The Breedon Aggregates Lions who released their two reserves John Oliver and Charles Wright after the home defeat against the Glasgow Tigers at the weekend have signed Jason Garrity and Viktor BergstrÓ§m.
Garrity is one of the country’s hottest prospects in British Speedway at the moment and earmarked as having a bright future ahead of him. The Belle Vue asset joins Leicester on loan from the Manchester club for the remainder of the season and he will come into the side at number seven on an assessed three point match average. The seventeen year old won the British Under-19 Championship Final at Rye House last month and his performances this season in the National League have attracted interest from a number of Premier League clubs.
“I have followed Jason Garrity’s progress throughout this season and in my view he is now ready to make the step up from the National League to further his development. Garrity’s inclusion will bring vibrancy to the side and in particular at reserve where we have struggled to compete on a consistent basis all season” stated Leicester’s team manager Jason Attwood.
The Lions have also secured the services of Viktor Bergström from Scunthorpe. The twenty-four year old Swede has been out of the sport since early July after picking up an injury whilst riding in his own country. Scunthorpe covered for his absence by signing the former Lions captain Richard Hall but with Bergström now back to full fitness and no vacancy currently in Scunthorpe’s team Leicester negotiated a loan arrangement for his release.
Bergström goes straight into the team at number three where he partners Henning Bager and making way in the side is Iliya Bondarenko who moves down to reserve. Attwood added: “Both Garrity and Bergström will make their debuts at Newport on Saturday. With the two changes we will be looking for an improvement in results between now and the end of the season. The change in the riding order means it gives me potentially more options going into this weekend’s fixtures against Newport as Iliya’s inclusion at reserve should strengthen this area of the side”.
Bondarenko excelled in the Welsh Open Championship at Newport earlier this year, finishing third in the competition in what was his first visit to the track and when the Russian World Cup rider returned in the league fixture with Leicester he was again on form only to be harshly excluded from his final race after falling when vying for the lead. The incident turned out to be the turning point in the match and the Lions came away from Wales empty handed.
Twenty-four hours later the two clubs met again at the Beaumont Park stadium and the meeting ended in a draw after Magnus Karlsson and Kauko Nieminen rescued the Lions from certain defeat in an exciting last heat race decider. With Newport currently one place above Leicester in the league the two fixtures will have a large bearing on the finishing order in the final league table.
Fans will be pleased to hear that John Oliver has been offered a place in Scunthorpe’s National League side and is due to make his debut for the Saints at the weekend.
Leicester’s twice rained-off Premier League fixture at Ipswich has now been re-arranged for Thursday 6th October.
