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NEWCASTLE have completed a shock move for teenage sensation Robert Lambert to join the Diamonds next season.Lambert raced in the Premier League for Peterborough and Rye House this year, along with his Elite commitments for King’s Lynn, and will now take over as No.1 at Brough Park.Co-promoter Alan Hedley said: “We have tried three times to sign him and fortunately it’s fourth time lucky. I am personally over the moon that I have been able to secure his services for the club.“He is a stand-out talent and is one of the most exciting prospects that this country has produced in the sport for a very long time. Once it became clear that Robert was interested in joining the team it didn’t take long to sort out a deal.“Robert has been an absolute pleasure to deal with and I am so pleased that we have been able to secure his services despite him receiving offers from Polish clubs. Everyone in Britain wants to see him ride in this country and this signing shows our intention to challenge for silverware next year.”
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CRADLEY Heathens have sealed a return to Wolverhampton’s Monmore Green Stadium for their 2016 home meetings.The news ends weeks of uncertainty over the future of the world famous club who raced at Perry Barr this year, and will now alternate their National League schedule on Mondays with the Elite League fixtures of Wolves.The Heathens have also added a new club partner in Dr Rod Brooks, who will be forging closer links between the team and Dudley Stroke Association, who are now Cradley’s official charity.Co-promoter Gary Patchett said: “We would like to thank Ladbrokes for their co-operation in bringing the Heathens back to Monmore – and to Chris Van Straaten at Wolverhampton Speedway for making it happen. Also to Dr Brooks for his support and the good people at Dudley Stroke Association, we offer our sincere thanks.“Will (Pottinger) and myself are now looking at options for the team, but until we know for sure the points limit we can’t really make any final decision on our 1-7.”
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RYE House’s team preparations have got off to a fast start after naming five members of their septet for 2016. Edward Kennett and Kasper Lykke return to Hoddesdon while club asset Ben Morley has been named as one of the club's two reserves.Former Danish World Cup representative Nicolai Klindt is one of two new faces for the Rockets alongside experienced racer Leigh Lanham.A statement from club owners Team BMR said: “We’ve very consciously assembled a team that is just that – a team. “This is a side that will work together and have fun together, and we believe that together, the total will be more than the sum of the individual parts.“There are two more spots to announce, but the bottom line is that we are pulling together a set of riders who all share the excitement of our future plans at Rye House.”
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COVENTRY have announced an early extension to their long-standing team sponsorship deal with Buildbase.The builders merchants have backed the Bees since 2004 and the news has been conveyed at this stage following news that Regional Director John Clarke is to leave the company next month.He said: “The sponsorship is reviewed on an annual basis and it’s normally advised in the early part of the New Year. But with me leaving the company at the end of the year, it made good sense to re-assure people that the Buildbase commitment remains as strong as ever.“I certainly won’t be going anywhere else in terms of the speedway, and I’ll still be doing everything I can to assist the promotion of the club and helping out on race-nights.”
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LEE Payne has joined Redcar as the compulsory three-point British rider at reserve for the Bears next season.29-year-old Payne becomes the third name on the team-sheet at the Media Prime Arena, following Lasse Bjerre and Jonas B Andersen.Redcar promoter Brian Havelock said: “Lee comes highly recommended from several reliable sources and is a close friend of Joe Screen. “I’m told he’s very exciting to watch and I understand Newcastle were looking at him too.”
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BIRMINGHAM have signed 16-year-old Jack Smith following successful guest appearances in the closing stages of last season.Smith is expected to begin the 2016 campaign at reserve alongside Jack Parkinson-Blackburn having impressed in the final seven meetings this year.Brummies chief Graham Drury said: “After showing some real encouraging signs and plenty of potential when he guested for us, Jack was always a priority for our team building for 2016.“His gating was particularly impressive and he seemed to get better every time we saw him. The progress he made in those few weeks was very promising and I'm really excited to have him on board.”
