STEVE WORRALL THIRD IN CLRC
RETURNING HERO Steve Worrall was close to winning the prestigious Championship League Riders’ Championship (CLRC) at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway on Sunday afternoon.
33-year-old Worrall has rejoined Scorpions as their No 1 in 2025, the track where he started his speedway career in 2009. He last rode for the North Lincolnshire club in 2018.
He missed the closing months of last season through illness, but bounced back in style over the weekend. Firstly, Worrall scored 12 points in the Championship Pairs at Workington on Saturday. Team-mate Simon Lambert found the going tough and Scorpions finished seventh in the standings, missing out on the semi-finals.
At Scunthorpe, Worrall topped the CLRC qualifying scores on 14 points. Three tapes-to-flag victories were followed by an overtake on Scunthorpe team-mate Jake Allen to win Heat 14. He dropped his only point in the qualifiers when he was passed by Charles Wright in Heat 17 – but second place ensured he finished as top scorer and would have pick of the gates in the final race.
Worrall plumped for gate two in the final. But he found himself beaten to the first turn by 2024 Scorpion Kyle Howarth. When Howarth moved across to block Worrall’s run, Chris Harris pounced and moved through to first place. Harris won ahead of Glasgow team-mate Howarth, while Worrall had to settle for third place.
There were three Scorpions on display, with neither Allen (six points) or Lambert (five points) reaching the semi-final.
The meeting attracted a very healthy crowd to the Eddie Wright Raceway who enjoyed speedway in the sunshine.
Steve Worrall said: “I am happy to finish third. There was a question mark considering my situation at the end of last year, but I know I’m a capable rider and today I’ve proven that.
“It’s been straight into the deep end this weekend, with two really competitive meetings, featuring the top riders in the Cab Direct Championship. I did well at Workington in the pairs and today was even better.
“I’m pleased how well everything seems to have worked this weekend; it certainly makes life easier when you feel your machinery is going well. I feel I got to grips with the track well today.
“I did have a game plan for the final in the first corner. But I didn’t anticipate Kyle (Howarth) getting such a good gate from the inside. He then ran us both wide and left the door open for Bomber (Chris Harris). At the end of the day, the other guys were a bit more race sharp than me when it came to the final.
“It’s always slightly disappointing in a way to be in the final and not win it, but finishing on the podium does make up for that.
“Riding for Scunthorpe does make it a lot easier for me. Home meetings are only 40 minutes away, rather than four hours away. I can prepare better for meetings, and my family and everyone close to me can come and watch. It makes me feel more at ease so that I can enjoy my racing.”
CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP, Scunthorpe
Qualifying scores: Steve Worrall 14, Charles Wright 11, Kyle Howarth 10, Chris Harris 9, Richard Lawson 9, Ben Barker 8, Danny King 8, Sam Masters 8, Antti Vuolas 8, Justin Sedgmen 7, Drew Kemp 6, Jake Allen 6, Tate Zischke 5, Simon Lambert 5, Dan Thompson 5, Luke Harrison (res) 1, Kye Thomson 0.
SEMI-FINAL: Howarth, Harris, Lawson, Barker.
FINAL: Harris, Howarth, Worrall, Wright.
* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions take to the track for the first time as a team at Oxford on Wednesday (April 9) in the first leg of the quarter-final of the MAXiCab Knockout Cup. The opening home action for both Scorpions and National League Steelers is against the respective Redcar sides at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Good Friday (April 18) in a double-header commencing at 3pm.
