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FORMER Arena-Essex (Lakeside) star Kelvin Tatum will make a racing comeback in the opening meeting of the season at Purfleet on March 20.Tatum, who last rode for the Hammers in 2004, will join the squad for pre-season training as part of his preparation for competing as part of the All Stars team in the Rico Spring Classic. Two other more recent Lakeside riders, Richie Worrall and Ben Morley, have also been named.Promoter Jon Cook said: “It's an enormous boost to the event for Kelvin to make a full return in the meeting proper. I'd been tipped off by Martin Hagon that he'd been doing some engine testing and was back on a bike and it didn't take too much persuading to get him back.”Tatum added: “I've enjoyed being back on a bike and the opportunity to ride in such a worthwhile meeting remembering Lee Richardson, at a track that holds fond memories, was too good to miss.”
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PETERBOROUGH star Lewis Blackbird is back on track after a six-month injury absence.Blackbird enjoyed a pre-season practice session at Scunthorpe earlier this week as he stepped up his preparations for the 2015 campaign, having not ridden since suffering a season-ending broken leg and ankle during a crash last August when making his debut in the Danish League.He said: “I was really nervous beforehand, but it went well. It has been a long time since I was last on a bike, but it all came back to me pretty quickly.“I’m feeling good in myself and I’m looking forward to getting going again this year.”
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WORKINGTON have been boosted by the renewal of their main team sponsorship deal with locally-based Thomas Armstrong (Holdings) Ltd for a ninth successive season.The company are based just outside Workington at Flimby, with their core business comprising construction services, the supply of aggregates and the manufacture of quality building products including bespoke joinery, timber frames, pre-cast concrete and concrete blocks.Club owner Laura Morgan said: “Once again we are very grateful for the support of such a well respected local company as Thomas Armstrong and their backing is invaluable to us in so many ways, so it is great to have them back on board as our main sponsor.“Keith (Denham), who has been 100 per cent behind us since selling the club to us at the end of 2012, has yet again shown his love for his local speedway club, and we are hugely grateful for his, and Thomas Armstrong's, support. Hopefully Keith will find time to come and support us on race nights, where he is more than welcome, and to be honest good to have around for any help and advice we may need.”
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SCUNTHORPE will race into the new season with the backing of FluidAir Power Ltd as their main team sponsors for a second year.Meanwhile, Henderson Insurance Broking Group, backers of the club since 2007, will be the club sponsor. As well as sponsoring the Scorpions, they will also sponsor all the other activities at the Eddie Wright Raceway, such as the Amateur meetings and Stock Car events.Promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We’ve made no attempt to hide that 2014 was not a great year financially for the club. So the backing of both Hendersons and FluidAir is just invaluable.“We want to give both companies value for money, and maximise any exposure for them. One way we can do that is to be successful and maybe win some silverware, so hopefully we can do that for them. I’m pretty optimistic that we can have a good year.”
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TWO former Coventry captains will compete in a series of special races at current skipper Chris Harris’s Testimonial meeting on March 29.Danish ace Brian Andersen spent eight years with the Bees in the 1990s and is now Harris’s engine tuner, whilst Kelvin Tatum won two British League titles at Brandon in 1987-88, and they will be joined by a third national champion in Tatum’s Sky Sports colleague Chris Louis.Harris has linked up with Andersen this year for the second time in his career, with his memorable British GP win at Cardiff in 2007 having come when mounted on Andersen-tuned equipment.
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THEO Pijper has named two newcomers to British Speedway in the line-up for his Testimonial meeting at Edinburgh on March 20.German rider Rene Deddens and Dutchman Henkie Koonstra, a compatriot of Pijper, have both joined the field.Kenneth Hansen, Claus Vissing, Aaron Summers and Deddens’ fellow German Kevin Wolbert, who rode alongside Pijper for Glasgow last season, are also confirmed starters.
