SPEEDWAY: STOKE Easy Rider Potters will not look back on last weekend with much relish after seeing two fixtures washed out by the rain on top of injury problems for Robbie Kessler and Daniel Giffard, writes NEIL EVANS.
Kessler injured his back racing in Germany the previous weekend and, after scoring just 4+1 on his former home base Sheffield in a big defeat for the Potters, opted not to ride against Edinburgh on Saturday and at Glasgow on Sunday.
The German international should be back this weekend for the home fixture on Saturday against Hull, but the news on 19-year-old Giffard is less certain. He fell heavily in the rain-lashed British Under 21 qualifier at Buxton on Saturday and sustained more leg injuries.
Bright spot was Rob Grant, who qualified for the British Under 21s final at Rye House on May 1.
'I'm really pleased to have made it through because the conditions were pretty poor out there,' said the Potters reserve who will now miss the home fixture against Workington on that date.
'Some wanted the meeting called off after we had done four rides instead of five. But that was no good to me because I wouldn't have gone through. So I argued my case for carrying on and was obviously pretty pleased to get enough points to have made the cut.'
Stoke Spitfires start their season this week with a home fixture on Wednesday (7.30pm) against Newcastle Gems before travelling to CL newcomers Weymouth on Friday in the first leg of the Knockout Cup.
'I'm really looking forward to the two meetings and I'm sure we can do well for the supporters,' said Luke Priest.
A fixture change sees Stoke Potters travel to Hull in the Premier Trophy on April 21 instead on May 5.
