MORE SPEEDWAY TITLES UP FOR GRABS AT SMALLBROOK ON THURSDAY

The Speedway season continues at Smallbrook stadium on Thursday with more British titles up for the taking. Having witnessed the NORA 500cc British Championships last week, this week it’s the turn of the NORA Freelance Installations British 500cc Upright Championships and the Jason Waring’s powered British 500cc Women’s Championship. With 16 riders due to compete in the uprights and 5 in the women’s, there is due to be over 25 races of high octane action. Leading the field and favourite for the uprights will be former Great Britain international and current holder of the title Edward Kennett. Kennett from Hailsham in East Sussex started his racing career in the Conference League with the Rye House Raiders in 2001. He had his first permanent team place with the Raiders in 2002. The same season he made his Premier League debut for the Rye House Rockets. In 2004, he joined his local club the Eastbourne Eagles in the Elite League, and in 2005, he returned to Rye House Rockets in the Premier League. The 2005 season saw Kennett become the British Under-21 Champion. He also qualified for the World Under-21 final where he finished in 8th place. The Rockets won the Premier League and the Premier Trophy. The Poole Pirates declared Eddie as their ‘Number Eight’ (first reserve) in the Elite League. He finished 5th in the British Speedway Championship Final and was also selected as a meeting reserve for the British Speedway Grand Prix held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Kennett decided to stay with Rye House for the 2006 season In 2007, Kennett chose to go back to the Elite League and signed for the Poole Pirates. He also finished fourth in the British Speedway Championship, which ensured he would be a track reserve again for the British Speedway Grand Prix. In September 2007, Kennett was selected to represent Great Britain for the 2007 under 21-World Cup Final. Kennett returned to the Eastbourne Eagles in 2008 and won the Elite League Knockout Cup.  He also finished as runner-up in the British Speedway Championship to Scott Nicholls and appeared in the British Grand Prix as a wild card. In 2013, he signed for Premier League Berwick Bandits as a replacement for the injured Ricky Ashworth. He has also been named in the Team Great Britain world cup squad along with Chris Harris, Tai Woffinden and Craig Cook. In 2022, he rode for the Plymouth Gladiators in the SGB Championship 2022 before injury stopped him from racing.

Another rider is Nigel Flatman from Felixstowe, England, a former motorcycle speedway rider known for his impressive career in British speedway. He made his debut in the British leagues during the 1977 National League season with the Peterborough Panthers. Flatman helped Peterborough win the Fours Championship in both 1977 and 1978. In 1979, he won the silver medal at the British Speedway Under-21 Championship. He also rode for the Ipswich Witches, where he achieved significant success, including winning the Knockout Cup in 1981 and the league and cup double in the 1984 British League season. Flatman continued to ride for Ipswich until 1988 and had a final stint with Peterborough in 1989 and 1990. Interestingly, he made a sensational return to the track at the age of 60, participating in a meeting at Pinjar Park, Western Australia, where he performed admirably. He rode well at the Island on previous visits before the rains came and he was unable to compete in the restaged event. He is flying in from Perth Australia where he resides. Ben Phillips, Malvern, Worcestershire, Great Britain, rode a handful of matches for Plymouth in 2022 but is more known on the amateur scene and the grass tracks. Another rider Flying in from the other side of the World is Trevor Williams. Williams is a former Reading, Exeter and Milton Keynes racer Dean Felton from Wolverhampton needs no introduction the Island Shale having ridden the circuit many times in the past; his list of clubs makes quite a collection. Oxford (1994), Ipswich (1994),  Long Eaton (1997),  Skegness (1997),  Stoke (1997, 1998, 2001), Berwick (1999-2001), Glasgow (1999), Wolves , 1999, 2003), Edinburgh (1997, 2001), Belle Vue (2003), Poole (2003) and Eastbourne (2003), Always gives 100% Shaun Bickley former Edinburgh (1987), Milton Keynes (1988) and Glasgow (1989) rider, has lots of experience and may be a spoiler. Wayne Broadhurst will be one of the favourites, vastly experienced and very fast, certainly knows his way around the Smallbrook circuit. Previous clubs include Coventry (1987-1989), Stoke (1988, 1999-2001), Workington (1999), Wolverhampton (2001, 2003), Belle Vue (2003), Poole (2003), Max Broadhurst has had mixed results of previous visits, recovering from a recent injury, will be interesting to see how he copes on the night. Other riders are Phil Spencer, Giles Dismore, Martin Stacey, Ian Leverington, Australian Roy Miller, Graham Knowler, John freeman, and Bill Haynes. In the Women’s Championship, all eyes will be on the twice champion Katie Gordon, who will start as favourite. Hoping to push her all the way are the Island’s own Steph Whitlock and Annastasia Sallee, but keep an eye on Tia Brant from Worthing, who has just picked up first place in the British Youth Championship at Belle Vue Manchester. Rachel Hallowell will also be in with a shout as she has shown some good form lately. It all gets underway at 18:15 with junior racing and then the main event starts at 19:00 on what promises to be another night of thrills and spills.