| Coventry Storm have made a new signing ahead of a busy spell of National League racing in the month of August. The City Gearboxes Storm have brought in Mark Baseby to replace former skipper Luke Crang, who is taking time out of the sport. 27-year-old Baseby previously rode for Storm boss Laurence Rogers at Mildenhall, and although he has been absent from regular NL racing over the last couple of years he has remained active on the grasstrack and longtrack scene. Prior to that, he was a member of the League and Cup double-winning team for Bournemouth in 2009, and his younger brother Aaron currently races for Kent. Baseby will make his Storm debut at Stoke on Saturday and will appear at Brandon for the first time in Sunday’s double header against King’s Lynn and Stoke (2pm start). Manager Laurence Rogers said: “We had to get back to having a seven-man team as using rider-replacement was going to put a lot of strain on riders and their machinery especially in double-headers. “I’ve been looking to get someone near to Luke’s average, but it’s been a nightmare - I’ve spoken to Mark a few times and then when we were down at Eastbourne recently he was asking me if we wanted him, because he was happy to come. “I know Mark from the past and I feel I’ve always got the best out of him, and that’s one of the things he said when he had options to go elsewhere because there were other clubs after him. “Mark is coming in on a 5.67 average, but in my opinion he’s easily a seven-and-a-half to eight point rider in this league. “He just needs some laps to get himself settled in, and he’ll certainly get that with three matches in two days this week!” |