National Development League speedway takes the spotlight this Sunday in the steel city of Sheffield as one of the most important fixtures in the calendar see each club send their top two riders to contest the League Pairs title.
In normal circumstances, this is a meeting that would have played right into the hands of Warriors dynamic duo Ben Morley and Georgie Wood, but news coming out of the Island camp this morning is that Wood is expected to miss out having failed to overcome the injury problems that have beset the Maidstone based charger over the past fortnight. Chris Widman is Wood’s likely replacement.
Warriors are drawn in the first of two tough four team groups alongside Leicester (Danyon Hume & Ellis Perks), Kent (Drew Kemp & Anders Rowe) and Stoke (Joe Lawlor and Tom Perry).
The second group consists of Belle Vue Colts (Leon Flint & Kyle Bickley), Mildenhall (Ryan Kinsley & Jason Edwards), Plymouth (Nathan Stoneman & Ben Wilson) and Cradley (Jack Smith & Tom Spencer both subject to fitness).
Warriors’ co-promoter Barry Bishop said, “When you look at the quality of the field, losing Georgie would be a massive blow to our chances. The race formula is also very unforgiving so the slightest mishap could send a team home early, nevertheless we have to play the cards we have been dealt and will be encouraging both our riders to give it their very best shot and we know they will represent the club in a positive way.”