Last updated 12:47, Friday, 04 July 2008

Daniel Nermark, the top rider in the Premier League may be missing tomorrow night, but there’s plenty of speedway talent on display at Derwent Park.

Nermark, who leads the current averages of the sport’s second tier, is bidding to propel himself into the top flight via the Grand Prix series.

The Swede is in Italy to contest the semi-final of the qualifying series ahead of the 2009 Grand Prix world roadshow.

But five of the top 20 riders in the Premier League will be battling it out at Derwent Park when Workington Comets take-on the Redcar Bears.

Nermark’s replacement, King’s Lynn’s Kevin Doolan is not far behind in the averages and on Wednesday showed his well-being with a 15-point maximum at Birmingham.

Nermark heads the averages on 10.65 but in equal third place with Tai Woffinden is Australian Doolan with 10.23.

Former world champion Gary Havelock, the Redcar skipper is in 12th place on 9.24 just ahead of his team-mate James Grieves who is 14th on 9.17.

Workington skipper Kauko Nieminen follows on in 15th on 9.06 while Carl Stonehewer is 19th on 8.43.

Stonehewer should have been riding last night as a guest for Glasgow Tigers but the match with Stoke Potters was rained-off for a second time.

Workington team manager Ian Thomas said: “It’s not good when you are missing three riders – even though none of them are absent through injury. Daniel, Joe (Haines) and Tomi (Reima) are three good riders and we will miss them.

“But I think under the circumstances we’ve done well to get in Kevin because he’s on top form at the moment and will like the new-look Derwent Park raceway.

“Kozzer Smith hasn’t ridden much at Workington but he was getting to grips with the circuit on his first appearance and he’s been knocking in some good scores from reserve for the Stars.

“Then by using the rider replacement facility for Joe Haines it means we can get a ride out of the man above him in the averages, who is Stoney.”

Redcar are ten points behind the Comets in the Premier League standings but they have ridden four matches fewer.

They have also managed two wins on opposition tracks.