Top trio join Bonanza

CURRENT Scunthorpe Scorpions’ star Thomas Jorgensen, former Scunthorpe No 1 Steve Worrall and Glasgow’s Ulrich Ostergaard are the latest riders to join the line-up for the Ben Fund Bonanza at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Saturday, March 14th at 2pm.

With the event fast approaching, more vital cash for the Speedway Riders’ Benevolent Fund is set to be raised.

Popular Dane Jorgensen is looking forward to gaining valuable laps at his new home track – aiming to put on a show for the Scunthorpe faithful in the process.

He said: “It’s always a good meeting to start the season off with and it’s excellent track time – I’m always open to doing these kind of meetings and it’s great to be able to help out the Fund. I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s obviously nice to be asked to be a part of the Bonanza and good to do my bit to help them out. They do an awful lot for us riders so I hope there’s a big crowd there to watch us.

“It’s my home track this year and where I started my career when I first came to England so it will be nice to ride in the first meeting of 2020 at Scunthorpe.

“Obviously the track has changed quite a lot since I rode there a few years ago but I can use the Ben Fund meeting to test a few things and hopefully get the set-up right as soon as I can for when the season really starts.

“Hopefully I can show the crowd some entertainment which is what this kind of meeting is all about. It should be a really good meeting – I can’t wait!”

Worrall, who will line-up for Belle Vue and Poole this season, is happy he’s able to ‘give something back’ to the Fund for all their help in recent years.

“It makes no difference to me how early my season starts,” he said. “I’m all for starting early and getting plenty of laps in before everything starts to get really busy.

“The Benevolent Fund is a life saver for riders, a lot of us have speedway as our only source of income so if things do go wrong then we are very lucky to have help like this available to us. Any opportunity that comes up where I’m able to give something back I will.

“The meeting always generates a great line-up so it’s the perfect time to see where I am with preparations for the new season.”

Fresh from making the switch from Newcastle to Glasgow in the winter, fan favourite Ostergaard feels honoured to be asked to compete for a third time.

He said: “It’s always an honour to be asked to ride in this meeting. Like other riders I have benefited from the Ben Fund when I have been out injured so I always do what I can to give something back.

“I rode in the meeting at Leicester last season and didn’t have the best of times with engines but it’s not about winning these sort of events, it’s about putting on a show for the fans and raising money.

“The meeting is at Scunthorpe this season and the field looks a good one so hopefully it will be a good meeting. I can’t believe the new season is upon us again. Let’s hope the fans turn out in numbers and support what is a great cause.”

BEN FUND BONANZA LINE-UP SO FAR:
Josh Auty, Jacob Thorsell, Nick Morris, Danny King, Lewis Kerr, Simon Lambert, Tom Bacon, Connor Mountain, Steve Worrall, Thomas Jorgensen, Ulrich Ostergaard.

ADMISSION PRICES: Adults £20, Concessions £15, Children (12-16) £10, Children under 12 FREE.

REPORT: Joe Appleton SRBF Press Officer

PHOTO: Ian Rispin