David Howe back for a sixth year

A REVITALISED David Howe will return to the Eddie Wright Raceway for a sixth successive season in the colours of the Scunthorpe Scorpions in 2014.

He becomes the fourth confirmed member of Scunthorpe’s Premier League side, following Ryan Douglas, Josh Auty and newcomer Anders Mellgren, as the Scorpions aim to regain the Premier Championship they won in 2012.

Howe is Scunthorpe’s all-time top scorer, but has suffered a couple of injury-hit seasons over the last two seasons.

His woes started when he sustained a shoulder injury in a grasstrack crash at Worcester in mid-April 2012. He was restricted to just nine official appearances for the Scorpions in 2012. His return in 2013 was blighted with further injury niggles. He eventually cut short his season with the Scorpions in August.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey has been in close consultation with Howe and is delighted to announce the return of the 31-year-old.

Godfrey said: “Once I knew David was fit and well, it was a no-brainer to bring him back.

“He’s suffered a couple of torrid years with injuries, but he now seems as keen as he’s ever been. He’s not an old man by any means; he’s still got potentially around 10 years left in him as a speedway rider.

“I consider David to be on a gift average. He’s only on 6.34 because he had injuries, which took a toll on both his mind and body.

“I see a fully-charged David as another contender for the No 1 spot at the Eddie Wright Raceway. Before his problems, he was the No 1 here between 2009 and 2011.”

Howe realised he was lacking in upper body strength as the 2013 season progressed, but he has rectified this and built his body back up.

Godfrey added: “David is now able to do pull-ups with his arms, up to the ceiling of the speedway pits. He couldn’t have done that the last two years.

“I can tell he’s already fit and raring to go, and he’ll be using our track throughout the winter to make sure he starts next season stronger than ever.”

Howe’s speedway career started with the Peterborough Thundercats in the Amateur League (now called the National League) when he was aged just 15.

Uniquely he won three successive league titles with Peterborough at three different levels – Amateur League in 1997, Premier League in 1998 and Elite League in 1999.

He joined the Wolverhampton in 2002 and spent six of the next seven seasons at Monmore Green, the exception being 2006 when he was loaned to Oxford.

A former British Under-21 Champion, David also knows what it’s like to race at the highest level as he has made three Speedway Grand Prix appearances – in the British GP twice (2003 and 2007) and the Slovenian GP (2003).

Godfrey concluded: “David is a quality act, and I’m delighted he is back.”

2014 Scunthorpe Scorpions – confirmed starters (with Green Sheet average for team building purposes):
Anders Mellgren 7.33
Josh Auty 7.24
David Howe 6.34
Ryan Douglas 5.03