DANNY Stoneman is targeting a return to form as he bids to help the Weymouth Weyline Wildcats record their first National League victory of the season, against the Rye House Cobras at the Wessex Raceway tonight (7.15pm).

The 18-year-old reserve became the Cats’ seventh declared rider last month and has outscored his opposite number in two of the three National League encounters he has raced in for Weymouth.

Although Stoneman (2+1) was completely outshone by the Buxton Hitmen’s Robert Branford (13+2) during last week’s heavy defeat to the Derbyshire men he is hoping to be back among the points against the Cobras this week and add to some impressive personal scores.

“It’s been pretty good at Weymouth so far,” said the Devon-born speedster. “I’ve been scoring sixes and sevens.

“I didn’t do so well last week but I’m hoping to pick it up again and keep banging in the points.

“The track at Weymouth is brilliant, I’m really getting on with it, and this has been a good move for me.”

Stoneman has had an eventful time since switching from the Plymouth Devils to replace Nick Lee, scoring well against the Newport Hornets (6), away at Mildenhall (6+1) and at Rye House (5+1).

But during his strong performance against Newport – in which he picked up three second places – Stoneman was involved in a heavy collision with Terry Day that saw the latter hospitalised with severe concussion.

There was nothing the teenager could do to avoid his team-mate and he showed great bravery to get back up and score another second place.

But injuries to Day and Byron Bekker (back) – who is replaced by Newport Hornet Mark Jones tonight – while Tom Brown continues to build up his match sharpness, means the Cats are struggling for fitness and form.

They were dealt a further blow when James Cockle revealed in Wednesday’s Echo-sport that he is not likely to last the season because of mechanical troubles and problems financing his continuation in the sport.

Despite that, Stoneman insists that the mood in the camp remains high.

“The spirit has been fairly good and we’ve been trying to help each other out as much as we can by sharing the points between us,” he said. “We are struggling at the minute but we are not doing too badly considering we don’t have our full team.

“With a full team out, I’m confident we can get out on the track and win.”

Team manager Jem Dicken is also keen to pick up that elusive first success and realises how important it is to do so sooner rather than later.

“It’s a shame we don’t have Byron in the side but Mark Jones is a good replacement,” he said. “We need to start winning and quickly, otherwise any chance of the play-offs are going to be diminished.

“Losing at home last week wasn’t a good start on our own shale and we can’t afford to do that anymore this season.”