PREVIEW: REDCAR v LEICESTER (Champ)

REDCAR host Leicester at the Media Prima Arena tonight (Friday) with both clubs firmly in the battle for Championship honours.

The Bears are in a tight fight with Glasgow for a top two finish – but that is a battle the Lions themselves can join with a strong weekend on the road, as they also visit Ashfield on Sunday.

Reserve Ryan Kinsley returns for the home side after the recent theft of his equipment, whilst Greg Blair guests for Joe Thompson for the Lions, with rider replacement operating for Dan Thompson as the twins are racing in the British U19 Final.

Kinsley said: “I want to say thank you to everyone at Redcar and the speedway community for everything they have done and donated for me to be able to finish this year off.

“I’ve had to borrow stuff for now and can’t thank Dan Broughton enough for driving me to the meetings and lending me items to use, without the help off everyone I wouldn’t be able to ride again.

“For me it’s a big meeting, to be able to ride again after the couple of weeks I’ve had is huge and it means so much to me to be able to race again. I have unfinished business at Redcar and I need to get some points on the board. Leicester is going to be a tough meeting but I’m sure we can come away with the win!”

Lions boss Stewart Dickson said: “Greg rode at Redcar three weeks ago and he beat James Sarjeant once and Ryan Kinsley twice – if he can do that for me, I’ll be happy, and he’s very much up for it and wants to race.

“Obviously we’re going to need Zaine Kennedy to score well, and I know he’s yet to score a point at Redcar – but to be fair, he didn’t go very well for Sheffield at Scunthorpe in 2019, and then he scored a barrel-load for us there three weeks ago.

“If we could win at either Redcar or Glasgow in the next few days, then Leicester have a big part to play in the top two or three.”

The meeting will be live streamed via Bears TV – details at redcar-speedway.com .

REDCAR: Charles Wright, James Sarjeant, Jake Allen, Lewis Kerr, Michael Palm Toft, Ryan Kinsley, Jordan Jenkins.
LEICESTER: Nick Morris, Dan Thompson r/r, Hans Andersen, Kyle Howarth, Ryan Douglas, Greg Blair, Zaine Kennedy.