Scunthorpe Speedway can confirm that club asset Carl Wilkinson will be part of the Scorpions side in 2009.
The immensely popular Lincolnshire lad, who was signed from Newport a year ago, is to start the season how he finished it in 2008, as the third heat-leader and despite an impressive first season he is targeting an improvement in 2009. “We didn’t have the best year with the bikes. I’m going to be much better prepared for next year with machinery and I will be looking to do some pre-season testing.”
“I didn’t quite have the equipment to take on the big guns last year but hopefully that will change. Paul Cook and the Plumtree family have been a great help, as have all my sponsors and I really must thank them for their support. I enjoyed last season immensely and it feels like I’ve been at Scunthorpe for years. The club is the best I’ve ridden for and there was no hesitation when it came to re-signing. The management are excellent and the fans really get behind the team. Their support is really appreciated and I’m already excited about next season”.
Commenting on the signing Promoter Rob Godfrey said “Carl, Byron (Bekker) and Viktor (Bergström) (the club’s three signings to date) are all our assets and I expect them to be the base around which the Scorpions are built for the foreseeable future. They are all committed to this club and in turn we are committed to them. We believe we can get the best out of them and they will prosper with the Scorpions. Carl certainly benefitted from riding for a local club last year and there is definitely more to come from him. I can see him adding a point to his average next year and if we can assemble a team that can add seven points to its starting average then we will be where we want to be; challenging for the league title. Contrary to reports we haven’t signed Magnus Karlsson yet because we are in the hands of his parent club, Wolverhampton, at the moment. Hopefully there won’t be a problem because I really want to have the team complete by the end of the month”.
