The Plymouth Gladiators begin their Cab Direct Championship campaign this weekend with a demanding double header on the road, travelling to face the Glasgow Tigers on Friday before taking on the Workington Comets on Saturday.
While this marks the start of their league fixtures, the Gladiators have already had track time this season in the Knockout Cup, despite no longer being involved in the BSN Series.
Friday night sees Plymouth head to Ashfield Stadium to take on the Glasgow Tigers, a venue known for its electric atmosphere and strong home performances. Less than 24 hours later, the team travel to Cumbria to face the Workington Comets at the GT Tyres Arena.
Promoter Mark Phillips believes the early meetings in the Knockout Cup have been valuable preparation heading into the league campaign.
“Although this is the start of the Championship for us, we’re not going in cold,” said Phillips. “We’ve already had some important meetings under our belts in the Knockout Cup, which has helped the riders settle in and get up to speed.
“This weekend is still a huge test, though. Glasgow away is always tough, and then to go to Workington the next day makes it a real challenge but one we’re ready for.”
Team Manager Garry May echoed those sentiments and is looking for a strong, consistent showing across both fixtures.
“The meetings we’ve already had have definitely helped,” said May. “It’s given the boys a chance to gel and get some race sharpness, which is important going into a big weekend like this.
“Glasgow and Workington are both difficult places to go, so the key for us will be consistency and taking our chances. If we ride to our ability, we can be competitive in both meetings.”
The Gladiators will now look to build on their early-season track time as they aim to make a positive start to their Cab Direct Championship campaign.
