rides.

Lewis Bridger and Simon Gustafsson were, to Eastbourne’s relief, drawn in the second semi-final of the World Championship for under-21s at Kumla on Saturday, June 27, which means they do not miss a league meeting.

However Bridger has enquired about a switch to the first semi in Hungary a week earlier, which would allow him to ride in a senior GP qualifier in Croatia on June 27. He would then miss Eagles’ next home meeting, against Belle Vue on June 20.

Bridger admitted: “I wanted to go to the GP qualifier to gain experience but the priority for me at the moment is to do the under-21 stuff.”

Should the two young Eagles progress to the world under-21 final, they would miss the home clash with Ipswich on September 5th

Eagles suffer as rules change

Eastbourne Eagles have been told they are no longer in a play-off place after an astonishing mid-season U-turn by Elite League clubs.

Promoters have voted to cut the number of teams in this season’s play-offs from six to four.

Eagles are currently in fifth place following impressive wins over Poole and Coventry.

The re-vamp, decided by the clubs themselves via a postal vote, would eliminate Eagles and Lakeside from the play-offs as things stand.

It also reduces any chance of champions Poole making a late bid for honours after their recent much-publicised team changes.

Semi-finals will still be over two legs, rather than the one-off affairs of previous years.

The team finishing first will still choose whether to race against the third or fourth placed club and there will still be a points handicap system, albeit slightly revised.

Eagles boss Bob Dugard was unwilling to confirm the changes had been made or make any comment.

However, his former Eastbourne sidekick Jon Cook, now in charge at Lakeside, described the move as the right decision at the wrong time.

Cook, still based in West Sussex, said: “As much as it might affect my own club I’m totally in favour of having four teams in the play-offs.

“The whole situation where a team comes from sixth place in a nine-team league to win the title would have been the death knell of the play-off system.

“Too often we’re seeing this move in all sports to a ‘last basket in the last second’ American-style mentality and putting consumerism ahead of the spirit of sport.

“This change will be broadly welcomed. I think it shows people are voting for the interests of the sport rather than what suits their own team.

“Ironically, it looks like Lakeside and Eastbourne could be the ones affected although things could change in the league yet.”

It is believed fears over fixture congestion and lukewarm interest in the early play-off rounds from Sky Sports led to the change of heart.

Cook admitted: “It’s totally unsatisfactory to do this so late but sometimes you make the right decision at the wrong time.

Eagles will still believe they can finish in the top four given the form shown against Poole and Coventry in the past week.

Eagles had planned to hand Gizatullin a long-awaited home debut when Belle Vue visit a week on Saturday.

They will now wait on David Norris after news their record points scorer was making good progress from an arm injury while Gizatullin’s diary looks busier than ever.

“We’ve discussed it and if he wants to come in at a later date we will try to arrange for him to go out on loan to a struggling track or use him as back-up.”

Eagles do it again

Eastbourne Eagles are celebrating a second momentous Elite League win in four days after stunning Coventry at Arlington tonight.

Eagles, winners at Poole in midweek, took all three points on offer by beating a star-studded Bees line-up 49-41 on an extraordinary night at the Sussex track.

Home promoter Bob Dugard took the microphone just before heat one to launch an attack on the Coventry management.

Dugard is unhappy the Bees are employing four big name riders at a time when clubs are looking to reduce costs.

He said: "If anyone wants to compete against them they have really got to find £50,000 or £70,000.

He added: "None of my anger is directed against the Coventry riders or their supporters.

"It's purely against the management and I think they have done so much harm to the sport and they are not even bright enough to realise it."

Eagles responded on the track by leading from heat one, in which star of the show Lukas Dryml enjoyed a 5-1 with Davey Watt over Scott Nicholls and Robert Ksiezak.

Former Eastbourne duo Adam Shields and Edward Kennett twice teamed up for 5-1s and Kennett also beat Lewis Bridger in a re-run heat 12.

Bridger, though, was the first home rider to lower Shields' colours and Simon Gustafsson made a superb return from injury.

A scorching win for Dryml over Chris Harris and Nicholls kept that lead intact, then Shields was disqualified from heat 14 for falling as Cameron Woodward forced his way inside him.

Even better was to come as Dryml took heat 15 and Woodward claimed third place in a tremendous three-way tussle with Harris and Shields.

That secured a 4-2 heat advantage, an eight-point margin and the winning bonus point.

Eagles: Dryml 14+2 (6), Gustafsson 11 (5), Bridger 9 (5), Woodward 7+4 (5), Watt 6 (4), Kling 2+1 (4), Norris r/r.

Coventry: Shields 11 (5), Harris 11 (5), Kennett 7+2 (4), Nicholls 7+1 (4), Ksiezak 3 (6), Auty 2+1 (5), Sitera r/r

Nicholls, Gustafsson ready for action

Former Eastbourne No. 1 Scott Nicholls has been cleared to ride in what could be the meeting of the year at Arlington on Saturday (7.30pm).

A star-studded Coventry side also includes ex-Eagles Adam Shields and Edward Kennett plus British champion Chris Harris.

Hosts Eastbourne Eagles can counter that with arguably the best reserve pairing in the Elite League.

Simon Gustafsson, now top of the Eagles averages this season, returns after a seven-week lay-off with a broken collarbone to ride alongside the improving Ricky Kling.

Gustafsson came through a fitness test in Sweden yesterday and will practise at Arlington on Saturday afternoon alongside Lukas Dryml, who missed Wednesday’s win at Poole.

Eagles will also have No. 8 Chris Schramm ready in case Gustafsson suffers any problems.

Eastbourne team manager Trevor Geer said: “Simon was happy with his workout in Sweden. The shoulder felt good.

“Lukas is all right too. He was following the Poole meeting from back in the Czech Republic and texted me as soon as it finished to say ‘well done, can’t wait for Saturday’. The team sprit is fantastic.”

Gustafsson is averaging 8.25 paid points per four rides while Lewis Bridger’s figure is 8.24, from a tougher programme, after his supershow at Poole.

Kennett ready to go 'home'

Local boy Edward Kennett admits he is glad he did not have to go back to Arlington Stadium in a hurry.

The former Eastbourne Eagles rider makes his first return tomorrow night since his contentious close season switch to Coventry.

He hopes to get as warm a welcome as possible from many people at his local track.

But he admits it would take more than the offer of a handshake from his old boss Bob Dugard to make him consider riding for Eastbourne again.

The rivalry between Eagles and Coventry was cranked up again this week when Dugard reported Coventry for not paying a £29,000 transfer fee for Kennett on time.

There is clearly some animosity between the two tracks and that just adds to the spice of what should be a superb contest.

But strip all that away and you have a quietly spoken 22-year-old rider going as well as just about anyone in the Elite League and a massive threat to Eastbourne on the track where he grew up.

Kennett, who was in the pits with Eagles riders during their brilliant 46-44 win at Poole on Wednesday, said: “I’m having a good season and looking forward to coming back to a track I know pretty well.

“I’m not sure what it will be like but I’m going to concentrate on my racing and doing a job for my team.

“But I’m going to go out and enjoy the meeting, as I have been doing all season.

“I’m enjoying it at Coventry. It’s a good club, a good promotion, good support.

“I didn’t know what reception to expect but I’m getting to grips with the track, even though it’s not one I’ve generally done well on in the past.”

If you want to hype up the Kennett return, the obvious place to start is in any head-to-heads he enjoys with Lewis Bridger, the Eagles teenager whose scintillating form this term scaled new heights in Wednesday’s win at Poole.

There is a rivalry there and Bridger will be thirsting for revenge after seeing Kennett claim the British Grand Prix wild card he coveted.

“It was a tough meeting at Poole,” Kennett said of the British Final which saw him earn his GP place.

“I made mistakes at Cardiff last year and I will try and put them right this time.

“It will be tough at Eastbourne as well. They have got good riders, “Lewis is going really well, Cam (Woodward) has stepped up a gear. It will be a tough match.”

Eagles have won eight out of nine at Arlington this season and are buzzing after beating Poole.

Dugard is pleased to be getting his money from the Bees but a bit aggrieved he had to ask for it a second time.

The Eagles boss insists his problem is with Coventry, rather than Kennett, with whom he would be willing to offer that handshake.

Coventry are the last of Eagles’ eight Elite League rivals to race at Arlington this season.

That suits Kennett, who pulled out of Dean Barker’s season-opening farewell meeting in March for what are best described as diplomatic reasons.

Kennett said: “I’m quite glad it has taken a little while for this meeting to come around.

“I’ve got to go back some time but I got quite hurt by some of the things that were said. I spoke to Deano and got that sorted in the end and I’ve got no problem with the fans.”

“I don’t see myself coming back after what has happened,” Kennett admitted. “I see myself being away from Eastbourne for quite a while.”

Eagles ruin Poole's party

Eastbourne manager Trevor Geer saluted his six Eastbourne Eagles heroes as they ruined Poole’s big night.

Eagles picked up their first away league win of the season with a stunning 46-44 success over a Pirates side hoping to launch their push for the play-offs.

Although the scoreline looks close, the visitors had victory sewn up with a race to go.

Poole denied them an extra point by taking a 5-1 in a thrilling heat 15 but that will have offered them no consolation on the night they paraded GP star Hans Andersen as their high profile new No. 1.

Andersen was outshone by another superb performance from Lewis Bridger, who passed himself fit on the day of the meeting after suffering a dead leg in Germany on Monday.

Poole’s various adjustments to bring in the Dane have upset many fans and promoters so Eastbourne’s win was a popular one across the country.

Guest Travis McGowan, in for the injured Lukas Dryml, put an early spanner in the works when he beat Andersen in a shared opening race.

Poole led 34-32 when an interval was called after heat 11 but Eagles came back out to reel off two 4-2s, then a 5-1 for Cameron Woodward and Ricky Kling to kill off home hopes.

Geer said: “We had a chat at the interval and I told them if we could go on and win the meeting it would really upset Poole.

“Lewis was incredible, Travis won heat one and looked good all night, but they all played their part.”

Eastbourne are now unbeaten on their last four visits to Wimborne Road, picking up two wins and two draws.

Poole: Andersen 13+1 (6), Pedersen 13+1 (6), Screen 11 (5), Davidsson 3+2 (5), Wilson 3 (5), Baran 1+1 (3), C.Holder r/r.

Eagles: Bridger 14 (6), McGowan 11+1 (5), Kling 8+3 (5), Watt 8+1 (6), Woodward 5 (5), J.Holder 0 (3), Norris r/r.

Eagles threaten to stop Kennett

Eastbourne have told speedway bosses they are still owed money for Edward Kennett.

Eagles promoter Bob Dugard claims rivals Coventry have yet to pay the transfer fee of £29,000 plus VAT fixed at arbitration on April 22.

He has reported the matter to the Speedway Control Bureau and threatened to stop Kennett from riding at Arlington when the Bees visit on Saturday.

Kennett is due to make his first return to the Sussex track since his contentious close-season transfer. He was scheduled to ride in the season-opening Dean Barker Farewell in March but withdrew at short notice.

SCB chief Graham Reeve said a complaint was received from Dugard on Monday but that it had not yet been dealt with.

Reeve also confirmed Coventry cannot track Scott Nicholls in Saturday’s eagerly awaited Arlington clash unless they declare a new line-up which is approved by the BSPA.

Travis McGowan guests for Lukas Dryml as Eagles go to Poole tonight (7.30pm) after the Czech rider damaged his shoulder and neck at Belle Vue on Monday. Lewis Bridger is doubtful and Chris Schramm unavailable.

Eagles suffer on the road

Eastbourne Eagles’ injury woes piled up on both sides of the Channel as they slumped to a hefty Elite League defeat last night.

Eagles were unable to improve their dismal away record, going down 57-39 at struggling Belle Vue Aces after a woeful start saw them slip 12 points adrift after four heats.

Meanwhile their top scorer this season Lewis Bridger was heading back from the World Cup for under-21s with a dead leg and battered hand after crashing during Team GB’s semi-final elimination.

Bridger will be assessed today, after completing the 13-hour drive back from Germany, but is rated doubtful for tomorrow’s trip to new-look Poole Pirates.

Eastbourne must also check on the fitness of Lukas Dryml after he took a tumble at Belle Vue.

Eagles had just three heat wins, two of them by skipper Davey Watt, as they never looked like claiming even a losing bonus point. Both Watt and Cameron Woodward scored double points race victories to massage the final score somewhat.

Assistant team manager Glenn Martin admitted it was a disappointing night but said: “There were some bright spots. Jason Lyons did a good job for us as guest and Chris Schramm rode well at reserve.

“The track was difficult. When we walked it at 6.30 it was clear it had been over-watered and it was rough.

“Having said that I think Lewis would have loved it around there. We missed him.”

Schramm misses tomorrow’s match due to a meeting for his parent club King’s Lynn while Lee Complin has turned down a guest booking to replace him.

With David Norris injured, Eagles have just three confirmed riders for the trip to Wimbone Road.

Bridger had scored two impressive wins for the young Brits when he was left with nowhere to go in his third heat as a German rival broke down right in front of him.

He said: “It was a bad crash. I’ve got a dead right leg and it will be bruised hard. I’ll check it when I get home.

“I had had two good wins and felt like I wasn’t going to get beaten so it was a bit of bad luck.”

Belle Vue: Kasprzak 12+3 (5), Ostergaard 12+2 (5), Hougaard 12+1 (5), Risager 8 (5), Wright 7 (5), Gjedde 6+1 (4), Forsberg r/r.

Eagles: Watt 11 (5), Woodward 9+1 (6), Lyons 5 (5), Kling 5+3 (7), Schramm 5 (5), Dryml 3 (3), Norris r/r

Ex-Ace guests for Eagles

Former Belle Vue favourite Jason Lyons is being asked to shock his old club in the name of Eastbourne Eagles.

Lyons, who turns 39 later this month, comes in as guest for Lewis Bridger as Eagles go to Manchester chasing a first away league win of the season.

The current Birmingham Brummies star rode for the Aces from 1992 to 2003 and then again in 2005, when he helped them beat Eastbourne in the Knockout Cup final.

He was granted a testimonial at Belle Vue eight years ago so should know their 283-metre circuit well.

Eastbourne have been forced into a change as Bridger is away with Great Britain’s youngsters at the World Team Cup for under-21s.

Although the 19-year-old has scored more points per race than anyone else at Eastbourne this season, he has yet to go into the No. 1 position after missing what would have been his 12th meeting of the season due to injury.

That means Eastbourne are restricted in their choice of guest to go to Kirkmanshulme Lane, having to use Bridger’s starting figure this season of just 5.11 as a guide.

The Eagles team manager said: “Jason Lyons certainly knows his way around Belle Vue and he is the best rider who was available to us in the circumstances.

“Lewis keeps his old average until July 1 but that is not all bad news for us.

“It means he can still take a ride for David Norris all the time we operate rider-replacement.”

Bridger is involved in a four-way semi-final in Germany as the Brits take on Sweden, Australia and the hosts for a place in the final.

Simon Gustafsson is missing from the Swedish line-up as he recovers from a broken collarbone but his return to Eagles colours is imminent.

He has now shelved plans to ride in the Swedish league tomorrow and will instead practice on Wednesday.

That means he misses the trip to Poole on Wednesday but should be back when Coventry make their eagerly-awaited visit to Arlington on Saturday.

Belle Vue are bottom of the league but are coming off a first away win of the season, at Ipswich in the cup, and have a danger man at reserve in ex-Eagles rider Morten Risager.

Belle Vue: Kasprzak, Forsberg r/r, Ostergaard, Wright, Gjedde, Risager, Hougaard.

Bridger does his bit for GB

Eastbourne star Lewis Bridger is doing his bit for Great Britain by taking extra engines to Germany.

The Eagles teenager races for injury-hit Team GB under-21s in their age group World Cup semi-final against Sweden, Australia and the host nation at Abensberg on Monday.

Bridger and Tai Woffinden will spearhead the Brits’ bid for a final place but fear their less experienced team mates could be under-powered.

The Bexhill-based star said: “We had a chat about it and Neville will get us a couple of extra engines prepared.

“I’d normally take my two bikes plus maybe put another engine in the van but I’ll take the two extras as well.

“It’s a bit of extra work for Neville but it’s worth it. Even if we don’t go through we’ve got to give it our best and have no regrets afterwards.”

Bridger and his mechanic make the 13-hour drive to Germany today ready for practice tomorrow.

Eagles must track a guest in Bridger’s place when they go to Belle Vue in the Elite League on Monday.

Eagles reserve Simon Gustafsson has withdrawn from the World Cup semi, in which he was due to represent Sweden, as he recovers from a broken collarbone.

He will, however, practice with a view to racing for Indianerna at home to Piraterna in the Swedish league on Tuesday.

If all goes well there, he will make his comeback for Eastbourne at Poole on Wednesday.

A more realistic comeback target this side of the Channel could be the visit of Coventry to Arlington next Saturday.

Gustafsson said: “I want to ride in England but I don’t know if I can do two meetings in two nights with my recovery.

Eagles count the cost as crowds dwindle

Eastbourne boss Bob Dugard believes his Eagles are the worst supported side in this year’s Elite League.

Now he has warned the club face hefty financial losses unless they can bring back the fans.

Eagles currently occupy the sixth and last play-off spot in the top flight after an impressive start to their home campaign.

They have won eight out of nine home meetings in all competitions and the racing has been some of the best seen at Arlington in years.

A change in points scoring means every league meeting has still been alive going into heat 15.

And the fact six teams go into the play-offs has kept the dream of league success alive.

However attendances remain around the 1,000 mark, leaving Dugard to anticipate a costly year.

The veteran promoter said: “Attendances are dismal. We have the lowest crowds in the league.

“Even Lakeside, who we used to be well ahead of, are getting 300 more people than us.

“We take an average of about £13.20 per spectator, when you take into account children’s tickets, so that extra 300 people is worth about £4,000 per meeting.

“The level of entertainment has been so good and yet the crowds are falling away. How we overcome that I don’t know.

“We know the economic climate is tough. Whether that is linked I don’t know.

“I can understand people being a bit unsure about our team when we put it together but look how they have performed.”

Eagles might have expected better when about 1,600 fans turned out for the season-opening Dean Barker Farewell.

However, gates since then have generally been just above the 1,000 mark, with a couple smaller to bring the average down.

In the short term, Eagles can probably budget for an improved turnout next Saturday when star-studded Coventry visit. But that is something of a sore point.

The meeting marks the first return to Arlington of Hailsham-based Edward Kennett since his move to Coventry in the close season.

But even that could be overshadowed by the Bees’ controversial inclusion of former British champion and Eagles No. 1 Scott Nicholls in their line-up.

Nicholls has been fitted in after much to-ing and fro-ing as to whether Coventry could use him and remain within the points limit.

Even experienced promoters have been struggling to fathom whether the Bees’ move complies with the complicated rule book.

Meanwhile, struggling Poole have brought in Hans Andersen after early-season woes led to the averages of their top riders falling.

The Dane was brought in after a particularly lack-lustre Pirates display at Swindon.

Lakeside promoters Stuart Douglas and Jon Cook, the former Eagles manager, have called for an independent inquiry into events at Swindon that night. Dugard has been quiet until now on what are being seen as highly contentious moves by two of the bigger clubs in a league which seemed to be trying to reduce costs and encourage a level playing field.

Now, though, he admits: “We are extremely upset Coventry have been allowed to do what they have done. I suppose it’s not in the spirit of what the league is all about.

“They have put up their overheads in the range of £50,000. The problem is any club trying to match them has to pay out the same. Is that sensible?

“We have budgeted to lose £50,000 this season and we will exceed that. We will see this season out but we can’t compete with Coventry and Poole.

“I had long chats with two other promoters and they are completely disillusioned.”

Eagles unable to recover from slow start

Eastbourne boss Trevor Geer admitted his side paid the price for a below-par start at Peterborough.

Geer felt a good opportunity to claim a consolation point went begging despite some gutsy riding from his weakened band of walking wounded.

Davey Watt defied his recent groin and wrist problems to notch 11 points – a haul boosted by a successful tactical ride in the fifth heat – while Lewis Bridger marked his return from shoulder damage by producing the same score.

But the Eagles were never able to fully recover after conceding three 5-1s in the space of the opening four races to fall 12 points adrift.

Geer said: “The final scoreline was respectable considering how poorly we started the meeting, but that really cost us the chance of challenging for a point. The lads deserve credit for the way they clawed the deficit back and Lewis did ever so well considering he still has a big lump on his shoulder.”

Watt launched Eastbourne’s revival with that six-point haul in the fifth race when deployed for double points and Cameron Woodward claimed third.

Woodward then followed home the impressive Bridger for a surprise maximum return over home captain Niels Kristian Iversen in heat seven as Peterborough’s advantage was cut to three points.

Bridger also took the flag in heat 12 as the Eagles moved back to within five points but their challenge ran out of steam when Iverrsen and Kenneth Bjerre had maximums in the final three races.

Peterborough: Iversen 13 (5), Bjerre 12+2 (5), Hansen 8+1 (6), Korneliussen 7+1 (4), Ales Dryml 7+1 (4), Bager 3+2 (3), Vissing 3 (4).

Eastbourne: Watt 11 (5), Bridger 11 (6), Woodward 6+2 (5), Kling 6+2 (6), Lukas Dryml 5+1 (5), Complin 1+1 (3).

Eagles look to Panther pair

Eastbourne are hoping two Peterborough riders shine against their own club tonight.

Eagles have brought in Panthers asset Lee Complin at reserve for the trip to Alwalton in the Elite League (7.30pm).

Complin, who was left out of the Peterborough line-up for 2009 and loaned to Premier League side Stoke, fills in for Chris Schramm, who is required by King’s Lynn.

Lukas Dryml, still hoping to make his move from Peterborough permanent, also lines up in an Eagles side looking to improve their poor away record.

Team manager Trevor Geer said: “Lee rides Peterborough well and will be very determined to get some points.

“We still miss Simon Gustafsson at reserve. He flew around Peterborough for us when we won there last year.”

Ales Dryml has been shortlisted by Eagles to guest at Belle Vue on Monday while Lewis Bridger competes for Great Britain in the World Team Cup for under-21s.

Argus opinion: Eagles star gets it right

Seen a video nasty lately? I did, last Saturday, thanks to speedway rider David Norris.

The Eastbourne Eagles star is currently sidelined by third degree burns the width of a tyre down his arm.

He sustained the injury when his arm was trapped between a spinning motorbike wheel and a mudguard in a recent crash.

The nasty wound is now protected by a dressing but a bit of it extends to his thumb and is left uncovered.

“That’s nasty,” I remarked of the ugly mixture of pink flesh, funny yellow bits and developing scabs.

“That’s nothing, look at this,” Norris replied and showed me a video of the singed arm on his phone, taken last time the dressing was removed.

It was reminiscent of the time Dean Barker walked into the pits showing off bits of bone he had just had removed from an injury.

But there’s a level head there somewhere and Norris is very sensibly putting his own glory to one side.

Very much an Eastbourne legend, he has told Eagles to forget about him and bring in a replacement.

And, if the new line-up is so good he can’t get back in the side, all the better.

Eagles give Gizatullin a deadline

Eastbourne have told Denis Gizatullin to race against Belle Vue next month or forget about becoming an Eagle this year.

Arlington boss Bob Dugard is lining up the Russian champion to fill in for injured David Norris as Eagles attempt to keep their play-off push on course.

Gizatullin has a prior commitment on June 6, when Eagles next race at home against star-studded Coventry Bees.

The following home fixture is against Belle Vue on June 20 and Dugard has demanded Gizatullin confirm he can race in that one.

If he cannot, Eagles have lined up another potential overseas signing they can bring in on a four-point average.

Dugard said: “I’ve given Denis an ultimatum. We need to know in the next two or three days whether he can ride on the 20th.”

When he is replaced by Gizatullin or the other new rider, Ricky Kling will move into the main body of the team.

Kling’s greensheet average has increased from 4.90 to 5.08 over the first 12 league meetings of the season, despite a slow start.

Simon Gustafsson is on course for an average of eight points or more but only after he has ridden in seven more league meetings.

Davey Watt’s average has dropped from 8.15 to 7.00 but Lewis Bridger, who started on 5.11, is likely to be about 7.25 when he rides his 12th league meeting of the season at Peterborough tomorrow .

Dugard added: “Ricky will have some hard rides but we will have Simon and Denis at reserve, which looks a strong pairing.”

