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PROUD promoter Ged Rathbone insists his Peterborough Telegraph Sports Personality of the Year award for 2015 is recognition for all those who helped to keep Panthers on track.Rathbone spearheaded the successful fight to ensure the sport continued in Peterborough during the final months of 2014, and was honoured locally at Friday’s awards ceremony after the club reached the semi-finals of the Premier League play-offs last season.Rathbone said: “It means a huge amount to be recognised in this way. It is not often that people associated with speedway pick up accolades when going up against other sports.“It might have my name on it, but the award is really for all the fantastic people who worked hard to keep our great club on track.”
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BERWICK youngster Liam Carr is keen to take his big opportunity as part of the side at Shielfield Park this season.Carr, who will also be racing in the National League for Coventry, will line up at reserve for the Bandits as all Premier League clubs track a NL-eligible 3.00 rider at No.7 to encourage progression of British talent.Carr said: “I've invested heavily in my equipment, and have a brand new engine getting built for me by Sean Wilson down at Sheffield. “It isn't cheap, with all the good bits in it, I'll be paying out more than £4,000 to put this motor in my bike. I hope people realise how committed I am about getting going this term.“I hope the engine will be just the thing for Shielfield Park. Sean held our track record here for quite a few years, so he should know what to do to make a bike quick here, and I'm hoping I can keep my head above water financially as it starts to pay for itself.”
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LEICESTER have completed the signing of experienced former Polish international Sebastian Ulamek.The 40-year-old returns to British speedway after a two-year absence, having last appeared for Lakeside in 2013.Ulamek has also had previous spells with Wolverhampton, King’s Lynn, Oxford, Coventry, Swindon and Birmingham, and his arrival means the Lions need just one more rider to complete their team.Promoter David Hemsley said: “We are delighted to have secured such a quality rider as Seb who will bring a wealth of experience and a new dimension to the side, as the team is shaping up to have a more even spread of scoring throughout this year where everyone is capable of winning races.”
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JOE Jacobs will return to racing with Belle Vue this season after the club parted ways with Steve Boxall.Jacobs previously appeared in the Elite League for Wolverhampton in 2014 but sat out racing last year in order to build up funds to upgrade his equipment.Aces chief Chris Morton said: “Making the switch feels like the right thing to do for the club. Joe has a lot of talent and his attitude towards his racing is spot on, and he's very keen to resume normal service and further his career.“His reasons for not riding last year are something we fully understand and we applaud his return to the circuit, and we firmly believe that he can and will make a significant contribution to the team.”
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GLASGOW will open the new season next month with an Inter-League Challenge fixture against top-flight Coventry.The Bees, led by Chris Harris, Krzysztof Kasprzak and former Ashfield track record holder Danny King, will head north on Easter Sunday, March 27.Tigers boss Stewart Dickson said: “We had wanted to do something a little bit different and I think what is planned with the Coventry team will make it a more even contest.“It gives the supporters the chance to see some different faces with the likes of Harris, Kasprzak and (Kacper) Woryna - who I’m sure will have plenty of quality.”
