With no speedway action at all last weekend the Allied Vehicles Tigers are ultra keen to get back on track this Sunday as league leaders, and reigning Premier League champs, Somerset Rebels arrive at Ashfield on the final leg of their 3-in-3-days Northern Tour which also sees them race at Edinburgh (tonight) and Berwick (tomorrow night).
Having suffered the huge disappointment of BOTH our Knock Out Cup ties with Newcastle being washed away last Sunday, it will be a fresh and eager Tigers side which lines-up with the intent of keeping their winning momentum going having comfortably taken care of 4th placed Scunthorpe last time out.
Tigers will have to face the champs without TWO of our riders! French ace Dimitri Berge, as well as the skipper Theo Pijper, both miss Sunday’s meeting due to a rare World Longtrack Championship fixture clash. Whilst we had been aware for some time that Dimitri was scheduled to compete in this FIM event to take place in the Netherlands, unfortunately for the club Theo too has been called up in the last 48 hours and has little choice but to attend.
Being an FIM event Tigers are entitled to operate the Rider Replacement facility for Theo, whilst Berwick returnee Alex Edberg will wear the No.7 race jacket on Sunday.
Undoubtedly team boss Stewart Dickson will demand the very same level of performance, aggression and discipline from his riders which combined to make short work of the Scorpions just under a fortnight ago. Tigers provided 13 race wins on that occasion and, if at all possible, to hit the visitors hard right from the off, something which they will certainly look to repeat against Somerset to gain the early ascendency. With Rusty Harrison currently in barnstorming form, and with heat wins also now coming the way of Kevin Wolbert and Anders Thomsen, the home side will hope to at least match the Rebels top end strength in what promises to be an afternoon of spectacular speedway.
Somerset are clearly in great form at the moment and have gathered momentum after a sluggish start to the season. Their home form has perhaps been the most dominant in the division, this week having swept aside Edinburgh to take over as league leaders, and they track a very solid 1-7 who are highly capable of picking up wins on the road too.
Making a return to where his British career first started is exciting Aussie Nick Morris who is now a settled Elite League performer as well as established Premier League heat leader – Nick provides sensational excitement and full effort when on track and is certain to pose a huge scoring threat for Somerset. Olly Allen joins Nick at the top of the Rebels score charts, and he too is a rider enjoying a flourishing season with the Rebels. There is another former Glasgow rider in the visitors side of the pits this Sunday as Charles Wright – a British Finalist this year – returns to Ashfield to show how much he has progressed in the sport. Add in the sensational Kurtz brothers, Brady and Todd, and Swede Pontus Aspgren, and the size of the Tigers task becomes clear.
Full line-ups, in riding order:
GLASGOW: 1 Victor Palovaara 2 Theo Pijper R/R 3 Kevin Wolbert 4 Anders Thomsen 5 Rusty Harrison 6 Kasper Lykke Nielsen 7 Alex Edberg (G)
SOMERSET: 1 Nick Morris 2 Charles Wright 3 Brady Kurtz 4 Pontus Aspgren 5 Oliver Allen (C) 6 Todd Kurtz 7 Paul Starke
So, an extremely tough although nonetheless mouth watering Premier League occasion awaits us all on Sunday – guaranteed! Having had no speedway to savour last weekend, now is the time to turn out in force this Sunday to back the Allied Vehicles Tigers to the hilt.
Can the Tigers overcome the odds and topple the league leaders? Will the Rebels show any signs of travel weariness? Will the Tigers repeat the medicine dished out to Scunthorpe last time out?
There really is only one way to find out for yourself, make sure that you and your family & friends are at Ashfield this Sunday to watch how it all plays out – get behind the Glasgow Tigers.
Other News
Fixture Picture
We have now agreed to revisit the East of England Showground to face Peterborough on Tuesday, 9th September; with the Panthers this week having restructured their side to compensate for injuries to Ryan Fisher and Lewis Blackbird, this will be Tigers first league visit to Alwalton since 1998!
Talks continue with Newcastle to re-schedule our rain postponed Knock Out Cup Quarter Final tie as soon as possible.
Group Visits
Are you part of a large employer or organisation? We’d like to encourage as many people as possible to come along and cheer on the Tigers here at Ashfield. If you are able to help us spread the word in this way and would like to help us arrange a group visit(s) to enjoy all the full throttle action, please speak with any of the club’s management team else email info@glasgowtigers.co
End of Season Dinner Dance
Now is the time to secure your tickets (restricted in number) to attend this year’s end of season event.
The Eagle Lodge complex in Bishopbriggs (just 10 minutes from Ashfield) is the venue, to be staged on Saturday, 18th October; a 3 course meal, live music and all the end of season speeches and awards are included as part of the fun, with tickets priced at just £35 (*£3 discount applies to all GTSSC members) – instalment payments are permitted.
Make a point of securing your ticket by paying a small deposit to any member of the GTSSC Committee as you enter, or leave, the stadium this Sunday.