Injured Norris urges Eagles to build

Sidelined David Norris has urged Eastbourne Eagles to build a winning team in his absence.

Norris is out for at least another six weeks with serious burns to his arm sustained in the televised meeting against Swindon recently.

Eagles hope Russian champion Denis Gizatullin will link up with them in the next month or so after completing lengthy work permit procedures.

Ricky Kling, the man originally tipped to make way, has now been assured by Eagles promoter Bob Dugard his place is safe for the rest of the season.

Eagles expect to have big- scoring reserve Simon Gustafsson back for their next home meeting against Coventry a week on Saturday and Lewis Bridger returns from a shoulder injury at Peterborough tomorrow At the same time, Eagles are concerned their ploy of using rider-replacement for Norris is not working, especially away from home, which appears to put the club’s record points scorer at risk when Gizatullin comes in on a four-point average.

Norris, who cut short his retirement this season, said: “I came back 50% because I wanted to ride and 50% because I thought at the time the club was in a bit of trouble.

“I’ve always said if they were in trouble I’d ride. The club is one of my main interests.

“They have got to get someone in and if I couldn’t get back in the team, that’s fine. It means we are doing well.

“Forget about me, get the team sorted out because we’re going to lose punters as well as points if we don’t. Until we change our team, any win will be good and should be treated as a massive bonus.

“I’ve spoken to Bob and Trev and we are all pulling together to get this team going.”

He still has restricted wrist movement and blood flow to the hand, plus muscle damage. A check-up tomorrow will reveal how his recovery is going.

He revealed: “The next step is for it to have healed so I don’t have to wear dressings and can get back to work. At the moment it’s all about infection.

“I can grip 100%, there’s nothing with my fingers which is great. It’s just my wrist movement.”

Lukas wants to stay with Eagles

Eastbourne plan to sign on-loan crowd pleaser Lukas Dryml on a full transfer in the next few days after he starred against his parent club.

Eagles boss Bob Dugard opened informal talks with Peterborough counterpart Trevor Swales minutes after Dryml helped clinch a dramatic 50-43 Arlington success over the Panthers.

The extrovert Czech scored a brilliant heat 13 success over star Danes Kenneth Bjerre and Niels-Kristian Iversen, then helped Davey Watt to a 5-1 over the same Panthers pair in the nominated race.

Dugard has also assured reserve Ricky Kling, who had another good night, his place is secure for the season.

Eagles needed something special to round off a depressing week and Dryml provided it with those two late rides after Panthers had reduced their deficit from 12 points to just three in the space of two races.

He celebrated in style, taking a theatrical bow in front of his growing fan club on the home straight and riding across to share a few words with the scantily-clad start line girls.

He then left Swales in no doubt that he wanted to end his association with Peterborough during a brief but animated chat at his pits berth, in which Dugard was also involved.

Dugard revealed: “We were discussing trying to buy his contract and I’ve arranged to ring Swales in the week.

“I’ve also told Ricky Kling his place is safe. He is showing real signs of improving.”

Dryml was initially signed on a six-week deal after being left out of the Panthers one-to-seven for 2009.

He was adamant he would do well enough to earn a place for the whole season and he could now be staying even longer.

The former GP racer admitted victory over the Panthers was especially sweet and added: “I’m not happy with what Peterborough did to me and my brother Ales.

“They weren’t loyal to us which is why I’d be totally happy if Bob Dugard bought my contract.

“The supporters here are great. I’m really happy about everything, especially with the Czech flag there and singing my name.”

Dryml was not short of help in the pits. His father Ales senior and sidelined team-mate David Norris both offered advice as crunch time loomed.

Dad, a former rider, advised him to change bike after he crashed in heat 11, then got him all powered up for heat 15 as Eagles clung to a 45-42 lead.

“This is the engine for the big man, the big heats, the big wins,” Dryml said of the bike he rode in the final race.

At that stage, Panthers had just eaten into a 36-24 home lead as Bjerre’ s double points win led a 7-2, then Mads Korneliusson and Kenneth Hansen scored a surprise 5-1 over Kling and Travis McGowan, who was guesting for the injured Lewis Bridger.

Bjerre went within 0.3secs of the track record with his win in heat five and it seemed Panthers would nick it if he and Iversen, who was unbeatable for three rides, got the support they needed.

Instead, Claus Vissing was passed by Kling and, on the last lap, Cameron Woodward in heat 14, turning a Panthers 5-1 into a 3-3 and keeping the hosts ahead.

Watt was a bit reluctant to take heat 15 as he struggled for form but went out there and rode a super race which will do his confidence no harm.

Confidence is rarely a problem with his last-race partner providing someone reminds him who he is.

“He said ‘tough man, doesn’t matter if a crash happens, doesn’t matter if something hurts, always goes for it’”

Eagles: Kling 11+2 (6), Watt 11 (5), Dryml 10+2 (5), McGowan 9+1 (5), Woodward 8+4 (5), Schramm 1 (3), Norris r/r.

Peterborough: Iversen 11+1 (5), Bjerre 11 (5), Hansen 8+2 (5), Korneliusson 8 (4), Bager 2 (4), Vissing 2 (4), Tully 1 (3).

Dryml stars for Eagles

On-loan Lukas Dryml produced two great rides in the last three heats as Eastbourne Eagles beat his parent club in dramatic style tonight.

Eagles ended a three-match losing run by seeing off Peterborough Panthers 50-43 at Arlington in the Elite League.

Dryml, a Panthers asset who was left out of his club's 1-7 this term, beat speedy Danish duo Kenneth Bjerre and Niels-Kristian Iversen in heat 13.

He then shared a 5-1 with Davey Watt in heat 15 over the same Peterborough pair.

Eagles took a three-point lead into the nominated race thanks to Ricky Kling and Cameron Woodward both getting past Claus Vissing in heat 14 to force a 3-3.

The hosts enjoyed leads of 14-4 and 36-24 before Peterborough threatened to do what Wolverhampton did at Arlington a week previously and snatch the points.

Bjerre scored a double points win in heat 11, which Panthers took 7-2, then Mads Korneliusson and Kenneth Hansen scored a shock 5-1 in the next race.

That left Eagles wobbling at 39-36 with three races to go but they held on the three points.

Lewis Bridger missed the meeting with a shoulder injury but is expected to return for Eagles' next fixture, at Peterborough on Thursday.

Eagles: Kling 11+2 (6), Watt 11 (5), Dryml 10+2 (6), McGowan 9+1 (5), Woodward 8+4 (5), Schramm 1 (3), Norris r/r.

Peterborough: Iversen 11+1 (5), Bjerre 11 (5), Hansen 8+2 (5), Korneliusson 8 (4), Bager 2 (4), Vissing 2 (4), Tully 1 (3).

Eagles could make a change

Eastbourne Eagles promoters Bob Dugard and Trevor Geer will meet tomorrow to discuss a possible team change which can put their ailing side back on course.

Eagles made it three pointless meetings in succession with a 55-38 reverse at Coventry Bees in the Elite League tonight.

They also lost Lewis Bridger with a hand and shoulder injury sustained when falling in heat ten.

Swindon’s Travis McGowan has been put on standby to guest as in-form Peterborough Panthers visit Arlington tomorrow (7.30pm) for a meeting from which Eagles badly need three points.

However there are hopes Bridger could have escaped serious damage and will still ride.

Eagles’ top men had arranged the meeting to discuss their next move before tonight’s defeat.

Russian champion Denis Gizatullin will be available in the next two weeks after completing immigration procedures and it looks increasingly possible he could replace David Norris, whose arm injury sustained against Swindon is proving more serious than first thought.

Dugard said: “Trevor is talking to David to find out his plans but it looks a nasty injury.

“We could make a change but, if we do, we will still be looking to the future by bringing Gizatullin in.

“He is our rider and by next year he will know the league well, although it will take him a few meetings this season to adjust.”

Eagles had initially said they were happy to use rider-replacement for Norris but three defeats in a week plus unfavourable updates on his injury appear to have changed their minds.

Dugard said: “I go to Poland on business next month and Denis told me ‘I’ll see you in England before then’.”

The introduction of Gizatullin on an assessed four-point average for Norris, on 5.91, would allow Eagles to make further changes and remain under the revised points of limit of 42 but Dugard says that will not happen.

He said: “We think Ricky Kling at reserve is showing real signs of improvement and I still think we have the best two reserves in the league when Simon Gustafsson is fit.

“Simon’s injury has been a complete nightmare for us. His situation has illustrated exactly what I was saying in the winter.

“If Ricky, as our No. 6, had been out we could have had rider-replacement with the other reserve getting three rides and the rider above Ricky having one.

“I don’t see why it should be different for the other reserve and I think that might now be changed.”

Eagles complete their 12th league meeting of the season tomorrow and, if he rides, Bridger could move into the No. 1 spot in their line-up.

Geer admits his side cannot afford a slip-up as they fall away from the league leaders.

He said: “We should have picked up some points on the road this week but at least the boys who are fit were still getting stuck in tonight.

Coventry celebrated the imminent return of Scott Nicholls, announced earlier in the day, in style although Cameron Woodward denied former Eagles star Edward Kennett a maximum.

Skipper Davey Watt had a double-points win but also came last in his first two races and Geer said: “That was disheartening.”

Coventry: Harris 14+1 (5), Kennett 14 (5), Schlein 11+1 (5), Auty 6+2 (5), Sitera 6+1 (5), Wells 4 (5), Allen R/R.

Eagles: Woodward 10+1 (6), Schramm 8+2 (7), Dryml 7+1 (5), Watt 7 (5), Kling 4 (4), Bridger 2 (3), Norris R/R

Kling keen to stay with Eagles

Improving Ricky Kling has set his heart on completing the season at Eastbourne – despite all the early season talk he could be on his way out The young Swede insists he paid no attention to speculation he could make way for Russian champion Denis Gizatullin in the Eagles’ line-up.

And he reckons successive double-figure pay days after emerging from the shadows of fellow reserve Simon Gustafsson have done his cause a power of good.

Kling is now senior reserve, making him a key man as Eagles go to Coventry tonight (8.00) and host Peterborough tomorrow (7.30).

It was not that long ago that the 21-year-old Lakeside asset seemed a probable early-season departure as he struggled for form while Gustafsson rode like a heat leader.

Kling has stepped up in style, with scores of paid-11 and paid-12 in recent home meetings with Swindon and Wolverhampton.

Gizatullin could still secure his work permit in the next two weeks but the chances of him replacing Kling are receding.

“I read the results on the internet but that’s about it. I don’t care about the talk about who’s coming and going.

“I feel like I’m getting there so I would be disappointed to leave. I really want to stay but we will see.

“The only thing I can do is ride my best, try to get as many points as possible and focus on the next meeting.”

Gustafsson’s absence has had tangible benefits to Kling. He is first in line to get extra rides and is the man who gets the easier race if team manager Trevor Geer opts to make a reserve switch.

Chris Schramm only got three rides and, when a mid-meeting switch came, found himself losing the chance to take on reserve Ty Proctor in heat eight and instead going up against Polish champion Adam Skornicki in heat seven.

Not so long ago it was Kling giving way. But he would still love to see Gustafsson back.

“We’re really good friends and it was nice for me to see him scoring well but, hopefully, not in my rides.

“But I was on the way up at the time he was injured and I was more ready to handle it. With him in the team we look really good.

Eagles promoter Bob Dugard is keen to give him at least a trial spell and that could yet dovetail with David Norris’s absence with an arm injury.

Kling is not helped by the fact he rides for the same Polish second-tier club as Gizatullin, making it easy to compare their scores.

Dugard keeps an eye on Polish results and watches as many meetings as he can via the Polsat network.

A couple of Sundays ago Gizatullin scored 12 points from five rides to help Rybnik beat Grudziadz 58-34 while Kling managed just 3 (2).

All this while a certain Elite League promoter was watching carefully from the comfort of an armchair in Hove.

“Ricky had a last and a win but Denis looked the best rider on show by a mile.”

Kling’s improvement at Arlington, though, has also caught Dugard’s eye and the rider himself admits there is no secret to his success.

“I didn’t do anything different,” he said. “I trusted my bikes and my set-ups because I had good meetings here last year. I really enjoy this place, this club, but it just didn’t work on the track.

“I can understand that the fans were disappointed at the start of the season. If they were disappointed with me, I can tell them it’s nothing compared to how I felt.

Watt slams official as Eagles are beaten

Eastbourne Eagles skipper Davey Watt could be in hot water after revving up his machine in front of Foxhall Stadium clerk of the course Keith Barton at Ipswich last night.

Barton made an official complaint to referee Paul Carrington after an eventful heat 11 that swung the meeting the Witches’ way.

In return Watt blasted the Ipswich officials and called them ‘unbelievably unprofessional.’ Until then the visitors had looked capable of gaining something from this Elite League contest. But they then conceded two 5-1’s and three 4-2’s in the final five races to slip from just 31-29 down to be swamped 53-37.

Watt’s troubles began when machine examiner Fred Cotton reported him to Barton as the riders were lining up for heat 11. Chain guards that are now on the market with a gap in them have recently been outlawed by the authorities.

Watt had taped up the offending hole, but this had slipped off, and the Australian was asked to re-tape as he was preparing to start.

His mechanic obliged, but when the tapes went up Watt was left trailing and while well adrift held one hand in the air appealing to the referee to order a re-start.

When this did not happen, Watt rode round to the centre green start area and twice revved up in front of Barton in an attempt to spray the official with dirt.

“I have made an official complaint to the referee,” confirmed the long-serving Barton. “Stones could have struck me in the eye and I could have been blinded.

“Despite his frustration there was no excuse for Dave Watt to take it on me.”

A furious Watt stormed: “I am astounded that Ipswich have been able to run while having such incompetent officials.

“It was unbelievably unprofessional. They berated and hassled me on the track as I was waiting to race.

“A second can mean the difference between first and last, and to top it all the start was unfair and it led to the downfall of our hopes of winning.

“If people question my actions my answer is that they only have to look at the events leading up to them to understand my frustrations.

“Speedway is my job and it is dangerous enough without being hassled like I was. The tape came off, and some new tape was put on.“ Rider replacement for David Norris accrued just two points, and when Cameron Woodward rode for double points in heat 14 Eastbourne’s luck was out and he trailed in behind the home pair of Daniel King and an in-form Carl Wilkinson, who failed to score in his opening ride and was then unbeaten by an Eagle.

Eastbourne scored a 5-1 in heat two with ex-Witch Chris Schramm following home Ricky Kling, and they achieved another maximum in heat seven when Lewis Bridger rode exceptional well to shepherd round Woodward ahead of Piotr Swiderski.

This put Eastbourne two points ahead and they remained very much in the hunt until Watt hit trouble in heat 11.

After the meeting former Eagle Scott Nicholls did some laps and so did Chris Louis, who has not ridden a bike in earnest since breaking his upper arm 12 months ago.

Bridger sets sights on 2010

Lewis Bridger is expected to set his sights on a regular Grand Prix place next season after his bid for a one-off Cardiff appearance failed last night.

The Eastbourne Eagles star failed by one point to reach the knockout stages of the British Final at Poole.

Bridger, 19, had set his heart on the wild card spot at the forthcoming British Grand Prix, which is awarded to the top finisher in the British Final other than GP regulars Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris.

Barring a late change of plan, he now expects to head to Gorican in Croatia on the weekend of the Cardiff extravaganza to kick-off his qualifying campaign for a regular spot in the 2010 GP series.

Hailsham’s Edward Kennett, the former Eagles rider, clinched the Cardiff wild card for the second year running as he finished runner-up to his Coventry colleague Chris Harris.

At one stage it seemed Bexhill-based Bridger would finish among the top two and go straight into the final.

He scored five points from his opening two rides, including a win against teenage rival Tai Woffinden.

Bridger also had a win over British No. 1 Scott Nicholls as he took eight points from his first three outings.

But, with just one more point needed to take him to the next stage, he finished last in his final two races and missed out on sixth place to Simon Stead, Hastings born riders Lee Richardson (14) and Kennett (13) were the top points scorers after five heats apiece, meaning they bypassed the semi-final.

Bridger rejoins an unchanged Eagles side tonight as they go to Ipswich in the first of three fixtures on successive evenings.

Davey Watt leads the side after declaring himself fully fit following groin and wrist injuries.

The wrist problem forced him to withdraw from last Saturday’s home defeat by Wolverhampton in mid-meeting but he is ready to go tonight after treatment and practice with his Polish track Atlas Wroclaw.

Eagles team manager Trevor Geer said: “Davey was out testing all day in Poland and told me he felt 100%.

“I think we have got a chance. The boys still rode well last Saturday and if it hadn’t been for Davey’s injury we would have beaten Wolves.”

Eagles must shine away

The Arlington outfit are traditionally poor travellers and five of their next six meetings are away, starting at Ipswich tomorrow night.

On top of that they are facing their most serious spate of injuries so far this term.

Last Saturday David Norris and Simon Gustafsson were both ruled out and Davey Watt should have followed suit rather than trying to ride with an injury in the home defeat by Wolverhampton last Saturday.

Lewis Bridger rode even though he was struggling to walk and Lukas Dryml took a knock when he crashed.

Then there is the Denis Gizatullin factor, with the Russian champion apparently close to securing his entry visa. Eagles must work out how to use him, if at all, and it could be a tough decision.

Eastbourne have proved they are good enough to finish in the top half of the table when at full strength.

Their away programme has been hit by the rain but now is the time to start firing. All the time they are not getting anything away they will be under a lot of pressure not to put another foot wrong at Arlington.

It has been a good, entertaining season so far. How they ride out this testing fortnight or so could dictate just how good it gets for Eastbourne.

Bridger raring to go in British final

Lewis Bridger has declared himself fully fit and eager to book a place in world speedway’s most high-profile event.

The 19-year-old from Bexhill is Eastbourne Eagles’ only representative in the British Final at Poole tonight (7.30pm).

Former Eagles star Scott Nicholls will be hot favourite to take the crown for what would be a record seventh time.

Bridger, though, can emulate his former team-mate Edward Kennett and clinch a wild card spot for the British GP at the Millennium Stadium if he is on song.

Tonight’s top rider, apart from Nicholls and his fellow GP regular Chris Harris, will earn a starting place in Cardiff next month.

Kennett, now with Coventry, did it last year when he completed a great night for Eastbourne by finishing second to Nicholls.

The Cardiff event regularly attracts a cosmopolitan 40,000-plus crowd beneath the closed Millennium Stadium roof.

It is the occasion all riders want to be part of, despite widespread misgivings over the quality of the temporary track.

Kennett and former Eastbourne skipper Lee Richardson, both former Poole riders, will each be fancied to grab the Cardiff ticket this time.

Rising star Tai Woffinden will be a threat while yet another ex-Eagle, Joe Screen, could be a decent outside bet given he now rides for Poole.

But Bridger had a four-win full maximum at Wimborne Road in the Elite Shield this season and can go as well as most around the 299-metre Dorset track when he is on song.

He now insists he is fully recovered from a painful calf wound sustained against Swindon nine days ago and said: “I’m going there to win every race.

“It’s a big meeting for me and I’ll be nervous I really want to get to Cardiff.

“I know the Poole track well and I’ve beaten Chris Holder and Bjarne Pedersen there this season.

“I haven’t even looked at anyone else. I know every rider will be capable of beating each other.”

Bridger could barely walk at the weekend but followed a paid-16 haul against Wolverhampton with an 11 (5) return in the World Under-21 Championship qualifier at Rye House, enough to reach the semi-finals.

“It’s the bike I’ve been riding everywhere but I struggled for two rides. Then I jumped on something completely different and had three wins.”

Meanwhile, Davey Watt will seek expert advice in Poland today before deciding if he is fit to ride for Eastbourne.

The Eagles skipper managed just one complete ride against league-leading Wolves on Saturday as he struggled with a wrist injury.

His absence proved key as Eastbourne let slip a 13-point lead to go down 47-45, surrendering their perfect home record in the process.

Watt is linking up with his Ekstraliga outfit Atlas Wroclaw for treatment and testing before deciding whether he can ride in Eastbourne’s trip to Ipswich tomorrow.

Eagles also go to Coventry on Friday before hosting Peterborough on Saturday. Team manager Trevor Geer said: “I spoke to Davey and he was blaming himself for what happened.

“It wasn’t until he sat on a bike with the vibration and pulling you get that his fingers went numb and he couldn’t hang on.”

Geer, who had Adam Shields on standby for Saturday’s meeting, is lining up a potential guest replacement should Watt rule himself out.

Eagles now fear David Norris could miss all of June as he recovers from third degree burns to an arm but are happy to fill in for him with rider-replacement for the time being.

Eagles demand answers from injured skipper

Eastbourne will demand assurances from skipper Davey Watt over his fitness before they bring him back into their side.

Watt pulled out after just one complete race in his side’s 47-45 home reverse to Elite League leaders Wolverhampton on Saturday.

Veteran Peter Karlsson outfoxed the otherwise excellent Lewis Bridger to win a heat 15 re-run and give Wolves the 3-3 they needed to secure victory in another captivating contest at Arlington.

It was Eagles’ first home reverse in a season which had previously seen them take 15 points out of 15 on their own shale.

Bridger limped gingerly into the pits before the meeting and could not even complete the track walk as he struggled with a wound to his calf muscle sustained by a flying chain in last Monday’s win over Swindon.

Watt, whose wrist was damaged by the same bit of metalwork, suffered electrical problems at the start of heat one, ran a second in heat six and retired in heat ten, unable to keep hold of the bike.

He then withdrew from the meeting altogether and Wolves saw their chance, plundering a 5-1 in heat 13, where he should have gone with Lukas Dryml, to draw level having trailed 30-17.

A 4-2 led by Adam Skornicki edged them ahead in heat 14, then Karlsson got inside Bridger on bend two in the heat 15-re-run to finish the job after Freddie Lindgren had fallen and been excluded in the first staging.

Cruelly, Eagles were on a 4-2 and set to salvage a draw when the first running was stopped by referee Dale Entwhistle with Lindgren still down on the track.

Eastbourne were bitterly disappointed to let slip a meeting of which they seemed to be in command and much of their frustration centred on Watt’s contribution.

Promoter Bob Dugard said the decision not to track Adam Shields as guest was a managerial error.

Dugard revealed: “Davey rang me and said he was fit to ride but we had already got Adam Shields booked.

“That was a big mistake to go with Davey. We should have gone with our gut feeling.

“You cannot have a No. 1 who is unfit. We were apprehensive when Davey said he was fit but we thought we had to go with it.

“You don’t want to stop your rider earning money but, on the other hand, the end result was a disaster for us.

“We would have gone joint top of the league if we had won, although we might get our own back when we go to Wolverhampton with a full strength team.”

Watt now seems to be over his recent groin injury but, asked how serious his wrist problem was, Dugard said: “It’s serious from the club’s point of view.

“We need proof he is fit before we put him in again because we cannot afford another slip-up like this.

“It’s very disappointing when you know you should have won if you had made the right choice of rider.”

David Norris is now expected to miss a month after suffering third degree burns to an arm but Eagles are happy to use rider-replacement in his absence.

Lukas Dryml took a knock when crashing out of heat 11 and Simon Gustafsson is recovering from a broken collarbone.

It all looked so good as, with Bridger and Dryml in superb form, they opened a healthy lead.

The improving Ricky Kling chipped in from reserve, his win in heat eight coming ahead of a superb battle for second place between Bridger and fellow teen hotshot Tai Woffinden, won by the home rider with a sublime pass tight to the fence.

But that 5-1 was as good as it got for the hosts as Lindgren came out for double points in the next race.

Wolves had a 6-3, two 5-1s and two 4-2s in the next five heats to lead 44-42 with one to go.

Cameron Woodward, hero of the previous meeting against Swindon, touched the tapes when Eagles needed him to win heat 14 and ended up chasing in vain from a 15-metre handicap.

Woodward borrowed Watt’s bike for heat 15 but, like Bridger, had no answer to Karlsson’s move on the inside line.

Meanwhile, Lewis Bridger overcame a slow start to reach the semi-finals of the World Under-21 Championships.

The Eastbourne star opened with two third places in yesterday’s qualifying meeting at Rye House before adding three wins to go through with 11 points in fourth place.

The top six qualified for semi-finals to be staged in Hungary and Sweden next month.

Eagles slip at home

Eastbourne Eagles suffered their first home defeat of the season and more injury woes on another dramatic night at Arlington.

