BELLE Vue will be hoping it’s second-time-lucky when they make the journey to Leicester on Thursday, April 18 for their second leg encounter with the Leicester Lions.
The ATPI Aces were meant to commence their 2024 campaign at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena but found their trip postponed after heavy rain waterlogged the track.
Their first battle with the Watling JCB Lions also fell foul of the weather after Heat 14, with their 51-33 advantage remaining intact ahead of this meeting.
Thursday night could see a major shuffle in the league table, with the top three – Ipswich, Oxford and Belle Vue – all in action in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.
Confidence is high amongst the ATPI Aces that their efforts at the National Speedway Stadium are enough to secure the bonus aggregate point, but the team will be targeting all three on offer.
Club CEO Mark Lemon said : “The disappointment of Monday’s rain off is behind us and our focus is very much on finishing the job against Leicester.
“The weather played its part in the home leg for us but the boys did a solid job and they have good form around the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena so I expect another close contest.
“We always enjoy our visits there and we can’t forget that this is the place where Dan Bewley, Brady Kurtz and Jake Mulford secure our Premiership Pairs championship last year.
“There is a sense of confidence within the team but certainly not arrogance. We more than aware that Leicester can do to us what we did to them so the boys will need to bring their A-game.”
The ATPI Aces return home to the National Speedway Stadium on Monday, April 22 for the return leg of their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash against Ipswich, tapes up at 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.
LEICESTER V BELLE VUE – THURSDAY, APRIL 18 @ 7:30PM [P1]
Belle Vue ‘ATPI’ Aces: Brady Kurtz (C) 8.58, Norick Blodorn 5.88, Jaimon Lidsey 7.86, Ben Cook 5.94, Dan Bewley 8.13, Connor Mountain 4.42, Connor Bailey RS; TM: Mark Lemon
Leicester ‘Watling JCB’ Lions: Max Fricke 8.84 (C), Richard Lawson 6.67, Sam Masters 6.96, Luke Becker 6.95, Ryan Douglas 7.10, Drew Kemp 4.22, Joe Thompson RS; TM: Stewart Dickson
Image: ©Belle Vue Speedway