Fans were told of Ulamek’s signing last week and with the rider having a gap in his racing calendar to bring equipment over this week he will now come into the line up ahead of schedule.

Young Ellis has been champing at the bit to add to his lower league experience with that of Elite League racing and the Club will work with him over the initial meetings to make sure the time is right for him to step up and if it proves too early they will use the new June averages to look at other options.

Making way for the two new additions will be Robert Mear, who is joining Rye House, and, initially, Kim Nilsson, although the rider and Club have agreed that no final decision on Kim’s future will be made until the middle of June as, potentially, he can be reintroduced into the line up in time for the visit of Wolverhampton on Friday 21st June, having missed only two meetings should the Club decide he is a better option than other team members.

The Vortex Hammers Co Promoter Jon Cook explained: “Seb (Ulamek) is very keen to get started, as are we, and as he was travelling in this week anyway it seemed silly not to get him started straight away. Having looked at our options we really felt that the chance for our fans to see Adam (Ellis) in action was too good to miss. Whether it proves a brief cameo or for the rest of the season will depend on how he handles the step up but he is mad keen to give it a go and we are more than happy to fast track him. Significantly both Davey (Watt) and PK (Peter Karlsson) encouraged us to do this and they will give him every assistance.”

Jon Cook was also keen to stress that both Kim & Robert still have a big future at the Club and one, or both, may well still feature this year.

Cook continued: “I spoke with Robert (Mear) on Saturday when Rye House came on to us with a firm place and we think this is a timely move for him. He has had three meetings failing to beat an opponent sandwiched between a 10 paid 11 point score so clearly consistency is needed and being on his bike more can only help that. As far as Kim (Nilsson) is concerned the break in fixtures due to Grand Prix weeks means we can get the best of both worlds in almost operating a squad system so, as the lower averaging of the top five riders, he will miss the next two meetings while we make up our minds on which is the best top five to take forward.

We are mindful of the fact that when Kim shines away we tend to win and we need to counter that with the greater consistency of other of his team mates at home.

It’s a win, win situation for the Club though as it should keep everyone on their toes and we will make our final decision ahead of our big clash against Wolverhampton on 21st June. I have to say both riders have been magnificent in the way they have taken the news and can only reiterate that they, along with Adam (Ellis), are the long term future of this Club.”

The Australian, who broke his scaphoid in a heat 15 crash at the Arena Essex Raceway in the Sky Sports Elite League match against Swindon in April, is set to practice in Poland on Saturday before making his competitive return for his Polish club on Sunday.

The Vortex Hammers team to face the Bees on Monday will have one change, with popular Double Up reserve Richard Lawson due to ride for his parent club Workington. Todd Kurtz, the Australian Under 21 rider who has been in good form for his Premier League side, the Plymouth Devils, comes into the team. Action at Brandon gets underway at 7.30pm.

The next home action for the Vortex Hammers will be the following Friday, 10th May, when they take on the Peterborough Panthers in the Sky Sports Elite League. The usual 8pm first heat start time will apply.

Tuesday provided a day of delight for the Lakeside Vortex Hammers, who sped to a home victory over the highly fancied King’s Lynn Stars live on Sky Sports and then received the very welcome news that Captain Davey Watt will return to action in time for the Club’s busy May programme.

The win over the Stars surprised many pundits, who predicted an away win, but saw all six Vortex Hammers riders in great form led by masterful performances from Peter Karlsson and Piotr Swiderski, whilst late signing Richard Lawson showed in his clashes with the rider he replaced, Richie Worrall, that he was a shrewd signing by the Essex based Club. Worrall, whose signing by King’s Lynn in the build up to the meeting, in the eyes of many, should have sealed victory for the Stars.

