(SPEEDWAY 1)WORKINGTON owner Keith Denham has reluctantly announced the departure of experienced team manager Ian Thomas.Thomas has been in charge of team affairs at Derwent Park for the last three years - his third spell with the club - with the Comets winning the Young Shield on each occasion.Denham said: "It's purely and simply a financial decision and not one I wanted to make. Ian took a drop in pay this year to help and we are having to make more cuts across the board in preparation for 2011."Ian has worked with me at Workington speedway for the three years since I took over and I know he is going to be a very, very difficult man to replace."We have had our disagreements, like any other working partnership, but we have never fallen out and I have the greatest respect for him."(SPEEDWAY 2)SOMERSET star Sam Masters has reflected on a positive first season in British Speedway - having been the big winner at the club's awards night.The 19-year-old Australian won the Rebels' Rider of the Year as well as the most improved rider and an award for his performances away from the Oak Tree Arena.Masters said: "It has been a fantastic year for me, so much so that I have to pinch myself to make sure that it's not all been just a dream. In fact, it has been so good that I just didn't want it to end!  "Everyone has been just great, I stay with a fantastic family who made me feel really at home, and the fans here at Somerset are just superb, and to ride alongside guys like Parks (Shane Parker) and Cory (Gathercole) was really awesome.  "I really couldn't have wished for a better team with which to start my time racing here in the UK, which is why I joined them in the first place."