(SPEEDWAY 1)

BIRMINGHAM have swooped to sign Darryl Ritchings for the 2016 campaign.The 21-year-old has completed the switch from Midland rivals Coventry which will see him form a powerful spearhead trio alongside Zach Wajtknecht and Tom Perry.Ritchings said: “After doing a number of guest bookings for Cradley at Perry Barr last season, it quickly became one of my favourite tracks.“I've come close before but I've never actually won the National League. I'd love to finally do that next year with Birmingham and with the side we've got, we should have a really good chance of making the play-offs as an absolute minimum.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

CRADLEY have completed their side for the 2016 season with the signing of Ben Basford.The Teeside-based youngster makes the switch to the Heathens for his first full National League campaign having enjoyed an encouraging introduction to the third tier with Kent over the second half of last season.Heathens boss Will Pottinger said: “He’s obviously a young kid who has come into the sport quite recently, and he’s shown quite a bit of potential in the matches he’s done.“He has the security of starting at reserve and I’m sure he’ll grow into the role as the season progresses. We want to see him grow with us over the course of the season and hopefully score some points to strengthen us in the lower order.”