EDINBURGH Scotwaste Monarchs will now open their Premier League campaign at King's Lynn Stars on Wednesday after their home fixture against Newcastle Diamonds at Armadale last night was rained off.
Monarchs co-promoter John Campbell said: "We hope to run the Newcastle fixture again on Friday but not everything is in place yet. However, I'm hopeful we'll pull everything together to make it happen."
Monarchs couldn't ask for a tougher assignme
nt in Norfolk and even Campbell admits the odds are stacked against his solid scoring squad.
"In my own mind," said Campbell, "I always feel it is very difficult to get a result there irrespective of how good or bad the King's Lynn team appear to be doing.
"But during the last two weeks our two reserves, Aaron Summers and Andrew Tully, have done exceptionally well at the King's Lynn track. Andrew made the Grand Final of the British Under-21 qualifier and Aaron on Wednesday scored 17 points for Redcar Cubs against Boston, who stage their Conference League fixtures at King's Lynn.
"I was told by the Redcar manager that Aaron defeated Simon Lambert by a quarter of a lap and Lambert, of course, scored a maximum in the Premier League there recently. I'm not saying Aaron will do the same next week, but I think our two reserves will score a few points."
"We are not going to win at King's Lynn unless some miracle arises. But with the aggregate bonus point scrapped it doesn't matter if we score 15 or 44."
Campbell went on: "There has been much talk recently about our 2003 championship-winning season when we targeted matches we could win. I would say it's the same situation this year.
"There are matches we can win and are high priority.
"While King's Lynn is not low priority, we need things to go well for us on the night to pull off victory."
The Capital squad are now back at full strength after Thomas Jonasson returned to the saddle against Redcar Bears on Teeside on Thursday. Rain forced the abandonment of the meeting after nine heats, Monarchs trailing by just two points, 28-26. Jonasson picked up five points from his two completed outings and Campbell was delighted with the Swede's effort.
He said: "Thomas was exceptional and eye catching. Everything worked for him. His bikes started first time and all the things that had put him off to date came together.
"He was confident before the meeting started and proved what he can do."
Jonasson injured his back at Glasgow almost three weeks ago but Campbell said the 20 year old didn't even mention it – he just wants to get out and race.
The Monarchs boss also revealed the club have sorted out a 'mini-squad' to help Jonasson with his mechanical set-ups.
Campbell explained: "We have four people now involved in doing his bikes. And I told Thomas' father the other day not to bring any Poles or Swedes or anyone else across to help with his bikes – I'm confident of who we have got in this country. I want Thomas to be part of the scene here. All he wants to do is race. I believe the situation we have now sorted out for Thomas means he can turn up on a Friday night and race, and win. I'm very happy with the way things have developed and I think he will become a big points scorer for us – one of many."
Campbell was frustrated that the weather curtailed their Redcar clash feeling they could have put the squeeze on the Bears. Because Ryan (Fisher), Matthew (Wethers) and Thomas were the aces in our pack for the later races, it was disappointing to see the rain arrive, it turned things into a lottery. But I felt we probably would have done enough to win".
Monarchs don't have a date to return to Redcar. Campbell added: "We are not going to be available on every Thursday because Thomas will soon be riding in the Swedish League on the same night. But providing we are given enough notice, I can say to Thomas not to ride in Sweden".
The full article contains 700 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
