Workington Comets face back-to-back meetings this weekend – and are forced to bring in guest riders.
Antti Vuolas misses both meetings through concussion protocols while Celina Liebmann is a reserve for a Grand Prix meeting at the weekend.
The Comets visit Glasgow Tigers on Friday night for their first Championship meeting of the season and then on Saturday afternoon host Redcar Bears in the second leg of their KO Cup quarter final.
Team manager James Denham said: “Antti is fine really but has to follow protocol and sit out the nine days after his fall.
“As well as our matches he’s missed a round of the European Championship in Austria which he was really looking forward to.
“Celina is reserve for a European Championship event in German on Saturday so she will miss the return meeting with Redcar.”
It will be the fourth time the two teams have come up against each other in a short space of time and the Bears’ only win in the previous three sees them visit Northside with a 13-point advantage.
Riding as a guest for the Comets at Glasgow tomorrow night will be Dan Thompson of Plymouth, who will then drive all the way down to the south west to ride for the Gladiators on Saturday.
At home to Redcar, the Comets have secured the services of James Pearson, a former Belle Vue Colt who rode at Northside last season in the Development League, He has started the season promisingly in the Championship with Glasgow.
Pearson’s Glasgow team-mate Paul Starke will join him on Saturday at Northside when he slots into the Comets’ line-up in Liebmann’s absence.
Denham said: “We are looking forward to the start of the Championship at Glasgow. We have riders like Craig Cook and Claus Vissing who have ridden for the Tigers before and can go well round there.
“Troy Batchelor is in good form and I think the track will suit Tate Zischke, so I’m hoping for a good show from the team.
“We have 13 points to pull back on Saturday against Redcar but that’s certainly not impossible and we will be giving it our best shot to reach the semi-final.”
