Busy week for Scorpions
FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions entertain old rivals Plymouth Devils at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Sunday (3pm), in a busy week that sees the club involved in three Premier League meetings in four days.
The Scorpions compete in two away meetings, at Ipswich tonight (Thursday) and Rye House on Saturday.
The clash between the Scorpions and Devils at Scunthorpe on Sunday is followed by a National League fixture between the Scunthorpe Stags and the King’s Lynn Young Stars.
The Scorpions are actually top of the Premier League table at the moment – having defeated reigning champions Somerset 46-44 in the only PL fixture so far this year!
With another three PL fixtures in the next few days, the Scorpions have the chance to steal a march on their rivals.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We’ve got a good chance of taking some good points from this week’s meetings.
“I’m not going to set a points target, because it’s been very unpredictable so far this season. In the League Cup, nearly everyone dropped points at home at one point or another.
“The Premier League promises to be a wide-open, competitive league in 2014, which is good for every team in the league.
“We’ve gone for a horses-for-courses policy regarding the guests for the injured Anders Mellgren this week.
“Leigh Lanham used to ride for Ipswich, so we’ve book him for the meeting there, and likewise with Pontus Aspgren on Rye House on Saturday.”
At the moment, it seems likely that the Scorpions will utilise rider replacement for the visit of the Plymouth Devils on Sunday. R/R scored paid 10 against Newcastle at the EWR on Good Friday.
Any Scunthorpe vs Plymouth clash always has plenty of spice.
The two clubs battled for the silverware at Conference Level in both 2006 and 2007, with a Scorpions team led by Tai Woffinden – now the World Champion – and Josh Auty nearly always coming out on top.
Sunday’s fixture sees the return of Plymouth’s Kalle Katajisto to the Eddie Wright Raceway, who suffered neck injuries at the track last season.
Ben Barker is the No 1 for the Devils. Last year, the breathtaking duels between him and Josh Auty (pictured), when Barker was riding for Ipswich, had to been seen to be believed.
Sunday’s adult admission price for the double-header is £17. It’s just £2 more than a single Premier League meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway, for 15 extra heats of action.
The circuit rightfully has won the award, several times, for being the best racetrack in the Premier League, so a full and exciting day of racing is ahead.
Admission prices for Sunday:
Adult: £17.00
Student/OAP: £15.00
Child (10 – 17): £5.00
Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult)
Family Ticket £39 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17)
Match Programme: £1.00
Expected teams for Sunday (English unless stated):
FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Rider replacement for Anders Mellgren (Sweden), 2. David Howe, 3. Thomas Jørgensen (Denmark), 4. Ashley Birks, 5. Josh Auty, 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Ryan Douglas (Australia).
Plymouth Devils: 1. Ben Barker, 2. Kyle Newman, 3. Roland Benko (Hungary), 4. Rasmus Jensen (Denmark), 5. Sam Simota (Czech Republic), 6. Kalle Katajisto (Finland), 7. Ben Reade.
Scunthorpe Stags: 1. Steve Jones, 2. Sam Chapman, 3. Danno Verge, 4. R/R for Arron Mogridge , 5. Adam Kirby, 6. Liam Sanderson, 7. Ryan MacDonald (Scotland), 8. Tyler Govier.
King’s Lynn Young Stars: 1. R/R for Lewis Rose, 2. Darren Mallett, 3. James Cockle, 4. Marc Owen, 5. Kyle Hughes, 6. Josh Bailey, 7. Scott Campos.
Plymouth Devils at EWR
Ave Ave Best
Name Lge M R Pts BP (no BP) (w BP) Performance
Ben Barker PL 5 24 51 2 8.50 8.83 15 from 5 rides (2008)
Roland Benko DEBUT PL MEETING @ EWR
Rasmus Jensen PL 1 5 8 1 6.40 7.20 8 + 1 from 5 rides (2013)
Kalle Katajisto PL 3 13 24 1 7.38 7.69 15 from 6 rides (2010)
Kyle Newman PL 4 17 14 3 3.29 4.00 7 + 1 from 4 rides (2013)
Ben Reade PL 1 3 0 0 0.00 0.00
Zdenek Simota DEBUT PL MEETING @ EWR
Other Notes
Ben Barker
Has represented Great Britain in Speedway World Cup Events.
Member of Oxford’s Conference League Championship Winning Team in 2005.
Member of Coventry’s Elite League Championship Winning Team in 2010.
Member of Stoke’s Conference League Four Team Championship Winning Team in 2006.
Member of Coventry’s Craven Shield Winning Team in 2008.
Named as a ‘doubling-up’ rider with Birmingham for the 2014 Elite League Season.
Roland Benko
Hungarian rider in his debut British League season.
Rode at the EWR in one of the Amateur Meetings last July and scored 8 points from 3 completed rides.
Rasmus Jensen
Returns to the Plymouth side after making his British league debut with them last season.
Kalle Katajisto
Member of Edinburgh’s Premier League Championship Winning Team in 2010.
Member of Edinburgh’s Premier League Play-Off Winning Team in 2009.
Kyle Newman
Winner of Queensland State Under-21 Championships in 2011.
Member of Weymouth’s Conference League Championship Winning Team in 2008.
Member of Bournemouth’s National League Championship and KO Cup Winning Teams in 2009.
Member of Newcastle’s Premier Shield Winning Team in 2011.
Member of Somerset’s League Cup Winning Team in 2012.
Member of Somerset’s Premier League Championship and KO Cup Winning Teams in 2013.
Ben Reade
A Fast-Track Reserve with Belle Vue for the 2014 season.
A member of the Devon Demons 2014 National League team.
Made his first appearance in the National League, riding as a guest in 2009 for Plymouth.
Zdenek Simota
Made his British League debut in the 2005 Premier League with Reading.
2004 Czech Republic Under-21 Champion.
Making his return to the British Leagues – last rode in 2008.
Plymouth Devils’ PL Results at EWR
19 August 2011 PL L Scunthorpe 56 Plymouth 37
02 September 2012 PL L Scunthorpe 54 Plymouth 39
16 August 2013 PL L Scunthorpe 56 Plymouth 34
