2009 Speedway Premier League
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Premier League was the second division of motorcycle speedway racing in the United Kingdom and the 15th season since its creation in 1995. The league is governed by the Speedway Control Board (SCB), in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association (BSPA).
The League consisted of 14 teams for the 2009 season with the re-admission of the Newport Wasps
and the loss of Mildenhall Fen Tigers
, Isle of Wight Islanders
(Both dropped to National League) and the Reading Racers
(Loss of Stadium). New rules introduced for 2009 with a complete revamp of the points scoring system. The team finishing at the top of the league table at the end of the season after accumulating the most points were declared the Premier League champions. The four highest placed teams were entered into promotion play-offs, whereby the Premier League play-off winner faced the bottom Elite League team over two legs. Teams finishing in fifth to twelfth at the time of the fixture cut-off date compete in the Young Shield.
The Kings Lynn Stars were crowned the Premier League champions after ending the season as the highest placed team. The Edinburgh Monarchs
finished second, Newcastle Diamonds
third and the Birmingham Brummies
fourth. All four teams took part in the promotion play-off with Edinburgh and King's Lynn reaching the final. Edinburgh won 97–83 on aggregate and faced Elite League team Belle Vue Aces
, but lost the two-legged promotion/relegation final.
If the match was a draw, the home team would be awarded 1 point and the away team awarded 2.
If the away team won the match by between 1-6 points, they would be awarded 3 points with the home team collecting 0. And finally if the away team won by 7 or more points, they would collect 4 points with the home team again collecting 0.
Home: 3W = Home win by 7 points or more; 2W = Home win by between 1 and 6 points
Away: 4W = Away win by 7 points or more; 3W = Away win by between 1 and 6 points; 1L = Away loss by 6 points or less
M = Meetings; D = Draws; L = Losses; F = Race points for; A = Race points against; +/- = Race points difference; Pts = Total Points
Last updated: October 20, 2010
Source: BSPA
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{| style="font-size: 85%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align=LEFT
|colspan="4"|
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|
|-
| ||1 ||
Ryan Fisher
|| 3, 2', 2, 1', 1||align=center| 9+2
|-
| ||2 ||
Michal Rajkowski
|| 0, 3, 3, 0 ||align=center| 6
|-
| ||3 ||
Andrew Tully || 3, 0, 3, 3 ||align=center| 9
|-
| ||4 || Matthew Wethers || 2', 3, 2', 2' ||align=center| 9+3
|-
| ||5||
Kevin Wolbert
|| 3, 3, 3, 2, 3 ||align=center| 14
|-
| ||6||
Aaron Summers || 3, 0, 2', 0 ||align=center| 5+1
|-
|||7||
Kalle Katajisto
|| 0, X, 1, 3 ||align=center| 4
|-
|colspan=3|Manager: Alan Bridgett
|-
|colspan=4|
|}
{| style="font-size: 85%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align=RIGHT
|colspan="4"|
|-
!width=25| !!width=25|
|-
| ||1 ||
William Lawson
(Guest) || 1', 2, 2, 1^, 3, 2 ||align=center| 11+1
|-
| ||2 ||
Tomas Topinka
|| , , , , ||align=center| R/R
|-
| ||3 || Chris Schramm || 2, X, 2, 3, 4^, X ||align=center| 11
|-
| ||4 ||
Emiliano Sanchez
|| 1, 1', 1', 1, 1 ||align=center| 5+2
|-
| ||5|| Josh Auty
(Guest) || 2, 1, 1, 0, X ||align=center| 4
|-
| ||6||
Linus Eklof
|| 2, 0, 0, 1', 0 ||align=center| 3+1
|-
|||7||
Jan Graversen
|| 1', 1', 0, N ||align=center| 2+2
|-
|colspan=3|Manager: Rob Lyon
|-
|colspan=4|
|}
|valign="top" width="50%"|
{| style="font-size: 85%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align=left
|colspan="4"|
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|
|-
| ||1 || Ulrich Ostergaard
(Guest) || 1', 2, 3, 2, 1' ||align=center| 9+2
|-
| ||2 || Kozza Smith
|| , , , , ||align=center| R/R
|-
| ||3 || Emiliano Sanchez
|| 3, 1', X, 1', 1' ||align=center| 6+3
|-
| ||4 || Chris Schramm || 2', 2, 2, 3, 2 ||align=center| 11+1
|-
| ||5|| Ty Proctor (Guest) || 0, 3, 3, X ||align=center| 6
|-
| ||6|| Linus Eklof
|| 1', 1', 1, 0, 2, 2' ||align=center| 7+3
|-
|||7|| Jan Graversen
|| 2, 2, 2, 2, 0 ||align=center| 8
|-
|colspan=3|Manager: Rob Lyon
|-
|colspan=4|
|}