Eagles let slip a 13-point advantage to go down 47-45 to Elite League leaders Wolverhampton.

Veteran Peter Karlsson beat Lewis Bridger and Cameron Woodward in a heat 15 re-run to give Wolves the 3-3 they needed.

Karlsson was the only away rider in the race after team mate Freddie Lindgren fell in the first staging and was excluded.

Bridger defied a nasty calf injury to score paid-16 and help keep Eagles in the contest.

But skipper Davey Watt managed just one complete ride as he struggled with the wrist injury sustained in the same incident as Bridger suffered his leg wound against Swindon last Monday.

Lindgren scored a double-points win over Bridger and Woodward in heat nine to spark the comeback which also saw Wolves plunder two 5-1s and two 4-2s in the second half of the meeting.

Eagles: Bridger 15+1 (6), Kling 10+2 (7), Dryml 10 (5), Woodward 5+2 (6), Schramm 3 (3), Watt 2 (3), Norris r/r.

Wolverhampton: Lindgren 12+2 (5)^, Karlsson 11 (5), Proctor 9+1 (7), Woffinden 8+1 (5), Skornicki 7+1 (4), Stichauer 0 (4), Klindt r/r.

Visit of Wolves could be tasty

Things are unlikely to be dull when Wolverhampton visit Eagles tomorrow (7.30pm).

Wolves replaced Swindon at the top of the Eite League on Monday by beating Ipswich while the Robins were leaving Arlington empty-handed.

The midlanders traditionally enjoy Eastbourne so more great racing is on the way, especially if they produce the form that brought them a stunning 54-39 away win over Poole recently.

Bob Dugard said: “Two things stand out for me this season. Our team spirit is phenomenal and the entertainment value at Eastbourne has been over and above what you can expect.”

Eagles will again track Chris Schramm in place of Simon Gustafsson (broken collarbone) and operate rider-repacement for David Norris (arm and back injuries). Davey Watt, who has groin and wrist injuries, is doubtful while Lewis Bridger will feature, despite a wound to his calf muscle.

Wolverhampton: Karlsson, Klindt r/r, Woffinden, Skornicki, Lindgren, Stichauer, Proctor.

Bridger to ride through the pain

Injured Lewis Bridger is adamant he will ride on one of his biggest weekends of the year, even though he can hardly walk.

The Eagles teenager had a hole ripped in his left calf muscle when he shed a chain in Monday’s win over Swindon.

He was due to miss last night’s meeting away to the Robins, which was rained off, but is resting and taking antibiotics.

Bridger plans to ride in the World Under-21 Championship quarter-final at Rye House on Sunday (2pm) and Eagles’ home clash with Wolverhampton the previous evening. He also has his mind on next Wednesday night’s British Final at Poole, when he could clinch a GP wild card for the Millennium Stadium.

The Bexhill based racer said: “I will be there on Saturday night, 100%. It’s not ideal. I've damaged muscle and ligaments in the back of my leg and it’s very difficult walking but I can ride the bike.

“I’ve got practice at Rye House on Saturday morning, then down to Eastbourne in the afternoon."

Bridger must finish in the top six on Sunday to reach the world semi-finals and faces opposition from, most notably his arch teenage rival Tai Woffinden and Aussie wonderkid Darcy Ward.

He said: “I haven’t even looked at the line-up. I want to go through the card and win the meeting.”

Eagles chief defends Arlington track

Bob Dugard has told Sky Sports’ presenters to change their script after his treasured Arlington track was put under scrutiny.

Debate raged as to whether the Eastbourne Eagles promoter, who also spends countless hours preparing the race circuit, had produced a terror track or a racer’s paradise when his side beat Swindon before the cameras on Monday.

Five riders had their meeting curtailed by injury and a sixth, Croatian wonderkid Jurica Pavlic, was crocked when crashing out of his fourth and final ride.

And he quoted Swindon skipper Leigh Adams, one of the world’s best and most experienced riders, to back up his point.

The Eagles chief said: “I watched it again on TV and got sick to death of the comments about track conditions. There was nothing wrong with the track all night long.

“The starting gates were even and people were getting to the first corner together.

“Both teams were desperate to win, nobody was holding back and there were big track riders coming to a small track and struggling.

“The more skilful riders were making mincemeat of it and Leigh Adams was adamant the track was not an issue.

“It’s about time our association spoke to Sky and told them to find something more interesting to talk about than asking about the track all the time.

“Quite frankly it gets boring and repetitive. It would be much more interesting to talk about something else. Sky meetings are usually on Monday nights. Why not ask riders about how they got on in Poland on Sunday?”

While the circuit was put under the microscope, Sky were enthusiastic in their praise of what was deemed a classic meeting.

But was it such great entertainment? Or would we rather see brilliant racing, as produced in heat 15 by Cameron Woodward, without the numerous crashes?

The sort of racing, in fact, that has made it such an enjoyable season at the Sussex track so far this year.

There often seems to be a suggestion in some quarters that a lot of spills makes for entertainment.

Monday’s clash started off in great style with Swindon going 10-2 up and then being pegged back.

Had it carried on that way rather than develop into a stop-start night of re-runs and smashes, it would surely have been a better spectacle than what we actually saw.

“For me, it dragged on too long,” Dugard admitted of a meeting which ended at about 10.45pm on a cold night. “But then the feedback I got was it was a great meeting. I actually took a lot of entertainment value out of the track by grading so much.

“Their promoter Alun Rossiter was saying it was too deep around the outside but Cameron used that in heat 15 to get us all three points. Eastbourne riders are generally able to cope with that.

“Nobody does it better than Lewis Bridger, although occasionally he tries to get too much from it. But if the public want entertainment and racing you have to have dirt on the track. Too many riders are not capable of handling it and that’s what Leigh Adams said.”

Bridger races to be fit

Injured Lewis Bridger is racing against time to be fit for Eastbourne Eagles tonight.

The 19-year-old racer had hospital treatment last night in a bid to make the tough-looking Elite League trip to Swindon Robins (7.30pm).

He is one of several riders on both sides bearing the wounds of Monday night’s battle of Arlington.

Bridger had a chunk taken out of his calf muscle by a broken chain in heat 15. He initially had the wound dressed and bandaged and was having further attention last night.

If he cannot ride, former Swindon loanee James Wright, of Belle Vue, will step in.

Davey Watt, struggling with groin and wrist injuries, has already been ruled out.

Eastbourne operate rider-replacement for David Norris, who has arm and back injuries, while Chris Schramm again replaces reserve Simon Gustafsson, who has a broken collarbone.

Team manager Trevor Geer said: “Lewis told me he couldn’t walk so I lined up a replacement.

“Then he told me he couldn’t walk but he could sit on a bike so he could do the meeting.

Bridger is gearing up for a busy weekend, revolving around his quarter-final in the World Under-21 Championship at Rye House.

He has practice on Saturday and the event, which is a key date on his calendar, on Sunday.

Bridger will nip back to Eastbourne to ride in Saturday night’s league meeting at home to Wolves.

Krzysztof Stojanowski has been declared fit after a check-up on his neck but Ryan Fisher and Jurica Pavlic miss out.

Eagles: Shields, Norris r/r, Bridger or Wright, Woodward, Dryml, Kling, Schramm.

All in a night's work for battered Eagles

Battered and burned David Norris has described Arlington’s night of carnage as good old-fashioned speedway.

Norris, who suffered third degree burns after his arm caught in an opponent’s wheel, reckons the injury-hit Eastbourne Eagles sent out a message to their high-flying opponents as they battled to a 50-41 win on Monday.

A Sky Sports audience, plus about 1,000 fans at the stadium, watched as five riders pulled out of the meeting through injury on a night of spills.

The Robins’ other reserve Ryan Fisher also pulled out after taking what was a described by trackside announcer Kevin Coombes as a blow to the crown jewels.

Davey Watt suffered a wrist injury and Lewis Bridger two gashes to his left calf muscle in a heat-15 smash.

Cameron Woodward, lucky to escape injury when Stojanowski ran over him in an earlier incident, came in for the nominated race and produced a brilliant pass of Leigh Adams and Travis McGowan to give Eagles all three points and keep Swindon off the top of the table.

Both teams are now counting their walking wounded ahead of a re-match in Wiltshire tomorrow night.

Norris saw a burns specialist in East Grinstead yesterday afternoon and will miss the next two weeks.

He said: “I’m disappointed it happened. A break’s a break but this is different and I don’t like the look of it.

“I still might have broken my scaphoid but it’s too swollen to tell but I’ve got third degree burns on my forearm the width of a tyre.

“It was a frustrating night for me in that I couldn’t get a set-up but I was enjoying the action.

“We were getting battered and bruised but that showed what speedway riders are. It was hammer and tongs.”

Norris said track conditions had nothing to do with the list of smashes, putting them down to two motivated sides going full throttle.

He added: “The TV cameras were there and you can’t lose against Eastbourne because everybody has slated us and written us off.

“They are mighty Swindon and they are going for it and we’re not going to give an inch.

“People will still knock us. They won’t take us seriously but that’s where our team spirit comes from.

“Chris Schramm wins a heat and we’re all over the fence cheering him. It’s a great team to be in.

“We fight as team and that’s why we won the meeting. We were down to our last rider to go out in heat 15 and Cam goes out and produces the ride of his life.”

Norris admitted he could smell his skin burning after clashing with Troy Batchelor, who was slow to stop after the red lights went on.

But the Eagles star, who is also nursing a back injury, added: “Not one rider backed off and we all respect each other.

“I had a go at the geezer who did it to me but he said sorry and I shook his hand. It’s almost what it’s all about.”

Both sides are counting the cost of what Sky commentator Nigel Pearson described as one of the most dramatic nights in league speedway history.

Bridger admits he is doubtful for tomorrow’s meeting and hopes to be fit for Sunday’s World Under-21 Championship quarter-final at Rye House.

Watt was already struggling with a groin injury so Eagles are likely to put a guest on standby while Schramm again deputises for Simon Gustafsson, who has a broken collarbone.

Woodward the hero as Eagles claim thrilling win

Cameron Woodward produced the ride of a lifetime to keep Eastbourne Eagles’ perfect home record intact last night.

The Aussie was called into heat 15 at the last second and passed both GP star Leigh Adams and Travis McGowan in a world class move off bend four third time around to clinch a 50-41 win over Swindon.

David Norris was the main concern on a long night of crashes, exclusions and re-runs.

He suffered burns and a suspected fractured wrist in a crash with Troy Batchelor in heat ten.

Norris followed Swindon reserve Krzysztof Stojanowski to hospital, the Pole taking a nasty tumble with Woodward in the previous race.

Lewis Bridger also ended the night in hospital having a leg wound, caused by a flying chain in the first running of the nominated race, stitched up.

The flying chain also caught Davey Watt on the wrist, meaning Woodward and Lukas Dryml had to step in for the final race.

The Robins' other reserve Ryan Fisher left the meeting early after taking a blow to a delicate area.

Swindon, who led 10-2 early on, had to go with three riders in three heats and ended up empty-handed.

Eagles manager Trevor Geer said: "Davey Watt was struggling with his groin and now has another injury.

"He has got a few days rest so we'll see how he goes, although he can still move his fingers.

"And David Norris didn't look good in the pits. He certainly has some bad abrasions on his arm."

When Jurica Pavlic was excluded from heat 12 for going flying into the air fence, we had the unusual sight of Bridger and Ricky Kling racing each other with no opposition rider on the track.

The other came in heat seven when Pavlic, the red hot Croatian prospect getting his first taste of Arlington, fell as he pursued Kling.

Just as Pavlic went down on bend two on lap three, Batchelor also bit the dust behind him and over-worked referee Chris Gay excluded them both, ruling the falls were unrelated.

That gave Eagles a 5-0 heat advantage and a 22-19 lead, their first advantage of the night.

The second 5-0 opened a 40-30 buffer and set up Adams to take a double-points ride in the next heat.

However lone Robins rider Batchelor got the start all wrong in heat 14 and recovered too late to catch Woodward and the improving Kling.

So Eagles led by nine going into heat 15 but any thoughts they would comfortably take all three points were forgotten as their two riders were injured.

Woodward and out-of-sorts Lukas Dryml were summoned for the re-run but unbeaten Adams and Travis McGowan looked set to plunder the 5-1 which would rescue a bonus point for Swindon.

The evening could not have got off to a worse start for Eastbourne as they conceded 5-1s in the first two heats.

Adams and McGowan burst away from the gate in heat one, then reserves Fisher and Stojanowski were equally convincing to give the Robins a 10-2 lead.

The reply Eagles needed came in heat three when first Woodward, then Bridger powered outside Batchelor for a home maximum.

Chris Schramm followed that with his first heat win in Eagles colours to peg back the deficit to two points.

At that stage it was developing into a very good meeting for a chilly Arlington crowd and television viewers.

The various stoppages did little for the overall spectacle of a meeting which took more than three hours to get through.

Watt aims to get Eagles firing again

SKIPPER Davey Watt is hoping a day of rest and treatment can help him put Eastbourne Eagles back on course after a bad night in Essex.

Eagles’ first away meeting since Good Friday turned into Black Friday when their injury-hit side lost 57-36 at Lakeside.

Three days on, they have the perfect chance to make amends as they tackle current leaders, and many people’s title tips, Swindon Robins at Arlington tonight (7.30) before the television cameras.

Watt suffered a groin injury in his first ride in Essex and, although he managed two points in his second scheduled heat, he then withdrew from the meeting.

Eagles were already missing David Norris, ruled out by a back problem, on top of the longer-term absence of Simon Gustafsson with a broken collarbone.

To add to their misery, Lewis Bridger seemed to run into mechanical problems after two impressive heat wins, taking just one point from a possible 15 over the rest of the meeting.

Norris is expected to be back against the Robins tonight while Chris Schramm continues to deputise for Gustafsson.

Watt insisted last night he should be there, although he had a below-par 4+1 (5) for Wroclaw as they lost at home to Torun in the Polish top flight yesterday.

The Aussie had planned to go to Poland for testing and practice on Saturday. He still made the trip but turned it into a day designed to get him fit for forthcoming meetings, both in England and mainland Europe.

He said: “I went to see the doctor about my groin and it seems like it will be a bit painful but okay.

“It happened in my first race. I just got out of shape and made a bit of a mess of things and pulled my groin.

Watt, whose regular weekly programme also includes Tuesday night meetings for champions Lejonen in Sweden, is ready for some pain.

He said: “It's okay if it hurts a little bit but I just need to be able to get in a comfortable enough position on the bike.”

Eagles will want Watt to fully firing in his tussles with Swindon skipper Leigh Adams, surely the best rider in the league despite what the early season averages might show.

They have yet to drop a point in four home league matches but there are uncanny similarities with last season which will trouble superstitious fans.

It was on this Monday night TV slot a year ago that Poole handed Eastbourne a first Arlington defeat of the season, in front of the cameras, as home skipper Lee Richardson withdrew during the meeting with a recurrence of an ongoing injury.

Eagles really need big nights from their top five with the reserves chipping in where they can in Gustafsson’s absence.

Team manager Trevor Geer is equally confident of success in the latest in a series of significant tests for his side, who host second-placed Wolverhampton on Saturday.

Children are being offered free admission tonight if attending with a paying adult. Eagles are also giving away £1,000 in prize money, in the shape of £100 vouchers hidden in ten lucky match programmes.

The club have often handed out free tickets to boost their crowds for televised meetings in the past.

Promoter Bob Dugard said: “By doing this we feel that our regular fans, indeed the people who matter most to us, will reap the rewards and in the process could win themselves a nice cash prize.”

l Bridger scored seven points from five rides, including a heat win, in Czestochowa’s 51-39 win at Gorzow in Poland yesterday.

Elite League standings: Swindon (7 meetings) 19, Wolverhampton (8) 17, Lakeside (9) 17, Coventry (10) 17, Peterborough (9) 14, Eagles (7) 14, Ipswich (8) 10, Belle Vue (8) 6, Poole (12) 6

by Alison Birch

Dave Norris is facing a race against time to be fit for Eastbourne Eagles' Sky TV match against Swindon Robins on Monday.
He may even withdraw from the following meeting away to Lakeside Hammers next Friday with the back injury he suffered in the win over Ipswich Witches last Saturday.

Norris said, "I'm on medication for my back and don't want to miss any meetings, specially a Sky match but I am hopeful of being fit."

Eagles lost out on securing points for an away loss by just one point away to the Robins at the beginning of April when the score stood at 49-41.

A six-point deficit would have secured the Eagles a vital Elite League point, but Norris is positive that the Eagles can win this time.

He continued, "We are going into this meeting as the underdogs and we are still being underestimated as a winning team.

"We were unlucky before but we are a strong side at home and can win. I am looking forward to it!"

Eagles manager Trevor Geer said, "It will be a close match but I am positive of a win. If we can get three points from it, I'll be happy.

"Dave will be okay for the meeting against Swindon. He has had a really great start to the season and has exceeded all my expectations, especially after a year out."

Norris has also been pleasantly surprised at his start to the season. He added, "I'm doing better than I ever expected I would but it is good to be back.

"I still really enjoy it and, after 20 years in this sport, it's still the best for me. The team atmosphere is great, there are no superstars in the team and we always cheer each other on. The team spirit is really high, especially at home."

Meanwhile, in-form Swedish hot shot Simon Gustafsson is out for three to four weeks. He injured his collarbone after colliding with Poole's Chris Holder while riding for his Swedish club Indianerna on Tuesday.

Eagles: 1. Watt, 2. Norris, 3. Bridger, 4. Woodward, 5. Dryml, 6. Kling, 7. Schramm.

Robins: 1. Adams, 2. McGowan, 3. Pavlic, 4. Batchelor, 5. Stead, 6. Stojanowski, 7. Fisher.

Eagles' job has got tougher

By Brian Owen

Trevor Geer admits the odds have lengthened against his side scoring a welcome away win tonight.

But the Eastbourne Eagles team manager insists his men can still aim for at least a point as they go to Lakeside Hammers in the Elite League (8pm).

Eagles have raced just one full league meeting on the road so far this term but four solid home wins have kept them among the pacesetters.

They lost at Swindon, then drew a curtailed meeting at Poole before suffering three successive away rain-offs.

Now they find themselves without star reserve Simon Gustafsson as they tackle a Lakeside outfit who have taken eight points out of nine on home shale to date.

Geer said: “Every meeting this year we have surprised a few people and it’s a shame we have had these rain-offs, otherwise I think we would be top of the league now.

“We learned a lot from going to Lakeside in the cup and we will all be better prepared this time.

“I think if anyone is going to beat them at home it should be us. It’s a track we should be riding well.

“Losing Simon damages us, though. He has been going so well at reserve.

“I still think we can beat Lakeside, or at least get a point, but it will be a tough one.”

Eastbourne, who were beaten by 19 at Lakeside in a cup tie this season, need to lose by less than seven to grab a point.

A draw is worth two points and a win three, or four if the margin is seven or more.

Lakeside, missing the injured Joonas Kylmakorpi, name young British prospect Robert Mear at reserve.

Lakeside: Shields, Davidsson,Richardson, Kylmakorpi r/r, Nieminen, Mear, Robson.

Eagles: Watt, Norris, Bridger, Woodward, Dryml, Kling, Schramm.

Gustafsson sets comeback target

By Brian Owen

Injured Eastbourne star Simon Gustafsson has set himself a deadline of June 1 to be back in action.

The high-scoring 18-year-old Eagles reserve suffered a broken collarbone in a smash in the Swedish top flight on Tuesday.

He was allowed home later that evening but has been ruled out of racing for between four and six weeks.

His absence is a potentially massive setback to Eagles’ encouraging Elite League campaign, which continues at Lakeside Hammers tomorrow (8pm).

Recently signed No. 8 Chris Schramm is available for the trip to Essex as well as Monday’s televised home clash with high-flying Swindon Robins.

Gustafsson was leading a race for Indianerna when he was clipped by Chris Holder in the defeat at champions Lejonen, for whom Davey Watt top-scored.

The young Swede has absolved Holder of blame for the collision on a difficult track but admits he is disapointed to be sitting out several weeks of what has so far been an excellent season.

Gustafsson said: “Of course I want to be back as early as I can but not too early.

“If you do that and something stupid happens you might be out for another six weeks.

“I’ll wait three weeks and see what’s happening and how I’m feeling.

“I’ve got my world under-21 team qualifier in Germany on June 1 and I expect that will be my first meeting back.”

Gustafsson felt well enough to travel to Norkopping last night with his father Henka, who was due to race for his new club Rospiggarna in the Elitserien.

The Eagles No. 7 said: “I’m on painkillers and I feel all right generally.

“I can’t complain about anything this season so far.

“My starts have been working really well, my engines have been good.

“I will try and keep that standard up and come back fitter and faster.”

Gustafsson’s injury, while a blow in the short term, also has potentially serious longer-term implications for Eastbourne.

The club are anxious for their young star to race 12 league meetings, of which at least five must be at home, to qualify for a new and more realistic average.

Until he gets that far, they can only replace him with their No.8 or a National League guest when he is away on an international commitment or, as now, injured.

The signing of Schramm has proved to be timely in terms of damage limitation, although he is unlikely to bring in the points Gustafsson would have managed.

Eagles will now look to Ricky Kling to provide a boost from the reserve berths at Lakeside against his parent club.

The Hammers are not without problems of their own for this second cross-Thames derby of the current league campaign.

They were hoping to bring in Tomasz Jedrzejak in place of injured Joonas Kylmakorpi tomorrow.

However the Polish rider is unwell, forcing Lakeside to stick with rider-replacement.

Top pair Lee Richardson and Adam Shields, both former Eastbourne heat leaders, are ineligible to take a ride for Kylmakorpi, who has a broken elbow.

Bridger: I'll be fit for derby date

By Brian Owen

Lewis Bridger has assured Eastbourne fans he will be fit for derby day.

The 19-year-old Eagles star pulled out of his top-flight Polish meeting for Czestochowa on Sunday.

Bridger suffered shoulder damage when falling in heat 13 of Eagles’ win over Ipswich but has vowed to race at Lakeside in Friday’s re-arranged Elite League tussle. Eagles also face high-flying Swindon at Arlington next Monday.

Bridger said: “I’ve done some muscle damage and taken some skin off but I’ll be okay by the weekend.”

Eastbourne will be at full strength as they go to a Lakeside circuit where Bridger won the British Under-21 Championship recently.

He added: “We’ve got to go there and make starts.

“It’s always slick up there but we know what to expect.”

Eastbourne promoter Bob Dugard has taken a dig at his Lakeside counterparts by offering his men a special practice session on Thursday.

Dugard said: “I’ll be making the track like ice so they can test out engines for Lakeside.”

Meanwhile, new Eagles No. 8 Chris Schramm has set his sights on more Elite League outings after standing in for Simon Gustafsson against the Witches.

The former Ipswich rider said: “I wanted to come back into the Elite League and give it a good shot.

“If you want to move forward you have got to ride with people who are far quicker than you.

“Everybody in this league is far quicker than me at the moment.

“That’s what hopefully is going to pull me forward.”

Russian champ edges closer

By Brian Owen

Eastbourne Eagles chief Bob Dugard has told the Arlington faithful: “The Russian champion is on his way.”

Dugard expects to introduce Denis Gizatullin to his Elite League outfit in the coming weeks.

Gizatullin’s arrival has been delayed by red-tape complications but he has now passed an English test he was required to take as part of his work permit application.

Dugard said: “We have now applied for a second entry visa which will take three or four weeks to go through.

“Everything at his end has been done.

“I think we will bring him in. He will add an extra dimension to the bottom end of the team.

“If you are going to win this league the time to really come on strong is July and August.”

Reserve Ricky Kling looks most at threat should Gizatullin, who has a bargain four-point average, come in.

Kling enjoyed two heat wins in the home success over Ipswich last Saturday, including a fine success over Danny King, and Dugard would not confirm who would probably make way for Gizatullin, providing no injuries are suffered in the coming weeks.

He said: “I think it is probably pretty obvious what we will do but the main thing is we will have options either way.

“We will have the choice to stay with what we have got and pay Denis off or bring him in.”

Eagles expect to have Simon Gustafsson and Lukas Dryml back on Friday for their re-arranged trip to Lakeside.

The Hammers are unbeaten at home and this will be Eagles’ first away fixture since their draw at Poole on Good Friday.

Eagles's Norris hails strength in depth

By Brian Owen

Delighted David Norris believes Eastbourne Eagles have proved they can get by without their youngest rising star after another impressive home win.

