Team GB star visits the Eddie Wright Raceway
GREAT BRITAIN International Danny King will make his first-ever visit to the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday (7.30pm), as the FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions entertain the Newcastle Diamonds in a highly-anticipated Premier League encounter.
With the Scorpions also making the return trip to Newcastle on Sunday evening, either team could take up to a maximum of seven points from the two fixtures.
King, who has competed in the Speedway World Cup in previous seasons, was signed by Newcastle as part of a recent reshuffle, after a slow start to the season for the Diamonds. The Northeast club currently sit in sixth place in the Premier League table, two places behind fourth-placed Scunthorpe.
Scunthorpe’s own former World Cup star, Dane Nicolai Klindt, returns to action for the Scorpions this week, having missed last week’s 55-38 win over Ipswich, to compete in the semi-finals of the Grand Prix qualifiers in Poland. Klindt qualified for the final and is now just five rides away from the 2015 Grand Prix series.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey has recently revealed that Klindt – initially brought in as a 28-day replacement for the injured Anders Mellgren – will remain in Scorpions’ colours for the rest of the season.
Last week’s win against Ipswich saw the Scorpions pulling together to put in a fine team performance. Discounting guest Ulrich Ostergaard, the six regular Scorpions scored 12, 10+2, 9+2, 8+1, 8 and 3+1. The 3+1 would have been a 5+2 if not for a highly debatable for Matt Williamson in Heat 14.
Team manager Dave Peet said: “We were on it and put in a professional performance against the Witches. It was pleasing the way we rode, especially as it was a team performance where everyone contributed.
“We’ll approach the Newcastle home match this week in a similar fashion. To end up in a good league position, a team does need to take the three league points from the majority of its home meetings. We won’t be complacent against the Diamonds; we’ll be out there knowing the job that we need to do.”
A huge boost for the Scorpions have been the form of the revitalised Thomas Jorgensen and Josh Auty in the last couple of meetings.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey revealed: “Thomas suffered a major engine blow-up at Peterborough a few weeks ago, which landed him with something like a £1700 bill. Thanks to the STING fund (which raises its money through raffles and other fund raisers) and people like Andy Barker and Tom Belton, we were able to help Thomas out.
“He’s been in brilliant form since he sorted his engine out. It’s great to see, because we knew all along that Thomas had the talent, it just a case of getting the bikes underneath sorted out.”
There are 24 heats of action in total on Friday night, with a nine-heat second half, including a Midland Development League match between Castleford and King’s Lynn.
Admission prices for Friday:
Adult: £15.00
Student/OAP: £13.00
Child (10 – 17): £5.00
Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult)
Family Ticket £35 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17)
Match Programme: £1.00
Expected teams for Friday (English unless stated):
FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Nicolai Klindt (Denmark), 2. David Howe, 3. Ashley Birks, 4, Josh Auty, 5. Ryan Douglas (Australia), 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Thomas Jørgensen (Denmark).
Newcastle Diamonds: 1. Danny King, 2. R/R for Lewis Kerr, 3. Stuart Robson or guest, 4. Lewis Rose, 5. Ludvig Lindgren (Sweden), 6. Simon Lambert (guest), 7. Chris Mills.
Midland Development League teams:
Castleford: 1. Adam Portwood, 2. Tom Bacon, 3. TBC, 4. Paul Bowen.
King’s Lynn: 1. Josh Bailey, 2. Layne Cupitt, 3. Adam Kirkby, 4. Ryan Kinsley.
Newcastle Diamonds at EWR
Ave Ave Best
Name Lge M R Pts BP (no BP) (w BP) Performance
Daniel King DEBUT PL MEETING @ EWR
Ludvig Lindgren PL 6 28 48 2 6.86 7.14 14 from 5 rides (inc 4 pts T/R (2009))
Chris Mills PL 6 21 13 5 2.48 3.43 5 + 3 from 5 rides (2010)
Stuart Robson PL 7 35 69 4 7.89 8.34 15 from 5 rides (inc 6 pts T/R (2014))
Lewis Rose DEBUT PL MEETING @ EWR
Other Notes
Daniel King
Has ridden for Team GB in World Cup Events.
Captain of Birmingham’s Elite League Team.
Member of Peterborough’s Conference League Championship Winning Team in 2002.
2004 British Under-18 Champion.
Member of Rye House’s Premier League Championship Winning Team in 2005.
Ludvig Lindgren
Member of Wolverhampton’s Elite Shield Winning Teams in 2010 and 2011.
Member of Newcastle’s Premier League KO Cup Winning Team in 2012.
Member of Newcastle’s League Cup and Premier Shield Winning Teams in 2013.
Chris Mills
Joined Newcastle at the end of May having been released by Workington.
Member of Oxford’s Conference League Championship Winning Team in 2005.
Member of King’s Lynn’s Premier League Championship, KO Cup and Premier Trophy Winning Teams in 2006.
Member of King’s Lynn’s Premier League KO Cup and Premier Trophy Winning Teams in 2007.
Member of Newcastle’s Premier League KO Cup Winning Team in 2012.
Stuart Robson
Member of Coventry’s Craven Shield Winning Team in 2000.
Member of Rye House’s Premier League and Premier Trophy Winning Teams in 2005.
Member of Lakeside’s Elite League KO Cup Winning Team in 2009.
Member of Newcastle’s Premier Shield Winning Team in 2011 and 2013.
Member of Newcastle’s Premier League KO Cup Winning Team in 2012.
Lewis Rose
Riding in his first full season at Premier League level.
A Fast-Track Reserve with King’s Lynn for the 2014 Elite League season.
Also rides for King’s Lynn’s 2014 National League Team.
Newcastle’s Results at EWR:
04 April 2008 PT L Scunthorpe 55 Newcastle 38
16 May 2008 PL L Scunthorpe 56 Newcastle 36
08 May 2009 KOC (1) L Scunthorpe 65 Newcastle 25
07 August 2009 PL L Scunthorpe 51 Newcastle 45
14 May 2010 KOC (1) L Scunthorpe 49 Newcastle 41
23 July 2010 PL L Scunthorpe 52 Newcastle 39
01 April 2011 PL L Scunthorpe 47 Newcastle 42
30 March 2012 LC L Scunthorpe 46 Newcastle 44
13 July 2012 PL L Scunthorpe 48 Newcastle 42
12 April 2013 PS (1) L Scunthorpe 50 Newcastle 43
05 July 2013 PL L Scunthorpe 46 Newcastle 44
18 April 2014 LC L Scunthorpe 49 Newcastle 44
