(SPEEDWAY 1)PETERBOROUGH have confirmed the return of Danish star Kenneth Bjerre as their No.1 and captain for the new season.Bjerre will be back at the Showground having received the all-clear to resume racing after suffering a badly broken leg last August.Panthers co-boss Jan Staechmann said: We were delighted to receive that call from Kenneth to tell us that he will be ready for the start of the season, and we have wasted no time in doing a deal with him to resume racing at Peterborough come March.After all the speculation over the winter I am over the moon to have Kenneth in the team, and I have no doubt he will be out to prove a few people wrong once the tapes go up in March. Kenneth has lots of ambition, and I am sure the hunger of not being in the GP next season will spur him on a great deal.(SPEEDWAY 2)
BEN Barker is keen to put a winter of speculation behind him after being confirmed as a Birmingham rider for the 2013 Elite League campaign.Barker has joined the Brummies in a full transfer from Coventry after two seasons on loan at Perry Barr, and he will also be riding in the Premier League for Ipswich.He told the Birmingham Mail: Its been a nightmare really with everything going on behind the scenes and some of the things that have been said about me.All I want to do now is get out there and ride my bike. I want my points scoring to do the talking and I wish the season could start tomorrow. Im just so pleased to be riding for Birmingham.
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PREMIER League Champions Scunthorpe have been hit by the news that Gary Irving has retired from the sport.The Cumbria-based rider was set to return for the Scorpions this season after playing a key role in their title triumph having come into the side in July.Promoter Rob Godfrey said: Gary has told me hes quitting because hes now got a good job outside speedway. The timing is wrong for us as a club, but I dont blame Gary one bit. Hes got a job that gives him a future, without having to worry about breaking an arm or a leg.Its a setback but its not a major blow. We learnt from last season that it isnt where you start with a team, its where you finish.
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REDCAR have completed their line-up by bringing German rider Max Dilger back for a second season with the club.The 23-year-old will start at reserve and Bears promoter Brian Havelock feels their team configuration promises to be superior to recent years.Havelock said: With an average of over four points for a reserve Max has every potential to break into the top five, and that keeps up our reserve strength as one of them has to swap places. We have run with three-point reserves for many seasons and it has not worked for us as none have ever moved onwards and upwards. Time to change all that.
