WORKINGTON COMETS 2010
 SPONSORED BY THE THOMAS ARMSTRONG GROUP
                    ANDNEWTEAMPARTNERS
             PRESS RELEASE No 11 – March 22nd
 
 
Two old favourites have agreed to come out of retirement for a match race at Derwent Park on Saturday night.
 
Steve Lawson, whose son Richard is a member of the current Workington team, will take on Jeff Powell at the 40th Anniversary celebration event.
 
News of the match race comes at the same time as the Comets have announced that Moss Bay Metals, well known and respected for their continued support for the speedway team, will officially sponsor the meeting.
 
 Lawson honed his trade at DerwentParkin the 1970’s before establishing himself as a Glasgow Tigers legend.
 
Powell was delighted to become a member of his home town team when Workington re-launched at DerwentParkin 1999.
 
In actual fact Lawson and Powell were team-mates at Glasgowand actually raced together in 1987 when the Tigers held a few meetings at DerwentPark.
 
Comets team boss Ian Thomas said: “They are dead keen to give it a go round the circuit again, although it will have changed a wee bit since they competed.
 
“It fits in nicely with the 40th anniversary celebrations so we were happy to put their challenge on the bill for Saturday.”
 
The Anniversary meeting – which features the current Comets along with old favourites Kauko Nieminen, James Wright, Rusty Harrison and Joe Haines, along with popular 2009 guest Mark Lemon – will get underway at 6-30pm prompt.
 
On Friday night there are a few tickets still available for the talk-in session between Comets Legend Lou Sansom and Workington announcer and broadcaster John Walsh. Tickets for the event in the Washington Central Hotel are £5 and can be purchased on the door.
 
Sansom is the star name on the guest list with over 30 former riders coming back to the track to re-live old memories a d meet the fans again.
 
“They are going to watch the meeting from thje sponsors lounge after being aken round the track before the first race.
 
“Afterwards they will be in the Derwent Lounge to meet the fans who will have a chance to reminisce and talk over old times,” said Thomas.
 
Workington’s current side have started the season in promising fashion by completing a quick double in their challenge against the Redcar Bears.
 
Thursday’s 49-40 win at Redcarwas followed by a 49-44 success at DerwentParkfor a 98-84 aggregate victory.
 
Team manager Thomas said: “These two matches have helped the riders a great deal and although they scored well I think there’s more room in their lockers to get even more.
 
“On Saturday Redcarrode a lot better than they did on Thursday and probably we didn’t ride as well as we had over there.
 
“But a win is a win, whatever the competition and it’s nice to start with a double, winning home and away.”
Saturday’s scorers were: Andre Compton 11; Richard Lawson 9, Chris Schramm 6, Peter Kildemand 5, Adam Roynon 5, Craig Cook 9, John Branney 4.
After Saturday’s 40th Anniversary meeting, the nest home match is on Good Friday, again at 6-30pm when Berwick Bandits provide the first competitive opposition in the Premier Trophy.
 
Peter Karlsson, the Swede who was a hugely popular figure at Workington Comets, is flying over for the 40th Anniversary celebrations.
 
Karlsson, who was forced to retire from the sport through injury, won the Premier League Best Pairs with Carl Stonehewer in 2001.
 
He had joined the Comets midway through the re-launch season in 1999 – dramatically flown-in by helicopter to land on the centre green ahead of his debut match.
 
He went on to ride in 140 matches, scoring 1,414 points – including 117 bonus points. He took 668 rides in those matches.
 
Karlsson made only two appearances in the 2003 season but he did come back in 2004 with Valsarna for a challenge match in which he was involved in a pile-up.
 
Simon Stead suffered a serious heel injury while Karlsson was also hurt and subsequently rode very little back home in Swedenbefore officially retiring.
 
Now aged 33, Karlsson has been one of the most popular foreign riders hired by the Comets.
 
Comets team manager Ian Thomas said: “Peter was very well liked by the Comets fans and was a real gentleman. They will be delighted that he is taking the trouble to fly over for a very special anniversary at the Comets.”
 
*The Comets have announced that after the Good Friday meeting at DerwentPark, entry for children accompanied by adults will be £3.