LEICESTER face a testing midday showdown in Manchester with reigning Premiership champions Belle Vue this Bank Holiday Monday (May 1).
The Watling JCB Lions have been inactive since their 45-45 draw with the Aces at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena, Beaumont Park on April 20 which ended with the visitors taking victory in a Super Heat.
With last week’s action at Wolverhampton and at home to King’s Lynn postponed due to the weather, the Lions are keen to get their league campaign back underway, and they also face Wolves at home this Thursday.
The trip to the National Speedway Stadium is one of the toughest on the calendar, and although the Aces did slip to a shock home defeat to Sheffield in March, they recovered with a big win over Peterborough last week.
Grand Prix star Dan Bewley and Aussie ace Brady Kurtz have been strongly backed up this season by the in-form Charles Wright, with Jaimon Lidsey a source of major points at reserve.
However, the Lions have long-time former Belle Vue No.1 and skipper Max Fricke in their ranks, the Australian having ridden for the Aces throughout his previous top-flight career in the UK with five seasons at the NSS.
Elsewhere in the side, skipper Chris Harris took a guest booking at Belle Vue for Peterborough last week, and Jake Allen had a brief spell with the Aces in 2022.
Manager Stewart Dickson said: “We have raced four meetings so far and we have scored 42, 47, 43 and 45, so we were not far away from turning three of those narrow losses into wins.
“Belle Vue will be tough, we know that, but maybe with it being a lunchtime start and different track conditions, it helps us.
“As I’ve previously stated, we want to be competitive in this league, which we have been, but I do also feel we have more to come collectively.”
Lions fans making the trip to Manchester are reminded of the midday start time, and breakfast menu options in the Peter Craven Suite are available from https://www.bellevue-speedway.com .
BELLE VUE: Dan Bewley, Norick Blodorn, Tom Brennan, Charles Wright, Brady Kurtz, Jaimon Lidsey, Jake Mulford.
LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Justin Sedgmen, Richard Lawson, Chris Harris, Nick Morris, Jake Allen, Dan Thompson.
