Danny’s delight at British success

HEB Scunthorpe Scorpions’ star Danny Ayres is hugely looking forward to his first-ever British Final appearance at the National Speedway Stadium at Belle Vue, Manchester on July 29.

Many were shocked at Ayres’ third place in the semi-final at Redcar last Friday, although fans of Scunthorpe and Mildenhall were much less surprised, since the 32-year-old from Suffolk has been in superb form in 2019.

Handed a place in the Championship with Scunthorpe three meetings into the 2019 season, Ayres has grabbed the opportunity with both hands. In his latest appearance for Scorpions on Sunday, he scored nine points in the narrow 44-45 defeat at Sheffield, including a victory over former British Champion Danny King, and Ayres really didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.

Ayres – who was a late replacement for the semi-final at Redcar – said: “I got the call at 2.30pm on Thursday, so I had a day to prepare for the meeting.

“To make the rostrum was brilliant – what a feeling it was to be stood up there! To reach the British Final was one of my goals and I’ve achieved it.

“I was hating it during the meeting at Redcar, because I so wanted to do well, but as soon as the meeting was completed and I’d finished third, I loved it.

“It was shame that two big names (Jason Garrity and Kyle Howarth) crashed out in the first heat. But, by finishing third, I felt I got through on merit.”

Ayres will again be considered an outsider for the final, but he insists that he has nothing to lose.

“I have two months to focus and put in a shift in the final.

“I’ve got to overcome it being on TV, but I have been in a televised meeting before. I feel I’ve done the hard work and have a great opportunity to show people what I can do.

“Whatever happens on the night, happens on the night. I feel I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“As a British rider, this is the meeting that everyone wants to be in and do well in, and I can’t wait for it.”

* HEB Scunthorpe Scorpions are next in action on Friday (7.30pm), with a home meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway against Glasgow Tigers.