Edinburgh Monarchs' Bastian Borke ready to tear up the Championship after joining Capital speedway club

Edinburgh Monarchs new boy Bastian Borke says he is looking forward to "whipping some ass" as he aims to make a name for himself in British speedway.

The 20-year-old Dane has joined the Championship outfit after co-managers Alex Harkess and John Campbell agreed a change was needed in a bid to get the club's league campaign back on track.

Making way to accommodate the young Scandinavian are reserve pairing Kyle Bickley and Jacob Hook, with the club's Academy's Dayle Wood also earning a call-up for this Friday's Scottish derby against the Glasgow Tigers at least.

Monarchs have lost two of their opening three Championship matches so far - defeats at home to both Redcar and Scunthorpe - with an emphatic victory on the road at Birmingham the only shining light of a disappointing couple of months.

Bastian Borke will make his Monarchs debut on Friday against arch-rivals the Glasgow Tigers. Picture: Jack Cupido.

Borke, who has ridden in Sweden, Poland and his native Denmark, took to the Armadale shale for the first time following the National League encounter between the Monarchs Academy and Oxford Chargers on Friday, a match the visitors comprehensively won.

And in an exclusive interview with the Evening News, Borke, before going out on track, said: "I wasn't expecting a call at this point in the season but I spoke to Hans Nielsen a lot last year about coming here. He said he knew some people and here I am.

"I've always wanted to come over to Britain and race and I was thinking about doing it before going to Poland. But stuff happens and I'm just looking forward to getting some rides in.

"I want to go out there and score points and make the club happy as well. I know Lasse (Fredriksen) and spoke to him a few times last year, Paco (Castagna) as well. I know they're good riders and team-mates.

"I'm very much looking forward to Friday. It will be against some of my national mates, Ben Basso, Claus Vissing, so I know the riders and it's possible to win. I hear there's going to be a good crowd so I think it's going to be a lot of fun. I think I'll be good around Armadale.

"There's a lot of good riders in this league. I want to whoop their asses hopefully. I remember riding against Sam Masters in France when it was my second year on a 500cc and he only just beat me. So, I'm looking forward to getting the better of him next time.

"I don't give up until I'm across the finishing line. I've had a few rides so far this season where I've made some good passes so my speciality is to pass people if I don't make the gate. It's more fun as well. It's much more satisfying winning that way rather than making the gate and off you go."