Lineup change at Ipswich Witches amid difficult start to speedway season
Ben Barker will replace Cameron Heeps in the Witches' lineup
Last updated 3rd May 2022
Ipswich Witches have made an early change to their lineup amid a difficult start to the speedway season.
Subject to approval Ben Barker will be brought in to replace Cameron Heeps.
Heeps has struggled to find form this season after sitting out much of 2021 through injury.
Barker is back at Foxhall for his third spell with Witches, having previously raced with the team in 2013 and 2016.
He will be available for Thursday's fixture against Belle Vue Aces.
Witches have struggled so far this season, with losses in all four League Cup fixtures.
Explaining the difficult decision, Promoter Chris Louis said:
“This happened last year under difficult circumstances with his injury on top of the other two injuries all within a week of each other.”
“The last thing I wanted to do was to have the same thing this year, but he hasn’t hit the ground running and we are struggling as a team.
"We haven’t had a victory yet in our four League Cup fixtures. We are not that bad a team by any means, but we are a team that requires a reasonable input from all seven on most occasions.
“We built a team knowing that the nucleus of it in Erik, Cam and Troy are coming off of bad seasons, that’s why were able to build this team really.
"We had no right to expect them to be back to their top form just because they put on a Witches suit, so we knew we would have to give them time.
"Unfortunately, with the way the way the Premiership works with just six teams, it’s a short season and it has a transfer window, that opens after 25% and closes at 75%, so you are forced into making moves quickly if you need them, so it hasn’t enabled us any time with Cam.”
"I would say maybe he is just not quite prepared enough and at the beginning of the season that is when it shows. I hope and pray, because he is someone I am close to and have a friendship with, that he can ride himself through it.
"If the situation presents itself and he is scoring points, I would see no problem at all with putting him back in the team if the situation arose. It’s really tough on him"