Panthers riders chase Fours glory with other teams

Their rise into the SGB Premiership this year means they are no longer taking part, but their East of England Arena track is the stage for one of the highlights in the British calendar as all 11 second-tier clubs bid for glory (2pm start).

Current Panthers men Scott Nicholls and Josh Bates (Leicester), Charles Wright (Redcar) and Aaron Summers (Berwick) feature along with a stack of former Peterborough riders – including Lasse Bjerre (Newcastle) who was part of their starting team for the current season before being dropped.

Nicholls was part of the winning Panthers quartet of 2018 and clinched the trophy with the crucial ride in the final. He is now hopeful of further success this weekend.

“Peterborough were really professional with the way they approached the meeting last season,” said Nicholls. “They went there to win it and got the result they wanted.

“Hopefully my Leicester team will go there with the same attitude and mentality this year . . . and hopefully we’ll have the same result as well.

“We’re having a good run at the moment. We’re a strong team and doing well in the league so a trophy would be a nice reward for what we’ve done so far.

“The Fours can be a very long day so we have to work together, keep an eye on how the track is changing and do the job when it counts.”

Panthers team manager Carl Johnson is looking forward to hosting more than 50 riders (including reserves) from the second tier, but admits he’s disappointed to only have a watching brief.

Johnson, who plotted the Panthers successes of the past two years, said: “It’s been brilliant to have won this event two years running and I have to admit I’m a bit gutted we’re not able to try and complete the treble.

“I guess that’s the only downside of us climbing up into the SGB Premiership, but it is an honour to be staging the Fours again as this is the traditional home for the event.

“It looks a cracking line-up on paper with the top riders from all 11 of the SGB Championship clubs and I’m sure an exciting meeting lies ahead given the wonderful racing our track has served up all year.”

RIDERS & TEAMS INVOLVED

Berwick: Aaron Summers, Kevin Doolan, Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen, Jye Etheridge. Res: Coty Garcia.

Newcastle: Steve Worrall, Lasse Bjerre, Thomas Jorgensen, Matt Wethers. Res: Max Clegg.

Birmingham: Adam Ellis, Tero Aarnio, Ashley Morris, Nathan Stoneman.

Glasgow: Craig Cook, Claus Vissing, Rasmus Jensen, Paul Starke. Res: James Sarjeant.

Edinburgh: Ricky Wells: Cameron Heeps, Josh Pickering, Joel Andersson. Res: Luke Ruddick.

Sheffield: Danny King, Kyle Howarth, Ty Proctor, Drew Kemp. Res: Broc Nicol.

Scunthorpe: Josh Auty, Jake Allen, Stefan Nielsen, Danny Ayres. Res: Ryan Kinsley.

Eastbourne: Richard Lawson, Edward Kennett, Kyle Newman, Lewis Kerr. Res: Alfie Bowtell.

Leicester: Scott Nicholls, Richie Worrall, Josh Bates, Ryan Douglas. Res: Ellis Perks.

Redcar: Charles Wright, Michael Palm Toft, Jordan Stewart, Tom Bacon. Res: Nathan Greaves

Somerset: Rory Schlein, Chris Harris, Nico Covatti, Todd Kurtz. Res: Valentin Grobauer.