Meanwhile, the Vortex Hammers captain Davey Watt will remain in plaster for another week before travelling to Poland to make his return ahead of the Club’s visit to Coventry on 6th May meaning he will only have missed two meetings for the Club, due to the lack of fixtures caused both by postponements and the fortnightly running of the Grand Prix series. In addition to Tuesday’s match against the Stars he also misses Wednesday’s away match at Birmingham.

Tuesday’s match against the Stars saw the ‘Rider Replacement’ facility for the injured Vortex Hammers captain Davey Watt work for the Vortex Hammers as it yielded nine points plus two bonus points from his four programmed rides. No.1, Peter Karlsson, was unbeaten in his opening four rides but finished at the back in heat 13 to finish the evening on an impressive tally of 12 points but the leading scorer was Piotr Swiderski who scored 13 points plus a bonus point from his six rides. These two were well supported by the remaining four Vortex Hammers riders with Lewis Bridger on 10 points, Kim Nilsson on seven plus three bonus points, Robert Mear on six points and Richard Lawson on five points plus two bonus points.

The King’s Lynn Stars were effectively a four man team with Sebastian Alden failing to score and Nicolai Klindt managing just one point. They used the ‘Rider Replacement’ facility for the injured Simon Stead but his four programmed rides only resulted in two points being scored. Their captain Mads Korneliussen headed their scorers with 12 points whilst their Grand Prix rider Niels Kristian Iversen scored nine points. Their remaining points came from Rory Schlein with nine points plus two bonus points and former Hammer Richie Worrall with eight points and one bonus point from his full compliment of seven rides.

The final result of 53-39 in favour of the Vortex Hammers was a fair indication as to the dominance of the home team and the vital three Sky Sports Elite League points gained from this victory has moved the Vortex Hammers up to sixth place in the League table with matches in hand over several of the teams above them.

The Brummies started the year well but slipped to a home defeat on Wednesday against the Swindon Robins, the team who beat the Vortex Hammers last Friday.

The Vortex Hammers Co Promoter Jon Cook commented: “It’s time to get the season properly underway and with no Davey (Watt) we need all of the team to pull their weight. This meeting is the last home Friday match for three weeks due to the break for the Grand Prix but Sky Sports will be in town a week on Tuesday (23rd April) when the King’s Lynn Stars will be with us. It has, therefore, been decided that the Vortex Hammers will again offer kids admission for just £1.”

The Vortex Hammers go into this meeting minus their captain, Davey Watt, who sustained a broken scaphoid in the home match against Swindon. His rides will be covered by using the ‘Rider Replacement’ facility, which will enable any of the remaining six riders to take an additional ride.

Birmingham will be led by a former British Grand Prix winner, Chris Harris, who joined the club over the winter from their near rivals, the Coventry Bees. Former Hammer Daniel King captains their side but their three remaining top five team members will all miss the meeting due to commitments with their respective Premier League clubs. Josh Auty will be replaced by Workington’s Australian Rusty Harrison and Ben Barker’s place will be taken by Wolverhampton’s American Ricky Wells whilst the Brummies will use ‘Rider Replacement’ to cover the rides of their Australian Jason Doyle. Their team is completed by German Martin Smolinski and Argentinean born Nicolas Covatti, who will occupy the reserve berths.

The Robins have already made an impressive start to the year taking the Elite Shield from the Poole Pirates and are favourites to retain their League title.

They hammered Lakeside on Thursday night by a massive 63-27.

The Vortex Hammers Co Promoter Jon Cook commented: “It’s a very exciting meeting to kick off our Friday night home season and although it’s still very early in the year for both teams it’s sure to be a very tight and exciting affair.

Our boys will need to be on their best form to take the result.” The Vortex Hammers line up for the clash against the Robins with the same seven riders who raced to a nine point victory in the home match against the Eastbourne Eagles on Good Friday.

That match saw all of the Hammers riders pick up vital points in a good all round solid performance and they will need to repeat that if they are to see off the Robins. Swindon will be led by the Danish former Grand Prix rider Hans Andersen along with his fellow Dane Peter Kildemand.

