AFTER twice being delayed due to the weather, the BetGoodwin Four-Team Tournament will bring down the curtain on the 2025 speedway season, with the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs powered by County Plumbing Supplies taking on select teams from Swindon Robins, Coventry Bees and Wolverhampton Wolves at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on Wednesday (October 29th) at 7.30pm.

The meeting was originally due to take place at Cowley last Thursday, but Storm Benjamin intervened, and then Sunday’s attempt was also thwarted by rain.

The main meeting will consist of a 16-heat four team tournament, with the four teams each consisting of four riders. During their four programmed outings, the riders meet each of the opposing riders from the other three sides, commencing with Heat 1, which pits the four No 1 riders against each other, to provide an exciting start to proceedings.

The first sixteen races will determine which team wins on the night. In addition, there will be a concluding individual final between the top scores from each of the four sides. It will be the 33rd and final speedway meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium in 2025.

The meeting features the return of Scott Nicholls to Sandy Lane, the record-breaking seven-times British Champion and the skipper of the Oxford Cheetahs between 2022 and 2024.

2007 British Grand Prix Champion Chris Harris is another former Oxford rider on display, and he rides at No 1 for Coventry Bees.

The field also contains several riders from both Cheetahs and the Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by AW Mobbs, the WSRA National League champions.

Oxford Cheetahs returned to action to great acclaim in 2022, following a break of 15 years. The other three clubs are not currently running in British Speedway, but there are various campaigns and plans to re-introduce them. All four clubs are amongst the most successful of all-time in British Speedway. Between them, they have won 23 top-tier titles, with Coventry having won eight times, and the other three clubs all on five occasions.

Oxford manager Peter Schroeck said: “We wanted to stage one more meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium this season.

“It’s been a tough year for Oxford Speedway with the Spires and the Cheetahs, but the Real Mini Company Oxford Chargers powered by AW Mobbs have been a shining light, winning the WSRA National League. The Chargers clinched the title with a brilliant 60-30 victory in their final meeting at Redcar. This meeting will give the lads the chance to return home and parade their trophy in front of the Oxford fans.

“We’ve also invited select teams from Swindon, Coventry and Wolverhampton, and we hope to have plenty of fans from those clubs. There’s still huge support and enthusiasm for all three of these historic teams and we want to celebrate that at Oxford on Wednesday evening.

“More than anything, we want everyone to enjoy the four team tournament. It’s a chance for everyone to have a bit of fun at the end of the season. Our thanks go to BetGoodwin for sponsoring this meeting.”

Tickets are already on sale on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

Admission is available at the early bird price of £21 for all adults, which increases to £23 on Race Day. All under-16s go free. A reminder that Oxford Speedway is online ticket sales only – tickets remain on sale on the website until the start-time of the meeting. Spectators are also reminded that they will need to pay £2 if they are planning to park in the Unipart car park.

Season passes are NOT valid for this additional meeting.

TUESDAY UPDATE: Oxford Speedway can confirm the revised line-ups for tomorrow’s restaging of the Four-Team Tournament at BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium. Following rider unavailability, the club has contacted more than 25 riders from across the UK and abroad – and the final line-ups are now set. A familiar name returns to the track, with Wayne Broadhurst – father of Chargers’ Max Broadhurst – lining up for the Coventry Bees Select. Wayne rode for the club between 1987 and 1989 and has been in outstanding form on the grasstrack scene this year. Meanwhile, Sam Masters misses the meeting due to unavoidable family commitments, with Richard Lawson stepping in to take his place. Chargers’ skipper Jody Scott joins Cheetahs for tomorrow’s meeting, stepping in as Mitch McDiarmid heads back to Australia on a pre-booked flight. This event isn’t about us — it’s about keeping the dream alive for the three visiting select teams and celebrating everything that makes speedway special. Join us for one final night of action as we bring the curtain down on 2025 at BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium. Our thanks to BetGoodwin for sponsoring this meeting.

Teams:

SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs powered by County Plumbing Supplies: 1. Richard Lawson, 2. Jody Scott, 3. Luke Killeen, 4. Senna Summers. Team manager: Peter Schroeck.

Swindon Robins Select: 1. Dan Thompson, 2. Simon Lambert, 3. Jason Edwards, 4. Paul Starke. Team manager: Alun Rossiter.

Coventry Bees Select: 1. Chris Harris, 2. Joe Thompson, 3. Wayne Broadhurst, 4. Ashton Vale. Team manager: Martin Coleman.                                                            

Wolverhampton Wolves Select: 1. Scott Nicholls, 2. Leon Flint, 3. Cameron Heeps, 4. Arran Butcher. Team manager: Sam Ermolenko.

PHOTO: BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium (photo courtesy of BSN)