Elite Shield

The Elite Shield, is a motorcycle speedway competition held in the UK. Like football's Community Shield, it is contested for by the winners of the league and the winners of the Knockout Cup. The Shield began in 2006. The Elite Shield has always been contested as a season opener, although a postponed meeting at Kirkmanshulme Lane, the home track of the Belle Vue Aces in the 2006 Elite Shield led to that meeting taking place later in the season. The Elite Shield is less prestigious than the other major domestic trophies such as the Elite League Knockout Cup and the Craven Shield.

The inaugural Elite Shield was contested between the winners of the Elite League the Coventry Bees and the Knockout Cup winners the Belle Vue Aces. The two had already clashed in the Elite League playoff final the previous year. The first leg was scheduled to take place at Belle Vue's track, Kirkmanshulme Lane, on Monday 13 March but rain forced the meeting to be delayed so the clash at Brandon Stadium became the first leg. During the first leg, Belle Vue rider Joe Screen was forced to retire from the meeting after just one race after a spectacular fall on the back straight in Heat 1. Despite this, the Aces kept themselves in touch for the first half of the meeting. Coventry went eight points ahead with a 5–1 race advantage in Heat 9, with Rory Schlein and Morten Risager finishing ahead of Jason Crump and Phil Morris. The meeting finished with a series of 4–2 race advantages. Belle Vue were never in a position to use the tactical ride.

COVENTRY BEES 51 Scott Nicholls 13, Rory Schlein 11, Martin Smolinski 8+2, Morten Risager 7+2, Billy Janniro 7+2, Chris Harris 4, Oliver Allen 1.

...
Wikipedia