The Wightlink Warriors US Style Handicap speedway fixture planned for Thursday (14th July) at Smallbrook Stadium in Ryde will have a slightly different format from previous seasons.
As opposed to the usual 12 rider set-up for this style of event, those in charge have elected to have a field of just 8 riders after they admitted struggles trying to find the full ccomplement
Warriors’ co-owner Barry Bishop explained:
“Our management team has encountered unprecedented difficulty in getting together a 12-rider field that is the norm for this type of event. Meetings elsewhere in the UK and Europe plus the rising number of COVID 19 cases have combined to give us a major headache and we really have burnt the midnight oil-making approaches to riders up and down the country – mostly without luck.
“However, we have been able to secure 8 willing and able riders who we feel will do justice to the event and we are indebted to them for supporting us. In addition to the Handicap racing we will also include a support class which will bring us up to the usual consist of 15 races and of course we are thrilled to be staging the first round of the NORA British Ladies Championship sponsored by Jason Waring which will run over a further 6 heats and will feature our own Island residents Steph Whitlock and Anastasia Sallee.”
Riders expected to attend the Handicap event include Danno Verge, Henry Atkins, George Congreve, Rhys Naylor, David Abraham, Jamie Sealey, Morgan Williams and James Laker whilst the support class is likely to see Giles Dismore, Bill Haynes, Rob Snow and Rob Wright spinning their wheels again.
In addition to the two Island ladies in the NORA Championship, the line-up should also see Taya Thirtle, Katie Gordon, Charlie Brooks, Roksana Brzeska, Ruth Holder-Smith and Natasha Bartlett.
Gates at Smallbrook open at 17:15, pre-meeting demonstrations commence at 18:10 with the main event from 19:00.
