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IVERSEN BACK IN PANTHERS COLOURS AFTER 13-YEAR ABSENCE

Seven-time Danish champion Niels-Kristian Iversen will be back in Peterborough colours for the first time since 2010 this year. The former world No.3 was due to return for the 2020 season, only for the SGB Premiership campaign to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Iversen moved to Panthers’ neighbours King’s Lynn in 2011 and had raced for them on and off ever since, aside from a stint with Ipswich in 2019 and seasons away from the UK in 2017, 2020 and 2021. He was forced out of the Stars side halfway through 2022 due to Polish rules limiting First Division riders to racing in just two other leagues, which have now been relaxed. Panthers co-promoter Carl Johnson is delighted to have recruited a “proven” performer in Britain’s top flight. He said: “Niels is a proven heat-leader and a proven No.1 in the Premiership, and he has been one of the best in the world throughout his career. “It’s fantastic that we can make a signing like him and bring him back to the club, especially after he never got to ride for us in 2020. “He’s certainly going to be a crowd favourite again, and I think looking at his form from last season, he was the outstanding man at King’s Lynn until he had to leave, and that’s when they disappeared down the table. “We’ve brought in someone who is proven and who we know can go out and score double figures anywhere, and hopefully everywhere. “He loves the Showground, it’s one of his favourite tracks, and it puts another great rider into the line-up. I think what we’ve got so far is a superb starting point.” Iversen is joined at the East of England Showground by fellow countryman Benjamin Basso, plus Aussie racer Ben Cook and Rising Star signing Jordan Jenkins. Photo: Taylor Lanning

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LINDGREN IN BEN FUND BONANZA LINE-UP

Speedway GP star Freddie Lindgren will race to raise cash for the sport’s injured stars when he lines up in the Ben Fund Bonanza at King’s Lynn on Saturday, March 25. While Fast Freddie raced full-time for British club Wolverhampton from 2003 until 2017, missing only the 2014 season, the Swede has not competed regularly in the UK over the past five years. But he is set to warm up for the new Speedway GP season by lining up in an event which raises funds to support riders temporarily or permanently sidelined by racing crashes – some after suffering life-changing injuries. Lindgren is delighted to play his part as he joins Scunthorpe skipper Simon Lambert as one of the first riders to be confirmed for the event. He said: “It’s a very important cause. For myself, I’ve been on that side of things by being injured very seriously. I had some help from the Ben Fund and if I can contribute to some other riders getting help when they have a really tough time, then I am more than happy to do that.” Lindgren will also appear in former Wolves teammate Sam Masters’ testimonial at Monmore Green on Sunday, March 26.

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FRICKE: ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN SPEEDWAY GP

Triple Aussie champion Max Fricke admits “we weren’t where we wanted to be” in 2022 as he bids to scale the Speedway GP ladder in 2023. Fricke powered to an unforgettable victory at the FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw last May. But this was his sole semi-final and final appearance of the season as the Victorian star ended the campaign 13th in the standings. He also missed the final round of the series in Torun after suffering a broken sternum, bruised lungs, a sprained shoulder, a cracked shoulder blade and concussion in a season-ending crash in the Polish First Division play-off final decider in Zielona Gora on September 24. Having taken eighth spot in 2021, finished that season as the sport’s top Aussie and also booked his place for this year by taking fourth spot at the 2022 FIM GP Challenge in Glasgow last August, Fricke has proved he can mix it with the best riders in the world. But he knows there’s work to be done ahead of the new Speedway GP season. This year’s Australian Championship bronze medallist said: “For sure there are things I can think of that need to be improved. I am working on that at the moment and trying to fix some little inconsistencies that are there. “I am able to do it and I am able to do well. I know that and I have proved that on a couple of occasions. I just need to be there a little more consistently in each heat and that’s what it comes down to. I am doing my best and trying to work on that over this off-season. We are confident as a team that we will be able to move up the order. We weren’t where we wanted to be last year. But we are doing everything possible to make sure we can be a little higher up this year.” Fricke was the only 2022 Speedway GP rider who did not compete in Poland’s PGE Ekstraliga, continuing his contract with Zielona Gora as they dropped into the First Division. He’s back in the top flight with Grudziadz for this year. Asked if he feels missing out on racing in the world’s top speedway league cost him in 2022, Fricke replied: “Yes and no – I don’t think it helped when it came to the GPs and things like that. But there were times when I was still quick enough. “I don’t want to say it hindered me at all, but it was one of the things I wanted to change for next year. I have changed teams and racing those top guys a little more will help.”