{| style="font-size: 85%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align=right
|colspan="4"|
|-
!width=25| !!width=25|
|-
| ||1 || Ryan Fisher
|| 3, 3, 2, X||align=center| 8
|-
| ||2 || Michal Rajkowski
|| 0, 0, F ||align=center| 0
|-
| ||3 || Andrew Tully || 1, 0, 2, 3, 0 ||align=center| 6
|-
| ||4 || Matthew Wethers || 0, 2, 1', 0 ||align=center| 3+1
|-
| ||5|| Kevin Wolbert
|| 3, 3, 0, 3, 3 ||align=center| 12
|-
| ||6|| Aaron Summers || 0, 0, 3, 0 ||align=center| 3
|-
|||7|| Kalle Katajisto
|| 3, 1, 3, 1', 1 ||align=center| 9+1
|-
|colspan=3|Manager: Alan Bridgett
|-
|colspan=4|
|}
The League consisted of 14 teams for the 2009 season with the re-admission of the Newport Wasps
Newport Wasps
Newport Wasps are a British motorcycle speedway team based in Newport, South Wales. They were the 1999 Conference League champions.-History:The Wasp logo incorporates the traditional black and amber colours of the City of Newport...
and the loss of Mildenhall Fen Tigers
Mildenhall Fen Tigers
The Mildenhall Fen Tigers are a British speedway team, currently riding in the National League.The club moved up to the Premier League in 2006 after twelve seasons in the Conference League when new promoter Mick Horton took over. In 2007 Stadium owner Carl Harris formed 'Fen Tigers Limited' with...
, Isle of Wight Islanders
Isle of Wight Islanders
The Isle of Wight Wightlink Islanders are a British Speedway team. They currently compete in the National League and ride at the Smallbrook Stadium....
(Both dropped to National League) and the Reading Racers
Reading Racers
Reading Racers were a British motorcycle speedway team. Formed in 1968, they won four British League titles during their history...
(Loss of Stadium). New rules introduced for 2009 with a complete revamp of the points scoring system. The team finishing at the top of the league table at the end of the season after accumulating the most points were declared the Premier League champions. The four highest placed teams were entered into promotion play-offs, whereby the Premier League play-off winner faced the bottom Elite League team over two legs. Teams finishing in fifth to twelfth at the time of the fixture cut-off date compete in the Young Shield.
The Kings Lynn Stars were crowned the Premier League champions after ending the season as the highest placed team. The Edinburgh Monarchs
Edinburgh Monarchs
The Edinburgh Monarchs are a Scottish Speedway team, currently based in Armadale. They compete in the Speedway Premier League, racing on Friday nights during the Speedway season. The club is run by a Board of Directors, chaired by Alex Harkess. The team manager is Alan "Doc" Bridgett...
finished second, Newcastle Diamonds
Newcastle Diamonds
Newcastle Diamonds are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Premier League. The club has a reputation of importing young foreign talent and have given starts to the British careers of six times World Champion Ivan Mauger, three times World Champion Ole Olsen, 1974 World Champion...
third and the Birmingham Brummies
Birmingham Brummies
Birmingham Brummies are a British speedway team, who were reformed in 2006 and then accepted into the Premier League in 2007. The club race at Perry Barr Stadium ....
fourth. All four teams took part in the promotion play-off with Edinburgh and King's Lynn reaching the final. Edinburgh won 97–83 on aggregate and faced Elite League team Belle Vue Aces
Belle Vue Aces
The Belle Vue Aces are a British speedway team from Manchester in the north west of England.-Brief history:Racing first took place in 1928 at the Belle Vue greyhound stadium in Kirkmanshulme Lane before moving the following year to a specially built stadium nearby on Hyde Road. The club raced there...
, but lost the two-legged promotion/relegation final.
New Points Scoring System
A new points scoring systems was devised for the 2009 season in an effort to make teams more competitive even when losing. If a Home team were to win by 7 or more points they would receive 3 points for the win. However, if the away team restricted the win from 1-6 points, the home team would receive only 2 points for the win, and the away team would be awarded 1 point for losing by less than 7 away from home.If the match was a draw, the home team would be awarded 1 point and the away team awarded 2.
