The BSN series clash between The Gladiators and The Poole Pirates (11th April) has been postponed due to the weather forecast in the Plymouth area tomorrow.

Th restaging date is to be confirmed.

The Plymouth Prow Park Gladiators get their 2023 season underway this coming Tuesday, the 11th of April, when they take on The Poole Pirates in the BSN series.

Gates open at 5.45pm, with tapes up at 7pm.  Admission is by cash at the gate.

The Poole Pirates took the four team tournament victory in the Paul Starke testimonial. Richie Worrall took the crown in the individual final, with fellow Gladiators Kyle Howarth second and Paul Starke third.

Heat results:

Plymouth Gladiators = 20 THIRD

1. Ben Barker – 2, R, 2, 2 = 6

2. Dan Gilkes – 1, 2, 2, 1 = 6

3. Jake Turner – F, 0, 0, F = 0

4. Kyle Howarth – 1, 3, 2, 2 = 8 SECOND

Cradley Heathens = 18

1. Paul Starke – 2, 3, 1, 0 = 6 THIRD

2. Alfie Bowtell – 1, 1, 3, 0 = 5

3. Adam Roynon – 1, 1, 1, 0 = 3

4. Luke Killeen – 0, 1, 0, 3 = 4

Poole Pirates = 30 WINNERS

1. Richie Worrall – 2, 2, 3, 3 = 10 WINNER

2. Danyon Hume – 3, 1, 1, 2 = 7

3. Kyle Newman – 2, 2, 3, 3 = 10

4. Ben Trigger – 0, 0, 1, 2 = 3

Somerset Rebels = 28 SECOND

1. Charles Wright – 3, 3, 3, 1 = 10

2. James Wright – 3, 3, 2, 3 = 11

3. Lee Complin – 3, 2, F, 1 = 6

4. Mattie Bates – F, 0, R, 1 = 1

Heat Results

Heat 01: J. Wright, Starke, Howarth, Trigger 52.38

Heat 02: C. Wright, Newman, Bowtell, Turner (F) 52.31

Heat 03: Complin, Worrall, Gilkes, Killeen 52.55

Heat 04: Hume, Barker, Roynon, Bates (F) 52.69

Heat 05: Howarth, Worrall, Bowtell, Bates 50.75

Heat 06: Starke, Complin, Hume, Turner 53.63

Heat 07: C. Wright, Gilkes, Roynon, Trigger 52.66

Heat 08: J. Wright, Newman, Killeen, Barker (R) 53.09

Heat 09: C. Wright, Howarth, Hume, Killeen 51.53

Heat 10: Worrall, J. Wright, Roynon, Turner 51.97

Heat 11: Newman, Gilkes, Starke, Bates (R) 52.97

Heat 12: Bowtell, Barker, Trigger, Complin (F) 52.21

Heat 13: Killeen, Trigger, Bates, Turner (F) 54.00

Heat 14: Newman, Howarth, Complin, Roynon 53.10

Heat 15: J. Wright, Hume, Gilkes, Bowtell 52.41

Heat 16: Worrall, Barker, C. Wright, Starke 53.00

Individual Final Re-Run: Worrall, Howarth, Starke 52.22

Courtesy of Speedway Updates

Image credit: Gladiators TV

The Plymouth Gladiators Press and Practice day takes place this coming Saturday, the 1st April (midday- 4pm)

Season Ticket Holders get early access to the day, with fans who have ordered Season Tickets able collect them from the Track Shop from 11.00. 

General public entry is from 12:00 

The 2023 speedway season gets underway at Coliseum this coming Tuesday, the 4th of April, with the Paul Starke Testimonial meeting.  

The four team tournament celebrates over 10 ten years of Paul’s British speedway career, and features The Plymouth Gladiators, The Cradley Heathens, The Somerset Rebels and The Poole Pirates.

Gates open at 5.45pm, with the event starting at 7pm. 

