(SPEEDWAY 1)
BELLE Vue have named rising teenage stars Dan Bewley and Jack Smith as their reserve duo for the SGB Premiership campaign.
The duo will also contest the National League for the Manchester club, having become the first two confirmed signings for the Colts team.
Aces boss Mark Lemon said: “We have come to the table late where team building is concerned, but even with the limitations imposed on the newly-formed Premiership we’re delighted that Dan and Jack were available.
“We strive to bring on youngsters like these guys and this year presented the perfect opportunity to draft both of them into the Aces team, whereas in previous years it may not have been possible.
“I’m very much looking forward to working with each of them. The team picture on the whole is looking all but complete but for a few additional formalities which still needed to be carried out.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
FORMER Berwick and Sheffield favourite Ricky Ashworth will be in attendance at Sunday’s Glasgow-staged Ben Fund Bonanza.
Ashworth suffered severe injuries in a career-ending crash in 2013 which necessitated an extension building to the family home to provide him with a suitable living area.
The efforts of the Ben Fund, as well as his former clubs with benefit meetings, boosted his fund enabling his vital lifestyle changes to be catered for.
Ashworth’s rehabilitation work, led by father Dave, remains ongoing and he is looking forward to seeing supporters of all clubs at Ashfield on Sunday.
(SPEEDWAY 3)
POLISH duo Przemyslaw and Piotr Pawlicki have confirmed their appearance in the Darcy Ward Invitational at Poole on March 24.
The Pawlicki brothers both had spells with the Pirates during their time in British Speedway, with Przemyslaw winning the Elite League with the club in 2014 – ironically four years after defeating them in the Final with Coventry.
He said: “My brother and I are so pleased to have been invited to race for Darcy, as we had some great times together when we were racing with him in the Poole team.
“We are really looking forward to coming back to Poole and meeting up with everyone again. The Poole fans are really something special, they know a lot about speedway and they make you want to win every race.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
CRADLEY chairman Nigel Pearson expects his club to challenge for National League honours this season – but is also wary of local rivals Birmingham.
The Brummies have taken the title in the last two campaigns, ending the Heathens’ run of success from 2013 and 2014 – and the two clubs meet in the West Midlands Trophy at Perry Barr on March 22.
Pearson said: “They are Cradley’s biggest rivals right now and I wouldn’t rule them out, they have some very solid riders.
“Birmingham will be dangerous, not as dominant as last year when I think if they didn’t win the league then there would have been an inquest at Perry Barr!
“But it’s going to be an exciting season and I can see some exciting racing ahead. I certainly feel we can be up there challenging and, of course, in our eighth season back with the Heathens it would be great to win a third league title.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
GLASGOW’S latest stadium improvements will be in operation for the first time in Sunday’s Ben Fund Bonanza.
Changes to the Ashfield arena include the introduction of new terracing, and there has been extensive work on both the track and the safety fence.
Co-promoter Stewart Dickson said: “We've done a lot of work during the winter to make the stadium bigger and better - and this will be the first test for our new state-of-the-art polyfoam fence.
“We've also worked hard on the track to improve the surface and give the riders the best chance they have to showcase themselves - we hope that'll give us the best racing we've had since our 2014 revamp in one of the best speedway arenas in the country.
“It's been a long winter and I can't wait for the meeting to start, and to get that smell of methanol in my nostrils again - there really is nothing better if you're a fan of speedway and motorsport.”
(SPEEDWAY 6)
SCUNTHORPE have been boosted by the renewal of their main team sponsorship deal with Henderson Insurance Broking Group.
The company first backed the Scorpions in 2007 when the club was operating in the Conference League and became title sponsors for the first time the following year.
Promoter Rob Godfrey said: “This is the eleventh successive season that Henderson Insurance will sponsor Scunthorpe Speedway, and I’m absolutely delighted that we will again be known as the ‘Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions’ in 2017.
“Their support to this club has been absolutely invaluable – I don’t know where we’d be without them.
“Over the years, Henderson Insurance have put a significant amount of money into our club. They’ve also made a contribution towards our new clubhouse.
“As well as saying thank you to Henderson Insurance as a company, I want to say a personal thank you to Joe Henderson. He’s been such a big supporter of our club.”
(SPEEDWAY 7)
PETERBOROUGH have confirmed their season-opener against Coventry will go ahead as planned on Sunday March 19.
The meeting remains in place despite the visitors’ withdrawal from the SGB Premiership due to stadium issues, although start time has been brought forward to midday in order to avoid a clash with Peter Karlsson’s Farewell meeting at Wolverhampton.
Panthers chief Ged Rathbone said: “I want to place on record my thanks to all seven Coventry riders for agreeing to be part of this meeting.
“They are determined to put on a great show and I know they are all desperate to see as many Coventry fans in attendance as possible.
“It is a chance for the club's supporters to be seen and heard, and we'll do our best to make it a memorable occasion for them.
“It also has the makings of a terrific meeting and it will be a great test for our new-look team.”
(FIXTURES)
SUNDAY MARCH 12:
BEN FUND BONANZA: Glasgow 2pm