If the away team won the match by between 1-6 points, they would be awarded 3 points with the home team collecting 0. And finally if the away team won by 7 or more points, they would collect 4 points with the home team again collecting 0.
League table
| Pos | Club | M | Home | Away | F | A | +/- | Pts | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3W | 2W | D | L | 4W | 3W | D | 1L | L | |||||||
| 1 | Kings Lynn Stars | 26 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1378 | 1013 | 64 | |
| 2 | Edinburgh Monarchs Edinburgh Monarchs The Edinburgh Monarchs are a Scottish Speedway team, currently based in Armadale. They compete in the Speedway Premier League, racing on Friday nights during the Speedway season. The club is run by a Board of Directors, chaired by Alex Harkess. The team manager is Alan "Doc" Bridgett... |
26 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1378 | 1122 | 51 | |
| 3 | Newcastle Diamonds Newcastle Diamonds Newcastle Diamonds are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Premier League. The club has a reputation of importing young foreign talent and have given starts to the British careers of six times World Champion Ivan Mauger, three times World Champion Ole Olsen, 1974 World Champion... |
26 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 1241 | 1139 | 49 | |
| 4 | Birmingham Brummies Birmingham Brummies Birmingham Brummies are a British speedway team, who were reformed in 2006 and then accepted into the Premier League in 2007. The club race at Perry Barr Stadium .... |
26 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1232 | 1139 | 49 | |
| 5 | Redcar Bears Redcar Bears The Redcar Bears are a British Speedway team. They currently compete in the Premier League. Captain of the team is 1992 World Champion Gary Havelock. In 2007 the Bears won their first major honour, beating the Birmingham Brummies to win the Young Shield... |
26 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1174 | 1197 | 44 | |
| 6 | Somerset Rebels Somerset Rebels The Somerset Rebels are a Speedway team from Highbridge, Somerset. Founded in 2000, the club competes in the British Premier League. Their home track is located at the Oak Tree Arena.-History:... |
26 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 1199 | 1177 | 42 | |
| 7 | Workington Comets Workington Comets Workington Comets is a speedway club based in Workington, Cumbria. Their track is at Derwent Park Stadium, which they share with Workington Town Rugby League Football Club.They compete in the Premier League... |
26 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 1170 | 1215 | 41 | |
| 8 | Sheffield Tigers Sheffield Tigers The Sheffield 'Window Centre' Tigers are a speedway team based in Sheffield, England. They currently race in the British Premier League and their home meetings take place at Owlerton Stadium which is the fastest track in British speedway... |
26 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 1192 | 1179 | 39 | |
| 9 | Rye House Rockets Rye House Rockets The Rye House Rockets are a Speedway team based at Rye House Stadium, Hoddesdon, England. They currently compete in the British Premier League.The club is promoted by Len Silver who previously ran the Hackney Hawks promotion at Hackney Wick Stadium.... |
26 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 1211 | 1174 | 37 | |
| 10 | Scunthorpe Scorpions Scunthorpe Scorpions The Scunthorpe Scorpions are a speedway team in the British Premier League. After three successful years in the Conference League the side were accepted into the Premier League for 2008... |
26 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 1195 | 1199 | 37 | |
| 11 | Stoke Potters Stoke Potters The Stoke Potters are a British Speedway team currently competing in the National League. The team races at Loomer Road Stadium.In the late 1940s, early 1950s and the early 1960s, the club was based in Sun Street in Hanley, and were originally known as the Hanley Potters when crowds of over 12,000... |
26 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1096 | 1275 | 32 | |
| 12 | Berwick Bandits Berwick Bandits The Berwick Bandits are a speedway team based at Shielfield Park, Berwick upon Tweed, the club competes in the British Premier League.-Brief history:... |
26 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1128 | 1257 | 31 | |
| 13 | Glasgow Tigers Glasgow Tigers (speedway) The Glasgow Tigers are a motorcycle speedway team from Glasgow, Scotland. Formed in 1928, the club adopted the Tigers nickname in 1946 and compete in the British Premier League... |
26 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 1122 | 1238 | 22 | |
| 14 | Newport Wasps Newport Wasps Newport Wasps are a British motorcycle speedway team based in Newport, South Wales. They were the 1999 Conference League champions.-History:The Wasp logo incorporates the traditional black and amber colours of the City of Newport... |
26 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1074 | 1303 | 16 |
| Key: | |
|---|---|
| Premier League Play-Offs | |
Home: 3W = Home win by 7 points or more; 2W = Home win by between 1 and 6 points
Away: 4W = Away win by 7 points or more; 3W = Away win by between 1 and 6 points; 1L = Away loss by 6 points or less
M = Meetings; D = Draws; L = Losses; F = Race points for; A = Race points against; +/- = Race points difference; Pts = Total Points
Last updated: October 20, 2010
Source: BSPA
Leg 1
Leg 2
First leg
{| width="100%"|valign="top" width="50%"|
{| style="font-size: 85%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align=LEFT
|colspan="4"|
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|
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| ||1 ||
Ryan FisherRyan Fisher
Ryan Fisher is an American international motorcycle speedway rider.-Career:Fisher began riding in the United Kingdom for Coventry in 2002 and has since riddden for Oxford and Belle Vue. He was a doubling up riding for a second successive season at Edinburgh on the Premier side and Swindon on the...
