The race for the SGB Championship Play Offs carries on, on Tuesday evening (September 7th.) with the arrival to Central Park of 4th. placed Scunthorpe Scorpions.
The North Lincs side have been one of the surprise packets of the 2021 Speedway season and their number one Adam Ellis is in the form of his life, winning the British Final last month to take his first national title in the sport. The French-born Ellis, of course, has form around the Central Park circuit having been track record holder for over four years before his mark was lowered earlier this term.
Talking of Central Park track specialists, they don’t come any more distinguished than the Scorpions’ skipper, Simon Lambert. A record breaking three times winner of the Kent Laurels from 2013 to 2015, Simon was the Kings’ skipper in the middle of those three years and remains one of the most popular riders ever to wear the Invicta race jacket. With the new averages out as September opens, Lambert finds himself remarkably sixth in the Scunthorpe averages – and It’s fair to say this means he may very well be the sting in this set of Scorpions’ tail.
The visitors though are two riders down by their side which has got them to the cusp of play off qualification: missing through injury both their former GB Youth Champion Jordan Palin and Finnish star (top scorer when the teams met at Scunthorpe’s Normanby Rd track in July) Tero Aarnio. The Rider Replacement facility is in use for their ‘Rising Star’ Palin, while the ‘Guest’ for Aarnio is Broc Nicol. The American top scored with paid 14 for Glasgow Tigers in the Kings’ first home match of the season, so it seems that the Scunthorpe management have made a shrewd choice in drafting in the Californian.
There are three other members of their cosmopolitan line up; New South Wales-born born Josh MacDonald is their Aussie; and there’s huge experience in the form of long time club servant Dane, Thomas Jorgensen and forty-something but still clogging along with some useful scores, Dutchman Theo Pijper.
For the hosts they’ll be looking to carry on their excellent home form by recording a fifth consecutive win at ‘fortress’ Central Park.
Teams [in alphabetical order – with new averages for September]
Kent TouchTec Kings Troy Batchelor 11.09; Dan Gilkes 1*; Cameron Heeps 5.38; Ben Morley 4.36; Jake Mulford 2.00; Scott Nicholls (C) 9.33; Paul Starke 6.65 NB. 1* = Rising Star grade
Scunthorpe Scorpions Adam Ellis 8.04; Thomas Jørgensen 7.11; Simon Lambert (C) 5.81; Josh MacDonald 4.00; Broc Nicol [G] [6.61**]; Theo Pijper 6.02; R/R for Jordan Palin 1* NB. 6.61** is the average of the missing Tero Aarnio