12:30pm Monday 14th September 2009
By Mercury sports reporter
ARGUABLY the greatest line up of riders ever seen at the Somerset Speedway's Oak Tree Arena will take to the track on Friday (September 18) for Mark Lemon's testimonial speedway meeting.
Australian Lemon, who rode for the Rebels in 2003, has assembled a field that will have all true speedway fans' mouths watering.
Australia will be taking on a Rest of the World team over 15 heats, the Australian side being led by two-time world champion and runaway leader of the current Grand Prix Series, Jason Crump.
Also riding for the Australians is another of the current Grand Prix stars, and ten-time Australian champion, Leigh Adams.
Add to that the likes of Australian World Cup rider, Adam Shields and Adam's Swindon teammate, Travis McGowan, together with the vastly experienced Jason Lyons as well as Lemon himself.
The side is completed by Somerset's very own number 1 rider, Steve Johnston.
The Rest of the World side look every bit as strong as their Aussie counterparts, led by the 2007 Danish champion Hans Andersen who will be making his Oak Tree Arena debut.
If Andersen is one of the current Grand Prix stars, then Tai Woffinden is surely one for the future. The Wolverhampton youngster earning rave reviews in his debut season riding in the Elite League.
Peter Karlsson, a teammate of Woffinden's, is another who will be making his first ever appearance at the Oak Tree.
Ex-British Champion Joe Screen who currently plying his trade with Elite League Poole, and two more up-and-coming speedway stars line up for the Rest of the World in the shape of England's James Wright and Denmark's Kenni Larsen.
Finally, the ever-popular Rebels star Emil Kramer rounding out their septet.
1993 World Champion and Sky Sports pundit Sam Ermolenko is at the helm of the Rest of the World side, while pitting his wits against him will be ex-Bristol Bulldog and the 1976 World Championship Bronze medallist, Phil Crump.
On the guest of honour list, the 1950 and 1953 World Speedway Champion, Freddie Williams is joined by the ex-Newcastle, Hull and Stoke rider, Tom Owen.
The special guest of honour is a world-class performer in his own branch of sport, the ex-Australian cricketer and current captain of Somerset County Cricket, Justin Langer.
Fans are surely in for a night of top quality action and entertainment on the night, which starts at 7.30pm.
Teams: Australia - 1 Jason Crump, 2 Jason Lyons, 3 Adam Shield, 4 Steve Johnston, 5 Leigh Adams, 6 Travis McGowan, 7 Mark Lemon, team manager Phil Crump.
Rest of the World - 1 Hans Andersen, 2 Joe Screen, 3 Tai Woffinden, 4 Emil Kramer, 5 Peter Karlsson, 6 James Wright, 7 Kenni Larsen, team manager Sam Ermolenko.
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