Last updated 07:40, Friday, 28 March 2008

WORKINGTON speedway’s new owner Keith Denham believes the sport can continue to go forward after Monday’s bumper opening crowd of more than 2,500.

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More people watched the Comets in action for the first time this season than saw Workington Town, Workington Reds and Whitehaven combined over Easter.

Denham, who bought the Comets from Tony Mole’s R. and D. Aggregates in November, believes Workington will have one of the best-supported tracks in British speedway.

He said: “I was very encouraged by the crowd on Monday but I’ve always felt that if we can provide the right environment, a top track and do things professionally we will get the fans on our side.

“We saw some exciting racing and that’s what people come to watch.

“It was encouraging that they came from all over Cumbria and beyond.

“Some people that I spoke to had never been to speedway before so we weren’t just bringing back the people who might not have been for a year or so.

“We spent quite a bit on an advertising campaign before the first match and I think that has paid off as well.

“We are proud of our product here at Derwent Park and we want to shout it from the roof tops.”

Former Comets skipper Carl Stonehewer has already handed the track his seal of approval after collecting a superb 15-point maximum on his first meeting at Workington for eight months.

Carl said: “I’ve raced at Derwent Park since 1999 and that’s the best track we’ve had in that time.

“I reckon it has to be the best track in Britain at the moment.”

Team manager Ian Thomas re-launched the sport in 1999 under the Tony Mole banner and Monday night was a throw-back.

Thomas said: “We had massive crowds then and it was like a flashback seeing all those people queuing back to the railway station coming into the ground.

“It was a bitterly cold night, too, so if the weather had been a little kinder we might have even got more in.”

Track staff are preparing for the next meeting at Derwent Park tomorrow ( Saturday).

Denham said: “We want it in top order because this weekend will decide which team goes through to the semi-finals of the Premier Trophy.

“Both ourselves and Edinburgh have both beaten Berwick home and away and we meet on Friday and Saturday.

“The second leg is at Derwent Park and I’m looking for us doing enough over the two legs to put us in pole position with Glasgow left to race against.”

Glasgow will host Workington on Sunday.