Bees stars back in the USA.

Whale Toyota Coventry Bees stars Billy Hamill, Billy Janniro and Ryan Fisher are back in the States this week for the revamped American National Championship.

For the first time this year, the AMA Championship is being run over three legs rather than just one, and the first two rounds are at Arrowhead on Wednesday (August 14) and at Auburn on Friday (August 16). The third and final round is at Auburn on Friday September 20.

Former Coventry skipper Greg Hancock, who missed last year's American final due to flight problems from Sweden, also returns to take his place in the field.

Hamill is the holder of the title but he knows he faces a tough task to retain it. "It looks a very strong line-up," said the Bees skipper, "and I think it is fantastic they have extended it to a three-race series.

"I think they will have some big crowds as well. I was at San Bernadino last week and the place was packed. With all the British guys coming back home together, it is not something they see too often."

Janniro is also champing at the bit to get the chance to race against Hancock, Hamill and Fisher - rather than with them. He said: "It is going to be a really tough series," he said, "but Auburn is my own backyard and I do pretty good there usually. Every time I go back there I have a good crowd of people supporting me in one particular corner. I have been making some good starts recently, and I am confident I can do well."

AMA National Championship at Arrowhead (Wed August 14):

Billy Janniro (Vallejo, CA), Bart Bast (Auburn, CA), Greg Hancock (Balboa Island, CA), Eddie Castro (Ojai, CA), Chris Manchester (Reno, NV), Ryan Fisher (Norco, CA), Josh Larsen (Monrovia, CA), Eric Carrillo (Newark, CA), Bobby Schwartz (Costa Mesa, CA), Gary Hicks (Riverside, CA), Scott Brant (Riverside, CA), Bobby Hedden (Folsom, CA), Billy Hamill (Monrovia, CA), Mike Faria (Reno, NV) and two riders to be decided by pre-qualifying races.

Rico is ready...

Lee Richardson, the star of Team Great Britain's World Cup campaign, is set to replace Andreas Jonsson in next Wednesday's Elite League Riders Championship at his former track Poole.

Billy Hamill and Jonsson were due to represent the Bees in the showcase meeting, but Jonsson is currently recovering from a broken bone in his right hand, and a fractured thumb.

Richardson led the way for the Whale Toyota Bees at Brandon on Sunday night as they beat Oxford 51-39. He reeled off four straight wins, two of them over Australian World Cup winner Leigh Adams, but saw his bid for a first Bees maximum of the season ended when he came down on a crowded Coventry turn in heat 15.

Fixtures and results (Elite League unless stated):

March:

Fri 15 Oxford Challenge A L43-47
Sat 16 OXFORD Challenge H L42-48
Sat 23 IPSWICH H L42-48
Fri 29 Belle Vue A W46-44
Sat 30 BELLE VUE H W49-40

April:

Mon 1 Peterborough A L44-46
Mon 1 PETERBOROUGH H W54-35
Sat 6 Eastbourne A W45-44
Wed 10 Poole A L40-50
Sat 13 WOLVERHAMPTON H W47-43
Fri 19 Oxford A W46-44
Sat 20 POOLE H W51-39
Wed 24 King's Lynn A KOC W48-42
Thur 25 Ipswich A L38-52
Sat 27 KING'S LYNN H KOC W36-35 (W84-77 on aggregate)

May:

Mon 6 Wolverhampton A L37-53
Wed 8 OXFORD H W48-42
Mon 13 Belle Vue A Postponed
Sat 18 KING'S LYNN H W60-30
Wed 22 King's Lynn A W58-32
Wed 29 BELLE VUE H W49-41

June:

Wed 5 Poole A Postponed
Sun 9 KING'S LYNN H Postponed
Sat 15 PETERBOROUGH H W51-39
Mon 17 Wolverhampton A D45-45
Wed 19 EASTBOURNE H L43-47
Wed 26 KING'S LYNN H W62-28
Fri 28 Peterborough KOC S-F 1st leg A L40-50
Sat 29 PETERBOROUGH KOC S-F 2nd leg H W49-41 (L89-91 on aggregate)

July:

Mon 1 Belle Vue A Postponed
Wed 10 King's Lynn A W52-37
Sat 13 IPSWICH H W49-41
Sat 27 POOLE H L40-50

August:

Thurs 1 WOLVERHAMPTON H W47-43
Sat 3 Eastbourne A Postponed
Sun 11 OXFORD H W51-39
Thur 22 Ipswich A
Fri 23 Peterborough A
Sat 24 WOLVERHAMPTON MT H
Mon 26 EASTBOURNE H
Wed 28 Oxford A