The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to Manchester to face the Belle Vue Aces at the National Speedway Stadium on Monday 8th September in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Play-Off semi-final first leg fixture that starts at 7.30pm.
LINE-UPS
BELLE VUE: 1. Brady Kurtz © 9.07 2. Norick Blödorn 4.82 3. Jaimon Lidsey 8.13 4. Zach Cook 5.96 5. Dan Bewley 8.94 6. Tate Zischke 3.00 7. Jake Mulford (RS). Team Manager: Mark Lemon
IPSWICH: 1. Emil Sayfutdinov 8.34 2. Danny King © 6.95 3. Jason Doyle 7.76 4. Dan Thompson 6.06 5. Tom Brennan 7.28 6. Adam Ellis 6.02 7. Jason Edwards (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
REFEREE: C. Durno
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Ipswich | 23 | 43 |
| Sheffield | 23 | 40 |
| Leicester | 23 | 39 |
| Belle Vue | 24 | 37 |
| King’s Lynn | 24 | 30 |
| Oxford | 23 | 11 |
| Birmingham | 24 | 6 |
PLAY-OFFS
SEMI-FINALS:
1st Leg: Belle Vue vs Ipswich (8 Sep), 2nd Leg: Ipswich vs Belle Vue (11 Sep)
1st Leg: Leicester vs Sheffield (15 Sep), 2nd Leg: Sheffield vs Leicester (18 Sep)
TICKET NEWS
Tickets are available to purchase online in advance here and on the gate.
LIVE COVERAGE
You can watch the meeting live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
THE PREVIEW
The Witches head to the National Speedway Stadium on Monday to face the Belle Vue Aces in the first leg of their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Play-Off semi-final tie.
Ipswich finished top of the league phase going into the play-offs meaning they take on the fourth-placed Aces over two legs. The Suffolk side are at full strength for the trip north.
Ritchie Hawkins’ side picked up their first ever wins at the National Speedway Stadium in 2025, triumphing 50-40 in the Knockout Cup earlier in the season before a league win after a Super Heat just last month. The two sides met in the 2023 play-off semi-final in what proved to be an epic tie with Ipswich progressing to the final after a last-heat decider in Manchester.
MANAGER’S NOTES
Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…
“This is what we have raced all season for; it all comes down to these meetings. Last time we raced Belle Vue in the play-offs we managed to get the better of them and it was a great night. We have had some very good results at Belle Vue this year so we can go into it with great confidence. I know that if this team perform then we are capable of winning everywhere. We are 100% focused now, the time for trying things and experimenting and getting yourself into the season is gone now. Everything rests on next week and we are up for it, looking to make a great start to the meeting.
“We have had a win, and a super heat win there but they have also managed to beat us quite comfortably and they will be looking to get a big lead to bring to Foxhall next Thursday. That is the one advantage of having the home leg first, you want to build up a big lead and they will be focused on that. They are a good play-off team; they have won lots of play-off meetings and know how to win those semis and finals. We want to give ourselves as little to do as possible next Thursday and we go into the meeting looking to win it. We will need 15 heats of commitment, and we are focused for it.”
BELLE VUE ACES
The Aces finished fourth in the table to set up a clash with the Witches in the play-offs. The reigning champions are almost faultless on home shale with 11 wins from 12 this season, that only defeat coming via a Super Heat against the Witches in August. Belle Vue have beaten Ipswich at the National Speedway Stadium in 2025 back in June as they raced to a 52-38 victory.
As we say each time we face the Aces, the threats are easy to see. At number one is current world number two Brady Kurtz who has won the last four rounds of the series going into a title deciding tenth round in Vojens next Saturday. At five is current world number three Dan Bewley who is looking to secure the bronze medal which would be the first medal of his Grand Prix career.
LAST TIME OUT AT THE NATIONAL SPEEDWAY STADIUM
The Witches last travelled to Manchester just a month ago in the league as Ipswich recorded their first ever league win at the National Speedway Stadium. The two sides went into the clash both sat on 31 points at the top of the table and the Witches were at full strength for the fixture whilst the Aces were operating rider replacement for Jaimon Lidsey. Ipswich started the night in sublime form building a 14-point lead after six races, but Belle Vue fought back to draw the meeting and take it to a Super Heat which went the way of the visitors. Emil Sayfutdinov top scored with 11.
AWAY DAYS
Ticket prices can be found here and official programmes cost £3.50. For more information about your visit to the National Speedway Stadium, head here.
For more information about the club head to Belle Vue’s official website.
Press Officer at Ipswich Speedway