Scunthorpe Speedway

01.02.10: Press and Practice Day announced

The Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions’ Press and Practice Day will take place on Tuesday 16th March starting at 11am. The day will start with all the necessary photographs being taken before the riders take to the track around midday. The Scunthorpe Saints’ National League team will also be invited whilst the session will be open for the public to attend. In the evening riders from both teams will spend some time karting at ‘the UK’s premier kart circuit’ and fans will have also have an opportunity to join in the session.

It is the first time the club have run a mid-week Press and Practice session and new Team Manager, Richard Hollingsworth, explained why the date was chosen. “Quite simply it was really the only day we could get all the riders together at the same time. The most important reasons for running the session are to get the riders out on their bikes before the season starts and for the team to spend some time together in the lead up to the first meeting. It will be an opportunity for them to work together on set-ups and generally bond as a team. Of course it is also a good time to invite the press to come down and hopefully we’ll attract a few more this yea as it’s during normal working hours”.

“Sadly it will make it difficult for some fans to come watch the lads practice and we’re sorry about that. However, I hope they will start to reap the benefits just three days after the session when we take on Sheffield in our first fixture. It is important that we hit the ground running and everything we are doing is with that in mind.”

“We do not want any riders from other clubs coming to the session on the 16th March as we need our seven to be able to get back on track as quickly as possible after making mechanical adjustments. That will help them make comparisons between set-ups and ensure maximum benefit from the session. Of course we will have the seven Saints and young Reece Downes, our mascot, present but we need that to be it. We run plenty of practice sessions and amateur meetings for other club’s riders to attend and the track is also available for private hire so there is no need to have anyone else there on that day”.

“Whilst the session might not be ideal timing for fans there is an opportunity for some of them to spend time with the team in the evening. Anyone who wants to come down to the PF International kart circuit (www.jmkartsport.co.uk) to watch the lads karting is more than welcome.

The session is likely to start around 6pm and if anyone wants to join in the fun they only have to contact me via e-mail. It is richard@scunthorpespeedway.com and the cost is £45. It’s not the cheapest karting experience available but it is the best. I went a few years back and the karts are really fast. They are twin-engined and reach 60 mph. It is a multi-million pound facility with a grandstand and panorama room for spectators and Lewis Hamilton was one of the first club champions there. I think the event is going to be for teams of three so every team is probably going to have one rider in it. It should be a great evening and I’m sure the day will stand us in good stead for the new season.”