JOSH PICKERING and Luke Harrison will represent the Ellie Rose Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions in the Championship Best Pairs at Poole tomorrow evening (Wednesday, September 2) at 7pm.

Scunthorpe have never won the competition, although they were runners-up in both 2012 and 2013.

Scunthorpe skipper Pickering is the top rider in the Cab Direct Championship this season, while Harrison – the current British Under-19 Champion – has continued his rapid progress in speedway, recently moving to the tough No 5 spot with Scorpions.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “Poole will start as favourites to win the meeting on their own track, especially with a pair as strong as Richard Lawson and Zach Cook.

“But, as far as I’m concerned, the competition is wide open, especially when it comes to the knockout stages at the end of the meeting. Everyone can win or lose when it’s all down to just one race.

“Josh has been a class apart in the Cab Direct Championship this season. We know he’s going to score heavily.

“Meanwhile, Luke put his name forward to do the pairs. He scored eight points when we were at Poole last month and that included crashing out while leading Heat 15. I’m sure he can provide the back-up we need to progress to the business end of the meeting, and who knows what will happen after that.”

Each pairing has four races during the qualification section, which comprises 18 heats in total and is scored under the 4-3-2-0 system. Scunthorpe win face Berwick in Heat 1, Plymouth in Heat 5, Glasgow in Heat 10 and Poole in Heat 14.

The top four teams after Heat 18 proceed to the two semi-finals (1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd), with the highest scoring pair in each semi-final moving to the Final. The meeting winners will then be the team scoring the highest number of points in the Final.

A – SCUNTHORPE: Josh Pickering & Luke Harrison

B – BERWICK: Peter Kildemand & Nick Morris

C – GLASGOW: Chris Harris & Leon Flint

D – WORKINGTON: Jonas Jeppesen & Drew Kemp

E – REDCAR: Charles Wright & Jason Edwards

F – OXFORD: Sam Masters & Anders Rowe

G – EDINBURGH: Dan Thompson & Kye Thomson

H – POOLE: Richard Lawson & Zach Cook

I – PLYMOUTH: Danny King & Ben Barker

* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions travel to Glasgow for the final regular Cab Direct Championship fixture on Friday (September 4). The next meeting at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway will be a play-off semi-final against Glasgow Tigers – with the date to be confirmed in due course. Please keep an eye on the club’s social media and the official website at https://www.scunthorpe-speedway.co.uk/

Image Credits: Ian Rispin

Report: Rob Peasley