Completing their top five will be former Eastbourne, Poole and Coventry rider Edward Kennett, who joined the Robins over the winter, and the current Australian Champion Troy Batchelor. They will be using the ‘Rider Replacement’ facility for Aussie Nick Morris as he has to ride for his Premier League side, Somerset, who have a home match against Ipswich the same evening.

Similarly they will also be missing one of their reserves, Ashley Birks, who will be riding for his Premier League side, Scunthorpe, who are at home to Sheffield. His place will be taken by a guest and the Swindon Management have chosen Steve Worrall, who rides for Newcastle in the Premier League.

Their other reserve is Polish rider Kacper Gomolski, who last rode in this County in 2011 when he appeared in the colours of Peterborough. The ‘Kids for a Quid’ offer for the Easter holidays again applies courtesy of Ruggles & Jeffery, which will see children aged six to sixteen inclusive admitted to this meeting against Swindon for just £1.

The other admission prices are: – £17 for adults, £14 for Senior Citizens, Students and Disabled, £12 for Unemployed and 17 and 18 year olds and children under the age of six admitted free of charge provided they are accompanied by a paying adult. Proof of age or status may be requested.

All tickets may be purchased on the night but, alternatively, they are also available in advance online via the Club’s website at www.lakesidehammers.co The action gets underway at the Arena Essex Raceway on Friday, 5th April, at 8pm with the Grand Parade of riders scheduled for 7.45pm.

THE Lakeside Hammers returned to action with a new 2013 line-up and emerged with a keenly fought victory over their closest rivals Eastbourne Eagles on Good Friday afternoon.

This season opening curtain raiser – delayed by a week following last week’s snow-off against Peterborough – saw both sides dropped straight into Elite League action. With no time for formal match practice, it was very much a case of evaluating who would get off to the fastest start in the opening heat exchanges. Certainly, from the outset it was the Eagles who were by far the sharpest away from the start with the home side caught napping on many occasion.

The early action came from Lukas Dryml in heat two, powering past the Hammers’ new reserve pairing of Richard Lawson and Robert Mear. The focus then turned to Hammers’ other debutant Lewis Bridger in heat three, but a slow start saw both he and returning Lakesider Piotr Swiderski left at the gate to trail behind Simon Gustafsson and Cameron Woodward.

One of the early highlights – and in fact arguably the race of the afternoon – came from Hammers skipper Davey Watt in heat four. Missing the gate, he mounted the boards to pass Denis Gizatullin before pushing former Lakeside rider Adam Shields all the way to the line, getting ahead by a wheel as they passed the chequered flag.
Bridger recovered well from his early blip to join Swiderski for a maximum heat advantage in heat five to level the scores at fifteen points a-piece, the home side eventually edging in front in heat eight when Mear teamed up with Kim Nilsson for a 5-1.

A great ride from Karlsson in heat ten saw him move from third to first, driving past Woodward to lead a Hammers 4-2. The last turn excitement continued in the very next race as newcomer Lawson stole third place from Dryml to the delight of the home faithful.

An eventful heat twelve saw three riders withdrawn – first Bridger for falling; then Dryml for a similar tumble; and finally Mear, who also took a spill and was unable to take his place in the re-run as Simon Gustafsson took a match race victory over Lawson in the third restart.

Another special moment from Watt to drive past Bjarne Pedersen in heat thirteen kept his unbeaten run intact although disappointingly he was unable to record a full maximum in the final race as he was beaten into fourth place. The result of that and the penultimate heat win for Mear ensured that the Hammers not only secured the win but also the full quota of league points on offer to get their season off to the ideal start.

While temperatures will only warm up slightly by the end of the week the on track action promises to be red hot as clashes with the Eagles are amongst the highlights of the Speedway season, which commences for the Essex based Club with this match.

