(SPEEDWAY 1)
SWINDON will be without their captain Simon Stead for their Easter fixtures after the GB international was told to rest his rib injuries.Stead has ridden through the pain barrier after a recent crash in Poland, but will now miss this week's trip to Poole as well as home and away matches against Birmingham.Co-promoter Gary Patchett said: "It never rains, it pours! Just as we thought we had a full seven-man team we had this news that Simon has to rest, which we fully respect and understand."It's better we use the rider-replacement facility rather than Simon trying to do himself justice and not scoring the points we know he can. His target is to return for our meeting with Eastbourne on May 2."
(SPEEDWAY 2)
NEWCASTLE have signed 21-year-old Danish rider Claes Nedermark - meaning they will have two debutants on track this weekend.The Diamonds had already announced the capture of Matej Ferjan to replace the injured Rene Bach, whilst Nedermark gets his chance in place of Lubos Tomicek, who has suffered a loss of form.Club co-owner Darryl Illingworth said: "Nedermark had signed to ride for Plymouth Devils this season; however, he had to be dropped from their squad before the season began after a mix-up with the club's averages."We've had a few problems early on this season, and we've had to take action to try and put things right. We've decided to give Claes a chance, and we're obviously hoping our tradition of finding quality Danes will continue with him."
(SPEEDWAY 3)
NEWPORT'S Robin Aspegren has made a quicker than expected recovery from injury and is set to return to the Wasps' line-up this weekend.Aspegren suffered a broken foot less than a fortnight ago but has been declared in the team for Saturday's home clash with Edinburgh, as the Welsh side look to get off the mark at Queensway Meadows following an impressive win at Rye House last week.Skipper Leigh Lanham said: "'Away from my own races I stood there at pitside last weekend and watched the boys containing the Rockets team and was so pleased. We have not had the best of starts to the new season but it all came together."It was a great team effort but praise for Anders Mellgren who tipped the balance with a paid thirteen scoreline despite having to push home for a point in one race when his chain snapped."
(SPEEDWAY 4)
SHEFFIELD chief Neil Machin is delighted to see Ipswich competing at Premier League level this season - although he's wary of a tough test for his team against the Witches this week!Machin's men are seeking to bounce back from the setback of a home defeat against Somerset, and they face the Suffolk side at Owlerton on Thursday with the Foxhall return on Friday afternoon.Machin said: "Ipswich are still a massive name in speedway and it's great to have them in the Premier League, they are very attractive opposition."It's another tough fixture for us after losing at home to Somerset last week, but we have to move on and this could be a great night of racing once again."
(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY APRIL 20:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Swindon 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Mildenhall 7.30
THURSDAY APRIL 21:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Birmingham 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Newport 7.30, Sheffield v Ipswich 7.45
FRIDAY APRIL 22:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Wolverhampton 1pm, Birmingham v Swindon 7.30, Coventry v Peterborough 8pm, Eastbourne v Lakeside 7.45, King's Lynn v Poole 7pm, Lakeside v Eastbourne 1pm, Peterborough v Coventry 11am PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Leicester 7.30, Ipswich v Sheffield 2.30, Somerset v Scunthorpe 7.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Hackney v Stoke (at Lakeside) (follows EL fixture)
SATURDAY APRIL 23:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7pm, Leicester v Rye House 7.30, Newport v Edinburgh 7pm
SUNDAY APRIL 24:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Eastbourne 3pm PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Newcastle 4pm NATIONAL SHIELD 2nd leg: Buxton v Dudley 3pm
