Former Workington Comets star Richard Lawson is joining Poole for 2022 in a full transfer from Championship rivals Glasgow.
Lawson becomes a Pirates asset and goes into this year’s side in a move which sees Danish youngster Benjamin Basso head in the opposite direction to Ashfield.
The reigning champions had been strongly linked with a move for Lawson since it was announced he would not remain with Plymouth, where he spent the closing stages of the 2021 season.
Poole promoter Danny Ford said: “We showed last season the importance of having a very strong heat-leader trio, and when Richard approached us we just knew we couldn’t turn the opportunity down, as we believe he is more than capable of doing the kind of job Rory (Schlein) did for us last year.
“I recognise that this move might be a little puzzling to some, that we have released a young 21-year-old in favour of a 35-year-old, but it was a deal we considered at length.
“We genuinely feel Richard has a lot of racing left in him and will be around in British Speedway for some time, and we are getting a very accomplished asset. We are delighted to have Richard as a club asset, and we know that he will give his all to the club.”
Six riders have been confirmed for the return of the fund-raising Ben Fund Bonanza at Peterborough on Sunday March 27, including two former Workington riders.
Panthers trio Scott Nicholls, ex-Comet Ulrich Ostergaard and Jordan Palin are all booked in for the event on their home track, and they will be joined by former British Champions Danny King and former Workington rider Charles Wright, as well as top Australian Sam Masters.
King was the winner of the event the last time the Bonanza was staged in 2020 at Scunthorpe, just before the pandemic forced the sport to shut down.
SRBF Chairman Paul Ackroyd said: “We continue to be blown away by the response not only of the general public to the Bonanza meeting, but to all the riders who want to take part.
“All are well-respected riders, very much liked by fans across the country and I’m sure they will be giving it everything they’ve got at Peterborough. It is shaping up to be a very exciting event.
“There are plenty of ways for people to get involved, besides of course attending on March 27. We have a lot of sponsorship opportunities, from meeting sponsorship to programme advertising and rider mascots amongst others.”