The Hammers are due to practice at the Raceway on Thursday evening ahead of the clash when fans are welcome to attend. All riders will be present with the exception of Davey Watt, who is on a pre-arranged two day training programme in Poland .

The Hammers go into Good Friday’s match with new signing Richard Lawson making his debut for the Club at reserve. He will be joined at reserve by Robert Mear. The side will see Swede Peter Karlsson riding at No.1 alongside his fellow countryman Kim Nilsson. Completing the top five will be Davey Watt, fresh from Polish training sessions,

Piotr Swiderski and Lewis Bridger, who will also be making his Hammers debut having joined the Club from Eastbourne.

Eastbourne make just two changes to the team that competed for the Sussex club in 2012. The first change sees Dane Bjarne Pedersen come back to the club after racing for Birmingham last season where he replaces Finn, and former Hammer, Joonas Kylmakorpi who is taking time away from racing in this Country. The other change sees former Hammer, Adam Shields, the Australian who spent five years in the Hammers colours, replace Lewis Bridger. Shields started last season with Belle Vue but after just five League meetings for the Aces decided to take a break from the Sport.

Those returning for the Eagles are Swedish rider Simon Gustafsson, Australian Cameron Woodward, who again captains the side, Finn Timo Lahti, Russian Denis Gizatullin and Lukas Dryml from the Czech Republic.

Courtesy of Ruggles & Jeffery children aged six to sixteen will be admitted to this meeting for just £1 under their ‘Kids for a Quid’ initiative.

The other admission prices are: – £17 for adults, £14 for Senior Citizens, Students and Disabled, £12 for Unemployed and 17 and 18 year olds and children under the age of six admitted free of charge provided they are accompanied by a paying adult. Proof of age or status may be requested.

All tickets may be purchased on the night but, alternatively, they are also available in advance online via the Club’s website at www.lakesidehammers.co

Lawson was surprisingly left without an Elite League place despite an impressive showing for Peterborough in 2012, and joins the Club on loan from Workington where he rides as No.1 and Captain.

He will make his Hammers debut on Good Friday, with popular Hammers asset Stuart Robson filling the slot vacated by Worrall in this week’s home and away challenges with Peterborough , due to Lawson having prearranged off track commitments to Workington.

Hammers co-promoter Jon Cook said; “We are fortunate that Richard was available and he jumped at the chance of joining us. He is a great big track specialist and as such gives us strength at reserve on our travels to compliment Rob Mear’s small track skills, whilst he learns the Raceway circuit. He is still in the early seasons of his Speedway career and we are delighted to be able to offer our No.7 spot to another ambitious up and coming English rider.”

On Worrall’s surprise departure Cook commented “We had dealings with the rider’s second agent of the winter and after an unprecedented attempt to renegotiate a contract signed before the end of last season we felt the rider’s heart was clearly not at the Club.”

Club owner, Stuart Douglas, although delighted to have a rider of Lawson’s ability join the team, was disturbed the departure of Worrall. “’I'm very disappointed in the turn of events, but I’m not interested in having a rider at this Club who has no desire to be here, despite happily signing a contract for 2013″, said Douglas. “Richie is a very talented young man, but sadly he is receiving less than helpful advice from a third party with a vested interest in prising him away from this Club. We have seen the damaging affect that the agent system has had on English football – I’m really sad to see that this has now entered speedway. The ones who really suffer are our fans, who were hugely excited to see such a prospect ride for the Hammers, and they can justifiably feel let down. I’m not sure I can ever fully explain to them how reprehensible I have found this unpleasant behaviour. It leaves a very unsavoury taste, but we are a very positive Club with good energy and we will not be blown off course by this – it merely strengthens our resolve to do well in 2013.”

Under the deal, the Essex-based team will be known as the Vortex Lakeside Hammers for the next two years. The agreement is the first in speedway for Vortex, which is based in nearby Grays.

