SPEEDWAY SIGNING: Kennett joins the Panthers

Edward Kennett comes in as a replacement for Emil Grondal, who crashed heavily in Denmark last week with his recovery time unclear at this stage.

And with Bradley Wilson-Dean also on board to replace Nike Lunna, it means there will be something of a new look to the Panthers when they visit Glasgow in their next Championship fixture a week on Friday (June 8).

Promoter Ged Rathbone said: “Once again, this is a case of us needing to act due to injuries, and we weren’t looking to make changes prior to Nike and then Emil getting hurt.

“But having been in touch with Emil since his crash, it’s clear that he could be looking at longer than five or six weeks out, and we just can’t afford to run with rider-replacement given the number of matches over that period.

“We have six matches in June and as we keep saying it’s such a short season this year that if you have a bad run when you’re not at full strength, it can virtually be season over.

“Edward is an experienced rider who had been looking for a Championship team place, and the opportunity was there to bring him in without disrupting the rest of the side, which is also important for us.

“I’ve explained the situation to Emil, who’s done absolutely nothing wrong – it’s simply a case of us feeling that a full team is very much the stronger option than doing at least six or seven matches, and possibly more than that, with rider-replacement.

“We’ll continue to work with both Nike and Emil, and should they regain fitness prior to the transfer deadline then they have a chance of being put back in – and that should also keep everyone else on their toes.

“We wish them both all the best for their recoveries and we look forward to seeing them back at the East of England Arena soon.”

Kennett’s home debut will come up against Glasgow on Sunday June 10, which is the first of three Alwalton fixtures in the month – also including the potentially vital Shield clash with Ipswich on June 17.