Scorpions retain magnificent seven for 2017

SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS will race into a new era of British Speedway with exactly the same seven riders from the end of last season.

And promoter Rob Godfrey is convinced that stability can launch the club towards a genuine title-tilt in the new look SGB Championship – and possible promotion to the SGB Premiership in 2018.

The already announced Ryan Douglas will be joined by Josh Auty, Michael Palm Toft, Carl Wilkinson, Lewis Kerr, Fritz Wallner and Josh Bailey.

Scorpions made a number of team changes during a difficult 2016, but hit on the winning formula towards the end of the season – and Godfrey sees no point in changing it.

“We can hit the ground running in 2017”, he states.

“There will be no-one new in the team, so no-one will need to learn the fastest lines around the Eddie Wright Raceway.

“Other teams will have new riders settling in, but we won’t have that.

“We knew we had the makings of a very good team at the end of last season.

“I believe had we started last year with the team we ended it with, then we would have been in the play-offs. I can see no reason why that can’t happen in 2017, and once you’re in the play-offs, you have every chance of winning the league.

“Our aim is to win a place in speedway’s top flight for the first-time ever in 2018. I think there could be exciting times ahead for both the club and the sport.”

YOUR 2017 SCORPIONS

RYAN DOUGLAS – Popular Australian who will be in his fifth successive season with the club in 2017. Won the individual event in the 2016 Premier League Fours – the first-ever major event individual victory for a Scorpion at second-tier level.

JOSH AUTY – Tagged both “Mr. Scunthorpe” and “Mr. Entertainment”. The 26-year-old made his debut for Scorpions just after his 15th birthday in 2005. Has won more league titles with Scunthorpe than any other rider (2012 Premier League, plus the 2006/2007 Conference League) and he is the club’s leading all-time points scorer.

MICHAEL PALM TOFT – The Dane is another member of the 2012 Premier League championship winning squad, achieved during his initial spell at Scunthorpe (2011-2013). A club asset who returned ‘home’ to Scunthorpe mid-last-season, and ended the season freely scoring points, both for Scorpions and in guest appearances at Elite League level.

CARL WILKINSON – The 35-year-old is a real cult hero at Scunthorpe for his 100% efforts. ‘Wilko’ first rode for the club between 2008 and 2011, and returned at the beginning of 2015.

LEWIS KERR – Scunthorpe fought off several other clubs for his signature, after he was released by Ipswich mid-last-season. Now back to his old self following life-threatening injuries that briefly left him in a coma in 2015, and judging by his form around the Eddie Wright Raceway at the end of last season, an absolute steal on a 5.98 average.

FRITZ WALLNER – The 30-year-old Austrian came in for the injured Alex Davies last August, and quickly became hugely popular with Scorpions’ fans due to his fence-scraping antics around the Eddie Wright Raceway.

JOSH BAILEY – The 19-year-old from Norfolk was thrown into the deep end with Scorpions in 2016, but coped well, taking a number of notable scalps. Has a very nice style and is only going to get better.

SCORPIONS 2017 (with starting Green Sheet average):

Ryan Douglas (7.18)
Josh Auty (7.01)
Michael Palm Toft (6.98)
Carl Wilkinson (6.12)
Lewis Kerr (5.98)
Fritz Wallner (4.00)
Josh Bailey (2.05)