(SPEEDWAY 1)
BELLE Vue have commenced their team building for 2014 with the signing of rising British star Richie Worrall.The 22-year-old became an Aces asset early last season but was loaned to rivals King’s Lynn with the Aces already having a full team in place at that stage.Operations Director Chris Morton said: “It was a significant move for us to bring Richie to Belle Vue as an asset last year, but the timing and the way he became available meant we had already completed our team-building.“It was always our target to bring him into the side in 2014 however, and it has been very rewarding for us to watch him progress so substantially over the course of the season with Kings Lynn.”(SPEEDWAY 2)
SWEDISH star Freddie Lindgren has praised the impact Wolverhampton have had on his career after deciding to sit out British racing in 2014.The Grand Prix ace celebrated his testimonial back in March after enjoying a remarkable decade with the Black Country outfit which has seen him establish himself as one of the clubs’ most successful ever riders.Lindgren said: “The club have been really good to me, and I just want to thank Chris Van Straaten and Pete Adams as well as the supporters for all they have done for me since I came to Wolves.“But I’ve reached a level in the last couple of years and haven’t improved as much as I wanted to. I feel like I’m at a crossroads in my career and I have to decide which way I am going to go.”(SPEEDWAY 3)
RICHIE Worrall will move to Ipswich for the 2014 Premier League season having been named as the Witches’ new No.1.Worrall joins the Foxhall club after an impressive spell with rivals Newcastle, and is set for a busy year in the UK as he doubles-up with parent club Belle Vue in the top flight.Ipswich Director of Speedway Chris Louis said: “It will be great to have Richie on board. I have been continually learning since taking on the running of the club, and one thing that I have learnt is just how important it is to have riders with the right attitude to the sport. “Richie is a perfect example of a rider with a good attitude and huge ambition to succeed. His motocross background has given him a great grounding for the mental strength and aggression you need to make a successful career in Speedway. He’s professional in every aspect and I just know this is going to help some of the other young members in the side.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
HOLDERS Somerset will commence their defence of the Premier League Knockout Cup with a first-round tie against Workington.The two sides met in an epic quarter-final this year, with the Rebels going through by a single point on aggregate courtesy of a 5-0 and a 5-1 in the last two races.They went on to take the silverware in the first stage of a League and Cup double, defeating Rye House in the Final. The Rockets will face Glasgow in their opening tie next year.Edinburgh, Newcastle, Scunthorpe and Ipswich have been handed byes to the quarter-finals, and the full first-round draw is:Sheffield v Berwick; Glasgow v Rye House; Plymouth v Redcar; Workington v Somerset.
