IT'S a busy weekend at the Newport Speedway Stadium as the Hornets face the Isle of Wight Islanders in the National League on Saturday (tapes up 2.30pm) and the Wasps race the Redcar Bears in their first Premier League fixture on Sunday (tapes also up 2.30pm).
For Saturday’s encounter the visitors will be led by a rider who knows all the racing lines at Newport’s 285m shale oval in the shape of their skipper Nick Simmons.
Simmons spent several seasons as a Newport Wasp and he is joined in a strong opening partnership by veteran Dean Felton.
The remainder of the Island side are young up and coming riders who will provide lively opposition to a Newport Hornets team who started their season in style with a convincing 57-37 victory over the touring Team Viking from Scandinavia.
Tony Atkin again leads from the front and is partnered by Australian newcomer Mark Jones.
Newport’s teenage Aussie Todd Kurtz is allowed to double up with the Wasps and the Hornets and is looking forward to the additional race time.
The team also have the distinction of tracking two Newportonians at reserve with James White-Williams and Tom Young taking the six and seven berths.
NEWPORT ‘WESSEX BUS’ HORNETS: 1. Tony Atkin (C), 2. Mark Jones, 3. Kyle Newman, 4. Todd Kurtz, 5. Tim Webster, 6. James White-Williams, 7. Tom Young ISLE OF WIGHT ISLANDERS: 1. Nick Simmons (C), 2. Dean Felton, 3. Danny Warwick, 4. Brendan Johnson, 5. Ben Hopwood, 6. Dan Blake, 7. Tom Hill There will be a Grand Prix night in the Wasps Nest bar after the match watching the first round of the World Championship series from Poland.
Sunday sees one of Britain’s most successful speedway riders visit South Wales with the Redcar Bears at the track in Premier League action.
Gary Havelock has won every individual honour at World, European and British level in a glittering career that now reaches its 26th season and shows no sign of abating.
The former World Champion leads a solid top five backed by two very capable reserves Stuart Swales and Jan Graversen but the Wasps are buoyed by their 57-37 home victory last weekend over the Somerset Rebels and an intriguing battle looks on the cards.
Wasps team manager Kevin Brown has reshuffled his pack and moves Craig Watson to number three in the riding order and Anders Mellgren to number two.
Alex Davies also returns to the side having recovered from the arm injury which stalled the 17-year-old Australian’s excellent start to his British career.
Commented Kevin: “Leigh Lanham and Craig have admittedly formed a powerful partnership but Anders is far less experienced and understandably struggles for consistency at this stage of his career.
“Riding at number two gives him more chance of points in the eighth heat of the race formula while Craig is capable of dealing with all and any of the opposition wherever he rides. I am also pleased to report that Alex has come through a closed door practice and can’t wait to get to the tapes and race again.”
NEWPORT ‘DARLOWS’ WASPS: 1. Leigh Lanham (C), 2. Anders Mellgren, 3. Craig Watson, 4. Kyle Legault, 5. Kim Nilsson, 6. Todd Kurtz, 7. Alex Davies REDCAR BEARS: 1. Gary Havelock (C), 2. Tomas Suchanek, 3. Maks Gregoric, 4. Ben Wilson, 5. Emiliano Sanchez, 6. Stuart Swales, 7. Jan Graversen. Full club details can be found on www.newportwasps.com with scores and further news updates on the club hotline; 09066 555 915.
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