Norris and skipper Davey Watt led the way with double-digit hauls as Eagles saw off a decent Ipswich outfit 52-40 on Saturday.

The winning bonus point, secured in heat 15, maintained Eagles’ perfect record around Arlington in four Elite League meetings under the new scoring system.

They had to overturn an early 11-7 deficit for this latest success and manage without teenage hot-shot Simon Gustafsson as well as popular Lukas Dryml, who were both on international duty.

Rider-replacement for Dryml brought wins from the first three heats and might have reeled in 11 points from 12 had the somewhat hit-and-miss Lewis Bridger not fallen chasing Jarek Hampel in heat 13.

New No. 8 Chris Schramm did not bring in anything like the points Gustafsson would have managed but he was competitive, pretty fast out of the gate and might have scored more than he did.

Meanwhile, fellow reserve Ricky Kling emerged from Gustafsson’s shadow to win the reserves’ race and then add an excellent heat 14 success ahead of the lively Danny King to leave his side on the brink of maximum points.

Watt had the final say in his evening-long battle with Hampel in heat 15, easing away from the gate while Norris completed the 4-2 in his first nominated race of the year.

Norris, whose haul included an exciting win over hard-racing Piotr Swiderski in heat six, admitted: “It feels brilliant.

“It was an exceptionally hard meeting. They got off to a flier and they have got some really good riders.

“Our massive problem was to try and cover for Simon.

“Chris Schramm was fantastic and the points he scored were so vital. He let me by in a race and he got me going.

“It’s a valid victory. It’s almost like Man United putting out a second squad to prove to people they have got strength in depth.

“We have done that tonight. I’ve had my first double figure score of the year and it has only taken two months!”

Norris was all packed up and nursing an aching back when the heat 15 call came.

He was right to be delighted with his efforts against one of his old clubs on a night when Eagles, watched by an encouraging crowd of 1,300, needed their big guns to fire.

Hampel is always a threat. He beat Watt twice to spoil the home captain’s maximum and it took something special from the Aussie to come off the final bend and pip the Pole to win a thrilling heat 11.

Watt also beat King when the Ipswich man went for double points in heat ten, though a fall for Norris ruined an Eagles 5-1 and kept Witches in the hunt for a point.

Although they survived this time, Eagles will be keen to get Gustafsson to the 12-meeting mark.

He will then receive a realistic average, opening up extra options to replace him when he is away.

Norris knows that, like Dryml or Cameron Woodward, he might end up at reserve but that will not worry Eastbourne’s record points scorer.

He added: “When Simon jumps into the team who are you going to put at reserve? Me? Cam?

“That’s a good team. Simon will blow them away whatever number he rides at and the whole thing is a strong set-up.”

Simon Gustafsson is through to the semi-finals of the World Under-21 Championship after winning the Swedish round with 13 (5) on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Lukas Dryml scored ten points to help the Czech Republic through to the World Team Cup semi-finals.

Eagles still perfect at home

By Brian Owen

Eastbourne Eagles maintained their perfect home record with a 52-40 defeat of Ipswich in the Elite Leagiue tonight.

They came back from an early four-point deficit for a comfortable win, despite the absence of Lukas Dryml and Simon Gustafsson on international duty.

Davey Watt was defeated twice by Jarek Hampel but also beat the Pole with a superb last-bend pass in the race of the night in heat 11.

The home skipper also beat Hampel from the gate in heat 15 to ensure Eagles took all three points for the fourth tiime in as many home meetings.

David Norris had his first double-figure haul of the year, earning a heat 15 call in the process.

Danny King top scored for the Witches, though he was beaten by Watt when taking a tactical ride in heat ten.

Eagles: Watt 15+1 (6), Norris 11+1 (6), Bridger 9 (5), Woodward 8+2 (5), Kling 6 (4), Schramm 3+1 (4), Dryml r/r.

Ipswich: King 14 (6)^, Hampel 11 (5), Stachyra 5+2 (6), Wilkinson 5+1 (4), Swiderski 3 (4), Lanham 2+2 (5), Kroner r/r

British title so special for Bridger

By Mike Legg

Lewis Bridger insists he did not have tears in his eyes when he was crowned the new under-21 British champion but admits it was a special feeling.

The Eastbourne Eagles star roared to a 15-heat maximum in the qualifiers before making it six of the best by beating off the challenge of reigning champion Tai Woffinden to take the silverware at Lakeside.

The Bexhill rider has missed out twice before, but made no mistakes this time as he led all his heats from start to finish before leaving Woffinden, Joe Haines and Ben Barker trailing in the grand final.

Bridger, 19, said: “It’s great to achieve such a big thing so early in the season. It’s nice to be able to add that to my portfolio.

“It’s great especially as all the limelight was on Tai. He was rated over me but I have started the season so well. To go undefeated in the under-21s is a great feeling to have and shows I am on the right track. I concentrated 110% and I made it happen.”

His granddad, Tony Thompson, reckoned Bridger had tears in his eyes after the meeting but the cool teenager was not so sure.

He said: “I wasn’t aware of that but Tai said the same and it obviously meant a lot to me.

“It’s a great feeling knowing that I can go to every meeting now and be announced as the British under-21 champion.

“It is also great for the club and it is nice to add my silverware to what we won last season.

“I would like to thank the club because without Eastbourne speedway I wouldn’t be where I am now because they gave me the break in the first place.

“I also have to thank Neville Tatum, my engine tuner, who has done some awesome equipment for me this season.”

Lewis Bridger crowned

British under-21 champion

Lewis Bridger has been crowned British Under 21 Champion.

The Eastbourne Eagle ace saw off the challenge of 2008 Champion, Tai Woffinden, of Wolves and Coventry's Ben Barker to claim the crown at Lakeside.

Bridger’s scores scores: 3,3,3,3,3 =15 (maximum).

CONGRATULATIONS to LEWIS

Eagles chief welcomes decision on Kennett fee

By Mike Legg

Eastbourne Eagles promoter Bob Dugard says he is delighted with the £29,000 fee the club will receive from Coventry Bees for Edward Kennett.

The Arlington chief attended an arbitration hearing yesterday to thrash out a transfer fee after Coventry offered £15,000 for a rider Eagles valued at £40,000.

Kennett, 22, has been riding for Bees this season after requesting a move during the winter and is one of the top riders in the country at present according to the averages.

Dugard said: “The meeting was at 10.30am this morning and when I got back to my desk at 4pm there was an email waiting which said they have fixed a fee of £29,000 plus VAT.

“We asked for £40,000 and they offered £15,000 so the transfer fee favours us and is in our balance “We feel totally vindicated in asking for our fee and I’m delighted.

“It’s not like football so we’re not talking those sort of numbers but it’s probably the biggest fee in the sport for a while.”

He added: “The matter is totally settled now and I just want my money. I have already sent off an invoice.

“A fee should have been paid before the start of the season but that was delayed by the arbitration.

“I am hoping they will now pay up quickly.”

Dugard had threatened to scrap Eagles’ famed junior track if he did not get a realistic fee for Kennett.

The Arlington chief said he would have no interest in bringing through young riders who could then be taken by other clubs at bargain prices.

Eagles happy with Kennett fee

By Mike Legg

Eastbourne Eagles will receive a transfer fee of £29,000 plus VAT from Coventry for rider Edward Kennett following the decision of an arbitration panel today.

The Eagles valued Kennett, 22 and third best British rider in the league according to averages, at £40,000 while Coventry Bees offered £15,000.

Kennett has been riding for Bees this season after requesting a move during the winter

Eagles flaunt their strength in depth

By Brian Owen

Eastbourne's Davey Watt admits the danger can come from anywhere in his Eagles line-up.

And if the skipper cannot predict who will be top man, how on earth can the opposition know what to expect?

Watt partnered Cameron Woodward for a match-crowing 5-1 in heat 15 as Eagles hammered early season Elite League leaders Lakeside 55-41 at Arlington.

Yes, hammered. Although Lakeside could have pinched a losing bonus point with a 5-1 in heat 15, they never looked like getting it and it would have been a travesty if they had.

Apart from the admirable ex-Eagles duo of Adam Shields and Lee Richardson, they were hopelessly outgunned and would have been trounced without one double points win apiece for that pair and two unfortunate falls by Eastbourne.

And, yes, Woodward in heat 15. The same Woodward being tipped for an imminent reserve berth as he struggled in early season.

This time he was paid for more points than any of his team-mates, 12 from five rides. That means in the last six meetings, four different Eagles have top scored in terms of paid points.

All seven Eagles shared in at least one 5-1 and all seven had at least one paid win. In fact, popular Lukas Dryml was the only home man not to take a chequered flag.

Lowest scorer Ricky Kling outpointed all but Shields and Richardson of the Hammers. That is why Eagles pride themselves on strength in depth.

Watt, who gradually worked up momentum as the meeting progressed, said: “It was brilliant. We had a good team to ride against and every one of the boys rode really well.

“We had some issues. A couple of the boys had a little of trouble and I didn’t have a great night but we still pulled through.

“They threw two tactical rides at us and did well out of both of them and we still won by a whole bunch of points so I’m really happy with everyone.”

Lewis Bridger went flying when his throttle cable snapped in heat three, just as it seemed he was going to share a 5-1 with Woodward which would have opened a 14-4 lead.

Then, with Eagles poised to secure a three-point win in heat 14, Simon Gustafsson pushed a bit too hard in a thrilling attack on Jonas Davidsson and fell just yards from the line.

The young Swede could have quite easily cruised through for second but that is not the mentality which has got him to where he is, still weeks short of his 19th birthday.

So a 5-1 for the impressive Shields and the still unbeaten Richardson in heat 15 would have nicked an unmerited point for Lakeside, who badly missed injured ex-Eagle Joonas Kylmakorpi.

They won the toss and took gates one and three but the hosts got a dream start as Watt kept Richardson pinned inside and Woodward hurtled around the outside.

Woodward was a surprise nomination for some fans although they needed to be aware that, under complex eligibility rules depending on match score and average, Bridger was not allowed to run in heat 15.

Watt said: “I was more than happy to have Cameron in the race with me and it worked out great.

“I did exactly what I said I wanted to do, to get over the top of Lee Richardson and let Cameron have all the room he needed to get right around the outside.”

Do not under-estimate the roles of David Norris, Dryml and Kling on a night when, including those falls for Bridger and Gustafsson, Eagles had just three scoreless rides.

Norris was especially impressive in holding off Shields to win heat one.

“We are all gaining confidence in each other,” Watt said. “That can only lead to better things.”

Standings: Coventry (5 meetings) 13, Eastbourne (5) 11, Lakeside (6), 11, Swindon (3) 7, Wolverhampton (3) 6, Peterboroigh (4) 6, Belle Vue (4) 3, Poole (6) 3, Ipswich (4) 2.

Eagles: Watt 11 (5), Woodward 10+2 (5), Gustafsson 10+1 (5), Norris 7+2 (4), Dryml 6+3 (4), Bridger 6+1 (4), Kling 5+1 (3).

Lakeside: Richardson 15 (5), Shields 11 (5), Davidsson 5 (5), Nieminen 4 (5), Mills 3+1 (6), Robson 2 (4), Kylmakorpi r/r.

Dugard: Biggest test yet

By Brian Owen

Eastbourne Eagles boss Bob Dugard has revealed why tonight’s home clash with Lakeside could be one of the biggest tests of the season.

The cross-Thames rivals meet at Arlington (7.30pm) for their first Elite League derby of the year after last night’s meeting at Thurrock was rained off.

Lakeside have already knocked Eagles out of the KO Cup and are second in the table with the Sussex side just one place below them.

Dugard is confident his side can be title challengers but concedes tonight’s meeting will give him a better idea of their prospects.

The Eastbourne promoter said: “This meeting could be key to our season.

“When we met them here in the KO Cup they had already had a big win at home and they didn’t need to really turn the pressure up in the second leg.

“They will be out for serious points this time and it will be a test for us to withstand that.”

Lakeside have been linked with a call-up for Tomasz Jedrzejak in place of the injured Joonas Kylmakorpi but boss Jon Cook last night said he would run rider-replacement for the Finn, whose absence is not expected to be long term.

Eagles are at full strength as they bid for a fifth home win out of five so far this season.

Reserve Ricky Kling, who is riding for Eagles on loan from Lakeside, will be as keen as anyone to post a big score.

Kling’s form has been hit and miss in early season and wheels are in motion to bring in Russian champion Denis Gizatullin, who would be a ready-made replacement.

Gizatullin takes an Englsh test in Moscow on Tuesday as part of his immigration application.

If he passes, he could be available in three weeks and, while his four-point average means he could replace any current Eagle, Kling’s form leaves him most at risk.

It did not escape Dugard that Gizatullin scored 11+2 (5) for Rybnik in the Polish second tier last Sunday, in only his second meeting of the season, while team mate Kling managed just 6+1 (5).

Meanwhile the delayed arbitration hearing to decide a transfer fee for Edward Kennett has been set for Wednesday morning.

Kennett, now with Coventry, went into the season with an average of 7.11, excluding bonus points. That has rocketed to 9.17 already this season, which will be music to Dugard’s ears as he looks to secure a fee of £30,000 or more.

Coventry beat ailing Poole 50-43 at Brandon last night to replace Lakeside on top of the table.

Eagles: Watt, Norris, Bridger, Woodward, Dryml, Kling, Gustafsson.

Lakeside: Shields, Nieminen, Davidsson, Kylmakorpi r/r, Richardson, Mills, Robson.

Gustafsson is giving his dad nightmares

By Brian Owen

Rising star Simon Gustafsson has got his famous dad worried with his stunning start to the season.

The 18-year-old Swedish reserve has been notching double figure scores on a regular basis for Eastbourne Eagles.

He will be a key man as Eagles face league leaders Lakeside on each of the next two evenings.

Fans and management alike at Arlington are delighted to see potential begin to be realised so dramatically after a testing debut season.

His dad Henka, the former World Cup rider, shares that delight but knows he could be on the receiving end.

Father and son have ridden for the same top-flight team in Sweden until now but a winter transfer by Henka, 38, means they go head to head in the opening round of meetings a week on Tuesday.

Stopping one of the hottest young properties in the sport is quite a challenge, even for his dad.

“This year he is looking unbelievable,” Henka said. “He’s looking more mature. He’s not 19 until May and there will still be one or two dips but at the moment he is looking really good.

“I’m a bit worried. We’re racing against him and I might have a little look at some of that machinery he has got there beforehand!

“It will be the first time we’ve raced against each other in proper league stuff.”

A series of wins in reserve races plus scalps such as Chris Holder, Bjarne Pedersen and Simon Stead mean Gustafsson junior is on his way out of the Eastbourne reserve berths as soon as new averages come into play.

He will be a big factor at Lakeside tonight (8.00) and Arlington tomorrow (7.30) as Eagles look to underline their bright start to the season.

Gustafsson the Eagle puts his great form down partly to gaining experience and partly to a winter training regime.

Top Swedish performers in various motorcycle disciplines were brought together in Stockholm at the beginning and the end of the close season.

They were given winter training regimes, then tested to see if they had stuck to them Henka said: “The federation got them working but Simon has always been very keen on training in the winter anyway.

“He did some work with me in the construction industry for a couple of weeks as well.”

Gustafsson junior reckons it was the type rather than volume of exercise which got his slight frame even more streamlined.

He revealed: “I’ve been doing more running, more stretching, less gym and I’ve lost 2kg.

“I’ve really got my mind into it. I just want to win the next race.

“I feel like I can beat anyone if I make the gate and that’s how you’ve got to think.”

A few of the cynics who wrote Eastbourne off as likely wooden spoonists will now be looking at Gustafsson’s move from reserve as a problem for his team.

It need not be. Any of the current top five would plunder plenty of points from a reserve berth.

There also remains the prospect of Russian champion Denis Gizatullin coming in at some stage, if necessary.

Eagles have no immediate plans to make a change but Ricky Kling could do with a couple of good meetings against the club from whom he joined Eastbourne on loan.

Lakeside are weakened this weekend by the loss of Joonas Kylmakorpi with a broken elbow.

His partnership with Lee Richardson was arguably the key to Lakeside’s 19-point home win over Eagles recently which smoothed their way through a two-leg Knockout Cup tie.

Eagles team manager Trevor Geer knows Kylmakorpi well. His son Chris is the Finn’s mechanic and the rider often stays at the Geers’ house in Polegate.

Young Gustafsson is also a regular overnight guest.

“A great lad, very mature for his age,” said Geer of his star No. 7.

“He has got very good technique on the track, never looks in trouble at all and, because he has grown up with speedway around him thanks to his dad, he just wants to get to the top.”

Belief is gradually increasing throughout the Eagles camp that Gustafsson’s rise could include a part in a title challenge this season.

The next two nights might tell us how realistic that belief is.

Meanwhile, Eagles’ Elite League meeting at Ipswich last night was washed out at 7pm. A steady drizzle had turned into steady rain by this time, and referee Phil Griffin had no option than to call a halt.

Lakeside: Shields, Davidsson, Richardson, Kylmakorpi r/r, Nieminem, Morris, Robson Eagles: Watt, Norris, Bridger, Woodward, Dryml, Kling, Gustafsson.

Watt plots GP course

By Brian Owen

Eastbourne skipper Davey Watt has set his sights on a Grand Prix place next year after passing his first test in style.

Watt, who leads full-strength Eagles at Ipswich tonight (7.30pm), won a tough quarter-final in the qualifying process which will give three riders a ticket to the 2010 GP series.

He beat Jarek Hampel in a race-off for first place after the pair had topped a quality field including Chris Harris, Freddie Lindgren, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Antonio Lindback and former Eagle Edward Kennett, who failed to qualify.

Watt and Hampel go head to head again tonight as No.1 riders for their respective Elite League clubs.

Although GP qualifiers are all about getting through, Watt was also delighted to be top of the podium after being robbed of the chance to qualify last season by problems with the flight to his semi-final at Motala in Sweden.

His last-minute stand-in Kenneth Bjerre qualified instead.

Now Watt is back on course after winning five out of six rides at Pocking in Germany on Sunday.

He said: “I knew I had my work cut out when I saw the line-up. It looked like the toughest of the quarter-finals. Winning the meeting shows I mean business.

“Not being in the GP is one of those things that, if I thought about it too much, would drive me insane.

“What-ifs and if-onlys will win me every race but you can’t change things now.

“The way I look at it, I’m not in the GPs because I didn’t qualify, not because my flight was cancelled.”

Eagles chase their first away league win of the season tonight against an Ipswich outfit who are bottom of the table but beat leaders Lakeside 46-44 at Foxhall on Good Friday.

Watt, whose side were pushed down to third by Coventry’s amazing 63-32 win at Poole last night, said: “We’re not trying to prove everyone wrong, we’re trying to prove to ourselves we can be a good team.”

Ipswich: Hampel, Risager, Kroner, King, Swiderski, Stachyra, Wilkinson.

Eagles: Watt, Norris, Bridger, Woodward, Dryml, Kling, Gustafsson.

Dugard plans to keep Eagles in title hunt

By Brian Owen

EASTBOURNE chief Bob Dugard admits he is already planning how to keep his side in the Elite League title race.

Eagles are second in the table after a five-point haul off Poole on Good Friday.

They face a trip to Ipswich on Thursday before back-to-back fixtures with leaders Lakeside away on Friday and at Arlington on Saturday.

Reserve Simon Gustafsson has been at the heart of Eagles’ best results but he will probably move into the main body of the team next month.

Dugard is also wary the Swedish teenager could be called away for international events, with no scope for an equivalent stand-in under his current average.

The Eagles promoter said: “Simon’s average should take him into the middle of May and I’m sure he will have no problems in the main body of the team when he moves up.

“My worry is that if we lose him to another meeting before then we will have to use our No. 8 to replace him.

“I’m writing to the management committee asking them to review that.

“It seems a strange regulation when you have an international rider going at No. 7 and riding well above his official average, as Simon is.”

Gustafsson is starting the season on 4.28 and his new average to reflect his performances this season will come into play after 12 league meetings, at least of which five must be at home.

He will then, almost certainly, move into the top five and Eagles will be able to replace him with a guest of a similar average when he is called away for events like international under-21 meetings.

Dugard was delighted with the 51-44 Good Friday win over Poole which was secured in heavy rain after 660kg of sawdust was worked into the track.

He said: “The fans seemed to appreciate out efforts but I was astounded when Poole requested a track inspection.

“I’m still a bit disappointed about the crowd, which was 1,051, but I’m sure half our fans never even thought we would race in that weather.

“I think we’re showing we’re a side who can be in the shake-up at the end of the season.”

Standings: Lakeside (5 meetings) 11, Eagles (4) 8, Swindon (3) 7, Coventry (3) 6, Poole (3) 3, Wolves (2) 3, Peterborough (3) 3, Belle Vue (3) 2, Ipswich (4) 2

Eagles clinch derby honours

By Brian Owen

Cameron Woodward secured a remarkable home derby win for Eastbourne Eagles, then gave a red-faced team mate a lift.

Woodward teamed up with the outstanding Simon Gustafsson for a match-clinching heat 14 5-1 as Eagles beat Poole Pirates 51-44 at Arlington.

The result, plus a draw at Poole earlier in the day, puts Eagles second in the early-season Elite League table.

They surged into a 38-25 lead after ten heats of a contest which survived persistent rain as track staff, fans and riders stuck with it.

Poole cut the gap to 43-40 before the Eagles pair did their bit in style in the penultimate race, only for Gustafsson to tumble as he tried a celebratory wheelie.

Woodward, who has not made the best of starts to the season, had to give his colleague a lift back to the pits as fans cheered.

The Aussie said: "That's why I don't do wheel stands!

"We're not doing bad for the team who were supposed to be last, are we?

"I was just glad to win a race. The track was hard work but we weren't getting worried. We're better in some heats than others."

Eagles completed a three-point haul, and five for the day, when Lewis Bridger and Davey Watt rode out a last-race 3-3 behind Chris Holder.

They led 14-10 when Woodward went down in heat five behind Bjarne Pedersen.

The Dane was somewhat controversially disqualified by referee Christina Turnbull for unfair riding.

Poole's reply, once Pedersen's lengthy complaints had finished, was to request a track inspection and at that stage it seemed the meeting might be abandoned.

A ten-minute break was called for track work, then Bridger and Woodward came back out to post a 5-1 over Lukasz Jankowski in the re-run.

More impressive was the next race in which Watt and David Norris both beat the otherwise invincible Holder.

Eagles were 24-12 up at that stage but Poole responded with a 7-2 as Joe Screen grabbed a double points win by inches from Lukas Dryml's stern challenge.

As the rain continued to pour, the track held up superbly and riders responded in conditions which would normally have meant a hasty call-off.

Dryml beat Pedersen when the Dane took Poole's second double-points ride but that 5-3 still served as the spark for Pirates' late meeting revival.

Still, Eastbourne have a firm grip on south coast bragging rights so far this season, having already beaten them home and away in the Elite Shield.

Eagles: Gustafsson 11+1 (5), Watt 10+1 (5), Bridger 10 (5), Dryml 7+1 (4), Woodward 6+2 (4), Norris 6+2 (4), Kling 1 (3).

Poole: Holder 13 (5), Screen 11+1 (4), Pedersen 8+1 (5), Hurry 5+1 (4), Davidsson 3+1 (4), Neath 3 (5), Jankowski 1 (3).

Eagles are safe but worried

By Brian Owen

Eastbourne Eagles boss Bob Dugard has reassured fans the club will survive the credit crunch.

But he admits they are lagging behind Elite League rivals in terms of sponsorship and attendances.

Dugard met with other top-flight promoters on Tuesday as the finishing touches were put to a new, improved deal with Sky Sports which should help sustain tracks through the economic downturn.

Notes were also exchanged on how clubs are managing this season and Dugard admitted Eagles, who are averaging less than 1,000 fans per meeting so far, did not come out of it too well.

He said: “It was a very worthwhile day but not for good reasons. It seems we are generally doing far worse than most other people.

“I can’t get my head around why that should be.

“Generally speaking crowds at the Midlands tracks seem to be double ours.

“You’re talking about a difference in income of £13,000 per week over the course of a season.

“If our lower crowds are partly down to us losing Edward Kennett, which they might be, the fans have to know we did all we could.

“The racing so far this season at Eastbourne has been superb. To be putting that sort of entertainment in front of small crowds is quite disheartening.

