SHEFFIELD have snapped up experienced British racer Lewis Kerr.

It comes just days after he was released by fellow Premiership side King’s Lynn - the club who helped him launch his career back in 2010.

The 32-year-old replaces former Grand Prix competitor Craig Cook who has failed to hit the heights many thought he could after joining the Tru Plant Tigers during the winter.

Cook managed just 48 points from ten league fixtures and with him currently out of action after crashing whilst on Championship duty almost a fortnight ago, the Tigers have pounced to get their man.

Team boss Simon Stead said: “First and foremost I’d like to say that there’s nobody more disappointed than Craig and myself that this didn’t work out for him at Sheffield.

“I genuinely thought we’d got him in on a bargain average and I was convinced he could easily improve that figure.

“But for some reason, Craig just never really got going this year and it’s a shame because we know he’s a talented Speedway rider.

“His average has actually dropped by over a point and a half and that would put too much pressure on our reserves and Kyle (Howarth) who were the only riders who could cover for him.

“An opportunity presented itself to us when Lewi left King’s Lynn and after Craig’s R/R rides on Monday only scored four points, we acted quickly to get a deal with Lewi over the line.

“Speaking to him you can hear the determination in his voice - a fresh start in the top flight of British Speedway at a different track is just what he feels he needs to get himself firing on all cylinders again.

“Lewi is a top, top guy, a solid professional with immaculate equipment and the way he’ll slot into our team and with the fixtures we’ve got left on paper, I think he can come in and bring something else to the table.

“In my mind, as a team so far we haven’t got into our groove at all yet, we’re capable of so much more.

“With a settled group of riders, with a consistent run of fixtures, I think the lads are only going to step things up over the next month or so as the business end of the season approaches and I think we’re in for an exciting final few months at Sheffield.”

With Monday's scheduled trip to Peterborough now pushed back a fortnight, Kerr will make his debut at Wolverhampton on Monday, August 22 (7.30).

The next action at Owlerton sees the Tigers host Round Five of the Premiership Pairs next Thursday (August 18 7.30).