(SPEEDWAY 1)
SCUNTHORPE are expected to be without skipper Ashley Birks for their two Premier League fixtures this week due to a fractured scaphoid.The injury, to his throttle hand rather than clutch hand, is not expected to keep Birks on the sidelines for a lengthy period but matches against Ipswich at Foxhall and then at home to Redcar on Thursday and Friday look set to come just too soon.Scorpions promoter Rob Godfrey said: Im gutted that Ash got hurt the other day. I felt we had a good chance to get a win at Foxhall Heath with a full team, because we ride well there. Well still go there looking for points.Ash is 99.99 per cent sure to be out of this weeks meetings. Ill never say 100 per cent with him, because hes the sort of guy who will turn up on Thursday wanting to ride. He is talking about coming back as soon as possible.
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REDCAR have announced the signing of Steve Worrall on an initial 28-day contract after Max Dilger was ruled out with a broken wrist.Worrall will make his Bears debut on Thursday in a big Premier League clash with Edinburgh at the South Tees Motorsports Park, with the winners set to go to the top of the table.Redcar boss Jitendra Duffill said: Edinburgh are packed with talent from top to bottom and we bounce into the fixture on the back of an away victory at Berwick last Saturday evening. We have the top rider in the division (Craig Cook) on parade for the opposition and what a target for our boys to aim to defeat. His clashes with our on-form Aussie Micky Dyer should be entertaining to say the least.
(SPEEDWAY 3)
WORKINGTON are to step up local fund-raising initiatives in order to ensure a new protective safety fence is installed at Derwent Park in time for the 2014 season.Updated regulations mean this will be compulsory for next year, and the Comets are one of several clubs to be working hard to fund the project.Owner Laura Morgan said: With Derwent Park being one of the countrys bigger tracks we will naturally need a larger, and hence more costly, length of fence than many other circuits. But, with it being such a large track the speeds achieved by the riders are also much greater than at many other venues, making the contribution of the new barrier in terms of rider safety even more significant.As we are at present the only league track in the county we are looking at the possibility of finding additional funding from outside agencies. I am sure there must be some pots of money out there somewhere which we could tap into. We wont be leaving any stone unturned in order to ensure we can get everything in place ready for the start of next season.
(SPEEDWAY 4)
RECENT Isle of Wight signing Brendan Johnson has been ruled out of away matches at his former clubs Kings Lynn and Coventry this week.Johnson damaged an ankle on his return to the Islanders against Kent last Tuesday and an attempted practice this week confirmed he would need time out.He said: I'm absolutely gutted, as I really thought I'd be okay but the pain shooting up my leg anytime I put any pressure on the footrest as you have to do when sliding around the track bends on a speedway bike was just too much.I desperately wanted to ride in both away matches, particularly the Coventry one where I started the season, but it just wouldn't be right to do so as far as we bid to move up the league table.
(SPEEDWAY 5)
LEWIS Blackbird delighted the fans of Dudley by providing a home winner in the Golden Hammer at Monmore Green on Tuesday.Heathens star Blackbird finished on 14-points, one clear of Kyle Newman who defeated Steve Worrall in a run-off for second place.Blackbird said: I'm absolutely over the moon - it was great to win that, everything is going well for me and my hard work is starting to pay off.It's a nice one to win for the fans. They've given me a warm welcome this year and made it one of the best years of my racing career, so that's for them.(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY JULY 17:NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kings Lynn v Isle of Wight 7.30
THURSDAY JULY 18:PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Scunthorpe 7.30, Redcar v Edinburgh 7.30, Sheffield v Rye House 7.45
FRIDAY JULY 19:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, Plymouth v Workington 7.15, Scunthorpe v Redcar 7.30, Somerset v Glasgow 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Isle of Wight 7.30