“We have also got maybe two of the top four young riders in the world in Lewis Bridger and Simon Gustafsson.

“We hear some tracks are getting ten times the sponsorship we have.

“Generally the meeting felt things would improve next season. The BSPA are close to a new five-year TV deal which brings a worthwhile increase in revenue but we still need to attract 1,200 people to our meetings.

“The club is 100% safe for the season but we have to then ask whether it is worth continuing if people don’t want speedway.”

Meanwhile, former Eastbourne skipper Lee Richardson has revealed he was asked to take a 50% pay cut by his troubled Polish club Czestochowa.

Hastings-based Richardson, who skippered Eagles to the KO Cup last season, eventually agreed to take a 20% drop in wages.

Now he reckons Eastbourne star Bridger could benefit from the cash crisis brought on by the withdrawal of sponsorship at the club.

Richardson revealed he received an email from Czestochowa saying, like ex-Eagles star Nicki Pedersen and GP veteran Greg Hancock, he was having his money cut in half.

He added: “My wife opened the email as I was driving up to a meeting at Peterborough last Thursday.

“She called me and said ‘you had better pull over’.

“I got a guy in Poland to help me out and I was negotiating until 10pm on Saturday. I got one hour’s sleep and went out there and rode for them on Sunday.”

Bridger is due to ride for Czestochowa at home to Leszno on Easter Monday and his fine form in the Elite League has not gone un-noticed.

Richardson said: “They have to have three Polish riders in the team but I think they will now try and use both Lewis and Tai Woffinden together in most meetings.

“Before this only one of them would have ridden so it’s a good opportunity for them.

Eagles facing financial crisis

Eastbourne Eagles boss Bob Dugard heads to an emergency meeting of Elite League clubs today admitting: “We’ve got serious financial problems.”

Top flight tracks have been called to the get together in Rugby specifically to discuss a new TV deal.

However the question of how to cut costs or boost attendances could also arise after some clubs suffered a tough start to the season.

Eagles are losing about £7,000 per meeting and some rival tracks are thought to be faring even worse.

Dugard had warned of tough times ahead during the winter and, through The Argus, argued teams should cut their fixture list in half and only race each other once home and away.

His comments caused a storm in the world of speedway and he was fined by the governing body.

Now, after just three home meetings, Dugard admits: “Eastbourne could not see the season out with these attendances. There is no way we can sustain these losses.

“We had 919 against Belle Vue on Saturday, our crowd (of 800) against Lakeside was shocking and the Elite Shield against Poole (980) was disastrous. Poole had a very similar experience when we went over there.”

“I got fined £1,000 for saying it could be better to only run the A fixtures. People thought I was saying something terrible at the time but it was clear we were in a serious situation “We have averaged about 850 people per meeting with the exception of the Dean Barker Farewell, for which he got 1,600. That shows people will come out but we have a credit crunch and it is an international problem.”

World champion and former Eastbourne skipper Nicki Pedersen this week split with Czestochowa after they asked him to take a pay cut.

Eastbourne have home meetings with Poole on Good Friday and Lakeside a week on Saturday which would normally be decent pay days.

Dugard said: “I think the remainder of this month will be critical. A lot depends, as well, on the outcome of today’s meeting.

“Someone somewhere has got to face up to the facts. Maybe it’s different for us because we run a quite successful business away from speedway but we do that by keeping on top of what’s happening.”

However, any attempt by Dugard to cut the fixture list is likely to receive, at best, minimal support.

Eastbourne have frozen admission prices this season but received complaints for charging £1 extra to sit in the covered stand rather than stand on the terracing, much of which is uncovered.

Dugard said: “We have been charging for the stand at stock car meetings for 20 years.”

The hearing to fix a fee for Edward Kennett’s move to Coventry has been adjourned to a date to be arranged. Eagles hope to pocket £40,000 for the rider.

Bridger can take the pressure

Lewis Bridger insists he is the man for a pressure situation after helping Eastbourne Eagles get their league campaign up and running.

Bridger ensured Eagles scored a full three points from their Arlington opener in the Elite League by winning heat 15 in spectacular style.

He charged around the outside off the unfavoured gate four to beat previously invincible Krzysztof Kasprzak and secure a 54-42 win over Belle Vue Aces.

Eagles were fairly comfortable victors, despite double-points heat wins for Kasprzak and his skipper Charlie Gjedde. However the new scoring system meant the meeting was still alive when Aces closed to 50-40 going into the nominated race.

No one had got near Kasprzak and a Belle Vue 5-1 would have meant Eagles took just two points to their visitors’ one, which would given the win a bit of a hollow feel.

Kasprzak had the inside gate but Bridger thrilled a crowd of about 1,000 with his terrific gate and first two bends. He then had the speed and composure to finish the job.

Meanwhile, skipper Davey Watt rode a sensible race in third, ensuring Gjedde was kept at the back, meaning Eagles would have got the result they needed even if Bridger had come a cropper.

Not that it looked like happening. The 19-year-old is more mature and secure on the bike than ever and he completed another pleasing personal performance in style.

Bridger said: “I love a bit of pressure. Davey said to me ‘you’re off four and you’ve got to be up there, if you’re not I’m going straight out to the dirt’.

“I knew it was either get roasted or give 110% and beat Kasprzak, who was on a maximum. It was a great way to finish the night.”

Bridger, who is targeting a Grand Prix spot at Cardiff this season, was back on his favoured Eastbourne bike for his later rides and offered praise to tuner Neville Tatum, the man whose work he had criticised recently.

He said: “My Eastbourne bike felt awesome. Great thanks to Neville, he has done me some really good stuff.

“I love stepping up to the challenge. That’s why I’d love to get the wild card for Cardiff because I won’t be fazed by it, I’ll have nothing to lose.”

The new scoring system has kept most meetings alive right up to heat 15 in the first week of the league season and Eagles team manager Trevor Geer is a fan.

He said: “We all thought we would win but the new scoring system brings a lot of life into the meeting.

“Because of that we had to drop Ricky Kling from his last ride, which is a shame, but you have got to go for it all the time. Simon Gustafsson and Lewis Bridger had fantastic meetings and they got good support.”

Neither was success in heat two for Patrick Hougaard, ending Gustafsson’s unbeaten record in reserves races this year.

Gustafsson, though, bounced back for another good meeting, sharing in three of the hosts’ five 5-1s.

David Norris was clearly thrilled with his win in heat eight, then angered when he was excluded after going down under pressure from Gjedde in heat ten after getting out on a 5-1 behind Watt.

The veteran is easing his way back into form and dropped just one point from his first three rides. Even that spill into the third bend air fence had its lighter side.

“People were worried about what would happen when I had my first crash. Well I’ve had seven now!”

Cameron Woodward’s patchy early season form is not a laughing matter but he will come good, while Ricky Kling has yet to really fire.

Generally, though, the signs are promising, in terms of both results and entertainment.

Saturday’s attendance, while below the target figure of 1,200 per meeting, was not a disaster given it was an early-season fixture against, in theory at least, not such attractive opposition.

Good Friday’s visit of Poole, and joint track record holder Chris Holder, will offer a more telling guide of how good this team is and how the public is responding.

“That was fast but not as fast as Holder,” he said: “There’s a lot a more to come.”

Bridger finishes it in style

Lewis Bridger produced a fabulous finale as Eastbourne Eagles scored their first Elite League points of the season tonight.

Bridger flew around the outside of previously unbeaten Krzysztof Kasprzak to win heat 15 and secure a maximum haul for the hosts.

Eagles pocketed three points under the new scoring system as they beat Belle Vue 54-42 at Arlington.

Kasprzak was on fire, posting super quick times of 55.4sec and 55.5sec on his way to wins in each of his first four races, one of them for double points.

Eagles had strength in depth and were relatively comfortable winners of the meeting, helped by five 5-1s.

However Charlie Gjedde's double points win in heat 14 cut the home lead to 50-40 and ensured Eagles had to survive heat 15 if they were to pocket maximum points for a win by more than six.

They did more than that as Bridger scorched away from gate four and Davey Watt anchored things in third place, keeping Gjedde at bay for the 4-2.

Simon Gustafsson's unbeaten record in heat two was ruined by Patrick Hougaard as Belle Vue took an early two-point lead.

Gustafsson looks top reserve

Eastbourne Eagles manager Trevor Geer admits he cannot disagree with those fans claiming his team have the best reserve in the Elite League.

Now he hopes Simon Gustafsson keeps turning it on when Eagles host Belle Vue Aces in the first league meeting of the season at Arlington tonight (7.30pm).

He is unbeaten by an opponent in five heat twos, or the battle of the reserves, this season.

He has four wins to his name in such races and a paid win behind Ricky Kling at home to Lakeside last Saturday.

But his successes go further than that, with scalps such as Chris Holder, Bjarne Pedersen (away), Simon Stead (away) and senior compatriot Jonas Davidsson.

Gustafsson has scored 48 points, plus five bonuses, in 29 heats so far in Elite Shield, Knockout Cup and Elite League meetings.

That gives him an average of 6.62 per four races without bonus points. The figure goes up to 7.31 including bonuses.

Geer, encouraged by his side’s start to the season, said: “One good thing for us is that Simon is going well. If anyone is struggling I can bring him in for an extra race.

“He is top scoring in some meetings, going really well and I’m sure he can keep it up this time.

“Last season he gained some experience around the tracks over here and now he has come back to make some money out of it.

“He has been training hard all winter and I think he will help us make a few people sit up and take notice.

“We have raced three of the harder teams in the league so far in Poole, Lakeside and Swindon and I believe we have surprised a few people. The thing with us is our riders will all improve.”

Eagles have switched their riding order, partly to offer David Norris more support, but there could be further adjustments.

Geer added: “I might use Lewis Bridger at No.5 at some time. It’s always a hard ride there. No one really wants to do it but Lewis is never worried about who he is up against.”

Davey Watt was suffering from a back niggle in his below-par performance in Thursday’s defeat at Swindon but had treatment yesterday and should be fully fit when the Aces, beaten 53-42 at Coventry last night, arrive in Sussex.

Norris happy with rule change

DAVID NORRIS admits he has not always been a fan of new rules brought in by speedway bosses.

But Eastbourne Eagles’ record points scorer reckons they have got it right this time.

Now Arlington fans can judge for themselves as the Sussex track prepares to stage its first Elite League meeting of the year.

An extra point will be up for grabs if they beat Belle Vue Aces by seven points or more tomorrow (7.30pm).

Anything less than that and the Aces will go back to Manchester with some reward, even if they lose.

New skipper Charlie Gjedde and his men can collect up to four points if they win, although the Aces’ recent record at Arlington is not good.

It is all part of a new scoring scale designed to keep meetings as interesting as possible for as long as possible.

Throw in an extra double points ride from the tapes and there should be something to keep fans intrigued.

Norris, easing his way back after a season-and-a-half out of action, saw the new system while watching televised speedway on Monday and said: “I think it’s great.

“I’m not the biggest fan of the BSPA. I think I could run the sport better than them in some respects.

“It won’t make any difference to the riders. It won’t make us want to win a race any more.

“But it makes for good viewing. There are more permutations. They have finally done something right.”

Norris added: “Richard Hall got one point for Poole on Monday and it made a difference.”

Speedway is following other sports, notably cricket and rugby union, in awarding bonus points.

In cricket, it is surely somewhat unsatisfactory that both batting and bowling teams can take maximum bonus points from the same innings.

No one is claiming that leads to collusion but it is surely contrary to the spirit of competitive sport, in which both teams should not be winners.

Speedway’s system means both sides cannot take full bonus points. In fact, by earning a bonus you automatically take a point off the other team.

The new scoring system was in evidence on Elite League opening night as the Sky Sports cameras focused on Poole’s home meeting with Swindon.

But there was still a last-race decider of sorts with Pirates looking for the heat advantage which would have earned an extra bonus and the Robins anxious to keep the margin at six or less.

Leigh Adams and Troy Batchelor fought out a 3-3 behind Chris Holder which meant a six-point final margin at 48-42, so Poole took two points and Swindon one.

Had last-placed Bjarne Pedersen got past Batchelor, there would have been a two-point swing with Poole taking three points and Swindon none.

There was a similar scenario at Wolverhampton, where Lakeside trailed by seven after 14 races.

A heat advantage at the end would have given them a bonus and taken a point off Wolves but instead the hosts grabbed a 5-1 which meant three points for them and nothing for the Hammers.

“I can see why they are doing it,” admitted Eagles’ promoter Bob Dugard, a self-confessed traditionalist.

“It’s getting a bit complicated for supporters but it has probably been done to make meetings more exciting for TV.”

How the scoring system affects league placings remains to be seen but Eastbourne did enough in two Elite Shield wins over Poole and the home and away Knockout Cup tie with Lakeside to prove they can make the play-offs.

That might not sound like much given six out of nine teams go into the end-of-season knockout.

But plenty of observers have been tipping the Eagles for play-off activity of a less enjoyable kind, to avoid relegation.

He said: “I’m back in at the deep end and hopefully people give me bit of time but I’m pleased the boys are doing well enough to give me a breather.

“People who were saying I would come straight back and average double figures were being unrealistic because I’ve only done that once in my career.

“But I’m loving it. It’s the best team I’ve ever been in in terms of spirit.”

Aces come south led by Polish star Krzysztof Kasprzak and tracking Henning Bager as a short term replacement for Billy Forsberg, who has a broken wrist.

Eagles push Robins all the way

EASTBOURNE'S attempt to take a second top-flight scalp in quick succession narrowly failed at the Abbey Stadium tonight.

The Eagles, Elite Shield victors at Poole late last month, pushed title favourites Swindon Robins all the way before succumbing to a 49-41 loss.

The visitors led the meeting early on but, despite 12 from Lewis Bridger and an excellent paid 12 from reserve Simon Gustafsson, the home side's greater firepower told late on.

Eagles grabbed an early lead as Gustafsson and Ricky Kling teamed up to clinch a maximum points haul in the second heat.

Bridger maintained the four-point lead by winning a ding-dong battle with his Great Britain team-mate Simon Stead in the next and Gustafsson and Lukas Dryml then snuffed out a potential Robins' 5-1 in four as they filled in behind runaway home winner Troy Batchelor.

Despite a good start though, Dryml could not hold off Swindon skipper Leigh Adams in six as the hosts cut the deficit to two points and it was all square when Bridger was caught by Batchelor on lap two of seven, Woodward tailing off to retirement at the back.

The meeting took a decisive turn against the Eagles in nine as Dryml and Kling were comprehensively seen off by Stead and previously off-colour Pavlic, but Bridger and Woodward prevented further damage by grabbing the minor placings behind Adams in 10.

And the exclusion of Norris in 11, after he fell and took out Swindon's Krzysztof Stojanowski, didn't help their cause as Batchelor beat Watt to stretch the home advantage to six.

However, Bridger and Gustafsson - in for Kling - teamed up for a heat 12 maximum to ensure the gap was back to two, only for Watt and Dryml - the former eventually retiring - to get completely outgunned by the home star duo of Adams and Batchelor.

And the Eagles' fading hopes of victory were finally extinguished as Woodward and Gustafsson could only fill second and third behind and improving Jurica Pavlic.

Surprisingly, Eagles' boss Trevor Geer chose to send out Dryml in heat 15 and it arguably cost his men a deserved losing bonus point as Bridger split Adams and Batchelor, but failed to keep the deficit to within six.

SWINDON ROBINS: Leigh Adams (3-3-3-2*-3) 14+1, Travis McGowan (0-1-3-0) 4, Simon Stead (2-3-3-1-) 9, Jurica Pavlic (1*-0-2*-3) 6+2, Troy Batchelor (3-3-3-3-1) 13, Krzysztof Stojanowski (1-1-1-0-0) 3, Cory Gathercole (0-0-0) 0.

EASTBOURNE EAGLES: Davey Watt (1*-1*-2-R) 4+2, David Norris (2-2-2-FX-) 6, Lewis Bridger (3-2-2-3-2) 12, Cameron Woodward (0-0-1*-1*) 2+2, Lukas Dryml (1*-2-1-1-0) 5+1, Ricky Kling (2*-0-0-) 2+1, Simon Gustafsson (3-2-1*-2*-2) 10+2.

Dryml invests in success

Improving Lukas Dryml has told Eastbourne Eagles fans he is investing in success at Swindon tonight (7.30pm).

But the Czech GP rider, pictured, has warned not to expect miracles, even though he is back on a big track.

Dryml, 27, has come on quickly on the tight confines of Arlington after his nightmare debut meeting in the Dean Barker Farewell.

He is expected to go well on larger circuits and none come bigger in the Elite League than 363-metre Swindon.

Dryml, however, has urged caution as Eastbourne take on a team being widely tipped to win the league.

He said: “Everybody seems to think I will enjoy it but Swindon has been pretty bad for the last two years.

“But I’m spending money straight away because I really want to be a good team member and make Eastbourne and myself happy.

“I want to stay here for a longer future. I’m preparing a brand new engine built for big tracks.

“The first run on this new engine will be at Swindon and I’ve spoken to the tuner and he said it should be really good.”

The trip west means a first return since his comeback from injury for David Norris to a circuit where he suffered a nasty smash in the weeks leading up to his initial retirement in 2007.

Norris has been feeling his way in so far after making his comeback this season and said: “I’ve no issues with Swindon.”

Eagles’ management have seen enough to believe Norris can still be a force and will offer him extra support on track tonight.

They have switched him from the more testing No. 5 berth in the riding order to No. 2, where he goes alongside skipper and top scorer Davey Watt in at least three heats.

Cameron Woodward moves to No. 4 to race with his former reserve sidekick Lewis Bridger.

That means Dryml rides at No. 5, going out with reserves in his first three rides before joining skipper Watt in heat 13.

Eagles will not be widely backed for big things tonight but the league’s new scoring system means they will return home with some reward if they get anything better than a seven-point defeat.

Promoter Bob Dugard said: “I was very pleased with Lukas. The crowd love him now and he’s in the clubhouse after meetings too. He is very keen on the social side, not in a bad way but in that he thinks it is part of his job to mix with supporters.

Comment: Eagles can still be a knockout

A bizarre bit of scheduling means their Knockout Cup programme is over before the league season has begun.

Apparently the cup tie was arranged for last Saturday because the club could not run a league fixture ahead of the televised opening night on Monday.

They lost to Lakeside in a tie they could have won so that’s that for the cup defence.

That is a big shame. As with the FA Cup in football, the KO Cup can give fresh impetus to a season at the midway point.

That has now gone, with what could have been a classic cup derby being raced on a freezing cold night in front of a sparse 800 crowd.

Yes, plenty of sports manage to make do with just the league championship and no side attraction of the cup.

So, more pertinently to Eastbourne, do the top two speedway leagues in the world, in Poland and Sweden.

But the only way Eagles can now add a bit of knockout drama to the long haul, which starts at Swindon tomorrow night, is to make the play-offs.

Dugard threatens to shut down junior track

Bob Dugard has threatened to close Eastbourne Eagles’ famed junior track if he does not get a realistic fee for Edward Kennett.

The Arlington chief says he has no interest in bringing through young riders who can then be taken by other clubs at bargain prices.

Kennett is riding for Coventry this season after requesting a move during the winter.

His transfer fee will be decided by arbitration next Tuesday and Dugard fears the worst after the Bees offered £15,000.

Dugard values Kennett, 22 and third best British rider in the league according to averages, at £40,000.

Under BSPA guidelines, he would have been able to demand about £3,500 a year in loan fees had he agreed to lend the rider out.

The junior track at Arlington tends to be a hive of activity on summer Saturday afternoons.

Current Eagles star Lewis Bridger learnt his speedway there, as did Kennett and GB rider Lee Richardson among others.

Former British champion Chris Harris, now a team-mate of Kennett’s at Coventry, used to travel from Cornwall for occasional sessions at the little East Sussex circuit.

Dugard said: “I’m fed up developing riders who are prized away for silly money.

“We are in the hands of the arbitration panel. Coventry know they want to steal him. Then we all know everybody will be trying to get Lewis Bridger next year.

“We take great pride in the fact most of the Great Britain team have come through Eastbourne.”

Kennett will be a key man for a Coventry side being tipped as potential champions this season.

Dugard has already warned clubs are reducing their own value if they allow riders to move for cut-price deals.

Many clubs pay rent to use stadia and riders are often the most valuable assets they have.

Jon Cook, the former Eastbourne promoter and team manager who gave Kennett his senior debut in 2002, believes Eastbourne should bank at least £25,000 for the rider.

Cook, now in charge at Lakeside, said: “We paid £12,500 for Kauko Nieminen, who is a good signing for us, but Edward must be double that.”

Meanwhile Dugard has revealed why Eastbourne raced their KO Cup tie before the league season had even started.

The 100-88 aggregate defeat to Lakeside means they now have only the league to go for this season, although they have already won silverware in the shape of the Elite Shield.

Eagles wanted to run a league meeting last weekend. However, Dugard said Sky Sports wanted to cover the league’s opening night in their regular Monday slot. Cold weather, televised football and a 19-point defeat in the first leg conspired to keep Saturday’s crowd down to a bitterly disappointing 800 at Arlington.

Eagles start their league season at Swindon tomorrow and host Belle Vue on Saturday.

Old boss offers words of comfort for Eagles

Former Eastbourne boss Jon Cook helped knock his old club out of the Knockout Cup, then tipped them to make a play-off bid.

Cook’s Lakeside Hammers completed a 100-88 aggregate win in the quarter-finals by losing 50-43 at Arlington on Saturday.

Eagles went into the meeting 19 points adrift but were dreaming of a memorable comeback after ten heats when they led 36-24.

However Adam Shields, the former Eastbourne favourite who now skippers Lakeside, came out for double points and led an 8-1 with Jonas Davidsson in a bizarre heat 11.

When Shields passed David Norris for second place in heat 13, the tie was beyond Eagles, who lifted the KO Cup last season.

Pundits have tipped Eagles to finish bottom of the Elite League and Lakeside to be no more than mid-table.

But, as the league season gradually comes to life this week, Cook believes both clubs can surprise.

He said: “I can’t see either of these teams losing a lot of home meetings so all the doom mongers saying Eastbourne are going to finish bottom are way off the mark.

“They are certainly a better team than Ipswich, who we have ridden against already, and I think they have shown they are better than Poole.

“Our aspiration is to win the league but we haven’t seen enough of the other teams.

“We will be okay and I think Eastbourne could scrape a play-off as well, although I don’t think it will be a very high placing.

“They have obviously got Denis Gizatullin to bring in if they want and he would be an unknown quantity.

“He could the kind of rider, as we have with Kauko Niemenen, who makes your season.”

Eagles’ unknown quantity so far is big track specialist Lukas Dryml and the Czech showed enough signs of progress to encourage a crowd reduced in size by bitterly cold weather, the first leg result and the counter attraction of televised football.

Dryml had two great wins, including a heat 14 effort around the outside of Joonas Kylmakorpi which he had sized up by visiting the starting gates during the interval after heat ten.

Eagles boss Trevor Geer, whose side have won three of four meetings so far in Cup and Elite Shield, said: “Lukas got better and better and he is improving with every meeting.

“He is starting to master Eastbourne and he will be good on big tracks, which is what we want. We’re still going well. We just had a bad one at Lakeside.”

Former Eagles riders Lee Richardson and Kylmakorpi paired up for two 5-1s but were then hit in similar style by Davey Watt and Cameron Woodward as Eagles went 12 points up.

Cook admitted his side were just starting to get nervous at that point but Shields was a great man to have available for a tactical ride and Davidsson followed him into second place before a hint of controversy struck on the second lap.

David Norris pulled up, seemingly through mechanical failure, and the three other riders followed suit thinking the race had been stopped.

It later transpired all four had seen a red light, probably from a video recorder being used in the crowd, and believed the race had been halted.

They eventually realised the contest was still alive, by which time Davidsson was in front, but he slowed up at the flag to let Shields in for the double-points win.

Referee Mick Posselwhite was right, however, in pointing out the confusion did not affect the race result.

There was still time for Bridger to beat Richardson and Watt to defeat Shields, though the latter took revenge as Lakeside scored a 4-2 in heat 15.

Somewhat strange scheduling means that, even at this early stage, Eagles already have only the league to race for this season.

Eagles: Watt 13 (5), Bridger 8+1 (5), Dryml 8 (4), Woodward 7+2 (4), Gustafsson 5+2 (5), Norris 5 (4), Kiling 4 (4).

