"There'll be no 'Wightwash here   ...  we're local!"

Title hopefuls the Isle of Wight “WIGHTLINK” Islanders come to Highbridge on Friday (August 9th) for another tough test for the Somerset “PROFILE “ Rebels. Currently lying in third place in the Premier League table with 28 points from 19 meetings the Islanders are some four points behind leaders Swindon on 32 from 21 meetings with Berwick second on 30 from 21 meetings so they have meetings in hand. They are at Trelawny on Tuesday to catch up one of these before facing the Rebels .

Friday’s clash is one of the few meetings being run in Britain this week due to the Speedway World Cup which had a wet beginning at Sheffield on Sunday and concludes with the Grand Final at Peterborough on Sunday.

They are spearheaded by the new Premier League Pairs Champions Danny Bird and Adam Shields, who have both performed well at Somerset before with Shields coming close to winning the Somerset Open in June.

Bird is doubling up racing in the Elite League for Ipswich whilst Shields has scored impressively in a glut of guest bookings in the top flight this year. They will give Rebels top man Mario Jirout, aiming for a hat-trick of home maximums, a hard battle.

The Islanders will be waiting on the fitness of skipper Ray Morton, who was due to return to the track at Trelawny on Tuesday but if he fails his fitness they will bring in a guest rider up to his impressive 9.50 average which could mean a call up for the likes of Kelvin Tatum or Leigh Lanham (Arena Essex) , Paul Bentley or Claus Kristensen (Berwick), Michael Coles (Exeter), Gary Stead (Hull), Nigel Sadler (Rye House), Charlie Gjedde or Olly Allen (Swindon), Chris Harris (Trelawny) to name but a few!!

They will use rider-replacement for injured second string Matt Read, who has scored well previously at Somerset with Danny Bird eligible for one of those outings plus Henning Bager, Nick Simmons and Gary Phelps.

For Simmons and Phelps it is a return to their former track with Phelps no doubt out to prove a point after being replaced in the Somerset side back at the end of May. Simmons came in midway through last year from Newport and settled in to produce some high scores in Rebels colours and he will be relishing being back at the Oak Tree Arena.

When the sides met at the opening of the 2002 season in a challenge the PROFILE Rebels ran out winners 49-41 then produced the same result on the island to tie the two-legged encounter and a repeat performance would be the ideal result .

Somerset will be unchanged from their 46-44 win over Reading last Friday with a solid all round scoring just about being enough to gain them two valuable Premier League points.

TEAMS : Somerset PROFILE Rebels (in association with Brean Leisure Park) :

Mario Jirout ; 2. Graeme Gordon ; 3. Neil Collins ; 4. Steve Bishop; 5. Glenn Cunningham ; 6. Adam Allott ; 7. Shane McCabe.

Isle of Wight “WIGHTLINK Islanders” :

Ray Morton (c) ; 2. Henning Bager ; 3. Danny Bird ; 4. Matt Read (R/R); 5. Adam Shields; 6. Nick Simmons; 7. Gary Phelps.

FIRST RACE 7.30 pm. PARADE 7.25 pm.

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Rules is Rules...ain't they?

The Profile Rebels attempt to utilise the ruling brought in this year to name two riders for the No. 7 spot with two Conference League riders was turned down by the BSPA Management Committee. The duo in question were Shane McCabe and Stuart Williams.

Co-Promoter Andrew Hewlett was left frustrated by the ruling, “ We were only using the rule book to give us some choice for one of our reserve berths. No other Premier League club have elected to do so yet this year although the opportunity is there to do it. Several Elite League clubs have utilised this and we though that this ruling would be of benefit to us especially if Shane had a Conference League clash for Peterborough or Stuart for Carmarthen. Unfortunately we were turned down as the Management Committee did not think that this was in the best interests of the sport due to the age of the two riders we had nominated.”

Last Friday saw another absolute classic at the Oak Tree Arena with the previous weeks’ track problems having been sorted. A lot of hard work from Ez Curtis and the track crew in the week paid dividends with track expert ‘Terry the Track’ Chrazabscz from Wolverhampton brought in to oversee the track preparation and advise on what to do to get the circuit back to its acclaimed condition.

The difference was amazing but Terry the Track expects that it will need about a month to be back in A1 condition. The fans though cannot complain as they saw some tremendous action and a narrow but deserved 46-44 win with Mario Jirout in rampant form racing to his second maximum in a row and his third of the season as the “Cheeky Czech” untouchable.

He will have his work cut out this week with the Premier League Pairs Champions Danny Bird and Adam Shields in town with the Isle of Wight Islanders, who, of course, include two former Rebels in Nick Simmons and Gary Phelps.

The one big plus of Friday’s win was the return from injury of Neil Collins who came back in the best possible way with a win and his seven points were hard earned. The shoulder was sore after but the plucky Northerner proved his fitness in the best possible way. With his 25 year Testimonial now just four weeks away on Friday September 6th the planning is in its final stages for what should be a great night’s entertainment. In addition to a four team tournament, match races between Michael Lee and brother Peter Collins , the Men in Black veteran races, there will also pre-meeting and interval entertainment with some of the top trials riders in the country arranged by Active Bikesports of Yeovil.

Race sponsors for Neil’s big night are being sought and details can be obtained from Elaine Smith on 07714274097 with advertising also available for the meeting souvenir brochure.

Looking ahead too there will be a Boxing Night on THURSDAY NOVEMBER 14th at Pontins Holiday Park in Brean. Neil has teamed up with the local King Alfred Amateur Boxing Club to put on a fantastic evening’s entertainment. The funds will be shared with the King Alfred ABC.

The evening will consist of a fabulous 5-couse meal followed by 8 bouts of superb boxing. The finale of the evening will be a raffle of credible Sports Memorabilia. Tickets are £30 per person and each table seats 10 (there is no requirement to purchase whole tables).

There is an opportunity for businesses / people to sponsor any of the eight bouts at a cost of £100. They would get to present the boxers with their trophies and have a photo call with the competitors and Neil. Please call Corrina Jenner to discuss the sponsorship or book seats on 01278 671328 (evenings) or 07815134830 (mobile).