SECOND-PLACED Ellie Rose Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions face a tough trip to Cab Direct Championship leaders Poole Pirates this evening (Wednesday, August 12) at 7.30pm.
Scunthorpe are without their inspirational No 1 and skipper Josh Pickering, who was badly battered and bruised in a spectacular last race fall at Sheffield last Thursday. Pickering’s Championship Green Sheet average is so high (10.39), that Scorpions can bring in Premiership rider Tom Brennan as a guest replacement.
Poole have issues of their own. Richard Lawson is serving a seven-day-ban for missing a meeting at Ipswich, while Jordan Jenkins guests for the injured Kyle Newman at reserve. Pirates hand a debut to new signing, American Slater Lightcap.
The corresponding match at the Eddie Wrgiht Raceway was a 45-45 thriller, so whoever wins tonight collects three points – including the aggregate bonus point.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey – who also stands in as team manager tonight – says: “We’ll miss Josh Pickering both on-and-off track, but it’s more important that Josh makes sure he is recovered and fit to go again. We really couldn’t have got a better guest than Tom Brennan, who won the treble with Pirates in 2024 and certainly knows the best way around Poole’s Wimborne Road track.
“It’s going to be a tough night, but we’ve got positive results at Wimborne Road before, and we’ll travel down with a positive attitude.”
Expected teams for tonight (Wednesday):
Poole Pirates: 1. Nick Morris (guest), 2. William Cairns, 3. Lewis Kerr, 4. Cooper Rushen, 5. Zach Cook (C), 6. Slater Lightcap, 7. Jordan Jenkins (guest).
Ellie Rose Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Tom Brennan (guest), 2. Connor Mountain, 3. Jacob Hook, 4. Luke Harrison, 5. Michael Palm Toft, 6. Nathan Ablitt, 7. Ryan Ingram.
* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions are next in action at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway a week on Friday (August 21) at 7.30pm, when they host Workington Comets in the Cab Direct Championship.
PHOTO BY IAN RISPIN
