The Plymouth Gladiators are delighted to confirm that Alfie Bowtell has decided to continue his progress at The Coliseum in 2022.

We look forward to seeing Alfie in a Gladiators race suit next season.

Image credit: Jon Spoard

The Plymouth Gladiators concluded their 2021 Championship season with a heavy 59-31 defeat away at The Glasgow Tigers.

Bjarne Pedersen, racing in his last meeting for The Gladiators top scored with 13 points, including victory in his last race in the nominated heat 15.

Glasgow Tigers 59:

Craig Cook 12+2, Broc Nicol 10+1, Connor Bailey 10, Marcin Nowak 9+3, Ricky Wells 8+1, Ben Barker 8+1, Sam Jensen 2

Plymouth Gladiators 31:

 Bjarne Pedersen 13, Dillon Ruml 5+1, Zach Cook 4+1, Zane Keleher 4+1, Jason Crump 3, Alfie Bowtell 2, Richard Lawson r/r

Championship points: Glasgow 3 Plymouth 0

One final meeting remains, with the 6^th round of the British Youth Championship taking place at The Coliseum next Saturday the 18^th of September.  Tickets are available here (Adults £10, children free entry)

Image credit: Blumonkey Media

The Plymouth Gladiators penultimate away fixture at The Poole Pirates ended in a 55-35 defeat.

Jason Crump top scored with 11, backed by guest Ben Barker, in for the injured Richard Lawson, with 8.  Report to follow.

Poole Pirates 55:

Danny King 13+1, Rory Schlein 10, Steve Worrall 9, Ben Cook 8+2, Danyon Hume 6, Anders Rowe 5+1, Benjamin Basso 4+2.

Plymouth Gladiators 35:

Jason Crump 10, Ben Barker 8, Zach Cook 6, Bjarne Pedersen 5, Dillon Ruml 3+2, Alfie Bowtell 2+1, Zane Keleher 0.

Image credit: Jon Spoard

Another good-sized crowd were present at the Coliseum to witness a top-quality field of riders contest an individual meeting sponsored by Bridge Motorcycles of Exeter.

The 12-man field included Gladiator Henry Atkins, making his comeback after missing the season through a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery and he was immediately on the pace, taking a 2^nd and a win in his first two rides.

The format of the meeting saw the top four points scorers after 4 rides each go through to the Atkins Financial Management sponsored A final and it was former British champion, Danny King who emerged triumphant, holding off a strong challenge from Gladiators’ skipper, Bjarne Pedersen, who was making a final appearance at the Coliseum before he retires from the sport.

The remaining riders contested the B and C finals which also commemorated the lives of former Exeter promoter Colin Hill and Exeter rider, Tony Sanford, who sadly lost his life in a track crash 40 years ago with the Sanford family still very much involved behind the scenes at Plymouth.

King was understandably delighted to take the win. ‘I had no hesitation in accepting the booking to come down here’ he said afterwards. ‘I’ve ridden here a few times now this season and it’s a track I enjoy riding and it always produces great racing’.

As well as the main event, the ‘Men in Black’ held their own event riding bikes from the 1960s and Clerk of the Course, Rob Doran, also brought along a selection of his superb collection of vintage speedway bikes.

The Coliseum will stage one further meeting this season when the British Youth Championship holds its final round on Saturday 18^th September (7pm). The meeting will see Plymouth based rider, Ben Trigger collect his awards for winning the 500cc category, a title he has already clinched.

90^th Anniversary meeting details

Heat points scorers after 4 rides:

Danny King                       9 pts

Ben Barker                        8 pts

Chris Harris                       8 pts

Bjarne Pedersen              8 pts

Dillon Ruml                      7 pts

Alfie Bowtell                    6 pts

Henry Atkins                    5 pts

Jason Crump                    5 pts

Zach Cook                         5 pts

Zane Keleher                    4 pts

Erik Riss                             4 pts

Kyle Newman                  3 pts

Tony Sanford C final:      Riss, Newman, Keleher, Cook

Colin Hill B final:              Crump, Ruml, Bowtell, Atkins

A final:                              King, Pedersen, Barker, Harris

The twelve rider line up for the Plymouth Gladiators 90^th Anniversary meeting has been confirmed.

The seven Atkins Financial Management Gladiators (Jason Crump, Bjarne Pedersen, Richard Lawson, Zach Cook, Zane Keleher, Alfie Bowtell & Dillon Ruml) will be joined by Danny King, Chris Harris, Erik Riss, Ben Barker and Henry Atkins, who returns following his shoulder operation.

Tickets for the meeting (Gates 5pm, first race 7pm) are available here

The format for the meeting will see 12 qualifying heats, with three finals, C, B and A.  This means that every rider will be in a final based on their points from their heats.

Main image credit: Jon Spoard

With the Plymouth Gladiators 90th anniversary meeting only days away there is an opportunity to get your hands on a piece of Gladiators and speedway history.

There are 2 certified and authenticated framed pictures of the superstar riders, 3 times world champion Jason Crump and former GP and world team cup rider Bjarne Pedersen.

Exeter based speedway fan Paul Lamacraft has commissioned the 2 framed pictures and offers them to the club to raise funds for the 2021 season Plymouth fans have enjoyed.