Barry Mead, Vortex’s managing director, said: “We are very excited to be working with the Vortex Lakeside Hammers, and sponsoring the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

“We have a proven track record in sponsoring successful teams and competitions within the world of motorsport. The Hammers had a very successful season last year, and we strongly believe they will have even greater success this year.”

Lakeside Hammers to be backed by Royal Navy

Hammers co-promoter Jon Cook added: “This is a massive boost to the club’s preparations for the year ahead, representing the most significant sponsorship package of our time with the Hammers and being over at least two seasons is a great show of faith in the team and sport.

“We are aiming to make this another season to remember and we hope the Vortex Lakeside Hammers will be making all the headlines in the Elite League in the months ahead.”

The Hammers begin their Sky Sports Elite League season against Eastbourne Eagles on Friday 29th March.

It means that the club are now having a rethink on the opening season plans and will bring fans the details shortly with Friday 22nd March being the first date that supporters will be able to see the 2013 Hammers team on track.

The Hammers Co Promoter Jon Cook explained: “Obviously, the change in dates is not ideal but we are happy that we will play host to live televised Speedway early in the season. Our plans for 22nd March are coming together and we will again be putting a format in place whereby our fans will get unprecedented access to the track, infield, pits and, of course, the riders, building on last year’s Open Night.”

It marks the start of the season for the Hammers, who will stage their Press and Fan night on Friday 22nd March. They will race twice at home on the week of the 25th with the traditional home and away League meetings with Eastbourne on Good Friday 29th March.

Jon Cook, the Hammers Co Promoter, commented: “We feel it’s a real honour to have been chosen to launch the year and we are working with our sponsors to make it a night to remember for the fans present and a fitting start to the season of Live Speedway. More details will follow in the weeks ahead as will details of our public practice on the 22nd.”

Nilsson will enter his second full season as a Hammer with aspirations to move towards a heat leader position and flew into the Country last week to meet with the Club and start his backroom preparations for what is hoped to be a big year for both rider and club.

Fans favourite Mear will continue to concentrate solely on Elite League racing having turned down approaches to Double Up in the second tier of League racing but will be active, along with Bridger, with the Club’s joint training project with Hagon Shocks.

Worrall will be the Club’s only Double Up rider, racing as well with Newcastle in the Premier League, and will go straight into the team proper after his first away meeting of the season carrying with him a six point plus average from his tremendous opening campaign with the Club, which was ended early by injury.

The Hammers Co Promoter Jon Cook commented: “We are delighted to get our men and it’s the seven riders we have wanted since the points limit was passed. We have the bulk of the team that got us into the top two of the table at the time of Lee Richardson’s death and who then put in the sterling work immediately after to take the League points that ultimately won us a place in the Play Offs, which for us was a victory in itself. We decided that we wouldn’t go out and find a straight replacement for Lee. It would be impossible to do that.

Instead we have filled his spot and that of our last season’s Double Up pair of Kauko Nieminen and Stuart Robson, with Lewis (Bridger) and Piotr (Swiderski). We feel that gives us strength in depth, particularly at home, but importantly also at the three or four clubs we have targeted for away wins that are necessary to reach the Play offs”.

Cook continued: “Having met up with both Rob (Mear) and Kim (Nilsson) over the last week it’s obvious that they hold the Club close to their hearts and both are now at the point of making a big step forward in their averages. Richie (Worrall), of course, was magic for us last season and we are delighted that he sees Lakeside as the Elite team to take his career forward to the unlimited heights he can achieve and we have reached agreement with Scunthorpe, who own his contract, to make him a full asset of the Hammers.

Our fans have already given us the thumbs up to our team building so far and I am sure they will welcome the riders returning to complete our seven. It’s been a truly horrendous year for us and we can’t wait to put it behind us and enjoy 2013 together. Festive greetings to all and see you at the Raceway in March.”

At the beginning of the programme a Ladies Race kicked off proceedings and that was won once again by Claire Jones, who this time waited until the exit of the last corner before she got by the erstwhile leader Debbie Woodroffe.

