The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to Birmingham to face the Brummies at the Perry Barr Stadium on Monday 19th May in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture that starts at 7.30pm.
LINE-UPS
BIRMINGHAM: 1. Tobiasz Musielak © 7.79 2. Paco Castagna 4.74 3. R/R for Michael Jepsen Jensen 7.33 4. Keynan Rew 5.81 5. Matej Zagar 7.20 6. Jonas Jeppesen 4.50 7. Jason Edwards (RS). Team Manager: Chris Adams
IPSWICH: 1. R/R for Jason Doyle 9.17 2. Adam Ellis 5.68 3. Emil Sayfutdinov 8.93 4. Danny King © 6.15 Tom Brennan 6.60 6. Danyon Hume (G) 4.66 7. Jordan Jenkins (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
REFEREE: C. Durno
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Ipswich | 7 | 14 |
| Belle Vue | 7 | 12 |
| Sheffield | 6 | 11 |
| Leicester | 6 | 9 |
| Oxford | 9 | 5 |
| King’s Lynn | 7 | 4 |
| Birmingham | 6 | 0 |
TICKET NEWS
Tickets are available to purchase online in advance here and on the gate.
THE PREVIEW
The Witches are on their travels again on Monday as they visit Birmingham in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.
Ipswich were in action on Thursday at Sheffield where they were defeated for the first time in 2025 after a last-heat decider went the way of the Tigers. Ritchie Hawkins experimented with a new riding order for that fixture and sticks with it for the trip to Perry Barr.
Rider replacement will be in operation at number one for Jason Doyle who dislocated his hip in a crash at the Warsaw Grand Prix on Saturday. The Australian’s hip was put back in later that evening and he also suffered a slight cut to his face. Doyle will be leaving hospital on Monday and will start intensive physio in Poland immediately.
Further bad news came on Sunday when Dan Thompson suffered a broken scaphoid in a crash at the British Under 21 Final in Glasgow. Former Witch Danyon Hume will guest at number six. We wish Jason and Dan all the best in their recoveries.
The Suffolk side already know what it takes to win at Perry Barr, having raced to a 47-43 victory there last month and unless the pair meet in the play-offs, it will be the last ever visit to Birmingham on Monday with the club announcing it will close at the end of the season.
MANAGER’S NOTES
Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…
“We didn’t perform that well there earlier in the year and they ran us close, so we will need to improve on that performance, but we will go there with great confidence. I still believe on paper they are a good team, Zagar is back which is a massive bonus for them, and I think it will be a tight, tough test.
“I had a chat with the boys afterwards and we are going to stick with the riding order on Monday. It is hard to just chuck them in it for one meeting, so it gives them a bit of consistency. We have a very solid team whatever order they are in, so it shouldn’t make too much difference. They all need to be prepared to ride in any order and that is what they are doing.
“I’m concentrated on us but with the team they have, to not have any points on the board is surprising. They weren’t helped by not having their current line-up for their fixtures against Oxford, but I think if the team they have now clicks, I think they will be a strong team as the season goes on.”
*These quotes were given prior to the injuries to Doyle and Thompson. There will be quotes on both riders in the Raceday Report.
BIRMINGHAM BRUMMIES
Birmingham have had a torrid start to 2025 and sit bottom of the table with no points to their name after six fixtures. The Brummies have already been beaten three times on home shale in the league, including that defeat to Ipswich just a few weeks ago. The hosts know they need to turn things around quickly in their last ever season before the top four pull away.
The club have made a change since they last faced Ipswich, bringing in Paco Castagna for Antti Vuolas. Matej Zagar returns to the side having now had his visa approved. However, the Brummies were rocked by news on Sunday that Michael Jepsen Jensen has decided to quit racing in the UK and rider replacement will be in operation at number three in his absence.
LAST TIME OUT AT PERRY BARR
The Witches last travelled to Birmingham just a few weeks ago in April and came away with a 47-43 victory. After a tight opening to proceedings the away side managed to open up an eight-point lead after eight heats of action and looked to be on course for a comfortable win. However, the Brummies battled back to level things going into the final three races. Two heat advantages to Ipswich secured the two league points with a race to spare. Dan Thompson top scored with 15 from reserve.
AWAY DAYS
An adult ticket costs £24, concessions £21, students (17-22 with proof of ID) £11 and children 16 and under go free. Official programmes cost £3.00 and car parking is £3.00. There is a modern three level grandstand extending for the full length of the home straight. On ground level there is a bar and refreshments area plus souvenir sales shop. Closed circuit television monitors show the racing and replays. There are also extensive bar and restaurant and light refreshment facilities.
For more information about the club head to Birmingham’s official website.
Press Officer at Ipswich Speedway