Craig Cook – Mr Maximum – at Arlington. Eagles v Tigers Preview

One of the best riders in the Championship league will be at Eastbourne Speedway on Saturday night.

Craig Cook, known at his Glasgow home track as ‘Mr Maximum’, will be aiming to show Sussex fans why he is a Great Britain international and ridden in the Grand Prix series.

Cook is the latest big name rider to come to Arlington this year.

The fans have already seen two of the sport’s big names since the return to professional speedway this year – Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris – but Eastbourne co-promoter and joint team manager, Trevor Geer, reckons Cook is also one of the league’s superstars.

He said: “Craig is definitely one of the top three riders in the Championship and on his day a world-class rider as he has proven in Speedway GP and GP qualifiers.”

Cook is also a member of the Team GB squad and scored eight points in the Speedway of Nations qualifier at Belle Vue which put the home nation through to the finals of world team cup competition to be held in Russia in July.

Eastbourne and Glasgow also go head-to-head on Friday night (May 17) at the Tigers’ Ashfield Stadium.

Eastbourne are at full strength will be seeking to pick up their first points of the season having slipped twice to defeat over the last bank holiday weekend.

Geer added: “We said before the start of the season that Eastbourne fans were in for a treat this year because the Championship is so competitive with hard and tough racing.

“That has certainly been the case and we are looking forward for more of the same on Saturday.”

Teams for Saturday:

Eastbourne: Edward Kennett, Ben Morley, Alfie Bowtell, Lewi Kerr, Richard Lawson, Georgie Wood, Tom Brennan.

Glasgow: Craig Cook, James Serjeant, Rasmus Jensen, Paul Starke, Claus Vissing, Nathan Stoneman, Kyle Bickley.

Referee: Chris Gay.

Spreading the speedway word:

In the two weeks since the last meeting at Arlington, Eastbourne have been busy spreading the speedway word in the resort and along the south coast.

Digital posters have gone up in The Beacon shopping mall in the Eastbourne and at the shopping centres in Brighton and Hastings.

Other posters have gone up in other locations, including the Eastbourne Tourist Information cente, and an “Airfence Banner” at the Holly Blue pub and restaurant near Stone Cross, to help spread the word that professional speedway is back at Arlington Stadium.

Eagles Information:

*The Birmingham Away KOC Round 1, second leg has been rearranged for Wednesday, May 29.

*Tom Brennan has been nominated to compete in the World Under-21 semi-finals and will ride at Krakow on Saturday, May 25.

Main Image: Former Glasgow Tiger Lewi Kerr. Credit Mike Hinves