All set for Pairs shot
Peter Kildemand and Nick Morris will fly the R.E.D Bandits, powered by…
International date for Bandits duo
A big night ahead for two of our Scandi Bandits on May 30.
Victor Palovaara (Sweden) and Lasse Fredriksen (Norway) have both been named in the starting line-up for the SGP qualifier at Glasgow that evening.
Jack Holder, world number five last year, is the standout name in the starting 16 which also includes former Bandit Jonas Knudsen. Former SGP regulars Kai Huckenbeck, Maciej Janowski and Piotr Pawlicki are also looking to fill one of the four places which guarantee qualification for the SGP Challenge in Terenzano, Italy, on July 24.
They will be joined by qualifiers from Abensberg in Germany this Saturday – another former Bandits, Dimitri Berge, is one of those looking to progress – and Zarnovika in Czech Republic where British champion Robert Lambert is among the field.
With last year’s British Final acting as a yardstick for Great Britain nominations Tom Brennan and Dan Thompson have to hope for withdrawals if they are to compete at Glasgow while Anders Rowe, Adam Ellis and Chris Harris are in the Ashfield 16, Charles Wright missing out through injury.
All of which means that May 30, listed in our original fixture list as a reserved date for the BSN Series semi-final, is a no-go for racing at Shielfield Park. Talks are on-going about this Saturday with postponed meetings against Scunthorpe and Redcar to fit in. But at the moment, with Manchester hosting the second of the weekend’s British GPs on June 6, it means that our next action looks likely to be the June 13 visit of Glasgow Tigers but keep an eye on opur social media pages for news of any changes.
Which at least gives an opportunity for Peter Kildemand and Reid Battye to reach fitness and get the R.E.D Bandits, powered by STS, back to full strength.
Ω By which time the latest Green Sheet Averages will be in operation – indeed June 1 will be their first airing.
While a number of teams are expected to use the revised figures to tinker with their starting line-ups – or indeed make wholesale changes – while a lack of activity for the Bandits means little change in our rolling averages which currently total 38.84.
Compiled for the club by Dennis McCleary and subject to SCB ratification, the rolling averages are:
| Name | M | R | PTS | GSA | PRV |
| Peter Kildemand | 19 | 89 | 173 | 7.78 | 7.86 |
| Jye Etheridge | 20 | 84 | 119 | 5.67 | 5.56 |
| Victor Palovaara | 20 | 97 | 164 | 6.76 | 7.37 |
| Lasse Fredriksen | 20 | 81 | 95 | 4.69 | 5.40 |
| Nick Morris | 11 | 55 | 95 | 6.91 | 6.89 |
| Jack Smith | 20 | 87 | 66 | 3.03 | 2.84 |
| Reid Battye | 2 | 11 | 15 | 4.00 | 4.00 |
Reid Battye’s average remains assessed at 4.00 until he completes six meetings.
2026 only averages
| Name | M | R | PT | GSA |
| Nick Morris | 5 | 30 | 52 | 6.93 |
| Victor Palovaara | 5 | 24 | 40 | 6.67 |
| Peter Kildemand | 3 | 11 | 16 | 5.82 |
| Reid Battye | 2 | 11 | 15 | 5.45 |
| Jye Etheridge | 5 | 23 | 29 | 5.04 |
| Jack Smith | 5 | 19 | 16 | 3.27 |
| Lasse Fredriksen | 4 | 16 | 13 | 3.25 |
And just for all you stats’ lovers … an early-season Cab Direct Championship table
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Ag | Pt |
| Poole Pirates | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 153 | 117 | 1 | 6 |
| Edinburgh Monarchs | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 103 | 77 | 0 | 4 |
| Glasgow Tigers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 97 | 83 | 0 | 4 |
| Plymouth Gladiators | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 135 | 133 | 0 | 4 |
| Scunthorpe Scorpions | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 80 | 0 | 2 |
| Workington Comets | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 126 | 142 | 0 | 0 |
| Oxford Cheetahs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 54 | 0 | 0 |
| Berwick Bandits | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 59 | 0 | 0 |
| Recar Bears | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 75 | 105 | 0 | 0 |
Ω One of the victims of Reid Battye’s crash against Workington was his racesuit which had to be cut off him on-track as injuries were assessed.
Which means a re-order from SF Racewear before he returns and an opportunity to drum up a little extra sponsorship to pay for the machinery wrecked in the pile-up.
Head to Reid’s Facebook or Instagram pages if you’re interested in putting your name behind our Aussie star in the making, or for that matter, if you’re after some of his newly-announced merchandise.
After his front page appearance in last week’s Speedway Star – which, perhaps not coincidentally, sold out in the town’s Asda and Morrisons supermarket – our winter signing is the name on everyone’s lips it seems.
