Connor Bailey, Workington Comets number one for their re-launch in May, has also signed for Championship side Redcar Bears.
Redcar made a rapid move to bring in the 20-year-old Australia-born Bailey after James Shanes was ruled out for the season due to injury.
Shanes is suffering complications with the arm he broke in a crash in Holland last July and may need a third operation, meaning he is unable to take his place with the Cab Direct Championship side.
Bailey has answered the Bears’ call after missing out on a team place with Glasgow this year and signing for the Comets in the National Development League.
Redcar’s co-promoter Jamie Swales, himself a former Comets junior, said: “Connor is a great prospect and was hugely unlucky to find himself on the sidelines. He has improved his average every year so far and a change in home track is probably the best thing for him at this stage in his career.
“Hopefully, we can help him continue his improvement as he has already shown a liking for our track on previous visits.
“We are gutted to have lost James and we really hope this isn’t the last we see of him.”
Meanwhile former Workington Comets rider Kyle Howarth is the latest to join the line-up for the Ben Fund Bonanza.
He and Richie Worrall have been declared as competitors for the big event at King’s Lynn (March 25).
The two GB racers will be team-mates in the Cab Direct Championship for Plymouth this season, whilst in the Premiership Howarth will continue at Sheffield whilst Worrall has moved to Peterborough.
Howarth, 29, has ridden in the previous three Bonanzas, and said: “The Ben Fund has helped me in the past, back when I had a major shoulder operation.
“During Covid I managed to do a massive bike ride to raise funds for the SRBF, 156 miles, and I was very pleased to have done that also. It was an achievement that I really enjoyed.”
Howarth, who hails from Ashton-under-Lyne, rode for the Comets from 2012 to 2015.
Worrall is the all-time fourth highest scorer in the event, with five previous appearances, and he finished third at Glasgow in 2017.
He said: “I haven’t had to use the Ben Fund recently but I certainly have in the past. It’s amazing really. It’s the fans who put the money in, but it is so well organised. If you get an injury, Paul (Ackroyd) is always there before anyone.
“We are all insured but you need to be out for two weeks before you can even make a claim, so that’s a fortnight lost, whereas the Ben Fund are there right away. I’m more than happy to do my bit for them.”
