Ipswich icon Scott Nicholls hopes the Tru7 Group Witches can replicate their success on Northampton’s opening night when they head to Brafield in Rowe Motor Oil Premiership action on Monday.
The Suffolk side raced to a 49-41 Premiership Knockout Cup victory on April 30 in Foxes’ first home fixture since they entered the league.
Nicholls notched a healthy nine paid 10 points that night and relished the challenge of racing on a track he hadn’t experienced in his three decades of competing in British speedway.
He hopes the Witches can deliver more of the same on Monday. He said: “It would be awesome to have another result like that. I think they have changed the track a little bit since. A few of the boys will be having a chat with other riders that have been there to see what the track is like.
“It was a great result for us at the first meeting. Obviously, the Northampton boys have had a lot more track time there now. But we have to take that positive energy there and go with the mindset that we’re going to win.
“For someone like me, who has been around for a little while, it’s quite exciting to go to a new track. I am looking forward to going back on Monday.”
Nicholls scored eight paid nine points last Thursday as the Witches won 50-40 at home to league leaders Belle Vue, narrowly missing out on the bonus point 91-89 on aggregate.
The Witches head to Northampton without Swedish star Philip Hellstrom-Bangs who crashed out of the Aces meeting. Danish prospect Kevin Juhl Pedersen, who rides for Glasgow in the Cab Direct Championship, steps in as a guest.
Seven-time British champion Nicholls has made no secret of the fact he has not been content with his home form so far this season. But he said: “I am moving in the right direction. I felt happy with the bike. I was disappointed with my starts, and that’s down to me. It was a better night for me, though. It’s quite common knowledge that I haven’t been happy with my results at Ipswich. It’s frustrating because it’s normally a place I go well at.
“I felt happier on Thursday. All being well, we can build on it for the next home meeting against Leicester on July 9.”
STARTING LINE-UPS
NORTHAMPTON FOXES: 1. Jaimon Lidsey, 2. Kye Thomson, 3. Niels Kristian Iversen, 4. Troy Batchelor, 5. Nicolai Klindt (captain), 6. Jonas Jeppesen, 7. Luke Harrison.
IPSWICH TRU7 GROUP WITCHES: 1. Tom Brennan, 2. Danny King (captain), 3. Richard Lawson, 4. Scott Nicholls, 5. Tobiasz Musielak, 6. Kevin Juhl Pedersen (guest), 7. Jason Edwards.