LAKESIDE Hammers have moved quickly to replace injured captain Adam Shields by signing former Ipswich star Piotr Swiderski. Piotr will join the team in time for the live Sky match at the Arena-Essex Raceway on Monday against Poole and he will race in all the Hammers matches during a busy period at the end of the month with the exception of the away match at Eastbourne on the 25th July when he is required for the Polish Final on a day when his new team mate Jonas Davidsson is also absent for his national Swedish Final.

LAKESIDE Hammers have moved quickly to replace injured captain Adam Shields by signing former Ipswich star Piotr Swiderski.

Piotr will join the team in time for the live Sky match at the Arena-Essex Raceway on Monday against Poole and he will race in all the Hammers matches during a busy period at the end of the month with the exception of the away match at Eastbourne on the 25th July when he is required for the Polish Final on a day when his new team mate Jonas Davidsson is also absent for his national Swedish Final.

Danish star Bjarne Pedersen and the use of Rider Replacement will complete the team for the trip down to the Sussex coast.

Swiderski has been a proven scorer at Lakeside in the past and will have the added support of equipment loan from Lee Richardson to test against his own in practise at the track ahead of his debut.

The Hammers Co Promoter and Team Manager Jon Cook commented on the Club's new signing by saying: "Once I learnt that Piotr (Swiderski) was still available both Club owner Stuart Douglas and myself thought we should move quickly to replace Adam (Shields). We have learnt the lessons of the early season injury to Joonas Kylmakorpi when we waited and waited for him to return to fitness to the detriment of the team. Piotr is a quality rider and we think our Raceway will prove to be a great stamping ground for him, with most of our remaining fixtures being at home, whilst Adam has time to recover his fitness over the next month or so. Lee (Richardson) has kindly offered the use of one of his engines, which is set up for our home track, so we are attempting to cover all angles to make this move a success. The change is subject to BSPA approval but we don't anticipate any problems with that, or Adam's return to the team for the Knockout Cup Final and, hopefully, the Play Offs".

The Hammers face last season's Sky Sports Elite League Champions, the Poole Pirates, on Monday where the action will get underway at 7.30pm. This vital meeting for the Hammers will, once again, have The Royal Navy as the major sponsors for the evening.