Last updated 19:40, Thursday, 13 March 2008

WORKINGTON Comets will blast off this season with a group of sponsors behind the team for the first time.

New owner Keith Denham has brought on board seven main backers who will be collectively known as the Comets’ Premier Sponsor Partners.

Thomas Armstrong Ltd will be the main team sponsor but they are joined now by Linde Castle, Solway DAF, Gates Tyres, J Edgar & Sons, Handy Concrete, Mix & Batch and J T Atkinson.

Denham said: “It’s a new concept but an exciting one, and an important one in providing financial back-up to the team for 2008.

“We want to take the sport forward in Workington and the recruitment of these Premier Sponsor Partners is certainly going to help.

“We are trying to get everything in place off the track for a successful season and with just a little luck on it I am sure we are in for an exciting year.”

The team partners will get the opportunity to meet the riders, along with the fans tomorrow with the first practise session at Derwent Park tomorrow.

All the riders will be available for half an hour (11.30am) to meet the supporters in the Derwent Lounge before the track action gets underway.

Team manager Ian Thomas said: “They will be there for photographs and to sign autographs before they go out for their practise sessions.

“We are also allowing the fans in the pits area while the riders are warming up their machines. Once they are ready the area will be cordoned off and the supporters can watch proceedings from the grandstand.

“There’s no charge but there will be buckets going round so that people can make contributions to the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund.”

Workington will stage their second practise behind closed doors on Tuesday and in the evening there will be a Meet the Riders session (7.30pm) in the Derwent Lounge.

Berwick Bandits, who will provide the first test of the season for Workington Comets in a fortnight, have already been involved in an opening thriller. Although the Bandits lost their home leg at Shielfield on Saturday - going down 46-43 to Newcastle - they shocked the Diamonds 24 hours later by winning the Brough Park leg 46-44. It gave Newcastle the narrowest of victories in the Tyne/Tweed Trophy by 90-89 with Berwick looking better than many people had predicted. They still have to sign a seventh rider and for the challenge against Newcastle used one of their former riders Stanislaw Burza as a guest. It was Burza and Adrian Rymel who clinched the win at Brough Park as they each scored 12 points and a bonus. Hungarian Norbert Magosi, who had a trial with Workington Comets two years ago, scored ten points but the other new Europeans fared less well - Italian Gugliemo Franchetti and Finn Tero Aarnio only scored one apiece. The first competitive match for the Comets is at Berwick on Easter Saturday (March 22) with the return leg of the Premier Trophy tie back at Workington on Easter Monday.Glasgow’s Ross Brady has suffered a fractured collarbone on the eve of the new season.Doctors have described the injury as a clean break, and Brady will now undergo extensive laser treatment in a bid to be fit in a fortnight to face the Comets.Brady is yet to miss any meetings as atrocious weather in Scotland forced an early postponement of the Tigers' clash with fierce rivals Edinburgh over the weekend.