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AUSSIE CHAMP HOLDER READY TO DEFY SPEEDWAY GP DOUBTERS

New Aussie champion Jack Holder insists he’s determined to prove his Speedway GP doubters wrong after starting 2023 by lifting his first national championship. Despite his Speedway GP rival Jason Doyle winning the opening three rounds of the Australian Championship series, Holder triumphed in the title decider at North Brisbane on January 11 to deny the 2017 Speedway GP world champion gold by two points. It’s a major addition to Holder’s growing CV, which includes the FIM Speedway of Nations gold medal he won with Australia in Vojens last summer. He also finished third at the FIM GP Challenge in Glasgow last August to book his place in this season’s Speedway GP series. Having only taken his spot in the 2022 field when Russian duo Artem Laguta and Emil Sayfutdinov were suspended due to the war in Ukraine, last year’s first reserve Holder is pleased to have punched his own SGP ticket for 2023. The Aussie finished 12th, but he’s determined to capitalise on his Speedway GP experience in his second season on the sport’s biggest stage. “I had a bit of a taste of Speedway GP last year,” Holder said. “My expectations were probably a bit too high for myself, but it was all a learning curve. I qualified on my own merit for 2023 and I am really looking forward to proving everyone wrong again. I think it will be a lot better, so I can’t wait.” Having qualified via the FIM GP Challenge for 2023, without the aid of a wild-card pick or reserve place, it’s fair to ask who Holder feels he needs to prove wrong this time around. “I don’t know,” he said. “Dan Bewley and I were the reserves for the Grand Prix and then all the Russian stuff happened. Their riders got suspended. We both got lucky. It wasn’t our plan to get in like that, but it happened, and Dan and I were just in the right place at the right time. “I know a lot of people weren’t really happy about that, but that’s the way it goes. It always feels good to qualify on your own terms and earn the spot to be in there.” While every rider dreams of being crowned world champion, Holder admits ensuring he’s back for 2023 by securing a top-six finish is his top priority. He said: “Of course I want to go in and win it. You have to have a lot of luck to do that, but I just want to improve on last year. That’s the main goal. “You have to get in the top six and that’s pretty cutthroat – you have 15 of the best riders in the world. I definitely want a couple of podiums hopefully and a couple of finals. I’ll aim for that top six hopefully.” Whatever happens, Holder already has an Aussie title in his trophy cabinet, having defeated one of the strongest fields the championship has boasted for a decade, including Doyle, triple Aussie champion Max Fricke, former champions Rohan Tungate and Brady Kurtz, and of course Holder’s 2012 Speedway GP world title-winning brother Chris. “I still can’t really believe it,” he said. “I have worked so hard for this, so to have finally got it with such a strong field is surreal. I know I only won one round and Doyley won three, but I’ve got the trophy at home, I was the most consistent and I am the champ, so I am very happy.” Chris lifted five Aussie titles between 2008 and 2014, with Jack watching all the action from trackside. It was big brother’s turn to lead the celebrations this time. “Chris was over the moon for me,” he said. “Everyone was. It was such a cool feeling. Chris has five of them and I am pretty sure I was there for all five. I am very proud of him, and he was there for me too, jumping over the fence when I won my first one. “My Mum, Dad and girlfriend Jess were all there and my brother Jimbo was watching at home. He couldn’t make it, but when we got home, we definitely made up for it all. I still really can’t believe it.”

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