Countdown to championship pairs meeting

PUBLISHED: 17:45 18 July 2017

Bickell, Dave

Heat two action in the Somerset Rebels meeting with Leicester Lions (left to right) Adam Ellis (Som), Todd Kurtz (Lei), Kyle Newman (Lei) and Jake Allen (Som).jpg

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After what has been a relatively fallow period as far as speedway action at the Oaktree Arena has been concerned, all attentions are starting to now turn to the home of the Cases Somerset Rebels with this Friday’s staging of the SGB Championship Pairs meeting.

This will be held, as is now the tradition, the night prior to the British Speedway Grand Prix at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

“The Pairs is always an enjoyable, if somewhat stressful, meeting, and I doubt that will be any different this year, even though Somerset are not actually competing in the meeting,” said Somerset promoter Debbie Hancock.

“It is always good to see the Oaktree Arena packed out with speedway fans drawn from the length and breadth of Britain, I doubt that there are many other sports where you could bring together supporters of 10 different teams, not to mention the neutral fans, at one venue and there not be a hint of trouble, which is due testament to speedway fans here in the UK.”

“Of course, with no Somerset team taking part in the Pairs this year, it will probably take a little bit of the stress out of the evening for me, and with it being the inaugural SGB Championship Pairs meeting, I presume it means that Somerset are, in effect, the undefeated Premier League Pairs winners, having won the title for a second-time last season.”

Fans are asked to note that in a change to the normal 7.30pm start-time for Somerset home matches, the SGB Championship Pairs will commence at 7pm, the rider introductions and pre-meeting parade taking place at 6.45pm, with the turnstiles opening at 5pm.