MPT happy to be back at Scunthorpe

DASHING DANE Michael Palm Toft is excited to be back at Scunthorpe – and is looking forward to getting amongst the points for the Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions straight away.

The 25-year-old was snapped up by Scorpions following his release from Peterborough and makes his seasonal debut in the home meeting against local rivals Sheffield at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Sunday (6.30pm).

His previous spell at Scunthorpe stretched between 2011 and 2013. He started his British career with the club in 2011 and was a crucial part of Scorpions’ 2012 championship-winning side.

He said: “It’s going to be exciting to be back at Scunthorpe and I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do.

“I live only 45 minutes away and it’s a track I know well.”

Palm Toft goes into the Scorpions’ line-up at No 4, forming a partnership with Alex Davies.

“I have ridden with Alex a few times before”, he reveals. “And there’s a funny story from last year about me and Alex when I guested for Scunthorpe at Workington.

“We found ourselves sitting in the same traffic queue for a long time. I found another route to go and so he just followed me all the way up there and we just made it in time for the meeting!”

He also revealed that he played a major role in Scunthorpe signing fellow Dane Andreas Lyager towards the end of last season.

Like Palm Toft, Lyager will be making his first appearance of the season for Scorpions against Sheffield on Sunday.

“I actually helped Andreas get to Scunthorpe last year,” says Michael. “His family contacted me and asked me, ‘what about Scunthorpe?’, so I just told him what he needed to do to get into English speedway.

“He looks like he’s scoring points at the moment overseas so it will be good if he can pick that form up over here.

“You know how it is when you get to England, though, the tracks are all different and I know he hasn’t ridden at all the tracks here yet, and that can break a few riders.

“I don’t know him 100%, but I think he is a strong character so he should be able to pick himself up even if he has a bad one.”