BELLE VUE boss Mark Lemon says it's a "big blow" to face Leicester without captain Brady Kurtz.
The ATPI Aces are missing the inspirational Aussie again in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash at the Hydroscand Arena on Thursday.
Kurtz suffered a heavy crash in the Grand Prix in Manchester on Saturday night and is still suffering from the effects of that incident.
It will be the first fixture for Belle Vue in 17 days since the loss at Birmingham, also without Kurtz.
Lemon said: “It’s naturally a big blow to lose Brady once again. He’s obviously been in the wars lately with two heavy falls in the last GPs in Prague and Manchester.
“We will need all the boys to be on it at Leicester to cover for Brady. “Last time out at Birmingham, Brady’s rider replacement rides generated nine points. I believe he would have got more than that.
“But we still have a top four who should be able to step up a level to get the result we want.
“We’ve had a bit of a lull in team fixtures so it’s important for us to build some momentum again.
“Leicester have hit some decent form at home so we do have our backs to the wall a bit.
“Earlier in the season we lost by just two points. But we go there determined to deliver.”
Leicester will also be without Luke Becker after his heavy crash last week.
TEAMS:
Lions: 1 Max Fricke, 2 rider replacement, 3 Ryan Douglas, 4 Kyle Howarth, 5 Sam Masters, 6 Drew Kemp, 7 Joe Thompson.
ATPI Aces: 1 Dan Bewley, 2 Norick Blodorn, 3 Jaimon Lidsey, 4 Zach Cook, 5 rider replacement, 6 Tate Zischke, 7 Jake Mulford.
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Words by Holeshot Media.
Images by Taylor Lanning.