Pirates Hit by Late Injury Blow Ahead of 2026 Season Opener

The Pirates have suffered a frustrating setback on the eve of the 2026 campaign, with Dan Gilkes confirming he will not be fit in time for the season start.

Gilkes had been set to make his Poole debut on Good Friday, following months of hard work to recover from injuries sustained in a crash at Wimborne Road last May — an incident that ruled him out for much of the 2025 season.

Nikki & Dan at Eastbourne Track

Despite making progress, recent practice sessions have raised concerns. After outings at both Poole and Leicester last week, where he experienced a number of falls, Gilkes has made the difficult decision to delay his return.

With poor weather limiting valuable track time across the board, opportunities to regain full race sharpness have been scarce — ultimately forcing a late but sensible call.

Nikki & Dan at Iwade Track in Kent

Poole promoter Dan Ford praised the rider’s honesty and professionalism.

He said: “Dan has put in a huge amount of effort to be ready, but after those practice sessions he feels he’s not quite there yet. The weather hasn’t helped anyone in terms of getting laps in, so it’s been tough to get fully dialled in.

“We respect his decision — it’s far better to take this step now than risk starting the season underprepared.

“We’ll look to bring him back into the team once he’s fully fit. In the meantime, we’re working on a temporary replacement, and we’re confident the rider we’re speaking to can step in and do a strong job. We hope to confirm that soon.”

The Pirates will now turn their attention to finalising a stand-in as they prepare to launch their 2026 season without one of their anticipated starters.

Nikki & Dan commentating on Chesil Radio - Last meeting coverage at Iwade for Kent Royals

UPDATE: It has been announced on social media that Kyle Newman will be temporary cover for 28 days.

We would like to wish Dan a speedy recovery and thank him for all his support over the speedway years as we enter our 10th year covering UK speedway on the radio.

 This news story has been produced by Chesil Radio's News Team, for more information please visit: https://www.chesilradio.com