- Rob Dyer
Meeting Previews - Warriors v Fen Tigers (NL) + Wizards v Racers (SDL)
The Warriors face their sternest test of the season this Thursday (16 August) when the unbeaten league leaders from Mildenhall visit the Andrew Younie Smallbrook Stadium for a National League fixture.
The evening will again see another twenty one race programme as the ‘Wightlink’ Wizards development team are also in action against the Reading Racers immediately after the main meeting.
The visiting Fen Tigers have been the stand out team in the division this season and have already taken a big win at Smallbrook in the National Trophy – a competition which will see the Fen Tigers take on Cradley in the two legged final in mid-September.
On that previous visit, the Fen Tigers wonder-kid Drew Kemp scored a fifteen point maximum, but sadly the Island public will not be seeing his superb skills this week as he makes his Championship debut for Ipswich on the same night. In his absence the visitors have opted to protect their eleven match unbeaten run by using the Rider Replacement facility, confident in the ability of their remaining six team members to cover for their absent number one.
Warriors go into the meeting with their heat leaders in good form on home shale and will be boosted by the return of Chris Widman who hopes to return having recovered from the broken wrist suffered six weeks ago. Jamie Bursill will again take one of the reserve positions.
Make no mistake, it will need a mammoth effort from the Warriors to achieve a positive result and co-promoter Barry Bishop is urging the fans to turn out in force to support them. He interrupted his work on returning the Andrew Younie stadium to normal after the very successful ‘Jack Up The 80’s’ weekend to say, “Mildenhall have been so impressive in our league this year and look to be on course to meet some really stretching goals set by their management. We are going to have to be at our very best to compete with them and I would urge all Island speedway fans to come along on Thursday for what I’m sure will be a cracking meeting.
We also have the Wightlink Wizards completing their SDL home fixtures against Reading so it’s another bumper programme that will be full of fun and excitement – in fact something for everyone so do come and join us and give your vocal support. The riders really do appreciate it”.
The evening will also see the annual collection for the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund – the charity that provides financial assistance to injured riders.
Warriors : Ben Morley, Danno Verge, Scott Campos, Chris Widman, Alfie Bowtell, Jamie Bursill, Shaun Tedham.
Fen Tigers : Rider Replacement for Drew Kemp, Ryan Kinsley, Josh Bailey, Jordan Jenkins, Danny Ayres, Matt Marson, Sam Bebee.
Wizards: Rob Watts, Ben Ilsley, Jamie Sealey, Chris Watts.
Racers: Nick Laurence, Stephen Whitehouse, Jamie Bursill, Bailey Fellowes.
As usual, gates will open at 5.30, open pit access from 5.45 to 6.15, pre-meeting demonstrations from 6.15 ahead of the parade of riders with the tapes up at 7.00 pm.