BRITISH SPEEDWAY DECEMBER 15, 2023

(SPEEDWAY 1)

COOK JOINS BELLE VUE ACES

AUSTRALIAN racer Ben Cook is delighted to have made the switch to Belle Vue in the Sports Insure Premiership.
Cook made his top-flight debut with Peterborough this year and showed rapid progress as he adjusted to the new tracks, and with the Panthers unable to race in 2024 with their Showground home unavailable, he has been snapped up by the Aces.
Said Cook: “I took a lot of positives from 2023. It was a steep learning experience, racing against riders who are not only experienced at that level but who are World Championship contenders.

“That’s who I need to be competing against if I want to improve and I think I showed what I’m capable of in how I grew from the start of the season to the end of it.
“When I got the call from Lemo [Mark Lemon] it was a no brainer for me to join Belle Vue. I’d had a few other clubs put out the feelers, but this is where I wanted to be.
“I’ve guested a few times at the National Stadium and it’s such a cool racetrack. I’ve known quite a lot of the boys for a long time, especially Brady [Kurtz] and Jaimon [Lidsey]. I think once we get dialled in, we’ll be tough to beat at home.”
 
(SPEEDWAY 2)

NICO Covatti is heading back to the UK to spearhead Plymouth’s challenge in the Cab Direct Championship next season.
The seven-times Italian Champion last rode in this country for Somerset in 2019 having previously had multi-year spells with Birmingham and Ipswich, and he reached the Grand Prix Challenge this year after finishing second in his qualifier at Lonigo.
Gladiators boss Garry May said: “Nico rode with me at Somerset, so I have worked with him before, and he is a very good rider in this league and at this level. If he can get the hang of the Plymouth track, then he could be very good.

“He texted me and said, ‘Gazza, I want to come back and ride for you,’ so that was it really! I think he had calls from a couple of other clubs, but he sent me a text to say he didn’t want to go there, do me a deal! I spoke to Mark (Phillips), we did a deal and that was it. He was so easy to work with.
“He’ll be a very good signing I think, and he will be our No.1.”
Covatti joins Ben Barker at the top of the Gladiators’ line-up, whilst Alfie Bowtell and Kyle Newman return for their second spells with the club. Dan and Joe Thompson have also been recruited by the Coliseum outfit, with Jacob Hook completing the line-up.

PLYMOUTH 2024 (Subject to approval): Nico Covatti, Ben Barker, Kyle Newman, Dan Thompson, Alfie Bowtell, Jacob Hook, Joe Thompson.
 
(SPEEDWAY 3)

YOUNGSTER Max Perry will make his Cab Direct Championship debut next season with Poole.
The 16-year-old has impressed in two years at NDL level with Leicester, although his very last race of 2024 saw him sustain wrist and ankle injuries which have led to a winter of recovery.
Pirates co-promoter Dan Ford said: “Max was in our plans long before the decision was ratified at the recent AGM for all clubs to commit to the Youth Programme, and with Max joining Tom Brennan and Sam Hagon in the team for this year it certainly means that Poole have three highly talented young British riders.

“As far as the two-point riders are concerned Max is right up there, and he shows no fear as he demonstrated in his great heat win in the Championship Pairs when he led home Josh Pickering and Kyle Howarth.
“We had planned to make Max a Pirate even prior to the horrific injuries he sustained during the NDL Grand Final on the last day of the 2023 campaign, and thankfully he is on the way to recovery and assures us that he will be ready to race come the start of the season, which is fantastic news.”