(SPEEDWAY 1)
DAVID Howe is likely to move up into the main body of the Scunthorpe team for the Premier League Fours at Peterborough on Sunday.Howe is set to take the place of Josh Auty, who is 90 per cent sure to miss out after having his appendix removed a fortnight ago.Promoter Rob Godfrey said: "It's a blow that Josh is likely to be out, but we'll still have a trump card at reserve. With Josh, that would have been David. Without Josh, David moves up and our reserve becomes Thomas."We have the right sort of team for this competition - a solid team who can all score points. It's all about which team clicks on the day, and you have to keep on scoring."
(SPEEDWAY 2)
GLASGOW have moved to sign Swedish youngster Victor Palovaara who will make his debut for the club this weekend.20-year-old Palovaara replaces Christian Henry in the Tigers team with the Australian released after a brief injury-hit spell at Ashfield.Co-promoter Colin Hamilton said: "We are very happy to have secured Victor, and with his experience of riding in Sweden and Denmark we are very hopeful that he will adapt quickly to the different tracks and demands of Premier League racing."It is perhaps not ideal that Victor has to debut at No.1, however I'm sure he will add some much-needed bite to the side and help us freshen things up a little."
(SPEEDWAY 3 - THURSDAY REVIEW)
NEWCASTLE boss George English believes his side could have come away with more than just a point from their Premier League match at Redcar on Thursday.The Bears held on for a 47-43 win with Richard Lawson getting the victory in a thrilling Heat 15 as guest Rene Bach and Stuart Robson had required a 5-1 to draw the local derby for the visitors.English said: "Newcastle rode well, one of their best away this year, but there were still niggling little lackings that meant we fell short of a win I believe was well within our capabilities, but at least we took one league point."Meanwhile Berwick manager John Anderson is keen to put a heavy defeat at Ipswich behind them, with the home side running out 60-34 winners with a strong all-round effort headed by 13+1 from Morten Risager and Rohan Tungate.Anderson said: "We'd expected more to be honest, but that said Ipswich are a good side around Foxhall and really only Claus Vissing and Steen Jensen could get to grips with them."I think we've done so well away this season so far that when we get a defeat it hurts that bit more than it would have done in a normal season, but we're battling for Premier League honours and there's a long way to go yet."
(SPEEDWAY 4 - FRIDAY PREVIEW)
SCUNTHORPE will mark one year since Ricky Ashworth's serious crash when Berwick visit the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday.Former Bandits star Ashworth spent 91 days in a coma after the accident which took place on the same weekend last year.Scorpions promoter Rob Godfrey said: "One year on, Ricky still remains very much in our thoughts at Scunthorpe - and I'm sure it's the same at Berwick and Sheffield."We wish Ricky all the best in his long road to recovery. We haven't forgotten him and we will mark the anniversary of the accident on Friday."Meanwhile Somerset are looking for a maximum haul of points from the week as they take on Ipswich at the Oaktree Arena, fresh from home and away wins over Sheffield.Rebels boss Garry May said: "The first priority is to ensure a top six finish in order to qualify for the play-offs, but finishing the regular league season in either first or second positions will give us the added advantage of being able to pick our opposition in the play-offs."In the National League Coventry host Stoke, with Storm boss Laurence Rogers highlighting the importance of the clash between two play-off contenders.Rogers said: "If we can win then we can put ourselves in a very good position, and all the guys will be up for it and looking to do just that."Edinburgh stage their long-running individual event at Armadale with the Scottish Open dating back to 1928.Home star and current holder Craig Cook is the defending champion whilst Theo Pijper needs eight points to become the highest scorer in the runnings of the meeting at its current venue. The event gets underway at 7.15pm, 15 minutes earlier than the Monarchs' regular start time.
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY AUGUST 1:PREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Sheffield OFF, Scunthorpe v Berwick 7.30, Somerset v Ipswich 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Stoke 7.30SCOTTISH OPEN: Edinburgh 7.15
SATURDAY AUGUST 2:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Glasgow 7pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 3:PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Peterborough 2.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Devon 3pm, Stoke v Cradley 6pm
MONDAY AUGUST 4:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v King’s Lynn 7.30, Wolverhampton v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Scunthorpe 7.15NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Stoke 6.30