|| 3, 2', 2, 1', 1||align=center| 9+2
|-
| ||2 ||
Michal RajkowskiMichal Rajkowski
Michał Rajkowski is a Polish motorcycle speedway rider riding with the Glasgow Tigers in the British Premier League and Polonia Piła in the Polish Liga II.-References:...
|| 0, 3, 3, 0 ||align=center| 6
|-
| ||3 ||
Andrew Tully || 3, 0, 3, 3 ||align=center| 9|-
| ||4 ||
Matthew Wethers || 2', 3, 2', 2' ||align=center| 9+3|-
| ||5||
Kevin WolbertKevin Wölbert
Kevin Wölbert is a German speedway rider who has won Individual German Champion title in 2008.-Career history:When Max Dilger was injured, Wölbert was nominated as second track reserve at the 2008 German Grand Prix...
|| 3, 3, 3, 2, 3 ||align=center| 14
|-
| ||6||
Aaron Summers || 3, 0, 2', 0 ||align=center| 5+1|-
|||7||
Kalle KatajistoKalle Katajisto
Kalle Katajisto is a Finnish motorcycle speedway rider who is a member of the Finnish national team. Kalle is currently riding in the UK for 2 time Premier League Champions, the Edinburgh Monarchs.- World Championships :...
|| 0, X, 1, 3 ||align=center| 4
|-
|colspan=3|Manager: Alan Bridgett
|-
|colspan=4|
|}
{| style="font-size: 85%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align=RIGHT
|colspan="4"|
|-
!width=25| !!width=25|
|-
| ||1 ||
William LawsonWilliam Lawson (speedway rider)
William Lawson is former a Scottish speedway rider riding with the Belle Vue Aces in the British Elite League. He ended his speedway career before the 2011 season.- World Championships :* Individual Under-21 World Championship...
(Guest) || 1', 2, 2, 1^, 3, 2 ||align=center| 11+1
|-
| ||2 ||
Tomas TopinkaTomáš Topinka
Tomáš Topinka is a Czech motorcycle speedway rider who participated in Speedway World Cups for Czech Republic team.- Speedway Grand Prix results :- World Championships :* Individual World Championship...
|| , , , , ||align=center| R/R
|-
| ||3 ||
Chris Schramm || 2, X, 2, 3, 4^, X ||align=center| 11|-
| ||4 ||
Emiliano SanchezEmiliano Sanchez
Emiliano Sanchez is an Argentine speedway rider, currently riding in the British Premier League for the Sheffield Tigers. He has Italian ancestry which allows him to compete in the United Kingdom without the need for a work permit. He has been the National Speedway Champion of both Argentina and...
|| 1, 1', 1', 1, 1 ||align=center| 5+2
|-
| ||5||
Josh AutyJosh Auty
Joshua Liam Auty in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, is a speedway rider in the United Kingdom, riding with the Scunthorpe Scorpions in the Premier League....
