SPEEDWAY: Ipswich Evening Star Witches fans will have a chance to see young Pole Jarek Hampel in action next month when he rides in an ice speedway meeting in Telford.

By Elvin King

IPSWICH Evening Star Witches fans will have a chance to see young Pole Jarek Hampel in action next month when he rides in an ice speedway meeting in Telford.

The 22-year-old, who rode for the Witches last year and made a big impression, is not returning to the Ipswich side in 2002.

He will be concentrating on riding in Poland and Sweden. But he will be accompanying fellow countryman Adam Skornicki to Telford – and plans to call in at Ipswich on his way through.

Hampel said: "I am sad to be missing out on England this year as I really enjoyed myself in 2001 and learned a great deal.

"I have agreed to ride at Telford and it would be nice to see some Ipswich fans there. I have not much experience on ice but plan to do my best."

Skornicki has been frozen out of Wolverhampton's team plans for the new season and is also assured of a big following at Telford on Sunday, February 17.

Telford co-promoter Graham Drury said: "Jarek and Adam are real showmen and are both a perfect addition to an exciting line-up already assembled."

Hampel's place in the Ipswich team has been taken by Joonas Kylmakorpi, a rider who made his Sky Sports Elite League debut for Eastbourne last season.

Ipswich are looking at a couple of riders currently on tour with the young Great Britain side in Australia to complete their side. They have just over three points to play with.

Veteran Carl Baldwin, a local rider who made his comeback last year after 14 years out of the sport, is another being considered to complete the Ipswich side.

Baldwin is keen enough and he is having engines tuned by Scott Nicholls' father Tommy.

Witches promoter John Louis said today: "Carl is keen ands lives on the doorstep. We have an umber of riders to consider and are taking our time to make sure we get it right."

YOUNG Great Britain have been pegged back to 3-3 in the test series with their Australian counterparts.

The sixth test in Undera ended 48-42 in Australia's favour despite Britain enjoying a six-point lead at the half-way stage.

King's Lynn's Travis McGowan and Berwick's Kevin Doolan secured a maximum 5-1 in the final race over Blair Scott and Swindon's Paul Lee to claim a vital victory.

NEIL Street's services to speedway have been recognised in Australia's honours list.

The Newport Wasps and former Poole team manager, 71, will receive the medal of the order of Australia (OAM) after almost 50 years as a rider and manager.

He said: "Speedway has given me a wonderful life, I've been very lucky indeed, and I'm just as passionate about the sport now as I was when I first started."

FORMER Witches rider Brett Woodifield will return to the Elite League as Peterborough's number seven after a disappointing Premier League campaign with Trelawny.

The only problem could be a work permit but club bosses are confident that that can be sorted out.