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Last Updated: Nov 28th, 2010 - 10:22:29 |
Belle Vue old boys Joe Screen, Simon Stead and Rory Schlein will be coming home next Monday aiming to leave the current Aces stars with red faces.
The trio have been invited to race in the prestige Peter Craven Trophy in memory of the club's double World champion who died following a track crash in 1963.
The veteran Screen, having a great run after dropping down a division to join Premier League Glasgow, knows his way around the tricky Kirkmanshulme Lane track as well as anyone.
Stead, now with Swindon, and Peterborough's Aussie star Schlein, will be sharp after racing in this week's World Cup.
They will pose a potent threat to Grand Prix men Hans Andersen, captain of the Autogate Aces and the Danish World Cup side, plus Great Britain and Coventry skipper, Chris Harris.
Belle Vue team boss Chris Morton said: “We have aimed for a mix of our own riders, plus former Belle Vue men as well as established stars and some newer names.
“We've invited Stead, who is having such a good season at Swindon. He rode well the last time he came here and he will fancy his chances of winning it.
“Harris and Schlein also do well at Belle Vue so they should be up there challenging along with our boys.
“We have brought in some up-and-coming riders like our No 8, Josh Grajczonek, and Newcastle's Kenni Larsen so they can test themselves against top Elite League riders. They will be really keen to take some big scalps.
“It is unfortunate that Kevin Doolan and Kalle Katajisto had to pull out this week because of injuries.”
They have been replaced by Sheffield's Czech rider, Josef Franc, and Workington No 1, Chris Schramm.
The Aces are lining up a carnival family night in view of children being on school holiday and able to stay up later.
Gates will open at 5.30, an hour earlier than usual, as there will be vintage bikes on view as well as a display by the Speedway Museum. The Men in Black will have three six-man heats on their vintage bikes at 6.30.
Souvenir tickets will be available at £2, just inside the turnstiles, for a two-lap ride round the track on a vintage 53 double decker bus which used to bring fans to the old Hyde Road stadium. They will run at 6.45 and 7.0 before being parked on the back straight so fans with tickets can stay on board to watch the racing.
Also a unique speedway bike, which has a special place in Belle Vue history, will make its first public appearance for nearly 70 years.
It was built by legendary Aces rider Eric Langton, who raced in the first Belle Vue meeting to be held at Kirkmanshulme Lane in 1928, in the late 1930s and has been restored by Peter Collins, the club's 1976 World champion who will bring a selection of his collection.
Said Collins: “Peter Craven used a Langton bike when he started out. It has taken me four years to restore this one. I have only just finished and it looks absolutely gorgeous.
“It will be fitting for it to make its first public appearance for many years at the Peter Craven meeting.”
The field, in draw order, is: Rory Schlein (Peterborough), Josh Grajczonek (Glasgow), Peter Karlsson (Belle Vue), Chris Schramm (Workington), Patrick Hougaard (Belle Vue), Kenni Larsen (Newcastle), Leigh Lanham (Belle Vue), Simon Stead (Swindon), Hans Andersen (Belle Vue), Kyle Legault (Newport), Josef Franc (Sheffield), James Wright (Belle Vue), Ulrich Ostergaard (Belle Vue), Ricky Ashworth (Sheffield), Joe Screen (Glasgow), Chris Harris (Coventry).
The Aces have seven Elite League matches left this season, four of them at home and three away. They are: Home – Peterborough (August 9), Poole (Aug 16), Swindon (Aug 23), Coventry (Sept 6). Away- Eastbourne (Aug 12), Coventry (Aug 30), Ipswich (Sept 9).
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