ATPI Aces captain Brady Kurtz has issued a rallying call to his riders and the Belle Vue supporters ahead of the deciding leg of the club’s Premiership semi-final against Ipswich on Monday, September 25.
The team will be aiming to produce their best performance of the season after they were bested 54-36 at Foxhall Heath last week, with the TruMix Witches bringing an 18-point aggregate lead to the NSS.
But far from fazed by the task ahead, Kurtz says it should serve to fire up his side even more to turn things around after an uncharacteristic, less-than-satisfactory performance on the road.
The two sides remain as they were on Thursday, with Jason Doyle returning to Ipswich septet at No.5, with R/R in effect for the injured Belle Vue racer Charles Wright at No.4.
A bumper crowd is expected in Manchester to cheer the home team on, and the Aces boys will be looking to their eighth man to help see them into the grand final.
The message is a simple one: it’s difficult but not impossible, and the Aces skipper is urging his riders to draw on that hunger for success to turn the tables on their rivals.
He said: “We didn’t get stuck in as much as we should’ve done on Thursday and they got the better of us, but it’s only half-time and there’s no reason to suggest we can’t repay the compliment.
“We know how good we are at home; we know how passionate our supporters are and we firmly believe that we can still get this done and make the grand final.
“I’ve no doubt the Witches will be feeling good about their chances but we are still the reigning champions and we need to compete like champions come Monday.
“We’ve not given up, far from it. We want to retain our title, we know we’re capable of retaining our title and, hopefully, we can show everybody we mean business in these Play Offs.
“Let’s have ‘em!”
The deciding leg of the Sports Insure Premiership League Play Offs comes to the National Speedway Stadium on Monday, September 25 ahead of a potential Grand Final place in October.
Meeting tickets, race day programmes and hospitality are available at bellevue-speedway.com/events. South car parking is sold out, but St. Peter’s School will be available on the day.
BELLE VUE V IPSWICH – MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 @ 7:30PM [POSF L2]
Belle Vue ‘ATPI’ Aces: Brady Kurtz (C) 8.33, Tom Brennan 6.16, Jaimon Lidsey 7.82, Charles Wright R/R 6.55, Dan Bewley 8.00, Norick Blodorn 5.80, Connor Bailey RS, Freddy Hodder (No.8); TM: Mark Lemon
Ipswich ‘TruMix Witches: Emil Sayfutdinov 10.14, Erik Riss 5.02, Danny King (C) 7.03, Danyon Hume 4.00, Jason Doyle 9.21, Keynan Rew 4.00, Jack Smith (G) RS; TM: Ritchie Hawkins
Aggregate Score: Belle Vue 36-54 Ipswich
Image: Ian Charles