Lakeside: Shields 15 (5), Kylmakorpi 10 (5), Richardson 6+2 (4), Niemenen 5+1 (4), Robson 3 (4), Davidsson 2+1 (4), Mear 2+1 (4).

Eagles out of cup

Holders Eastbourne Eagles are out of the Knockout Cup, despite a battling display at Arlington tonight.

Eagles beat Lakeside Hammers 50-43 in the second leg of their quarter-final tie, not enough to overturn the 19-point defeat in Essex 24 hours earlier.

The hosts looked like they might perform an unlikely comeback when a 5-1 between Davey Watt and Cameron Woodward over the previously unbeaten pair of Joonas Kylmakorpi and Lee Richardson in heat ten put them 12 points up on the night.

However former Eagles star Adam Shields went for double points in the next race and led a Hammers 8-1 with Jonas Davidsson.

It was Shields who made sure of the aggregate win by passing David Norris to claim second behind Watt in heat 13.

Watt scored 13 points from his five rides and there was an encouraging eight-point haul for Lukas Dryml, capped by an excellent win over Kylmakorpi off gate four in heat 13.

Eagles in cup strife

Eastbourne Eagles are hoping they have given themselves a glimmer of hope in their defence of the Knockout Cup.

But the holders still face a massive challenge to avoid first-round exit after taking a 57-38 battering at Lakeside tonight.

Skipper Davey Watt worked wonders to keep Eagles just about in the tie, winning four of his five races for 16 points from a possible 18.

Watt took white and black to lead a 7-2 in heat 11 after Lakeside had gone into a monumental 26-point lead at 44-18.

He then teamed up with Lewis Bridger for a heat 15 5-1 over Jonas Davidsson and Adam Shields.

However Lakeside, with several riders who know Arlington well, will expect to finish the job and avenge their semi-final defeat by Eastbourne last season.

Six of their riders were paid for at least two wins, Stuart Robson negated Eagles’ perceived advantage at reserve and Joonas Kylmakorpi was unbeaten by an opponent.

Eagles manager Trevor Geer said: “I thought we would keep it closer than we did but we aren’t out of this tie yet.

“Davey was getting out of the gate and doing the business but he was the only one really until Lewis came good at the end.

“It was all out of the gate. There wasn’t one overtake all night apart from in heat two.”

Simon Gustafsson went from last to first to win heat two and give Eagles a 7-5 lead.

Bridger was forced into second place by Kauko Niemenen when taking the first double-points ride but later had an excellent win over Lee Richardson in heat 12 to spoil the ex-Eagles skipper’s maximum.

David Norris and Cameron Woodward both had falls but Eagles report no injury worries for tomorrow’s meeting.

Lakeside: Richardson 11 (4), Robson 10+1 (5), Davidsson 9+3 (5), Niemenen 9+1 (4), Shields 9+1 (5), Kylmakorpi 8+4 (4), Mear 1 (3).

Eagles: Watt 16 (5)^, Bridger 10+1 (5)^, Gustafsson 8 (6), Norris 2 (4), Kling 1 (3), Woodward 1 (4), Dryml 0 (3).

Bridger says Eagles have nothing to fear

Maximum man Lewis Bridger has told Eastbourne Eagles to have nothing to fear at Lakeside tonight.

The Knockout Cup holders start their defence of the competition with a two-leg cross-Thames derby in the first round.

They go to Purfleet tonight to take on a highly-rated Hammers side managed by former Arlington chief Jon Cook.

The sides reconvene at the Sussex track tomorrow (7.30pm) for what could be an early-season cracker.

Bridger goes into the meetings in great heart having scored his first ever top-flight full house with four wins out of four at Poole on Wednesday as Eastbourne won the Elite Shield in some style.

The 19-year-old has a decent record at the tight Essex circuit and is sure he will have the right equipment for the return leg after a false start at home to Poole last Sunday.

Bridger admits Lakeside poses its own tests but said: “Let’s just go there and think positive and try something to get working on the slick. We have to race hard and believe we can do it.

“Lakeside will be a difficult place to go. It’s a specialist’s type of track and even the best riders can go there and not score.”

Eastbourne were written off as likely wooden spoonists by some pundits but will feel they have proved them wrong already by beating Poole home and away.

David Norris is still feeling his way back, Lukas Dryml is learning to ride smaller circuits and much will be expected of reserve Ricky Kling as he goes back to his parent club tonight.

Simon Gustafsson and Davey Watt have been excellent so far and Cameron Woodward has chipped in handily.

“It has been really good to be rated as outsiders. We have nothing to lose although riders go out and give 100% whatever.

“We did well on Wednesday. I knew it would be a hard meeting for David Norris but he got better as it went on.

“The thing with Lewis is he is determined, he’s not frightened by anybody and names don’t worry him at all.”

Eastbourne need a decent result tonight as Lakeside will come to the second leg with plenty of Arlington experience in the shape of Adam Shields, Joonas Kylmakorpi and last season’s Eagles skipper Lee Richardson.

Bridger, though, is convinced another home win will be on the way after getting his so-called ‘Arlington special’ engine back from tuner Neville Tatum.

A decent weekend will help him fulfil Geer’s prediction that he could be vying for top spot in the Eastbourne averages by the end of the season.

Bridger said: “I’d like to be team No. 1 by the end of the season or at least be riding like a No. 1.

“I want to have a good average, be top five in the world under-21s and get to the GP at Cardiff, either as a wild card or at first reserve.

“I’ve got good equipment for Eastbourne. Neville knows he messed up last week and I’ll try to make it four starts, four wins.

“I struggled last Sunday and people still think I went well. I thought I could have had a maximum there.”

Last season’s semi between the two teams went down to the last of the 30 heats, with Bridger and Richardson sharing an Eastbourne 5-1.

Eagles: Watt, Woodward, Bridger, Dryml or rider replacement, Norris, Kling, Gustafsson.

Eagles grab first trophy

Eastbourne Eagles have claimed the first silverware of the new season and they did it in real style.

Eagles won 49-43 at league champions Poole Pirates tonight to clinch a 98-84 success on aggregate in the Elite Shield.

Lewis Bridger led the way with four wins out of four, his first top-flight maximum.

Bridger, pinpointed as key man ahead of the meeting by team manager Trevor Geer, was in scintillating form and enjoyed wins over Poole’s highly-rated big two Chris Holder and Bjarne Pedersen.

Reserve Simon Gustafsson also excelled by scoring 14 points, including a win over Pedersen.

There were contributions down the order, with skipper Davey Watt having three of Eagles’ ten heat wins.

Stength at reserve was also in evidence as Gustafsson and Ricky Kling had a heat-two 5-1 which sent Eastbourne into an early 9-3 lead.

The only downside was an injury to Lukas Dryml in his first race of the night, heat three.

Dryml damaged a leg as he collided with Joe Screen and is already a doubt for tomorrow’s trip to Lakeside in the Knockout Cup.

Geer savoured a lap of honour at the home of Eagles’ arch rivals, then said: “It’s fantastic. The team spirit this year is really good and we know we have seven riders capable of scoring points. We are not carrying anybody.

“Poole are still a good side but people have been writing us off and we go out there with nothing to lose.”

Poole: Holder 12 (5), Screen 11+1 (5)^, Pedersen 8+1 (5), Davidsson 7+1 (5), Stonehewer 4 (6), Phillips 1 (4).

Eagles: Gustafsson 14 (7), Bridger 12 (4), Watt 11 (5), Woodward 6+1 (4), Kling 4+1 (5), Norris 2 (5), Dryml 0 (1).

Bridger can be top man for Eagles

Eastbourne Eagles manager Trevor Geer reckons Lewis Bridger can be his team’s top man this season.

Bridger endured a frustrating afternoon with mechanical gremlins as Eagles beat Poole 49-41 in the first leg of the Elite Shield on Sunday.

They attempt to defend the advantage in the return meeting at Wimborne Road tonight (7.30).

The 19-year-old ranks only fifth in Eagles’ starting averages on 5.11 but Geer is backing him to make that figure look ridiculous over the coming months.

Bridger was unhappy with the condition of his usual Arlington bike after picking it up from the tuner on Sunday morning.

He switched to an unfamiliar second machine after his mis-firing bike packed up completely when he was forced to bail out in his first race after Daniel Davidsson fell in front of him.

Bridger joked: “The bike’s going back to the tuner – through his front window!

Geer was pleased with Sunday’s showing even though their eight-point lead looks far from impregnable as they head to Dorset, scene of last October’s KO Cup final triumph.

He added: “It was a good result in the circumstances because a lot of people are knocking our team.

“It’s a good indicator for how the season will go and I thought Sunday was pretty good.”

Davey Watt, who top scored with 13 points in the home leg, will be key for Eastbourne tonight. Watt is on loan from the Pirates and starred at Wimborne Road last season as he helped them win the Elite League title.

Poole are still missing injured Jason Doyle and have a doubt over reserve Kyle Legault, who is suffering repercussions after his recovery from a broken leg.

Eagles new boy under the spotlight

The 21-year-old Swede scored paid-three from three rides at home to Poole on Sunday before being replaced for his final heat.

Eagles go to Poole for the Elite Shield second leg tomorrow (WEDS), then face Lakeside on Friday and Saturday in the KO Cup.

Promoter Bob Dugard enjoyed Sunday’s 49-41 win but said: “Ricky is a worry, although he says he will get it sorted.

“I’ve been told the best track to judge him on is Poole so I’m more than interested to see how he does there.”

Eagles ready to prove a point or two

New skipper Davey Watt admits Eastbourne Eagles have a few points to prove this season.

Watt top-scored with 13 points as Eagles scored a pleasing 49-41 home win over league champions Poole Pirates in the first leg of the Elite Shield yesterday.

He shared with Cameron Woodward in the second of two home 5-1s and scored wins over Poole’s big two Bjarne Pedersen and Chris Holder in heats 13 and 15 to secure the victory.

Eagles have been written off as likely wooden spoonists by many this term but there were signs yesterday that they can make those predictions look silly.

Strength in depth is likely to be their trump card and a look at the scorecard underlined that as everyone chipped in.

They will need a captain’s role from Watt, though, and he was happy to oblige after opening with two second places.

“We’ve proved we are determined to do better than the so-called pundits are saying about us.

“We’re not out to prove them wrong but what we are out to prove is to ourselves that we can do it.”

Eagles led from heat two when reserves Simon Gustafsson and Ricky Kling, who are likely to be a strength this season, scored a 4-2.

Still, with an eight-point lead going into the last three races, Eastbourne looked to be under threat by Poole’s top two. Watt, having been squeezed out at the start of heat 13 by both Pirates stars, cut back inside both of them off bend two to roar towards the win.

David Norris then showed vintage racing skills to power outside Pedersen into third, only to lose control cutting across on bend one second time around.

A 3-3 in heat 14 for Gustafsson and Lukas Dryml behind Daniel Davidsson ensured the hosts would win the meeting.

Then Watt shone again, as he beat Poole’s top men to secure the tenth shared heat of the afternoon.

Eagles will attempt to defend their lead in the return leg at Poole on Wednesday before the big one versus Lakeside in the Knockout Cup, away on Friday and back at Arlington on Saturday.

Yesterday’s action was largely about seeing how things shape up for the new season and Eagles saw plenty to please them.

Arguably it was the efforts of Gustafsson at reserve which offered Eagles most encouragement for the forthcoming campaign.

He opened with two wins, the second of them a notable scalping of joint track record holder Holder, before being beaten by a classy pass from Joe Screen in lap three of his third ride.

Norris played a valuable part in Gustafsson’s best win, doing just enough to slow Holder as the Aussie attacked off gate four in heat four before completing the home 5-1.

Eagles: Watt 13 (5), Gustafsson 11=1 (6), Bridger 7+2 (4), Dryml 6+1 (4), Woodward 5+4 (4), Norris 5+1 (4), King 2+1 (3).

Poole: Pedersen 12+1 (5), Screen 12 (5), Holder 10+1 (5), Davidsson 5+1 (5), Legault 2 (3), Stonehewer 0 (7), Doyle r/r.

Eagles skipper confident as new season dawns

New skipper Davey Watt insists he will feel no extra pressure at leading Eastbourne Eagles into their most challenging season for years.

That is despite the fact he is filling the roles of captain and team No. 1 for the first time in his Elite League career.

Watt is top man for a new-look Eagles line-up as he starts his third separate stint on loan from parent club Poole.

Will David Norris be the force of old as he returns from a season-and-a-half out through injury?

And can recent signing Lukas Dryml make a successful transition from big track specialist to the tighter confines of 275-metre Arlington, a circuit whose tricky reputation goes before it?

It promises to be an intriguing season, especially with Russian champion Denis Gizatullin also signed up and ready to come in should things go wrong.

Whisper it in the vicinity of proud promoter Bob Dugard but there are those who follow speedway who feel Eastbourne, having lost top three Scott Nicholls, Lee Richardson and Edward Kennett, might not set the Elite League alight this season.

Watt, though, is having none of it after seeing his side in action as individuals at last Sunday’s Dean Barker Farewell, in which he came second to classy Hans Andersen and Lewis Bridger was fourth.

“I was talking to Lukas all day. He was having some trouble and feels he is not going as well as he wants to go but he is very enthusiastic about doing better.

“David Norris came out of retirement and won his first race and looked really good.

“Simon Gustafsson, I thought, was fantastic. Cameron Woodward is riding well. You don’t make moves like he did in his fourth heat without going well.

“I have got a reputation and personality for helping younger fellows out anyway so being a captain is no real change for me,” he said.

“I’m really good mates with Cameron and we talk a lot about set-ups and speedway in general. They are all good boys and always open for suggestions as to how to get better.

There has to be some pressure, though, as he succeeds Nicki Pedersen and Scott Nicholls as Eagles’ top-average rider.

“I think everybody expects me to go out and score a whole bunch of points anyway, whether I’m captain or No. 1 or whatever.

“Every time I get on the bike I want to win. I don’t need to be told that other people want me to win.”

The points average limit, set low at 39.90 this season, is something of an unfathomable concept for fans of sports other than speedway although, in some respects, it works like a salary cap.

It means champion teams tend to be broken up and sides start each campaign on something resembling a level playing field.

Something has to give somewhere and, what Eastbourne lose in not having a top-line world star, they gain in depth.

Simon Gustafsson and Ricky Kling could be the best reserve pairing in the league and Bridger and Woodward have ample potential to increase their averages.

Norris, too, will be a bargain if he regains his old form and maintains it through a gruelling season.

This Eastbourne team looks like it could shock a few people, with Dryml giving them an extra dimension on big away tracks, though the nature of many of the riders suggests they will suffer peaks and troughs of form.

Sunday’s fixture is speedway’s equivalent of football’s Community Shield, with Eastbourne having qualified as cup winners last season.

Then follows a cup derby with Lakeside a week on Saturday with the league campaign at Arlington not getting under way until Belle Vue visit on April 4.

He said: “It doesn’t mean anything league-wise but it’s Poole and it’s racing. Every race is a race worth winning as far as I’m concerned.

“Last Sunday I was trying a few bits and pieces and different bikes but I still wanted to win as many races as I could.

For Eastbourne as a team, though, this season does represent something of a trip into the unknown.

Dryml's message to Eagles fans

Former Grand Prix rider Lukas Dryml has told Eastbourne Eagles fans not to panic over his low-scoring start to the season.

The 27-year-old Czech scored just three points from five rides in the Dean Barker Farewell at Arlington last Sunday to finish 15th in a 16-man field.

Dryml admits he is at home on tracks far bigger than the 275-metre East Sussex circuit but has come in at short notice after Eagles ran into problems with a work permit application for Russian chamnpion Denis Gizatullin.

However the Pardubice-born rider, who beat Simon Gustafsson, Ricky Kling and Ollie Allen for his three points, has been hard at work at the Sussex circuit.

He expects to improve as the season gets under way, hopefully starting at home to Poole in the Elite Shield this Sunday (3.30pm).

Dryml admitted: “It’s about learning for me. I don’t think it will be too soon before I will be passing people from behind on this track.

“I will be working on my engine and hopefully do some decent starts against Poole.

“It’s a new experience and I’m sure I will get into it. I really hope that will be pretty quick.”

Dryml realised fans might be critical of last Sunday’s score but said: “It’s not about what people say. I’d like to prove I can ride well here but it always takes time.

“David Norris said it takes a couple of weeks, maybe a month, before you get used to it and are a consistent rider here.

“This is a special track. You need to get used to the lines and everything.”

Eagles promoter Bob Dugard admitted he was a little concerned by what he saw from both Dryml and new reserve Kling, which finished last with two points.

Dugard said: “I think Lukas made the wrong mechanical changes after looking so good in practice. He had a special engine which wasn’t working at all but he knows what his problem is.

“Ricky was an area of concern, although he has got a few weeks to improve. But, if riders are not performing this season, we will not be afraid to make changes. We won’t just try and soldier on.”

The flipside to any home struggles for Dryml is that he should shine at larger circuits like Swindon and Peterborough.

It is clear he is particularly keen to do well at the latter, where he is a club asset but was left out of this season’s line-up.

“They weren’t very fair to me and I’m really happy to be here at Eastbourne.

“I think it can make me a better rider, give me more experience on small tracks.

“Hopefully I go there and show they made a mistake and bring some points in for Eastbourne.”

New Eagles skipper Davey Watt continued his busy build-up to the new league season by getting in some valuable track time at Poole last night.

Watt scored 6 (4) at Bjarne Pedersen’s testimonial and heads to Swindon tonight to take on the Robins with his Swedish club Lejonen in a pre-season fixture He also rides in the Tom Madsen testimonial at King’s Lynn tomorrow.

Eagles legend thanks the fans

Former Eastbourne skipper Dean Barker, pictured, has thanked fans who turned out in force to see him say goodbye to speedway racing.

A crowd of about 1,600 watched Danish star Hans Andersen score 14 points from five heats to win Barker’s farewell meeting at Arlington.

New Eagles captain Davey Watt was the only man to beat Andersen and came second on countback after collecting 12 points, the same as third-placed Scott Nicholls and Eastbourne favourite Lewis Bridger.

Barker, forced to retire by a shoulder injury, said: “I woke up with the sun shining, which was great, and the next thing was to hope the fans turned out.

David Norris got his comeback off to a flying start as a popular winner of heat one ahead of Bjarne Pedersen.

Eastbourne’s Cameron Woodward and Simon Gustafsson got better as the meeting went on but the going was tough for Ricky Kling and recent addition Lukas Dryml, who admits he is still learning the circuit.

Barker rode four solo laps, clocked at 60 seconds, and Gordon Kennett beat Paul Woods in a three-race series between former Arlington stars.

Andersen 14, Watt, 12, Nicholls 12, Bridger 12, Screen 10, Pedersen 10, Woodward 9, Norris 8, Kylmakorpi 7, King 6, Gustafsson 5, Shields 4 (3), Allen 3 (4), Parker 3, Dryml 3, Kling 2.

Dugard hails Eagles spirit

Eastbourne Eagles boss Bob Dugard has hailed the spirit of his starting one-to-seven on the eve of the new speedway season.

Dugard has also offered the clearest indication yet that he might resist the temptation to bring in Denis Gizatullin as the Russian champion struggles to secure a work permit.

All seven Eagles starters for 2009 line up against the likes of Hans Andersen, Scott Nicholls, Adam Shields and Edward Kennett as Arlington stages the Dean Barker Farewell tomorrow (3.30pm).

Dugard has been delighted with his riders in practice and would love to keep the team intact.

Eagles brought in Czech racer Lukas Dryml on a short-term deal when it became clear Gizatullin was struggling to arrive in time for the season.

Dugard expects his side to confound their critics and said: “I’m so confident because, in 20 years, I don’t think I’ve seen such good team spirit.

“I’m not saying we will win the league but if team spirit comes into it we will be up there.”

On a four-point average, Gizatullin remains a good Plan B if things go wrong or injuries strike but Dryml has surprised a few people at the East Sussex track.

Dugard said: “Lukas is 27 but he is such a good pro. Having not had too much to do with him before, I’m amazed by him. He is so focused.

“He stayed with Lewis Bridger between practices in pre-season and he will be a wonderful inspiration to him. They are good buddies now.”

Season ticket holders are reminded they must pay on the gate tomorrow as Barker, who rode for Eagles between 1986 and 2007, enjoys his benefit fixture.

Eagles legend prepares for send-off

But Eastbourne Eagles fans are likely to give the London-born rider a send off as one of their own on Sunday (3.30pm) when the former skipper officially says goodbye to racing.

Barker has attracted an interesting field of riders for his farewell meeting at Arlington, headed by GP stars Hans Andersen and Scott Nicholls.

The 38-year-old has not raced since suffering serious damage to a shoulder when crashing at Swindon almost two years ago, the latest in a long line of injuries.

He bows out as a rider who did a steady, possibly under-valued, job for Eagles between 1986-2007, punctuated by just a few stints elsewhere Arguably, he peaked in 1994 and 1995 with averages around the nine-point mark in the top flight.

But he will also be remembered as someone who loved the limelight and lifestyle of a bike racer, possibly as many on the terraces would have done had they been thrust into the Eagles one-to-seven.

The type who was more likely to enjoy a post-race beer than dash off to a hotel ready for the dawn flight to Poland.

He admits: “I used to enjoy going to speedway and racing. There were a couple of years where I really went well and had a really good home average.

“Every time I saw a bit of money in my account, I would think ‘I’ll go and buy a plasma TV or something’.

“I look at when I stayed at his house in Littlehampton when we were kids to what he has got now.

“I don’t envy anybody who has done that for himself and his family. But I’ve done my best.”

He is now working as mechanic to his great mate and long-time colleague David Norris, who is returning from retirement.

Barker would love to see some of the old spirit of Arlington return as Eagles aim to surprise a few of the people already writing them off.

He said: “When I started at Eastbourne, Martin Dugard was the king. He went to Oxford so I had one more year at Eastbourne and I was second in the averages to Gordon Kennett.

“Then I decided it was my turn to go to the Elite League but in 1993, when we all went back, you had David Norris and Martin and Andrew Silver plus the Swedes. We had that same sort of team for four or five years.

“We all worked well together and Bob Dugard made sure we were well looked after.

“I had Stefan Andersson, Stefan Danno and Stefan Ekberg all at my workshop. I saw half the team nearly every day.”

Barker reckons some of the Arlington mystique vanished when changes were made to the tight little circuit.

“We thought, with our riding ability, we would be able to get around the inside but it made it too easy for the opposition.

“In a way it was probably a mistake changing it but it needed to be wider because it was quite a small track which riders used to hate.

“I know Gary Havelock and Joe Screen weren’t fans at the time of the old track.”

Screen will be there on Sunday, along with his new Poole team- mate Bjarne Pedersen.

Edward Kennett makes a quick return after his rather acrimonious move to Coventry, as does another former Eagles star Adam Shields.

Barker hopes Gordon Kennett, Trevor Geer and Paul Woods will go out for a retro race but it will also be time to look forward.

All seven of the 2009 Eagles will ride and this represents a great chance to tune up for the new season, which starts a week later at home to Poole in the Elite Shield.

Barker is one of the back-up crew now and has pinpointed Lewis Bridger as the key man.

“We’ve got two good reserves, plus Davey Watt and Cameron Woodward who will get better.

“It’s down to Lewis. He’s a good rider but he needs to get better. He throws a lot away.

“If Lewis can notch himself up we’ve got a pretty good team. I think we’ll probably get into the play-offs.”

The line-up: Hans Andersen, Scott Nicholls, Bjarne Pedersen, Edward Kennett, Adam Shields, Davey Watt, David Norris, Lewis Bridger, Cameron Woodward, Lukas Dryml, Simon Gustafsson, Ricky Kling, Ollie Allen, Joe Screen, Shane Parker, Danny King.

Dugard warns speedway chiefs not to under-value riders

Eastbourne Eagles promoter Bob Dugard has told speedway bosses why it would dangerous to under-value his star asset Edward Kennett.

Eagles are preparing to go to arbitration with Coventry for the services of the Hailsham-based star, who requested a move during the winter.

Dugard suspects Coventry, who have already listed Kennett in their 2009 line-up, will be asked to pay far less than the £30,000 at which he values the Team GB man.

That is why he has performed a U-turn and told the Bees they can take him on loan, having initially insisted on a full transfer.

And, in turn, he fears that could set a dangerous precedent for struggling clubs throughout the Elite League.