Heat one for the regular Rookies saw a first win for about four years for Tilbury’s Stuart Fuller as Grant Underhill and Nicky Hammer exchanged a series of hits on turn one.

Heat two was stopped after a clash between South Ockendon’s Nick Milbourn and Ian Barley. Milbourn’s car was destroyed, but Barley had a worrying problem when his race harness came loose. Thankfully he was unharmed and was able to continue in the meeting. At the restart Jimmy Hughes lost power and drifted off and then back onto the track where he say signalling for others to hit him. They all ignored him and got on with the task of trying to win, Daniel Mann looked good for a while until Glenn Sexton blew a hose and left the track very slick and Mann spun fencewards as a result. Grays, Jamie Webb found the fence courtesy of Matthew Young whilst Jamie McAngus warmed up for the final with the win.

After countless crashes in the final, only a handful of cars were left circulating with three of them in contention for the win. Jamie McAngus used his years of Mini Stox and Banger experience to negotiate his way round the wreckage, which was littering both bends. Glenn Sexton and Kevin Richie swapped second place on a couple of occasions as they both got caught up going the wrong side of debris on turn two, eventually it was Sexton who beat Richie to the runners up spot.

Many cars returned for the pit bend Destruction Derby at the end of the meeting and it was almost too many as the chaos was difficult to follow. Brief respite came when Mark Raymond managed to roll his car off the inner kerb and the Derby was stopped briefly to help him get out of the car. When it resumed there were only a handful of cars left and the battle eventually came down to Tilbury’s Paul Harrison and DD expert Tom Greenstreet. After several crashes and a bit of cat and mouse the event was eventually declared a tie.

The Group A Stock Rod season came to a controversial end with a clash between Wayne Shackleford and Neil Wood souring the finale. With both riding high in the points Shackleford appeared to tip Wood into a spin which resulted in damage to the Wood car. Shackleford was disqualified but the clash allowed Steve Gooch – who arrived at the meeting in third place in the points, to take the points lead, although as a driver not registered with Arena Essex for the year, the track championship trophy will go to Wood. Gooch managed to hold off a bouyant Richard Haines in the Supreme Championship to take that win whilst the Terry Skeef memorial final went the way of Haines, despite initially receiving a penalty for pushing past Ray Petty. Petty sportingly accepted the pass as “just racing” and Haines was reinstated as the winner, Petty and Gooch following him home.

A few extra Stock Cars, thanks to the previous nights European Championship, saw some of the best action of the season. The Supreme Championship kicked off with an almighty crash on the first corner which saw Joey Palmer ride the fence into retirement. In truth no-one was going to catch Lee Pearce, who has made the ARena tarmac his own this season. Behind the dominant Pearce came Darren Rosenthall and Dean Kitchen. Later in the programme Pearce fenced Rosenthall very heavily on the pit bend, in what it was assumed was an attempt to wrest the track championship lead away from Rosenthall, however Rosenthall was able to continue despite the heavy impact, wrapping up the track title as a result. Paul Aylward won the remaining heats in a borrowed car.

Finally the Mini Stox started their day with a very lively race which saw a number of casualties on turn one, including novice racer Mike Dobney who found the armco when attempting to deal with a rival. Harry Steward and Lauren Overy shared the heats before going on to battle it out in the final with a brakeless, Steward managing to defeat Overy on this occasion – the lack of brakes probably helping in a Stock Car class where you can use your rivals to slow down! Connor Reeve took third place whilst track championship rivals Dan Newman and Reid Murray found themselves lapped as they didn’t trust each other not to take each other out of the race!

The next action at Arena Essex is on 21st October when the National Bangers get their last blast around the oval before the legendary Firecracker meeting in November. The Lightning Rod Supreme Championship, Mini Stox Essex Championship and the SuperBangers provide ample support. Start time 1pm.