Hull arrange special Select Team challenge.

Hull Vikings will race a specially chosen Select Team on Wednesday 28 May. This team will be made up largely of ex-Vikings and other riders popular with the Hull fans.

Hull Vikings promoter Nigel Wordsworth explains the thinking behind the meeting. "Many of the Hull fans tell me how much they enjoy seeing some of the former Hull riders appear at Craven Park when their new teams come to town. When this date became available following several changes to the original fixture list, we decided that it would be great to see the current Vikings in action against some of the old boys."

Director of Speedway John Bailey is actually putting the select team together. "We want riders with a natural appeal to the Hull crowd, and who at the same time will give the current Vikings a good challenge. This isn't just an exhibition match, it will be a serious competition between two great teams."

Berwick Bandits' captain Paul 'Banga' Bentley is the first rider confirmed for the Hull Select team. The popular Geordie was a Viking himself in 1998 and 2001 and has always been a favourite of the Hull crowd. Bentley, now 35, is an experienced rider who first rode speedway for Newcastle in 1987.

Hull have made a change to their published fixture list. Their Premier League away match against Newcastle Diamonds, originally scheduled for Sunday 25 May, will now take place on Monday 28 July.

Hull team manager John Bailey explains: "The original date was on Bank Holiday weekend. Because of the number of events taking place on that weekend in the Newcastle area the Diamonds promotion were unable to organise adequate medical cover. They therefore approached us for a date change, and we were happy to help them arrange a new date."

This arrangement now leaves only one Hull match date still to be announced. The British League Cup Match against Belle Vue at Hull's Craven Park stadium, postponed because of a fixture clash with an Elite League match at Peterborough, has yet to be rescheduled.