Tai Woffinden back in British Speedway with Sheffield Tigers

The Owlerton Stadium club have lured three-time world champion Tai Woffinden back to English speedway as an injury replacement for Jack Holder.

Co-promoter Damien Bates said: “For Sheffield to sign a rider like Tai Woffinden is a massive coup, not only for us as a club but for British Speedway as a whole.

“Jack has had an operation but we can’t say for definite how long he’ll be out for and we don’t know how quickly he’ll be ready to come back.

“With the July weather causing havoc with the fixture list, it means there’s going to be a lot of hectic racenights in the Premiership on Mondays and Thursdays for the next four weeks or so."

Woffinden hasn’t raced in the UK since 2016 but was lured back by Sheffield boss Simon Stead.

Woffinden said: “One positive thing is that the boys that I have spoken to about racing in England, no one has had a bad thing to say whereas five or six years ago that was a different story.

“It’s been a long, long time since I raced around Sheffield but it’s a sick track and I’m really looking forward to getting out there.

“In fact one of the last times I rode there was probably when I won the Premier League Riders’ Championship in 2008 – it’s a place I have so many memories from.

“I used to go to Sheffield as a kid and it will probably ignite all those memories ; I have a lot of connections there and it’s going to be interesting to get back there for sure.

“I’m looking forward to getting out there and going racing and let’s see how high up in the Premiership we can finish.”