Experience a bonus for Oxford trip

The R.E.D Bandits, powered by STS have a golden opportunity to propel themselves to the fringes of the play-off places this evening.

They travel to Oxford with a 16-point cushion from the first meeting of the sides which puts the aggregate bonus point very much in their sights. It would be the Bandits’ first extra point of the campaign but with the Cheetahs forced to use rider replacement for Anders Rowe who is already in Italy preparing for Saturday’s GP Challenge at Terzano they must surely fancy more.

However, there is a sting in the tail with Rowe’s absence allowing Sam Masters, virtually untouchable around the Cowley circuit, to take one of his programmed rides.

SGP2 star Mitch McDiarmid and Anglo-Aussie Luke Killeen are especially strong on home shale while Edward Kennett rolled back the year with paid 14 guesting for Poole in last Friday’s draw at Scunthorpe.

Former Bandit Dayle Wood and Darryl Ritchings also score steadily at home but, despite dropping their only home Cab Direct Championship points to Glasgow, Oxford have struggled at times to impose themselves on visitors.

Part of the problem was the loss of Erik Riss to a recurrence of his mystery virus after just one competitive outing. Before signing Kennett the Cheetahs used a number of guests, including Nick Morris who scored freely in three appearances for them including wins over Plymouth and Edinburgh. The Australian successfully returned to track action with Leicester last night after resting his troublesome back injury and recovered from an untidy fall to partner Ryan Douglas for the 5-1 in heat 12 which put the Lions on the way to a two-point victory over Belle Vue. Peter Kildemand scored 6+1 for the Aces.

Peter Kildemand had a successful season with the Oxford Spires in the Premiership last year while Jordan Jenkins spent three years as a Cheetah after a season with Oxford’s National League side, the Chargers.

So plenty of experience of a track on which the Bandits tasted success as recently as 2022, Chris Harris and Jonas Knudsen scoring 13 apiece in the 50-40 triumph.

Four years on the only survivor of that July evening is skipper Jye Etheridge who had a typically eventful evening, a tapes’ exclusion followed by a race win and then crashing out of the meeting!

Scunthorpe and Redcar meet in Lincolnshire tonight in a meeting, the result of which far-reaching consequences for whoever loses with meetings running out for both teams.

The meeting at Oxford will NOT be livestreamed with many of the club’s regular broadcast crew involved in BSN’s coverage from the Eddie Wright Raceway.

However, live scores direct from the referees laptop will be available via both BSN and the official British Speedway website, live.britishspeedway.co.uk

Cheetahs: Sam Masters, Luke Killeen, Edward Kennett, Mitch McDiarmid, R/R Anders Rowe, Darryl Ritchings, Dayle Wood

Bandits:  Peter Kildemand, Jye Etheridge, Victor Palovaara, Jordan Jenkins, Nick Morris, Jack Smith, Reid Battye

Ω Tickets for Saturday’s Cab Direct Championship clash with Plymouth at Shielfield Park will go on sale later today and can be bought up until 7.15pm on Saturday. As always there are cash turnstiles and accompanied under-16s go free.