(SPEEDWAY 1)
WORLD Champion Tai Woffinden has vowed to race through the pain barrier to launch the defence of his title next weekend. Woffinden was involved in three crashes during Wolverhampton's Elite League thriller at Leicester on Saturday and was taken to hospital. He travels to Auckland for the New Zealand FIM Speedway Grand Prix next weekend nursing serious back pain and ligament damage in his right foot.Speaking from departures at Heathrow Airport, Woffinden said: “I discharged myself from hospital to get this flight. I'm on pain killers. I'm struggling for movement in the left leg because of the impact on my lower back, hip and backside. It's seriously painful but the scans showed it's all good where the bones are concerned, nothing broken.“But I'm on crutches and the problem is I have to use my right foot which is the one with the ligament damage. That was caused by the first crash. I thought I'd fractured my foot at first, but thankfully that's not the case and I will be trying to rest it completely once I get to Auckland.”
(SPEEDWAY 2 – SATURDAY REVIEW)
WOLVERHAMPTON edged a thrilling Elite League opener at Leicester thanks to a spectacular last-gap effort from guest Chris Harris.The former British Champion, standing in for Piotr Pawlicki, overhauled Jason Doyle on the run to the line in Heat 15 to secure a 46-44 win for the Monmore club.The late drama came at the end of an eventful meeting in which Wolves hit back from an eight-point deficit, and World Champion Tai Woffinden was taken to hospital after crashing with Mads Korneliussen in the first attempt to run the last race.Wolves promoter Chris Van Straaten said: “Tai was certainly in the wars with those crashes, the last one especially was quite spectacular and that mutes the celebrations a little bit.“That said it was a cracking victory all things considered, and we are very pleased with the team performance as a whole against a solid Leicester side.”Meanwhile Mikkel Michelsen and Cameron Woodward both scored paid maximums as Eastbourne kicked-off their season with an emphatic 62-30 home win over Birmingham.Bjarne Pedersen and Timo Lahti were also paid for double-figures for the Eagles, with the Brummies suffering from the absence of several riders – especially Arlington specialist Edward Kennett.Eastbourne boss Trevor Geer said: “We have been saying pre-season that we are strong team all round and that was just a brilliant performance. Birmingham just could not live with our boys.“The racing gave people something to shout about and they certainly did as we tore into Birmingham. It was a very encouraging attendance and I think everyone can see there is more to come.”Josh Grajczonek was also a maximum man on Saturday, being paid for a full house from five rides for Workington whilst skipper Rene Bach notched 17 in the Comets’ 60-31 League Cup win over Glasgow.Saturday’s various challenge fixtures also featured several high scores, including an impressive 57-36 away win for Somerset at Plymouth, Nick Morris scoring a four-ride paid maximum and Todd Kurtz adding 12+2.The home side saw Kalle Katajisto suffer concussion in a crash, and promoter Ashley Taylor said: “It was a disappointing result for us and we were given a lesson in getting out of the starts. Our gating was diabolical and Somerset were much sharper in that department.”Berwick star David Bellego was fulsome in his praise for the Shielfield Park track staff after his side raced to a 57-37 win over Redcar, with Claus Vissing reeling off four straight wins.Bellego said: “That was a very good meeting and I have to say thank you to our track guys Razor (Ian Rae) and Heppy (George Hepburn) for making the track the best it has even been, even better than last year - and more amazing is this is just the first meeting of the new year. They have made this track in superb condition and I thank them for their efforts.”Meanwhile Rye House overcame Peterborough 56-37 with Edward Kennett collecting a five-ride paid maximum and Steve Boxall, Luke Bowen and Matt Tresarrieu all paid for double figures too.Bowen said: “Edward was absolutely awesome, and a real inspiration to the rest of us. We’re really up there in terms of spirit and confidence.”
(SPEEDWAY 3 – SUNDAY PREVIEW)
CLOSE rivals Scunthorpe and Sheffield begin their League Cup campaigns at the Eddie Wright Raceway – and home promoter Rob Godfrey expects an unpredictable meeting.Neither side have raced so far with Sheffield seeing their own opening home meeting, the Air Fence Fund Bonanza, rained-off with the re-staging planned for Monday.Godfrey said: “Anything can happen on Sunday – we have a couple of riders in their first meeting back from injury. But David Howe is back to the old David; he’s fightng fit and cannot wait for the season to start. And our captain Ashley Birks is also keen to resume racing; no-one should under-estimate Ash’s determination.“Should we be without Ryan (Douglas), and it looks like we will, I’m sure the rest of the team will rise to the challenge of overcoming a new-look Sheffield side.”Elsewhere in the same League Cup group, Newcastle face Redcar with the Bears looking to recover from a 20-point defeat at Berwick on Saturday whilst the Diamonds were narrowly edged out on aggregate by Workington last weekend.Glasgow face a 14-point deficit in the second leg of their Air Fence Challenge against Edinburgh, and go into the meeting after a 31-60 defeat at Workington on Saturday, whilst the National League also gets underway with Scunthorpe facing Kent following the earlier League Cup fixture.(FIXTURES)
SUNDAY MARCH 30:LEAGUE CUP: Newcastle v Redcar 6.30, Scunthorpe v Sheffield 3pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Kent (follows LC fixture)AIR FENCE CHALLENGE: Glasgow v Edinburgh 3pmCHALLENGE: Stoke v King’s Lynn OFF
MONDAY MARCH 31:AIR FENCE FUND BONANZA: Sheffield 7.45TUESDAY APRIL 1:LEAGUE CUP: Peterborough v Somerset 7.30TRAVEL PLUS TROPHY 1st leg: Cradley v Coventry 7.30
