WHILE the spotlight rightly falls on individual action at the Arena-Essex Raceway this Friday with the Club having the privilege of staging the Under 21 British Championship for the second year running, all at the Essex-based Club are delighted to have been granted two live Sky Sports matches over the coming couple of months.

WHILE the spotlight rightly falls on individual action at the Arena-Essex Raceway this Friday with the Club having the privilege of staging the Under 21 British Championship for the second year running, all at the Essex-based Club are delighted to have been granted two live Sky Sports matches over the coming couple of months.

This means a change to the published home fixtures for May and also a reshuffle of other fixtures during the month.

Details for home May fixtures are as follows: -

Friday 1st Wolves, Friday 8th Eastbourne, Friday 15th Belle Vue, although this meeting is likely to move back to later in the season, Monday 18th Coventry - Live on Sky Sports, Friday 22nd Swindon, Friday 29th reserved.

Hammers co-promoter, Jon Cook, commented on these changes stating: "May looks like being the toughest month of the season and a great one for the fans to enjoy with all of the current form teams visiting.

We have been able to bring forward the re-arranged Eastbourne date, with the help of the Eagles, to a night when all riders are available and, provided the sun shines, it should be a bumper month at the turnstiles too.

We have had an extremely encouraging start to the year with crowds up over 15% on last year, now averaging over 1,300, and, of course, the incredible support of our season ticket holders where sales pushed over the 250 mark for the first time in our history.

“We now have to get back to winning ways once this fortnight break concludes to make the most of the varied promotional efforts that are kicking in during May.

“Obviously having Sky here on the 18th is a fantastic opportunity to reach out to even more people".

Commenting on team matters Cook revealed that the club had agreed terms with a short-term replacement for the injured Joonas Kylmakorpi but were awaiting start permission to determine whether the change could be made within the 28-day time period required to allow the flying Finn to then return to the team. Joonas, having had a successful operation on his broken elbow, is due for an all-clear date to be decided when visiting his specialist on April 27th.

With Lakeside Hammers asset, Jerran Hart, having been unexpectedly eliminated from the Under 21 Championship last week, Hammers fans will join with their arch rivals from Rye House in supporting double up rider Robert Mear this Friday.

Cook stated: "Robert had been absolutely mustard in his efforts for us this year, as have Phil (Morris) and Chris (Mills), and I think he has a really good shout at the Championship this coming Friday. He will certainly be the best supported rider on the night".