Dugard said: “Coventry made a derisory offer of £20,000, then reduced that to £15,000.

“I am inquiring as to whether they can force me to arbitration to sell somebody for possibly half his value.

“People need to be very aware that this year could be very difficult financially.

“That will mean banks are looking seriously at any track that gets in a deficit position.

“If you are going to halve the value of riders it could put tracks in serious jeopardy.

“Riders are often the only assets speedway clubs have. They operate at rented stadiums, a lot of them don’t even own their own tractors.

“Their assets are almost totally made up of riders. If you are going to devalue your own assets the banks will look at that if you go into an overdraft situation.

“I’m going to arbitration for the first time in nearly 40 years in the sport.

“Coventry have done this more times than anybody so they will have that advantage.

“But they are not being clever if they get Edward at half price because it could cause more problems for tracks in the longer term.”

Stand-in wants long part with Eagles

Stand-in Lukas Dryml insists he is coming to Eastbourne for the season, despite only signing a six-week deal.

The 27-year-old Czech will ride for Eagles while Russian champion Denis Gizatullin secures a work permit.

Gizatullin has been delayed by new immigration requirements and has still to take a spoken and written English test in Moscow.

Dryml will start the season in the Russian’s place, bringing Eagles’ total team average close to the 39.90 point limit.

The Peterborough asset said: “Officially I have signed a deal for six weeks but I’m taking it as signing for the season.

“I don’t want to go to Eastbourne and score so few points that they want to get rid of me again.

“I think there’s a better chance they will want to keep me for the season. I’m not thinking negative.”

Gizatullin comes in on assessed four-point average so Eagles could axe any of their initial one-to-seven to bring him in.

Promoter Bob Dugard has stressed there will be competition for places in the opening weeks with reserves Ricky Kling and Simon Gustafsson seemingly most at risk should he opt to keep Dryml when Gizatullin arrives.

Dryml is a big track specialist and admits the switch to 275-metre Arlington will not be easy but reckons the way his brother Ales adapted to the equally tight Wolverhampton circuit last year shows what can be done.

He added: “When I go to Eastbourne on Saturday for press and practice it will be my first ever ride on that bike so it will take some time.

“I was really disappointed when Peterborough left me out because I felt my English league form last year was pretty good “I was really confident of going back to Peterborough but they signed other riders.

“I’m more than happy to join Eastbourne and I thank Bob Dugard and the club for giving me the chance.”

Spectators are welcome to watch press and practice for free from 11am on Saturday.

Dryml will be among the field when the season opens with the Dean Barker Farewell a week on Sunday (3.30pm).

Eagles sign Holder

The 22-year-old Aussie rides for Premier League outfit Newport and is younger brother of joint Arlington record holder Chris.

He will be on standby for any late call-ups should Eagles’ reserves miss meetings in the new campaign.

Eastbourne team manager Trevor Geer is delighted to have the former Isle of Wight man on board.

Geer said: “He’s so keen and our captain Davey Watt has been really impressed by him.

“When the chance came Davey said to us ‘you’ve really got to get him’.”

Holder has already signed up for the season-opener at Newport on March 15 so misses an early chance to race at Arlington in the Dean Barker Farewell that day.

He scored five points from four rides on his Arlington debut last April, representing the Islanders in a 57-37 challenge match defeat to Eastbourne.

He won the reserves’ race, beating Eagles veteran Brent Werner in the process.

It's a full season for Eagles

Eastbourne Eagles will operate a full fixture list this year after Elite League bosses agreed a new TV deal with Sky Sports.

Eagles promoter Bob Dugard revealed in The Argus eight days ago that there was a very real chance of clubs voting to cut the league fixture list in half to help maximise gate revenue and minimise costs during the economic downturn.

Dugard admitted the league needed a new deal with Sky to help them through the coming season, which is expected to be the toughest for years due to the recession.

He revealed Eastbourne lost £10,000 every time they had to switch a meeting from their usual Saturday night to a Monday for live TV coverage.

Dugard’s revelations sent shockwaves through speedway and the Eagles boss was asked by his fellow promoters to explain why he had broken ranks.

However he has no regrets about highlighting the tough times the sport faces in the recession.

“Everybody is very aware of the economic situation and we might review things in the middle of the year to make sure we are on track. It’s a very precarious situation.

“I’m delighted Sky have helped us out. I didn’t necessarily expect them to do it.”

Although many fans and riders will be delighted to have 32 league meetings this season, Dugard maintains tracks could be better off in the long term if teams visited each other just once a year, as happens in most leagues in most sports.

Such a revamp would put the Elite League in line with Poland’s Ekstraliga and Sweden’s Elitserien, both of which draw good crowds.

However it could be tricky for some English teams who do not own their stadia and have commitments to their landlords to run a minimum number of fixtures per year.

Dugard said: “I’ve got mixed feelings about us running the A and B fixtures this year.

“For Eastbourne, from the long term point of view, we have a shocking job to fit a full fixture list in.

“It would have been manna from heaven to just had the A fixtures. We could have got back to being a profitable business.

“We go one week past the cut-off date as it is but the BSPA are looking into our problems.”

Eagles’ league season will run until September 19 when they host Swindon in a fixture originally listed for the night before the British GP in June.

Eastbourne had already confirmed they would start the season with the Dean Barker Farewell on the afternoon of Sunday, March 15, followed by the home leg of the Elite Shield against Poole exactly a week later.

They also have a two-leg Knockout Cup quarter-final against derby rivals Lakeside in March.

Swindon, being widely tipped as strong title challengers, visit Arlington for a televised meeting on Monday, May 11.

The home fixture with Coventry on August 17 has also been earmarked for live coverage.

Another highlight of the season comes on Saturday, August 8, when Arlington stages the Elite League Pairs as part of Eagles’ 80th season celebrations.

Eagles star is upbeat

Eastbourne Eagles star David Norris has backed speedway to survive the recession.

The club’s record points scorer, who is poised to return from retirement when the new season gets under way on March 15, believes fans will still turn out to support the sport.

Norris said: “People talk about the recession but everyone needs something to enjoy at the end of the week.

“Speedway is not the most costly thing in people’s lives. Maybe they will knock a holiday on the head to save money but you need to get away from your problems as well and speedway is a good way of getting out.

“I’ve spent £8,000 out of my own pocket just to ride this season. There’s a commitment for you right there. I could have done with that eight grand to spend on something else.”

Norris has attracted backing from Bob Brimson, the former Eagles promoter who is committing a five-figure sum in sponsorship to Eagles and their riders.

Eastbourne are relishing the chance to upset the pundits who are already writing them off for the new season.

Norris added: “We’ll be underdogs but people in Britain love an underdog. We’ve got five exciting kids. We’ve got the Russian champion, Denis Gizatullin.

“Everyone is talking about Emil Sajfutdinov coming out of Russia, and he’s very good, but our boy is their national champion. That’s exciting for starters.”

Eagles’ press and practice session has been arranged for Saturday, March 7 (from 11am) with supporters welcome to attend free of charge.

Track staff, officials and stewards are urged to attend the customary pre-season briefing this coming Sunday at the track (11am).

Season could be cut in half unless Sky answer SOS

Eastbourne Eagles chief Bob Dugard has revealed how top-flight speedway clubs could cut their league fixture lists in half if they fail to improve their TV deal in the next few days.

Elite League tracks are ready to scrap the second half of the 2009 campaign if Sky Sports do not offer them a helping hand through the recession.

Clubs believe they can maximise gate revenue and minimise costs by only racing each other twice in the coming season, once at home and once away, rather than the usual four times.

Now promoters have asked Sky Sports, who screen league speedway live on Monday evenings, to allow them to stage TV meetings on their usual race nights, which is Saturday in Eastbourne’s case.

If that is not possible, promoters will call on Sky to compensate not only the clubs who have to move meetings to Mondays but also those tracks for whom Monday is the preferred race night and who therefore have to go up against live speedway on TV.

Sky bosses are considering their position but, if they cannot help, clubs are ready to take drastic action.

At the moment, each team races an A and B set of fixtures, the letter referring to whether it is the first or second time they have met at each track that season.

That would mean just eight home league fixtures for each team, plus at least one Knockout Cup tie and, hopefully, play-off action for fans to enjoy next term.

As cup holders, Eastbourne will have an early-season home meeting in the Elite Shield, the equivalent of football’s Community Shield.

The Dean Barker Farewell, on March 15, and the EL Pairs, on August 8, will also take place at Arlington.

Now Dugard has broken his silence on what has been going on in meetings behind the scenes recently and revealed to The Argus: “We have asked Sky to revisit our deal with them.

“It costs money to race on another night. At Eastbourne, it costs us at least £10,000 per meeting in lost gate revenue when we switch from Saturday to Monday for TV.

“Sky have gone away to think about our proposals but we need a quick decision.

“I’ve got 62 flights to arrange for riders and I want to do it soon to get more competitive fares.

“I’m also sitting on 12,000 flyers to send out through the Eastbourne Tourist Board so we need to know how the season will work.

“There is a meeting next Tuesday between promoters when this will all be settled.”

The BSPA have already released a full set of Elite League fixtures for 2009 which have been published in various quarters, including the popular Speedway Star magazine.

Dugard, however, has always been reluctant to give The Argus a fixture list when asked, warning it could change drastically.

He also advised us against printing the schedule put out by the BSPA. The furthest Eagles are going for now is a draft fixture list, which has been on the club’s own website for some time.

Dugard said: “There are five tracks that could not race a full season this year without further funds from Sky. If we don’t get the money we would probably just race the A fixtures and we would need to refund some season ticket money.

“I already think people are fed up with us racing teams twice at home and twice away in the league. You see the same riders too often.

“My personal preference for Eastbourne is to have the A fixtures only plus some other form of competition.

“If we had about 14 fixtures that could suit us and the riders because they have a crowded fixture list although it would make it very difficult for riders who only compete in Britain.”

Whatever happens, it appears unlikely Eagles will stage a meeting on the eve of the British Grand Prix.

They were listed by the BSPA to host Swindon on Friday, June 26, but Dugard is convinced there will be no racing at Eastbourne that night.

Norris is back on the track

David Norris admits he surprised himself on his return to the track after 18 months out.

The Eastbourne Eagles star is planning to cut short his injury-enforced retirement in the coming season and is already back in practice.

He had 19 laps in a private session at Arlington last Saturday morning and could do something similar tomorrow if the weather holds.

Norris gave one of the bikes he has bought from GP star Hans Andersen a spin and was impressed.

The long-time Eagles fans’ favourite said: “I felt great, better than expected.

“It was a bit of a weird feeling being back out there, quite emotional to tell you the truth.

“Roy Prodger has done a great job on the track down there. It was very smooth although it got a bit greasy because the frost was coming out of it.

“I started at about ten-thirty in the morning but I could have done with getting down there about an hour earlier.”

Meanwhile, Eagles promoter Bob Dugard and his fellow top-flight promoters are making plans to combat the credit crunch.

Eagles lost £30,000 last season and were by no means the worst-performing club in the Elite League.

Dugard said: “All the promoters got together to discuss the situation recently and the mood was one of apprehension.

“I’m not allowed to say what ideas we have to make things easier but there is a worry people will choose to take their entertainment money elsewhere in the current economic climate.”

Eagles agree Kennett fee

Eastbourne Eagles have agreed a deal with another Elite League club for Edward Kennett.

Kennett was keen to move to the Brandon outfit, who had two bids knocked back by Eagles promoter Bob Dugard.

The buying club, whose identity is not yet being revealed, cannot fit Kennett into their 2009 line-up but would loan him out for a season.

All the transfer requires now is the agreement of Kennett himself when he returns from a ski trip.

Dugard had suggested Kennett could yet be back at Arlington next season as he struggled to agree a price with Coventry.

Russian champion Denis Gizatullin has been confirmed as a four-point rider for the new season which means he goes at reserve alongside Simon Gustafsson.

Appe Mustonen, originally named at reserve for Eagles before Kennett’s transfer request led to a re-think, will still have a chance to shine in England.

The Finnish teenager will come across before the new season and Dugard will try to find him a Premier League track if he looks the part.

Kennett could still have Eagles future

EASTBOURNE Eagles boss Bob Dugard has told unsettled Edward Kennett there could still be an opening for him at Arlington.

But he insists Kennett would have to convince him of his commitment to the Sussex club before being included in the 2009 line-up.

The Hailsham-based racer has been linked with a move to Coventry after putting in a transfer request when Eastbourne refused to let him go out on loan for a year.

Dugard says he is happy to go to arbitration to hammer out a deal for Kennett and would expect to receive at least £30,000 for the 23-year-old Team GB rider.

However, he is also willing to make a late rejig to his team and bring Kennett, one of the successes of last summer at Arlington, back into the fold on the club’s terms.

Eagles have scope to include Kennett at the expense of a lower-average rider having come in below the 39.90 point limit.

Dugard said: “Edward has been here since he was eight years old but we have only ever got one full season out of him.

“That was last year and the facts will tell you he improved himself more than he ever did when he went to Poole.

“He has great potential and we would have brought it out of him better than anybody. I would have seen him really pushing for the No. 1 spot next year.”

Dugard added: “If Edward can’t get fixed up anywhere else I would take him back on condition he is happy to be fully committed to Eastbourne and that he wants to be here.

“He has to be worth £30,000 and I’m happy to go to arbitration to fix a fee.”

Dugard, who feels his team will fare well next term, said he would reluctantly loan Kennett if necessary but would prefer a permanent deal if the rider is to leave.

Eagles ace can go on loan

But Eagles chief Bob Dugard predicts his young star will not want to move on after a sparkling 2009 campaign.

Bridger, 19, will be one of the key men in the coming season for an Eagles team widely tipped to struggle in the Elite League.

He had indicated he wanted to get away from Arlington for a year to test himself on larger circuits.

Instead, Dugard offered him improved terms and insisted he wanted the Bexhill racer to stay, especially as his contemporary Edward Kennett had asked to leave.

Now the Eagles promoter has revealed he will keep the door open to a loan switch in a year’s time, even though he would expect the rider to stay at his local club.

“I intended building the team for the next five years around Edward and Lewis.

“Lewis is with us for 2009 but if he wants to go on loan in 2010 I will let him go. I would not want to sell him.

“Lewis has been honest enough to say he feels a year at a big track would help him but let’s look at it in a year’s time.

“With the experience he gets in Poland over the next year I do not feel he will need to go to a big track here.

“I’ve been in this sport all my life and the best riders in the world have all come off smaller tracks.

“Riding a big track is easy. You just make the bike go forward. The technique comes on the smaller tracks.

“If you talk to (world champion) Nicki Pedersen, he will tell you he learned more riding on a small track at Eastbourne.

“Lewis is in for a barnstorming season with us. He is a different person now and that will show in his riding.”

Arlington is one of the smallest circuits in the Elite League at 275 metres and is known as a test of technique rather than outright speed.

Bridger is also under contract at Czestochowa in the Polish top flight and hopes to be a regular in 2009. Although their circuit is not a monster by Polish standards at 368 metres, the Ekstraliga offers far more chance to pick up big-track knowledge.

Bridger narrowly missed out on a final spot in the his first outing of 2009 at Poole’s New Year Classic on Sunday.

He enjoyed two heat wins on his way to nine points from four rides but was excluded for unfair riding in his fifth and missed the top four by a point.

Kennett won that final heat to pip Bridger to the final but then finished last as Ben Barker took the honours from the previously unbeaten Adam Skornicki.

Meanwhile, Eastbourne’s Cameron Woodward came fifth in the opening round of the Australian Championship.

He was then second to Chris Holder in a semi-final from which only the winner progressed.

You will have all had time to study our selected seven which Trevor and I are sure many of you will not agree with. But you must understand for Eastbourne, racing on a Saturday night and the majority of riders racing in Poland on a Sunday, it’s not easy. However we are confident that it is a brilliant team for 2009 - 5 of our seven are under 25 years old and improving year on year, as does Davey who won’t let us down.

David Norris returns - nobody was more surprised than us when told David wanted to race again and was adamant that it would only be for Eastbourne. With a 10.5% reduction on his average for being British and out of the saddle for a season it gave an opportunity we could not afford to miss, especially as he is so determined to get back to his best (which made him the highest scoring Eagle of all time) you would be a fool not to grab such an opportunity with both hands. His addition to the team carries an extra bonus as it leaves us some slack - if any rider is not cutting the mustard we can make changes - but we believe that won’t be necessary!

Trevor and I put 27 different teams down after we received Edward’s transfer request.

We looked at numerous aspects to determine what would give us the best opportunity to be a force to be reckoned with. Anybody who thinks cost came into our selection consider this - 2 Australians, 2 Swedes and 1 Russian, bring a legend out of retirement and kept the best British rider at Eastbourne – if you think this comes cheap you couldn’t be more wrong.

Trust in us we’ve done the very best we can in difficult times. It only remains to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a successful team for 2009. OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL! Trevor, Bob our families and our band of willing helpers; it’s a time of goodwill to all men, especially our seven!

Eagles reject "joke" offer for Kennett

Promoter Bob Dugard said he had no hesitation knocking back the bid from Coventry Bees.

Now he admits the rider, who requested a move two weeks ago, might have to go out on loan.

Eagles and Lakeside Hammers have already finalised their Elite League line-ups for next season and places are quickly being filled elsewhere.

Dugard, who has revised his asking price for Kennett down to £45,000, said: “Coventry offered £20,000. That’s an absolute joke. We will not sell him for that.

“He would have to go out on loan somewhere and there is no guarantee that would be to Coventry. He would go to whoever gave us the best offer of a loan fee.”

Eagles’ new line-up, which includes a comeback for David Norris, has received stinging and widespread criticism from fans posting on speedway websites.

Dugard, however, said: “Myself and (team manager) Trevor Geer have been doing this for a long time and people should trust our judgement. We will now let the dust settle and have a look at the other teams being put together.

“I’ve seen Lakeside and it looks very good on paper but they are lacking at the bottom end.

“We went through a whole year with potentially one weak link and they possibly have a couple. That will be hard to overcome.”

Dugard is still waiting for confirmation from the BSPA as to who he will have at reserve alongside Simon Gustafsson.

He still expects Russian champion Denis Gizatullin to come in on a five-point average, meaning Ricky Kling would be at reserve.

However the BSPA are listing Gizatullin at 4.00 on their website, which would give him a reserve berth while on-loan Kling goes into the main body of the team.

Dugard said: “Gizatullin at reserve would be good for us but I would not trust that figure at the moment.

Norris ready and raring to go

Arlington legend David Norris has reassured his army of fans he is fully fit to ride again for Eastbourne Eagles.

The club’s record points scorer has signed up for a comeback, little more than a year after retiring due to a culmination of head and neck injuries.

Norris, 36, has been given the all-clear by his doctor, received backing from his family and done a deal with promoter Bob Dugard to complete Eagles’ line up for next season.

He will be joined in the pits by former on-track sidekick Dean Barker, who will be acting as his mechanic.

Norris’ decision to return to the unforgiving world of no-brakes bike racing will delight many of his fans around the Arlington terraces and British speedway in general It might also alarm a few.

He appeared to have walked away from the sport after the last in a series of crashes in mid-season 2007, when he waved to fans on all sides of Arlington Stadium on his way back to the pits after picking himself up from the shale on the third bend.

That gesture was seen by many present that night as a star rider waving goodbye to his public. He has not raced since.

He announced his retirement at the end of October last year, though he returned to the pits for a short stint as mechanic to Lewis Bridger.

For almost two decades he was one of the finest and most exciting riders in the league.

The locally-born racer made his Eagles debut back in 1988 and broke Gordon Kennett's record for total points scored in a home win over rivals Poole on Good Friday, 2007.

He has always kept the door to a comeback slightly ajar and seemed slightly irked that he could not stage a farewell meeting until late 2009 at the earliest.

Now he is back as the final piece of a line-up which has been the subject of a re-think after Edward Kennett put in a transfer request two weeks ago.

Norris said: “I could get on a bike tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to racing again. I want to lose 5kg but I never usually start training until January anyway.

“It is what it is. It’s wind the throttle on and turn left. Maybe having been away I won’t be as intense about it as I was before.

“The timing is right to come back. In two years’ time I’ll be too old to do this.

“I’ve seen my doctor. I was more nervous about seeing him than anything because I consider him to be a friend.

“He just said he had no problems with it. He said ‘it’s your life to live’.

“My wife has given me her blessing as much as she can. She is right behind me and the kids are excited about it.”

Norris, like all riders, will have to pass a medical before being allowed to start the Elite League season.

He comes in on a modest average 5.58 after receiving an 8% reduction due to not having raced last season.

Dugard said: “There will be reservations from some people but as far as I and (team manager) Trevor Geer are concerned we are both confident he can fill a massive void.

“David will know himself if he doesn’t measure up but I'm elated he wanted to come back.”

The club have done a deal to help buy two bikes worth a total of £8,000 from GP rider Hans Andersen in Denmark though Norris insists reports that he had already shelled out that money before signing are wide of the mark.

“I said what I would like and Bob bettered it. He looked after me good as gold.”

Norris will continue his day job as an electrician but is now likely to pull out of the running for the vacant post of Great Britain team manager.

Eagles 2009: Watt (capt), Bridger, Woodward, Gizatullin, Norris, Gustafsson, Kling

Martin Dugard rules out becoming Eagles boss

Martin Dugard has ruled out an immediate move into management at Eastbourne Eagles.

The former British GP winner and star Eagles rider has been asked by his father and club boss Bob to take a co-promoter’s role ahead of the 2009 season.

Dugard junior, who undertakes an array of unsung tasks during the week and on race nights, said: “I’m still around to help.

Meanwhile, Martin Dugard admits there is no prospect of the Brighton Bonanza, or Indoor Speedway as it was called last season, making a quick return.

The ten-year-old pre-Crristmas event did not take place this time around after he failed to agree terms with the Brighton Centre.

Dugard said: “I’ve been trying to find different dates and a different venue but they are hard to come across. The hunt goes on

Eagles move in on Kling

Eastbourne Eagles expect to sign Swedish reserve Ricky Kling on loan from Lakeside tonight.

Kling has been left out of the Hammers’ new line-up and, subject to agreeing personal terms, will come in alongside compatriot Simon Gustafson at the bottom of the Eagles’ order.

That leaves Arlington supreme Bob Dugard with just one place left in his line-up and about six average points with which to work.

Dugard said: “Ricky would probably say himself Arlington is his favourite track.

“We definitely want him. I’vet wanted him for weeks. He has got to be more solid on a 4.90 average than bringing in a three or four-pointer.

“I know he is very excited about coming to us and I don’t envisage any sticking points.”

The under-rated Kling averaged 6.24 paid points per four rides in all matches for the Hammers last season as they reached the finals of both the Elite League play-offs and Craven Shield.

The 21-year-old from Mallila had a very creditable 38 wins or paid wins in 160 rides and, as in 2007, proved he can be a handy performer at Arlington.

In three visits to Sussex last term, he won the reserves’ race twice, had victories over Lee Richardson and Cameron Woodward and posted scores of 8+2 (5), 9+1 (7) and 7+2 (5) for an average of 6.82 including bonuses.

Kling would join Davey Watt, Lewis Bridger, Denis Gizatullin, Woodward, Gustafson and one other.

Last season’s Eagles skipper Richardson will spearhead the new Lakeside one-to-seven. He joins Adam Shields, Jonas Davidson and Joonas Kylmakorpi in a strong looking top four.

Kauko Nieminen and reserve Stuart Dobson are also on board, with the last reserve spot to be shared between Chris Mills and another rider to be named.

Meanwhile Dugard admits he is yet to do a deal to offload wantaway Edward Kennett, for whom he has set a reduced asking price of £45,000.

He had also been linked with Peterborough, but the Panthers’ promoter Mick Bratley has described Dugard’s asking price as ludicrous.

Bratley added: “I know some people think I’m stupid, but I can assure them I’m not that stupid. We were briefly interested in Kennett but then someone else became available who we preferred.

Denis heading back to Arlington

Eastbourne Eagles look set to bring back Denis Gizatullin for next season as they re-think their team building plans.

Arlington chief Bob Dugard has been knocked back by Coventry in an audacious move to sign Rory Schlein in exchange for Edward Kennett, who has requested a transfer.

Now Dugard is splashing out on Gizatullin, the Russian champion who rode once for Eagles in 2007.

If the 24-year-old completes formalities, that would leave room below the average points limit for Eastbourne to make further changes.

