SPEEDWAY: LAKESIDE Hammers have agreed a deal with Premier League team Workington Comets, which will see the Hammers 2013 Rider of the Year Richard Lawson, join the Essex club on a permanent deal.

And the team have also announced that there will be an away challenge at Poole on March 26 – with press day 24 hours before at the Arena Essex Raceway at Purfleet.

Highlights of the new track term will include the traditional Good Friday 1pm visit of rivals Eastbourne and the inclusion of three, or possibly four, Saturday night meetings.

These meeting are sure to play to packed houses as they feature the sport’s two biggest clubs, Coventry (twice) – led by Grand Prix star Chris Harris – and Poole, with speedway’s most popular rider Darcy Ward. These will be raced on Bank Holiday weekends.

Opening meetings: Sunday March 23: Coventry v Hammers Tuesday March 25: Hammers press/ptactice Wednesday March 26: Poole v Hammers Friday March 28: Opening home meeting (TBC) Wednesday April 2: Birmingham v Hammers Friday April 4: Hammers v Leicester Wednesday April 9: Kings Lynn v Hammers Friday April 11: Hammers v Birmingham Saturday April 12: Leicester v Hammers Friday April 25: Hammers v Swindon

For the Lakeside Hammers see the THURROCK GAZETTE every Thursday