Paul who has family links with Exeter speedway and helped produce the 2020 Christmas lip sync fund raiser wanted to help secure the future of speedway in Plymouth with his generous gift on the framed signed pictures.

The pictures will be put up for raffle at the 90th anniversary meeting, tickets will be £5 per strip per picture with no maximum on purchase of tickets per fan.

It was felt by Mike Atkins this was the fairest way a fan had the opportunity to secure the prized speedway memorabilia.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting on the 7th September to celebrate the clubs milestone anniversary and win one of these fabulous framed pics. 

Tickets are available here, with the line up to be announced shortly.

Image credits Jon Spoard  

The Plymouth Atkins Financial Management Gladiators concluded their 2021 home Championship fixtures, with a 48-42 victory over The Newcastle Diamonds.

Recent signing Richard Lawson, confirmed as a Gladiator for 2022, top scored with 12, backed by Zach Cook with 9 (paid 10) and Alfie Bowtell with 8 (paid 9).

Ben Barker delivered an impressive 18 (paid 19) for the visitors, who picked up an away point.

Meeting report to follow.

Plymouth Gladiators 48:

Richard Lawson 12, Zach Cook 9+1, Alfie Bowtell 8+1, Scott Nicholls 6+2, Dillon Ruml 5+2, Zane Keleher 5+1, Jason Crump 3.

Newcastle Diamonds 42:

Ben Barker 18+1, Adam Roynon 8+1, James Wright 8+1, Max Clegg 6, Connor Mountain 2, Archie Freeman 0, Matthew Wethers r/r.

Championship points: Plymouth 3 Newcastle 1

Image Credit Jon Spoard

The Gladiators went down to a 50-40 defeat against The Leicester Lions.

New signing Richard Lawson led the way for The Gladiators with 16 points, backed by Jason Crump with 9. Dillon Ruml chipped in with 7 (paid 9) whilst Josh Pickering, in for Bjarne Pedersen who was absent will illness, scored 7 paid 8.

Report to follow

LEICESTER 50: Kyle Howarth 11+1, Hans Andersen 11, Zaine Kennedy 9+1, Rory Schlein 7+1, Dan Thompson 5+2, Ryan Douglas 5+1, Joe Thompson 2+1.

PLYMOUTH 40: Richard Lawson 16, Jason Crump 9, Dillon Ruml 7+2, Josh Pickering 7+1, Alfie Bowtell 1, Zane Keleher 0, Zach Cook 0

Plymouth Atkins Financial Management Gladiators have made a change to their line up by bringing in exciting British star, Richard Lawson.
 

Lawson, who will replace Jason Edwards, became available after his previous club, Eastbourne Eagles, announced that they were withdrawing from Championship racing earlier this week and Gladiators' promoter, Mark Phillips quickly swooped to bring Lawson into the team.

Phillips said 'I'm delighted that Richard is joining us for the remainder of the season. He is an exciting rider and will bring even more experience to the team. He has already guested for us on a few occasions so knows our set up well.

We have now been able to construct the team around actual averages instead of assessed ones'.

Lawson will be included in the team for the visit to Leicester tomorrow evening (Saturday 28th) and the Gladiators then face Newcastle at the Coliseum on Tuesday (7pm) in what should be another entertaining fixture with former Plymouth favourites, Ben Barker and Adam Roynon in the visitor's line up.

Tickets are available via the online store here

Image credit: Mike Hinves

As you will know by now the 90^th Anniversary meeting will be staged on the 7^th September 2021 which also coincides with the Plymouth Speedway Golf Day being held at the China Fleet Club with 9 teams of 4 players looking for glory and an auction for those who are playing, all golf players are also guests of the club for the showcase meeting of the season.

The meeting will be a 12 rider individual meeting including the 2021 Gladiators, Henry Atkins if his run out next week rules him fit to ride along with guest riders Mark will invite. The format will be 12 qualifying heats with 3 finals C, B and A. This means that every rider will be in a final based on their points from the heats, some of you may remember this was the format for the Grand Prix’s when they first started.

Mike Atkins has been very busy setting up the Golf Day and arranging sponsors for the 90^th Anniversary meeting due to the recent fixture change.

The meeting will be sponsored by Bridge Motorcycles, the Exeter based family run premier Motorcycle dealers who have been a massive support to many speedway riders over the years and currently support Jason Crump and Henry Atkins.

The 15 Heat Sponsors have all been reserved and they will have their names against the heat they have chosen in the programme with a guaranteed 90^th Anniversary programme for their support.

The Advertising Sponsors will have a large advert, 90^th Anniversary programme and a Race Jacket with their name or business name on the back, there are still 2 places still available (speak to Mike). Mike has also secured a Heat sponsor for the A final (Sean Wilkinson of Thermohome Ltd) and looking for 2 sponsors who would like to help support the B and C finals.

Mike has also secured 2 valuable framed and certified photos of Bjarne Perdersen and Jason Crump in the colours of the 2021 Plymouth Gladiators which will be signed by the rider’s courtesy of Paul Lamcraft from Exeter who help make the Christmas lip sync video.

These will be on show this Tuesday when the gladiators take on the Newcastle Diamonds when Mike will walk them round the track before the meeting for the fans to see.

The 2 framed Pictures and 12 signed race jackets will be auctioned details to be released (time and weather permitting).

Image Credit: Dan Westlake