Prices: Adults £20 (seated) £18 Standing, children 11-16 years old £10

Press and Practice

Season Ticket Holders get early access to Press and Practice day, which takes place this coming Saturday, the 1st April (midday- 4pm)

Fans who have ordered Season Tickets can collect them from the Track Shop from 11.00. 

General public entry is from 12:00 

Plymouth Gladiators have filled the seventh and final spot in their team for 2023 by recruiting New Zealander Jake Turner at reserve.

The 26-year-old, who hails from Auckland, recently came second in the National Karate South Australia championship to Rory Schlein and that qualifies him for a Visa to race in the UK for the summer.

With the Gladiators searching the globe for the final piece of their jigsaw for the new season, they approached Turner to join for the summer – and he wasted no time in saying yes.

“I am delighted to get signed up and can’t wait to get going,” Turner said. “I moved over to Australia two years ago from New Zealand on my own, away from my family and I just wanted to work towards the state final and then try and get something over there (the UK) so it has worked out good. It should be a fantastic opportunity.

“I rode in the state finals and then I woke up next morning and had a message from Garry May. I was pretty stoked about it and looking at the team, it looks a strong team, so I hope we can do things this year.”

Turner will come in at reserve, where he will join Plymouth’s very own Ben Trigger, while the top five certainly look strong with Kyle Howarth, Richie Worrall, Ben Barker, Paul Starke and Dan Gilkes on board for the new campaign which starts with Starke’s testimonial meeting at the Coliseum on Tuesday, April 4.

“Riding in the UK is something I have wanted to do since I started racing and when the opportunity came up, it was difficult to say no,” Turner added. “Every time I go out there, I want to win, I don’t like losing at anything, so I will put it all out there every time and try and win as much as possible or, if not, team riding, because that is just as valuable and looking out for your team-mates.”

Although this is Turner’s first crack at it with a club in the UK, he has ridden at Plymouth before. 

“A couple of years ago a friend was riding at Somerset and I came over with him just for a little holiday and I had a go around Plymouth. It was good to get some prep time around there, so I am a little bit familiar with it, yeah.” Turner added.

“It was good, we have a track back home in New Zealand that is quite small as well and I used to rise that a little bit, so it wasn’t too much of a shock being a little smaller than usual, so I think we will be fine around there.”

Turner will also arrive in good shape as well having spent the winter riding in Australia. He is bringing his own motor, but has also purchased plenty of equipment from James Sargent.  

“I have bought some equipment of James Sargent and I have an engine over here that I am going to bring over,” he said. “I think there’s a practice at Scunthorpe on the 11th, which I want to get over there for, and then on the 25th at Plymouth, so I’ll be able to synch up James’ bikes and if they aren’t quite what I usually ride, then I will chuck my own motor on that I know is good and works everywhere.

Looking ahead to the season – and outlining his targets and aspirations for the year – Turner said: “I want to do well for myself – and for the team, of course. It would be nice to get out of the reserve rankings towards the end of the season, but I want to hit my average every time and at every track we go to, I want to score good points, I don’t want to give away any points anywhere I go.”

Image credits: Judy Mackay

The British Speedway Championship is delighted to announce a league sponsorship deal for the 2023 season with Cab Direct, the UK’s leading taxi supplier.

Through the deal, the league will be renamed the ‘Cab Direct Championship’ and the taxi specialist will use its extensive communications channels to help publicise speedway to tens of thousands of taxi drivers throughout the UK.

Established in 1996, Cab Direct is the UK’s top taxi supplier. The company serves hackney and private hire operators and drivers across the country with both standard and special purpose vehicles, to meet the needs of taxi trade professionals.

Cab Direct Marketing Director Donald Pow said: “Speedway represents an ideal partner for a brand like ours.

“We’ve learned down the years that many of the UK’s hard-working taxi drivers are fans of all things on wheels, whether that be driving, maintaining vehicles or following motorsport. 

“Speedway may not be as big as Formula One but it’s every bit as exciting!

