(SPEEDWAY 1 – FRIDAY PREVIEW)
1992 World Champion Gary Havelock brings the curtain down on a glittering racing career with his Farewell meeting at Poole on Friday (7.30pm).Havelock, who also captained his country and had a successful spell with the Pirates in the Elite League, has assembled a strong line-up for a team event which will feature Poole favourites Darcy Ward and Chris Holder going up against each other – with Mark Loram and Tony Rickardsson as managers.Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “It's a fitting line-up of stars for one true British star. So many people want to share this special night and support one of this country’s greatest-ever track exponents. “This night was made for Gary Havelock and the wonderful three girls in his life, wife Jayne, and daughters Holly and Erin. What a fitting event for Havvy the speedway legend.”Teams: Loram’s Legends - Greg Hancock, Maciej Janowski, Antonio Lindback, Vaclav Milik, Bjarne Pedersen, Darcy Ward, Davey Watt; Ricko’s Raiders - Craig Cook, Chris Harris, Chris Holder, Fredrik Lindgren, Scott Nicholls, Ty Proctor, Richie Worrall.Meanwhile Coventry open their second season of National League racing with a Travel Plus Trophy clash with local rivals Cradley. The Storm give debuts to British Under-19 Champion Stefan Nielsen and ex-Heathen Dan Greenwood, whilst Cradley bring in their title-winning captain Ashley Morris to replace the unavailable Paul Starke.Coventry co-boss Blayne Scroggins said: “Cradley are essentially the unbeaten champions, they won everything they could win last year and I know Coventry v Cradley means a lot to the supporters, it was always the big rivalry. We want to prove we’re a match for them and I really hope the supporters turn out to see us again.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
MADS Korneliussen will take over as Leicester’s representative in the Elite Riders’ Championship at Coventry on Sunday.The Dane, who scored a maximum at Brandon in the Elite League last season, takes the place of Lions No.1 Jason Doyle, whose visa issues mean he will be unable to take part.Doyle is set to receive a T5 visa to enable him to compete for the Lions this season but he will not be in the UK in time for the weekend.ERC REVISED LINE-UP: Danny King (Birmingham), Peter Karlsson (Lakeside), Craig Cook (Belle Vue), Niels-Kristian Iversen (King’s Lynn), Hans Andersen (Coventry), Tai Woffinden (Wolverhampton), Rory Schlein (King’s Lynn), Troy Batchelor (Swindon), Matej Zagar (Belle Vue), Fredrik Lindgren (Unattached), Peter Kildemand (Swindon), Darcy Ward (Poole), Bjarne Pedersen (Eastbourne), Chris Harris (Coventry), Kenneth Bjerre (King’s Lynn), Mads Korneliussen (Leicester).
(SPEEDWAY 3)
LAKESIDE co-promoter Jon Cook is tipping Danish youngster Mikkel Bech as the potential key man in the Hammers’ Elite League challenge.Bech, a former World Cup winner and Grand Prix wild card, joins the Purfleet club after a debut stint in British racing with Premier League Plymouth last year.Cook said: “We beat off a string of clubs to bring Mikkel to Essex and he has already shown his potential at the Raceway with a double figure score against us last season, and started this season with another big return for his Polish club at Kings Lynn. “With the new format I expect him to move quickly to heat-leader status and his terrific style of racing is going to provide plenty of entertainment for our fans on Friday nights.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
JAMES Wright is set to make a surprise return to racing in Rusty Harrison’s Testimonial meeting at Workington next month.The former Premier League Riders’ Champion quit the sport after starting last season with Glasgow but insists he never retired.Wright said: “I haven’t been on a bike for a while, so I thought about it, then agreed to do it. Hopefully it will help pull in a bit of a crowd and I can enjoy it, it’s just a bit of fun.“I never really retired, and I didn’t have any plans to ride, but I’m happy to help Rusty out. People can think what they want about the future. I was quite keen to have a blast so this gives me the chance.”(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY MARCH 21: TRAVEL PLUS TROPHY 1st leg: Coventry v Cradley 7.30GARY HAVELOCK FAREWELL: Poole 7.30
SATURDAY MARCH 22:BRITISH U21 SEMI-FINAL: Plymouth 7.15IAN THOMAS SHIELD 1st leg: Workington v Newcastle 7pmCHALLENGE: Leicester v Peterborough 7.30JOONAS KYLMAKORPI TESTIMONIAL: Eastbourne 7.30MORTEN RISAGER TESTIMONIAL: Ipswich 7.15
SUNDAY MARCH 23:ELITE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Coventry 6pmIAN THOMAS SHIELD 2nd leg: Newcastle v Workington 6.30BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 1: Scunthorpe 3pm
MONDAY MARCH 24:ELITE LEAGUE: Wolverhampton v Birmingham 7.30
TUESDAY MARCH 25:LEAGUE CUP: Peterborough v Plymouth 7.30