(Guest) || 2, 1, 1, 0, X ||align=center| 4
|-
| ||6||
Linus EklofLinus Eklöf
Linus Eklöf is a Swedish motorcycle speedway rider who won the Team U-19 European Champion title in 2008.- World Championships :* Individual U-21 World Championship** 2007 - 18th place in Qualifying round 2 as track reserve...
|| 2, 0, 0, 1', 0 ||align=center| 3+1
|-
|||7||
Jan GraversenJan Graversen
Jan Graversen is a Danish motorcycle speedway rider who rides in the British Premier League for Leicester Lions.Born in Sallingsund, Graversen rode in Britain for Mildenhall Fen Tigers in the 2008 season after first riding at the track in 2007, ending the year as the club's top scorer...
|| 1', 1', 0, N ||align=center| 2+2
|-
|colspan=3|Manager: Rob Lyon
|-
|colspan=4|
|}
Second leg
{| width="100%"|valign="top" width="50%"|
{| style="font-size: 85%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align=left
|colspan="4"|
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|
|-
| ||1 ||
Ulrich OstergaardUlrich Ostergaard
Ulrich Østergaard is a Danish speedway rider, riding with the Belle Vue Aces in the British Elite League.-Career:...
(Guest) || 1', 2, 3, 2, 1' ||align=center| 9+2
|-
| ||2 ||
Kozza SmithKozza Smith
Kozza Smith is a motorcycle speedway rider riding for the King's Lynn Stars in the British Elite League and the Berwick Bandits in the British Premier League....
|| , , , , ||align=center| R/R
|-
| ||3 ||
Emiliano SanchezEmiliano Sanchez
Emiliano Sanchez is an Argentine speedway rider, currently riding in the British Premier League for the Sheffield Tigers. He has Italian ancestry which allows him to compete in the United Kingdom without the need for a work permit. He has been the National Speedway Champion of both Argentina and...
|| 3, 1', X, 1', 1' ||align=center| 6+3
|-
| ||4 ||
Chris Schramm || 2', 2, 2, 3, 2 ||align=center| 11+1|-
| ||5||
Ty Proctor (Guest) || 0, 3, 3, X ||align=center| 6|-
| ||6||
Linus EklofLinus Eklöf
Linus Eklöf is a Swedish motorcycle speedway rider who won the Team U-19 European Champion title in 2008.- World Championships :* Individual U-21 World Championship** 2007 - 18th place in Qualifying round 2 as track reserve...
|| 1', 1', 1, 0, 2, 2' ||align=center| 7+3
|-
|||7||
Jan GraversenJan Graversen
Jan Graversen is a Danish motorcycle speedway rider who rides in the British Premier League for Leicester Lions.Born in Sallingsund, Graversen rode in Britain for Mildenhall Fen Tigers in the 2008 season after first riding at the track in 2007, ending the year as the club's top scorer...
|| 2, 2, 2, 2, 0 ||align=center| 8
|-
|colspan=3|Manager: Rob Lyon
|-
|colspan=4|
|}
{| style="font-size: 85%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align=right
|colspan="4"|
|-
!width=25| !!width=25|
|-
| ||1 ||
Ryan FisherRyan Fisher
Ryan Fisher is an American international motorcycle speedway rider.-Career:Fisher began riding in the United Kingdom for Coventry in 2002 and has since riddden for Oxford and Belle Vue. He was a doubling up riding for a second successive season at Edinburgh on the Premier side and Swindon on the...
|| 3, 3, 2, X||align=center| 8
|-
| ||2 ||
Michal RajkowskiMichal Rajkowski
Michał Rajkowski is a Polish motorcycle speedway rider riding with the Glasgow Tigers in the British Premier League and Polonia Piła in the Polish Liga II.-References:...
|| 0, 0, F ||align=center| 0
|-
| ||3 ||
Andrew Tully || 1, 0, 2, 3, 0 ||align=center| 6|-
| ||4 ||
Matthew Wethers || 0, 2, 1', 0 ||align=center| 3+1|-
| ||5||
Kevin WolbertKevin Wölbert
Kevin Wölbert is a German speedway rider who has won Individual German Champion title in 2008.-Career history:When Max Dilger was injured, Wölbert was nominated as second track reserve at the 2008 German Grand Prix...
|| 3, 3, 0, 3, 3 ||align=center| 12
|-
| ||6||
Aaron Summers || 0, 0, 3, 0 ||align=center| 3|-
|||7||
Kalle KatajistoKalle Katajisto
Kalle Katajisto is a Finnish motorcycle speedway rider who is a member of the Finnish national team. Kalle is currently riding in the UK for 2 time Premier League Champions, the Edinburgh Monarchs.- World Championships :...
|| 3, 1, 3, 1', 1 ||align=center| 9+1
|-
|colspan=3|Manager: Alan Bridgett
|-
|colspan=4|
|}