BRITISH SPEEDWAY DECEMBER 30, 2023

(SPEEDWAY 1)

CHRIS HOLDER SIGNS FOR A YEAR WITH TIGERS

FOR 2024 SHEFFIELD manager Simon Stead feels former World Champion Chris Holder could prove to be one of the bargains of the season.
Holder, who joined the Owlerton club in the latter stages of 2023, became a title hero for the Tigers back in October in a dramatic finale to the Sports Insure Premiership campaign.

Now he’s signed on for a full year with the defending champions where he is set to provide top-end support for younger brother Jack and another ex-World Champion Tai Woffinden.

Stead said: “We asked him to go out there and help get the job done in that last-heat decider against Ipswich, and for him to race at that level and finish on a real high note when under immense pressure deserves so much credit.
“So if he can do things like that after only a couple of months then I really am excited to see just how he can perform if he’s racing competitively consistently, and he could prove to be an absolute bargain on a 7.16 starting average.”
 
(SPEEDWAY 2)

SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey believes continuity will play a big part in his club’s challenge for Cab Direct Championship honours next season.
The Scorpions clinched the KO Cup this year with a superb display in the Final against Poole, and they will go into 2024 with five members of that team still at the Eddie Wright Raceway.

Godfrey said: “Our 2023 side had an exceptional team spirit, so it’s good to retain most of that team, with Jake (Allen), Michael (Palm Toft), Simon (Lambert), Connor (Mountain) and Nathan (Ablitt) all returning.
“Only Ryan (Douglas) and Drew (Kemp) are not back.

Ryan has moved into the top-flight in Poland, which is a tremendous opportunity for him. With Drew, it was with a heavy heart that we didn’t bring him back, because he was pivotal in us winning the Cup, scoring paid 23 across the two legs of the Final.

“Drew had been down in the dumps at the end of the previous season, but we were able to bring him in and he totally turned himself around, which was great to see. He’s been quickly snapped up by Berwick and I hope he has a good year with them.
“It’s always a jigsaw puzzle, and we’ve constructed a side that comes in bang on the 38.00 limit. I believe we have a strong top five, accompanied by two very talented young British riders at reserve.”