“With clubs from Plymouth to Edinburgh and Scunthorpe to Berwick, speedway is a working-class sport that offers nationwide coverage, which makes it a perfect fit with Cab Direct and our thousands of loyal customers.”

Customers of Cab Direct will now be able to follow this year’s Championship through the company’s social media, events and website.

And in addition to the Cab Direct branding which will be in place around the nine Championship venues, look out for some exciting new competition prizes!

BSP Ltd Chairman Rob Godfrey said: “We’re delighted to have reached this agreement with Cab Direct to sponsor the league for 2023.

“Cab Direct is a major national business with a great reputation and its backing can only help us attract more new customers to discover the amazing sport of speedway.

“As well as exposure to thousands of taxi operators around the UK, every taxi driver talks to thousands more customers every year, so having them on board is a brilliant way to spread the word about speedway!”

More information about Cab Direct can be found at www.cabdirect.com, which also contains links to the company’s social media channels.

The league is proud to launch the Cab Direct Championship, and we look forward to an exciting season ahead and a successful partnership. 

Background image Credit: Jon Sproad

Former Plymouth rider Paul Starke has been announced as the latest addition to the 2023 Gladiators team.  

The Glastonbury based rider, who rode for the Ipswich Witches in the Premiership and the Oxford Cheetahs in the Championship in 2022, comes in as a second string to add vital scoring power to the engine room of the team.

The arrival of the immensely popular Starke,  who has achieved a multitude of League, Cup, Shield and 4 Team Tournament successes with a variety of clubs in all three tiers of UK League racing is a massive boost for the club.

Paul is acknowledged as an highly entertaining racer and joins a team packed with some of the best thrill-makers in British Speedway in Kyle Howarth and Ben Barker, and in Richie Worrall, one of the most consistent and reliable accumulation of points and one of the most exciting rising stars of the sport in the returning Dan Gilkes.

Starke has achieved Title and Cup winning success at the start of his career at Plymouth before enjoying similar accolades at Dudley/Cradley, Somerset, Peterborough and Poole.  

Promoter Mark Phillips said:

“Paul is probably the best value rider in British Speedway at the moment on his current average. He could easily challenge the top 3 in our side, in Richie, Kyle and Ben, who many acknowledge to be the best heat leader trio so far named.

Paul has had an unlucky spell with injuries in the past few seasons but will start fully fit and raring to go. He is renowned as a team player and a team man and together with his father Tony will be a great asset on and off the track and an excellent mentor to our younger riders Dan Gilkes and reserve Ben Trigger in his first Championship season.

I have every expectation that Paul will boost his average, his ability to score as many, possibly more points away from The Coliseum as he does at home will also be a massive asset for us with an aggregate Bonus Point available for each Home and Away leg against each of our rivals.

Paul will add massive experience and points scoring potential in the engine room of the team and we should certainly be ultra-entertaining both at home and away in 2023 with a team packed with full throttle racers.

Paul is based nowadays in Glastonbury which makes him as good as local and he completes a very strong top 5 and is a key part of our team building jigsaw.”

Phillips also confirmed that the club are speaking to a number of riders for the final slot in the 2023 Team and with 4.21 points to play with to bring the side within the 40 points limit; have a number of options to consider with conversations ongoing with targets, before making a final decision in the New Year.

The Gladiators are eager to chat to potential sponsors and advertisers for the 2023 season. The club has a number of packages available at varying costs, so If you are keen to get involved, then contact Mark Phillips on markphillips353@yahoo.co.uk or call 07766 700810.

Ben Trigger admits it is a dream come true to race for the Plymouth Gladiators after being confirmed as one of their two reserve riders for 2023.

The talented 16-year-old, who hails from Plympton, has been a regular on the Coliseum racetrack since the days his Dad, Lee, managed the club in their former guise as the Plymouth Devils.

