Bank Holiday Monday double-header preview

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions are aiming to move up the SGB Championship table in a big twenty-four hours for the club. Scorpions travel to Newcastle on Sunday evening (6.30pm), before entertaining both Newcastle Diamonds and Workington Comets in a 30-race double-header at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon (3.00pm).

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey says: “We’ve made no secret that we’d like to move up the SGB Championship league table a couple of places before the end of the season.

“It’s going to be a tough ask, because Newcastle and Workington have matches in hand on us, rather than the other way around.

“But our next three meetings are against these two clubs, and if the results go in our favour, it gives us a chance of catching them.

“A double victory – worth six points – at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Monday is a must, while a win at Newcastle is not out of the question, because we were only lost by two points up there earlier in the season.

“We used to be on a hiding to nothing when we went up to Newcastle, but we now have a number of riders who can score good points at Brough Park. Lewis Kerr, Michael Palm Toft and Tero Aarnio were all in double figures on that previous visit in May.”

Godfrey stresses that he needs a decent crowd for the double-header at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Monday.

He says: “We’ve done everything we can to make the double-header as attractive to supporters as possible.

“It’s only £5 more for full-price adults, for double the action. In fact, there are significant savings across the board, compared to the price of two stand-alone SGB Championship meetings.

“It’s an expensive meeting to put on. The admission prices are great value and we need the fans to respond, by coming through the turnstiles.

“It’s going to be a fascinating afternoon’s action, with Newcastle and Workington the two clubs directly above us in the SGB Championship table.

“There’s some highly attractive visiting riders on display, such as Robert Lambert, who has recently won both the European Under-21 and European Under-19 championships. That’s fantastic for British Speedway and I congratulate him on that double.

“On Bank Holiday Monday, we see him in battle against our own Scorpions. Josh Auty was on top form against Peterborough last week, with 17 points, and Josh’s races against Robert Lambert should be worth the admission fee alone.

“We’d also think the meeting will be highly attractive to any neutral fans, who want to see a real feast of 30 heats of speedway action for a reasonable cost”, Godfrey concludes.

Admission prices for Bank Holiday Monday:

All Adults (Adults / Student / OAP): £20.00
Child (10 – 17): £5.00
Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult)
No family tickets
Match Programme: £1.00

The savings:

Full paying adult. Usual price for two single headers = £30. Monday’s price = £20. SAVING of £10.
Student / OAP. Usual price for two single headers = £26. Monday’s price = £20. SAVING of £6.
Child (aged 10-17). Usual price for two single headers = £10. Monday’s price = £5. SAVING of £5.

Expected teams for Bank Holiday Monday (updated):

Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Michael Palm Toft (captain), 2. David Howe (guest), 3. Lewis Kerr, 4. Ryan Douglas, 5. Josh Auty, 6. Tero Aarnio, 7. Josh Bailey.

Newcastle Diamonds: 1. Robert Lambert, 2. Ashley Morris, 3. Kevin Doolan (guest), 4. Ludvig Lindgren, 5. Aaron Summers (guest), 6. Ben Hopwood, 7. Alfie Bowtell.

Workington Comets: 1. Aaron Summers (guest), 2. Mason Campton, 3. Ty Proctor, 4. Matt Williamson, 5. Thomas Jorgensen, 6. James Sarjeant, 7. Tom Woolley (guest).

* SCORPIONS will hold their annual collection for the Speedway Riders’ Benevolent Fund on Bank Holiday Monday, between the two meetings. It’s a massively worthy cause, with £98,000 paid to 30 riders during 2016 – beneficiaries are both current riders with injuries, plus those who have been left wheelchair bound due to a speedway accident.