Sergey Darkin and Appe Mustonen would be left out, with Eagles lining up an alternative second string and reserve.

But they would have to provide him with a van, bikes, accommodation and regular flights.

Dugard insists: “It would no longer be a cut-price team but if you want to try and win titles you have to spend some money.”

Team manager Trevor Geer is in contact with Gizatullin through the rider’s English-speaking compatriot Roman Povazhny, Bringing in Schlein, who enjoys riding at Arlington, would have been a major coup for Eastbourne but he is now a confirmed starter for Coventry.

Kennett, who asked for a move last week, is still keen to join the Bees although Eagles are keen on a permanent deal rather than a loan.

Dugard said he has reached agreement to sell Kennett to Peterborough for £45,000 but added: “He doesn’t want to go there.

“Coventry are his only choice and we are still waiting for a call from them.”

Eagles skipper wants team spirit

New skipper Davey Watt reckons Eastbourne must take a tip from their arch rivals if they want to battle for Elite League honours next season.

The Poole Pirates asset has rejoined Eagles for a third loan stint ahead of the 2009 campaign.

Watt heads back east as a reigning league champion after helping Poole top the regular season table, then hammer closest rivals Lakeside in the final of the play-offs.

The powerhouse Dorset outfit attract the best crowds in the league and were many people’s tips for silverware even before the campaign started.

Watt, though, insists the title might have eluded them had they not shown the sort of team spirit he now wants to see at Arlington, where Eastbourne will be hoping to finish in the top six and reach the new look play-offs.

He said: “We had a lot of success at Poole but I was riding with a bunch of guys who all got on very well.

“They were really supportive of each other and that was key to our success last season.

“We were top heavy, as a lot of people were pointing out, but everybody really wanted to win and was hungry.

“That can help you make up a lot of points and that is what I’m looking for at Eastbourne next year.

Although Watt has never been Eagles’ official captain, he stood in for Nicki Pedersen on various occasions during the 2007 season.

Many considered him the true team leader within the Eagles camp even when the Danish star was present.

He will join Pedersen with Swedish champions Lejonen next season and also be riding in Poland.

The new Eagles skipper heads home on Sunday to compete in the Australian Championship and enjoy a holiday.

Meanwhile Eagles boss Bob Dugard has confirmed there is no way back into his plans for wantaway heat leader Edward Kennett but has assured fans he has good replacements lined up.

Dugard insists he wants a transfer fee or rider exchange for Kennett and will not settle for a loan deal.

The Arlington supremo said: “In my honest opinion I’ve got three options to bring in and two would be better for the club than Ed.

“Let’s be honest, last season was really the first complete season he has ridden for us even though he has been with us since he was eight years old on the junior track.

“It is not a decision I’ve taken lightly. I was mortified with Edward when he rang me and told me he wanted to leave but I could see there was no way he was going to change his mind.”

Dugard expects teenager Lewis Bridger to flourish after his fellow local boy quit the club.

He added: “There have always been undertones between Lewis and Ed. It’s like this town is not big enough for both of them.

Eagles will begin their Knockout Cup defence with a two-leg quarter-final against Lakeside Hammers, the side they beat in last season’s semis.

The home leg, scheduled for May 16, will be included in season tickets, prices for which have been set at £270 for adults, £250 for OAPs and concessions and £108 for children aged 8-14.

All prices include a programme for each meeting, with other offers available at elite-eagles.com.

On-the-night admission next season will cost £15 for adults, £13 for OAPs and concessions, £6 for children aged 8-14 and £38 for a family of four, the latter to include a match programme.

Eagles will not let Kennett go cheaply

Eastbourne Eagles have slapped an £80,000 asking price on Edward Kennett after the Team GB rider said he wanted to leave Arlington.

Kennett has been told to submit an official transfer request after Eagles boss Bob Dugard refused to let him go out on a year’s loan.

The 22-year-old is keen to ride at a larger circuit than 275 metre Arlington and would love to join Coventry, though Peterborough could also come into the reckoning.

The bombshell news emerged from the KO Cup winners last night just as Lewis Bridger, the rider most widely linked with a move away from his native East Sussex, was shaking hands on improved terms to stay at the club next season.

Bridger’s role in the new-look team, which will be captained by Davey Watt, now takes on even greater importance though Eagles insist they have two or three possible replacements for Kennett lined up.

Kennett, who came within one vote of being named Eagles’ rider of the year for 2008, admits he wants to leave the club but only for a year.

He believes a loan deal to a bigger track would benefit him and, in the longer term, Eastbourne, with whom he still sees his long-term future.

The Hailsham-based racer said: “I don’t want to leave permanently. I wanted to go for a year but Bob says if I go I’m not welcome back.

“I feel I need to move on. When I went to Poole for a year in 2007 I felt I came back a better rider and I believe I can do that again.

“Bob wasn’t happy with that. I don’t want to put an official transfer request in but I’m going to have to.

“I don’t even know how to go about it because I’ve never done it before.”

Dugard has based his eyecatching price tag on talk doing the rounds of a potential £100,000 fee being asked for rising star Tai Woffinden.

He said: “I’m disappointed with the way it has happened. I didn’t believe there to be any doubts about Edward.

“He wants to go to Coventry or Peterborough but I don’t think Coventry can fit him in.

Although Kennett has the better average, Dugard sees Bridger as the harder man to replace as he has potential to improve significantly on his starting average of 5.11.

Bridger had been linked with a move to Swindon but Dugard said: “I explained how Edward was going and how it was so important Lewis stayed. Lewis was fantastic about that.

Meanwhile Eagles rider Cameron Woodward is celebrating in his native Australia after winning the Victoria State Championship

Watt is new Eagles skipper

New signing Davey Watt is relishing the chance to captain Eastbourne Eagles after signing for a third loan stint.

Eagles boss Bob Dugard has successfully brought in the Australian star from Poole Pirates for next summer, five days after revealing he planned to do so in The Argus.

Watt, whose most recent stint at Arlington saw him win rider of the year honours in 2007, will ride in the No. 1 position for Eagles.

Poole were unable to fit the rider, who turns 31 in January, into their new line-up as they plan to defend the Elite League title.

Watt, who will continue to live in Poole, said: "I'm sorry the team had to split up but I can't think of a better place to go than Eastbourne.

"Unfortunately I'm a little bit older than most of the other riders now and hopefully that makes me a little bit wiser

Dugard asked to take over from Dad

Martin Dugard has been offered the chance to succeed his father in charge of Eastbourne Eagles.

The former Grand Prix rider, dubbed the Master Of Arlington during his racing days at the Sussex track, has been told a co-promoter’s position alongside Trevor Geer is his if he wants it.

Eagles supremo Bob Dugard would like to take more of a back seat at Arlington, possibly within the next year, and sees son Martin as a possible successor.

Geer has been handed co-promoter duties alongside his role as team manager but will also retain his day job with a construction company.

Dugard senior is very much top man at Eastbourne but combines his roles as club promoter and stadium co-owner with running the family machine tools company in Hove.

He said: “I’m waiting for an answer from my son Martin if he wants to get involved as well.

“I’ve offered it to him. I’d like to think he would also become a co-promoter and within half a season he and Trevor could pretty well be handling all that together.

“I’m going to be 67 next year and I want an easier life, not a harder one. I think Martin knows what a big decision it is, though, because it takes your life over.”

Dugard believes he has cut costs radically with his new look line-up and has revised his break even crowd figure down from 1,350 to about 1,000.

However, he remains keen to bring in investment. He said: “I'm talking now with two sponsors. One would be a secondary sponsor and I’m talking with one company that would be a mainline sponsor. It’s an international household name.”

Meanwhile, former co-promoter Martin Hagon has decided against rejoining Eastbourne to take charge of a team in the new National League.

Eastbourne will not be represented in the new third tier of British speedway next year but will continue to develop young riders through second-half meetings and challenge fixtures.

Hagon had planned to take a young Eagles side into the Conference League but that has now been replaced by a more professional National League and the costs of entering a competitive team are seen as prohibitive

Eagles reveal 2009 line-up

Eastbourne Eagles expect to bring back Davey Watt as their No. 1 for next season.

Sergey Darkin definitely returns to the club but there is no place for Scott Nicholls or Lee Richardson in the new line-up.

The arrival of Finnish teenage prospect Appe Mustonen in place of James Brundle is the only other change to the team which won the Knockout Cup but failed to make the Elite League play-offs in 2008.

That means Lewis Bridger, Edward Kennett, Cameron Woodward and Simon Gustafsson stay at Arlington.

Eagles were this evening waiting for confirmation that Watt is not required by Poole next season before completing a loan deal with the Pirates to bring him back for a third spell.

Nicholls and Richardson had both indicated they might give the Elite League a miss next season.

Neither rider has shut the door completely on the English league but Eagles boss Bob Dugard has already made his move and selected a team with a total average of 39.18, a shade below the limit of 39.90.

Dugard said: “Team building is going to be a very hard thing to do and most teams will carry two heat leaders whereas it used to be three.

“We have set our stall out slightly differently in that our heat leaders won’t be the highest in the league.

“But we’re backing it up with five pucker riders whereas a lot of other clubs are going for real big heat leaders will be really struggling at the lower end.”

Bridger had been linked with a move to a bigger track, probably Swindon, but Dugard has blocked any attempts to prise him away.

Six of the team are Eastbourne assets while Watt is a popular figure at Arlington and was Eagles rider of the year in 2006.

Uzbekistan-born Darkin, 34, has fought back from life threatening injuries sustained in a crash in Russia in 2005 though his most recent stint in the Elite League, with Poole, was a flop.

He had a spell with Eastbourne in 2001 and has since ridden for Coventry and Arena-Essex.

Dugard hopes the fact he has permission to base himself in England will be a big plus and help him more than meet a modest 5.12 average.

No riding order has been fixed yet. Watt, if he signs, must go at No. 1 but there are no other restrictions among the top five.

Dugard added: “I have Poole’s assurance, providing they can do deals they want to do with other riders, that Davey Watt is coming to Eastbourne.

“I’ve looked at every other team in the league and the combinations they can put together and I’m happy with what we have got.”

Eagles legend in running to be new GB boss

Eastbourne Eagles legend David Norris is in the running to be the new Great Britain team manager.

Norris’s name was put forward at the recent get together of speedway promoters.

Eagles’ record points scorer has not ridden since midway through the 2007 season but said he would jump at the chance to guide the Brits in next year’s World Cup.

Norris, 36, has re-trained as an electrician and said: “I don’t have much time on my hands now but it’s your country, isn’t it?

“I would have to see what it entails and discuss it with my wife but I’ve got lots of ideas.

“If it only entails doing the World Cup and maybe seeing some younger riders through international rounds then I’d do it but I can’t be flying off to all the GPs.”

Eagles provided three riders to the GB line-up in last season’s World Cup in Lee Richardson, Scott Nicholls and Edward Kennett while Lewis Bridger is pushing ever closer to a place.

Doubts Early indications, however, are that Eastbourne could have less of a home grown look next term.

Finnish teenager Appe Mustonen is being lined up to replace James Brundle at reserve.

There are also doubts over the continuation of Nicholls and Richardson, both at Arlington and in the Elite League altogether.

Eagles would almost certainly have to look to overseas riders with Elite League experience to replace those two, who were the highest scoring Brits in the league last season.

Kennett is expected to stay at Arlington and the club are hopeful Bridger will also be around for his fourth professional season, despite rumours doing the rounds to the contrary.

However arguably the two riders most likely to remain at the East Sussex circuit are Cameron Woodward, from Australia, and Simon Gustafsson, from Sweden.

Eagles chief Bob Dugard has advised fans to expect a young, exciting line-up and has welcomed the points ceiling of 39.90 per team which should help keep the wage bill down.

He is unlikely, however, to make use of the new facility allowing Elite League clubs to use Premier League riders with modest averages on a doubling-up basis.

Eagles plan busy season

Eastbourne Eagles are lining up a bumper 34-meeting schedule for Arlington fans next season after welcoming Martin Hagon back to the club.

Hagon, who quit as co-promoter alongside Bob Dugard recently, is expected to return in charge of a new youth side to race in the third tier of British speedway.

Eagles will be racing in the inaugural National League, where their closest rivals geographically will include Poole’s youngsters as well as Isle of Wight and possibly Sittingbourne.

Hagon admitted life in charge of an Elite League club took up too many hours which he could have dedicated to his shock absorber business and his family.

However he clearly enjoyed developing Eastbourne’s youth set-up and made no secret of his wish to take a junior team into what was, at the time, the Conference League.

Eagles expect to run 22 first team meetings in the nine-team Elite League and its associated competitions, as well as 12 National League fixtures.

Dugard said: “We have been accepted into the National League and that will be Martin’s baby.

“I’m very happy about that. He wants to run on GP Saturday nights but not on Sundays, so that will give us something nearly every Saturday night.”

Eighteen-year-old Finn Appe Mustonen has been identified as the young Scandinavian prospect Eagles intend to bring in at the No. 7 spot next season.

Elite League bosses have agreed various rule changes for next season, most notably a new points scoring system.

Away sides will earn one point for a defeat by six or less, two points for a draw, three points for a win by six or less and a bumper four-point haul for winning by seven or more.

There will be a doubling up system in place, allowing riders with a Premier League average of 8.00 or less to share an Elite League place

FULL STATEMENT 17/11/2008

BRITISH Speedway enters its 80th anniversary of league racing with a clear and concise message:
"Our wonderful and exciting sport has built 80 years of heritage in the hearts of our nation, and we are pleased to be at the pinnacle poi nt of re-building its foundations to make for another 80 years and beyond of action where o ur aim is to capture the hearts of a new generation."
The British Speedway Promoters' Association, which as a group controls and runs league Speedway racing in the UK, has just returned from their annual AGM with firm plans in place which emphasise that the sport, once having a public image of being short-sighted, is now in actual fact in the middle of building and completing numerous long-term plans that will make it's 80th season the strongest in decades.
Elite League Speedway spearheads British racing for the TWELFTH consecutive season with nine clubs, featuring some of the world's best riders, competing on a weekly basis with matches being screened live across the world through an exclusive rights deal with Sky Sports.
The Elite League goes into the second year of a plan to re-build its strength from the ground up by increasing the average from last season to which they can build their team.
Elite League spokesman Chris Van Straaten commented: "Our decision and faith to start the three year plan last season was endorsed by all the Promoters during a conference where one of our main concerns was to protect our fans and the sport from the effects of the current economic climate.

"We have also listened to the fans about the home advantage that previously existed i n the play-off semi finals, and we have some exciting news coming about a change to that, which will see home and away matches for everyone involved. One other improvement is that we may assign one of our team places to be shared by any two Premier League riders that have an average of 8 points or less."

For a TWELFTH consecutive season Premier League Speedway also returns. The second tier of British Speedway brings together all the nations of Great Britain with clubs such as Glasgow, Birmingham and Newport all competing.
The Premier League will have at least 14 teams competing with the successful takeovers of Berwick, Redcar and Newport all confirmed just before the conference, and the door has also been left open until January 1st for a new club from the south of England to join subject to planning approval.
Premier League spokesman Alex Harkess is keener than ever for the season to get underway. He said: "Last year, the Premier League adopted the principle of the league play-off system to qualify for the promotion and relegation race-off, this provided the British public with one of the best and most climactic ends to the season the Premier League has ever seen. We are pleased to be keeping this for a second season and the foreseeable future.
"We have also taken a long-term view on building our teams, just as the Elite League did last season, and have therefore adopted a 3-year plan where the league is limited to a maximum of 16 teams and a team building average of 42.50 points is applied. This is an
increase on last season's team building average and should please fans all over the country as it will give their team a chance of being stronger than ever before.
"We have also introduced a revolutionary new `Tactical Gates' system for trial in thi s years KO Cup competition. This gives the losing team the chance to select their gate positions on two separate occasions if they are behind by six points or more. It will be run in addition to the Tactical Ride rule but cannot be used at the same time."
One of the most exciting and positive moves for British Speedway this decade is the formation of the new National League. This will form the third tier of British Speedway and is aimed at producing young and talented riders that want to pledge their future to British Speedway.
The National League will be recognised by the association in a professional light with rules and regulations falling in line with the Premier and Elite Leagues, including the use of rider averages. The league boasts the inclusion of at least ten teams including former Premier League KOC champions, the Isle of Wight, plus Conference League champions, the Weymouth Wildcats and Conference League KO Champions, the Plymouth Devils. Former Management Committee member Dave Pavitt has been given the job of overseeing and managing the formation of the new league
He said: "This is great news for British Speedway, I have been chasing this dream for the last few seasons and it has finally been delivered. Fans will see a good value league that will produce some of the world's top Speedway Stars.
"It will be run in a more professional manner then has ever been seen in the third ti er of British Speedway before, and I look forward to being able to confirm the teams that will be
competing in 2009 and publishing more detailed rules and regulations in January."
For a THIRD consecutive season, British Speedway's Super7even series, which groups together all of British Speedway's major events, has been given a big thumbs-up by all the promoters with events, dates and venues set to be announced in January.
One of the other big changes for British league Speedway is the introduction of a groundbreaking league points scoring system that will create the most exciting speedway meetings and league tables the sport has seen in its' 80 year history.
Last year, in an attempt to encourage teams to be built with more strength away from home and create more exciting matches, the aggregate bonus point was dropped in favour of rewarding teams with three league points instead of two for winning an away match. This worked well to an extent but was not perfect - some matches were still dead and buried by heat seven or eight, and teams simply gave up because there was no aggregate point to worry about or race for.
This has been addressed with a league scoring system now in place that will reward a team for even getting within six points of the home team. In theory, this now means that even a team that is losing a meeting by 18 points with only three races left can still turn the meeting around and salvage a league point. They could do this, for example, by using a tactical ride in Heat 13 and gaining a maximum seven-point heat advantage followed by two four-point heat advantages in Heats 14 and 15.
To counteract this, the home team's fans will also be watching on tenterhooks as thei r team will gain an extra league point if they can win the meeting by more than six points. A draw will simply give the home team a single point - but the away team will get two.

Home loss by any amount of points 0
Home draw 1
Home win by between 1 and 6 points 2
Home win by 7 points or more 3
Away loss by 7 points or more 0
Away loss by 6 points or less 1
Away draw 2
Away win by between 1 and 6 points 3
Away win by 7 points or more 4

The promoters have also decided to give team managers more scope to pit their wits against each other and give the fans more to talk about. They have achieved this by requesting that the home team declares their team and riding order in writing to the away team manager, so he can decide how to structure his team to give him the best chance of securing points.

This may have sounded simple in the past as a team's two top riders were always placed at numbers 1 and 3, but this has now been changed with the only rider who is restricted to any place in the team being the top rider, who WILL ride at No.1. The other four main team members can be placed in any order, with the reserves still at numbers 6 and 7.

The British team manager and British Under-21 team manager positions have also been shortlisted, and all final nominations will be considered at greater depth before a final choice is made and announced in January. These will complement the already enhanced coaching and training system which was established last season.
Some other rule changes include the disposal of the `Tactical Substitute' rule which allowed a rider to come into a race from a 15-metre handicap and score double points. This has been replaced in favour of the more simple `Tactical Ride' rule which can now be used for a second time, but only when a team is 12 points or more behind their opponents.

The chairman of the British Speedway Promoters' Association, Peter Toogood, has a message for the fans of British Speedway.
He said: "I am delighted to have the privilege of being at the helm of British Speedway in its 80th anniversary season, and I plan to make it a special occasion for every fan.

"One of the plans we have, for example, is to send our special 80th Anniversary stand to a track each week throughout the season. This will be manned by some of the greatest riders from over the eras and will give fans of young and old the chance to re-live some nostalgia.

"It actually feels like years of hard work and lessons for everybody have finally paid off, and we now have a sport which will make big strides in a year where most other sports will struggle. I can say this with confidence because Speedway is a good value entertainment package for the whole family. In times where the economy is struggling, people look to be entertained for a reasonable price and that is where we score so highly. Our sport is great value with most clubs even offering free entry for children.
"We are able to do things like this because we started to take control of our costs last year where most other professional sports went the other way and actually allowed them to spiral out of control. I do hope that even if the big Grand Prix stars choose not to ride he re in the UK then the fans will appreciate the reason why, and in actual fact I do believe this could be a good thing as it we will create a new breed of superstars as a consequence.
"So the 2009 season opens on Sunday 15th March and I hope to see you all turn out in force to support your favourite team in what promises to be the most dynamic and exciting season we have ever seen..."

Belle Vue, Coventry, Eastbourne, Ipswich, Lakeside, Peterborough, Poole, Swindon, Wolverhampton

Berwick, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, King's Lynn, Newcastle, Newport, Redcar, Rye
House, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Somerset, Stoke, Workington + 1 more

Summary of major changes in British Speedway for 2009
* Groundbreaking new league points scoring system.
* Formation of new 3rd tier of speedway which will be known as the National League.
* 39.90 points limit for Elite League and 42.50 for Premier League.
* Tactical Gate rule for Knock Out competitions in all leagues.
* Disposal of 15 metre Tactical Replacement rule. One Tactical Ride remains for a team losing by ten points or more and a second has now been added which can be used if a team losing by twelve points or more.
* Elite League teams may utilise one team place to be shared by any two riders contracted to a Premier League team with an average of 8 points or less.
* A team's highest-averaged rider must always ride at No.1 in the team, while riders averaged from second to fifth can be placed in any order in the remaining positions of the team. The two lowest averaged riders will remain at numbers 6 and 7.
* A home team must declare their team formation to the visiting team first.
* The Premier Trophy will be split into a North and South group with seven teams in each.
* Promotion and Relegation race-off will remain.
* Premier League's play-off system will remain the same while the Elite League have adopted a new play-off system (more details to follow soon).
* New National Senior and Junior team managers to be announced in January.
* Super7even to continue for a third year, events and venues to be confirmed in January.

Eagles eye replacements

Geer defiant on play-offs

Comment: It's no bluff from Dugard

Dugard bombshell for Eagles

Eagles crash at home - a bridge(r) too far

Bridger in world final

Eagles ace doesn't want to leave it late again

Eagles borrow Hansen

Norris targets TV comeback

Top four the target for Eagles

Bridger misses Eagles clash

Watt shock at U-turn

Eagles chief has no plans to quit Elite League

Lukas needs engine help

Eagles suffer as rules change

Eagles do it again

Nicholls, Gustafsson ready for action

Kennett ready to go 'home'

Eagles ruin Poole's party

Eagles threaten to stop Kennett

Eagles suffer on the road

Ex-Ace guests for Eagles

Bridger does his bit for GB

Eagles count the cost as crowds dwindle

Eagles unable to recover from slow start

Eagles look to Panther pair

Argus opinion: Eagles star gets it right

Eagles give Gizatullin a deadline

Injured Norris urges Eagles to build

Lukas wants to stay with Eagles

Dryml stars for Eagles

Eagles could make a change

Kling keen to stay with Eagles

Watt slams official as Eagles are beaten

Bridger sets sights on 2010

Eagles must shine away

Bridger raring to go in British final

Eagles demand answers from injured skipper

Eagles slip at home

Visit of Wolves could be tasty

Bridger to ride through the pain

Eagles chief defends Arlington track

Bridger races to be fit

All in a night's work for battered Eagles

Woodward the hero as Eagles claim thrilling win

Watt aims to get Eagles firing again

Eagles' job has got tougher

Gustafsson sets comeback target

Bridger: I'll be fit for derby date

Russian champ edges closer

Eagles's Norris hails strength in depth

Eagles still perfect at home

British title so special for Bridger

Lewis Bridger crowned

British under-21 champion

Eagles chief welcomes decision on Kennett fee

Eagles happy with Kennett fee

Eagles flaunt their strength in depth

Dugard: Biggest test yet

Gustafsson is giving his dad nightmares

Watt plots GP course

Dugard plans to keep Eagles in title hunt

Eagles clinch derby honours

Eagles are safe but worried

Eagles facing financial crisis

Bridger can take the pressure

Bridger finishes it in style

Gustafsson looks top reserve

Norris happy with rule change

Eagles push Robins all the way

Dryml invests in success

Comment: Eagles can still be a knockout

Dugard threatens to shut down junior track

Old boss offers words of comfort for Eagles

Eagles out of cup

Eagles in cup strife

Bridger says Eagles have nothing to fear

Eagles grab first trophy

Bridger can be top man for Eagles

Eagles new boy under the spotlight