Now, 11 years on from the first time he took to his home track, Ben will be riding for points and money and not just in practice and for experience, after being confirmed as the fifth rider to line-up for the club in 2023 after Richie Worrall, Dan Gilkes, Ben Barker and heat leader Kyle Howarth.

“I am speechless really!” Trigger said. “It’s hard to talk about it because I don’t know how to explain it, but I have grown up watching speedway, Dad was involved and I’d go and watch meetings with Dad and when he was team manager, I grew up around it and always wanted to do it one day.

“Now I am actually getting the chance to do it and I’ll be living the dream. My fantasy has become a reality; I didn’t expect it to come so early, but now I have been given the chance, I intend to take it with both hands to do the best I can, improve and do as much as I can to help the team perform and try and win some silverware.

“I’ve been riding round the Coliseum since 2012, so I have had a few laps around there on different machinery and now I’ll get to race in front of the crowd that have watched me riding around there since I was small. Now, I am part of their actual team and not the mascot, so I hope to put all of that track time and experience I have into next year and make it a really good year for myself.”

Trigger has shown steady progress year-on-year after riding professionally from the moment he turned 15. His maiden season in the National League for Leicester Lion Cubs went well and he then signed for Plymouth Centurions for 2022, where he again scored consistently well.

Although he suffered a broken leg midway through the season, Trigger was quickly back on his bike and ended the season well, which is why promoter Mark Phillips and Gladiators boss Garry May have decided to give him an opportunity now, despite his tender years.

“I was really happy with how the year went. I started well in the National League and was scoring some big points and I nearly doubled my average. I think I could have got even more than what my average is now if I hadn’t got injured half way through and broke my leg, but that was a minor setback in my progress, really,” Trigger added.

“I came back after two months off the bike and came back like nothing had happened. I felt stronger on the bike and carried on from where I left and everyone else was happy with my year and the performances I put in.

“The leg is perfect now, there are no issues with it. I chipped the top of my tibia off, it came away from the bone, so they pinned it back with two screws holding it all in place to avoid any lasting danger when I get older.”

Now, all thoughts are on 2023 and Trigger is keen to get fitter between now and the season starting in March. He is also keen to find a National League club after the Centurions were pulled from the division in 2023.

“I am hoping to get a place at Belle Vue, but even they have said that they aren’t 100 per-cent sure yet,” Trigger said. “It’s just a waiting game until everyone gets their team sorted and if we don’t get a National League spot, then hopefully we will get one during the season just to try and get more meetings and race more.

“I really enjoyed the year at the Centurions and it was obviously so much better for us not having to drive three hours just for a home meeting, but you can’t always have it your own way.”

Team boss Garry May said: “We are going to give him a chance and see what happens. You have to give these British riders a chance because if you don’t give them a chance, you don’t know what they can do. If no one gave Darcy Ward a chance, what would he have done?

“Lee’s good, he knows how I work and Ben knows the track. I think he will do well at home – if he gates, then he’s in there because it is hard to overtake at Plymouth, but I am looking forward to working with him.”

Ben will again be helped in the pits by his mechanic father, who could not hide his pride at his son signing for a club so dear to his heart.

“It’s fantastic and it really is a dream come true, not just for Ben, but for me as well,” he said. “I have grown up with speedway, been team manager of Plymouth and to have Ben now don the colours of the Gladiators – and not just as a guest booking – is fantastic.

“He had a ride there for Edinburgh last season, but this is what dreams are made of really. It’s like any young footballer in Plymouth playing for Argyle. It’s massive. We are under no illusions that it’s going to be tough, but you have to start somewhere.”

The Gladiators are eager to chat to potential sponsors and advertisers for the 2023 season. The club have a number of packages available at varying costs, so If you are keen to get involved, then contact Mark Phillips on markphillips353@yahoo.co.uk or call 07766 700810.

Image credit: Jon Sproad

Ben Barker says he wants to end his speedway career with the Plymouth Gladiators after committing to the club for the 2023 season.

