THURSDAY night will decide who progresses through to the Knockout Cup Semi-Final against King’s Lynn – Belle Vue or Sheffield – when the ATPI Aces travel to Owlerton.
The lead on aggregate currently sits with the 2022 Premiership Champions after a superb first leg at the National Speedway Stadium saw them triumph 49-41 over the Tru7 Group Tigers.
But whether that lead is enough to help them finish the job is yet to be determined, with the ATPI Aces making their first trip across the Pennines this year.
The current reigning champions will be hoping to set the record straight after gathering momentum in their last three league matches, with Belle Vue also looking strong.
Despite yet to achieve their first away win, the ATPI Aces have enjoyed an exceptional run at home and are feeling confident after their bank holiday demolition of Birmingham.
Club CEO Mark Lemon said: “It’s been a while since we faced the Tigers in the Knockout Cup, and since then they have started to flourish as a team.
“And while we take a decent lead to Owlerton, we potentially didn’t capitalise enough in the home leg because we could’ve made it a much bigger lead than we have.
“But regardless, it was always going to be a difficult night. Both teams have the bit between their teeth and each have been showing some tremendous potential.
“We, of course, go into Thursday off the back of a very impressive performance against Birmingham and, truthfully, we’re feeling good about our chances.
“It’s been far too long – 2017 in fact – since we enjoyed success in the Knockout Cup and we are fully committed to finishing what we’ve started at Owlerton.”
Belle Vue travel to Sheffield this Thursday, May 9 for our hotly anticipated second leg Knockout Cup Quarter Final clash with the TruPlant Tigers, with the winner on aggregate progressing.
And we return home on Monday, May 13 when we welcome the newly created Oxford Spires for our first encounter at the National Speedway Stadium, tapes up 7:30pm.
Meeting tickets, race day programmes and south stand parking are now available to pre-book, along with race day hospitality, at bellevue-speedway.com.
SHEFFIELD V BELLE VUE – THURSDAY, MAY 9 @ 7:30PM [PKOC QF L2]
Sheffield ‘Tru7 Group’ Tigers: Jack Holder 8.89, Kyle Howarth (C) 5.62, Chris Holder 7.13, Josh Pickering 6.92, Tai Woffinden 8.44, Jason Edwards 3.00, Dan Gilkes RS; TM: Simon Stead
Belle Vue ‘ATPI’ Aces: Brady Kurtz (C) 8.72, Norick Blodorn 5.68, Jaimon Lidsey 8.04, Ben Cook 5.85, Dan Bewley 8.13, Connor Mountain4.54, Connor Bailey RS; TM: Mark Lemon
Aggregate Score: Sheffield 41-49 Belle Vue
Image: ©Belle Vue Speedway