SHEFFIELD are without both their GP stars as they prepare to face Oxford Spires in front of the Eurosport cameras tonight.
Both Jack Holder and Tai Woffinden were involved in high-speed collisions during Saturday’s Speedway Grand Prix of Poland in Gorzow.
After winning his opening ride, Woffinden was withdrawn from the remainder of the event after colliding with the fence whilst Holder was deemed to be the cause of the stoppage in first semi-final after a coming together with Denmark’s Leon Madsen.
Woffinden sustained concussion and x-rays confirmed a broken elbow which he had operated on yesterday.
Meanwhile, Holder is feeling the effects of his tumble and has declared himself unfit to race at Cowley.
With all-bar Birmingham in action on a busy night of ROWE Motor Oil Premiership – and Tom Brennan and Steve Worrall already guesting elsewhere – Sheffield operate rider-replacement at number one and call on former Tiger Lewis Kerr.
Kerr is likely to have a point to prove after being released by the Oxford management this weekend and replaced with Berwick team-mate Drew Kemp.
Kemp makes his debut for the Spires who have lost only once in their six home Premiership meetings this year, a record which includes a 47-43 victory over a full strength Sheffield in March.
Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “It’s never ideal to go into any meeting missing two of your riders, yet alone your top two.
“First and foremost we wish both Tai and Jack a speedy recovery and we hope to see them back on a bike whenever they feel ready.
“Our options were extremely limited so we have had to shuffle our riding order around a little bit and, having ridden for Sheffield previously, we all know what Lewi is capable of on his day and he’ll have the bit between his teeth I’m sure.
“We just go there as a team and give it our best shot but we’re obviously going to need contributions from all departments.”
Oxford: Rohan Tungate, Drew Kemp, Maciej Janowski, Charles Wright, Chris Harris, Erik Riss, Ashton Boughen.
Sheffield: Jack Holder R/R, Lewis Kerr, Josh Pickering, Kyle Howarth, Chris Holder, Jason Edwards, Dan Gilkes.
Words by George Dodds.
Images by Taylor Lanning.