CYCLE SPEEDWAY: Coventry side to entertain Polish visitors.
INTERNATIONAL cycle speedway will come to Coventry for the first time later this month.Bydgoszcz, from Poland, will battle for the International Fours Trophy at Hearsall Common on Tuesday July 24 (7.30pm start) against Swindon, British Champions Wednesdfield Aces and hosts Coventry Devlin's Newsagents.
The Pols are in Britain for the European Team Championships at Ipswich and asked to race at the newly revamped Hearsall Common circuit.
Delighted Coventry club chairman Ian Batley said: "It is an honour to stage international cycle speedway for the first time in the city and it marks another milestone in what has become a fantastic season."
Coventry are to royally entertain the Bydgoszcz team. The club are liaising with the city's Polish community to make it a night to remember.
Following a reception with Coventry Lord Mayor David Chater at the council house prior to racing, Bydgoszcc will be taken on a tour and the evening will finish with an after-match reception at the Polish Club in Springfield Road.
Coventry Devlin's Newsagents and Leicester fought a classic British league encounter at a blisteringly hot Hearsall Common last Sunday.
The East Midlands teams resumed rivalry for the first time for 14 years and made up for lost time in producing the match of the season.
Coventry, without skipper Ian Batley, ran the all-star Leicester side all the way before losing 95-84.
The home side would have undoubtedly produced a shock victory had they tracked their inspirational captain. The early heats were fiercely contested and the on-track action warmed up to fever pitch as tempers frayed before referee Mike Allen stepped in to issue a final warning to both teams to calm down.
Leicester, with Coventry-based Norman Venson in outstanding form, held a slender half-time lead and pulled away in the second period.
With Ray Oliver, Mark Giles and Joe McLaughlin in fine form, Coventry rallied in the final heats to produce a grandstand finish in their best performance of the season.
Coventry lost 60-57 to Leicester in the corresponding supporting British League Division Two fixture.
Coventry travel to Oxford tomorrow (Sunday July 8) for British League Challenge fixtures at Horspath.
They then travel to Black Country rivals Sandwell this Thursday (July 12) for an Under-18 challenge match, starting at 7.45pm.
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Coventry Evening Telegraph (England) |
| Date: | Jul 7, 2001 |
| Words: | 377 |
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