The 34-year-old Cornishman has always gone well round the Coliseum and it is a track he openly admits is his favourite on the UK circuit. But after a tough 2022, which ended prematurely with his controversial ban after testing positive for a banned substance, Barker is desperate to get back on the bike and give something back to the fans that love him.

“It’s not so much a case of being fixed up for 2023, it’s being fixed up where I wanted to be,” Barker said. “It’s great to be back in the Westcountry again and back at Plymouth. It’s my favourite track, I love the fans and I feel like, after what happened last season, I have to give something back, you know?

“Plymouth is my club; I wanted to stay in this league and I don’t want to ride anywhere else until I call it a day. It’s not just that, I have Mark Simmonds working for me and logistically, it is great as well. We are a package and it all has to fit into place with him as well.

“There are so many things that make it fit for me and Plymouth. I have always called Mark (Phillips) my Uncle Mark! But he is actually a cousin of mine and he was another reason why I wanted to come back to Plymouth.

“I am also on a good average for what I can do around Plymouth and what I can do all round the country really. It just fits nicely, so we will do what we can and get some silverware next year.

“I think Mark and Gary have put a good team together and there’s no reason why we can’t have a good season. There are some that will up their averages this year and some will maintain. Some will improve a lot by having the likes of me, Richie (Worrall) and Kyle (Howarth) in the team to feed off and that is what they have got to do.”

Barker was in excellent form for the Gladiators last season when the season was curtailed prior to a meeting at Oxford on July 27. He was suspended with immediate effect and a Speedway Control Bureau court hearing then issued him with a ban, which expires on March 1, in time for Barker to return for the 2023 season.

“It was absolutely doing my head in,” Barker said. “But it’s over and done with now and it is not even at the forefront of my mind.

“At the forefront of my mind is getting back on the bike and going out and doing what I have to do and put some entertainment on for the crowd and show them what we can do and what they were missing.

“I was going to put a press release out about it all after it happened, but my attitude is the sooner it’s swept under the carpet and the sooner I forget about it, the quicker the season will come around.”

Now, Barker will spend Christmas with his family before getting himself in shape and off to France for some time on the bike before the new season begins.

“It will have been quite a break before I do get back on the track,” he said. “I am planning to go to France for a week with the bikes and that will be the next time I go on them. I expect that will be late February.

“There are no other plans really other than to do a bit of work, get fit and then we will go.

“France is ideal as you are able to ride there because of the weather and the tracks are really good. You are able to ride on them seven days a week.

“You can’t guarantee that it will be dry there, but it is a lot more guaranteed than staying in the UK, that’s for sure.

“You can’t use Plymouth and the nearest one you can use like that would be Leicester or Scunthorpe. But I don’t feel they are the right places to go, you want something a little bit different and I’ll get that in France.”

Team manager Gary May said it was a no-brainer to include Barker in his plans for 2023. adding: “It was a no-brainer because Ben is virtually unbeatable around Plymouth. On his day, no one catches him and you can’t let an exciting rider like that join another club and I think Ben loves riding at Plymouth.

“I know he is related to Mark, but he loves the club and just wants the club to do well. He was always phoning me, asking me who we had as guests last season and you just felt that he wanted the club to do well.

“It was really unfortunate with Ben last year, but you can’t go against the rules and it was a real shame for the Plymouth fans as well – and for me and Mark – because, with Ben there, I think we’d have done even better.

“The riders that came down may have got nine or ten points, which is all well and good, but Ben can get you 15 and that makes all the difference in the end in knocking another club out. But we have to move on and we just hope that Ben doesn’t do something like that again.”

As things stand, Plymouth are the only club that Barker has committed to for 2023. But he added:  “There’s no one else at the moment, but that can all change.”

The Gladiators are still on the lookout for sponsors in 2023. The club have a number of packages available at varying cost, so If you are keen to get involved, then contact Mark Phillips on markphillips353@yahoo.co.uk or call 07766 700810.

Image credit: Jon Sproad