The Kent CTA Fire Kings have boosted their ranks with the signature of Aaron Baseby who arrives at Central Park with a good pedigree.
Baseby who is from Sevenoaks is a former League and Cup winner with the Bournemouth Buccaneers and has arrived from Mildenhall.
He is, the younger of two racing siblings, and he celebrates his 24th birthday on Saturday just twenty-four hours before he makes his debut against his former club Mildenhall.
He began his racing career in his home county at Iwade, racing for the then Sittingbourne Crusaders in the 2005-2008 seasons. His career as a Crusader ended on a high as a member of the Sittingbourne quartet which famously secured third place in the Conference League Fours, in what was to be the Iwade-based side’s last ever competitive fixture; but Aaron moved onto bigger and better things hooking up alongside his elder brother Mark with the Poole-based Bournemouth Buccaneers in the first season of the National League in 2009.
Aaron went onto be an ever-present member of that double-winning side including a career-best paid 17 points return in the Championship play-off final.
Last season though, back for a second spell with the Fen Tigers at West Row in Suffolk was a disappointing one for Aaron, who is very happy to be coming ‘home’ in Speedway terms with this move to Central Park.
Speaking about coming home, Aaron said: “I am very happy to be signing for my local club and looking forward to the challenges ahead. I’ve ridden the Central Park track a number of times since actually appearing in the very first race in the first meeting there last year and I’ve done well, so am confident that this will be a good move for me and for the Kings.”
More than anything Baseby feels this is a chance to get his career back on track after a generally unhappy time with Mildenhall,
He added: “I got on very well with former World Champion Michael Lee when he was part of the management team at Mildenhall but since that time I felt things did not go well. I’m determined now with Kent to prove myself and show I’m still able to compete at National League level and do much better than I did last year”.
Involved in the swap deal was Connor Coles who has been on loan at Mildenhall this term and now joins the Suffolk side on a permanent basis.
Giving his thoughts on the move team boss John Sampford said: “We’re delighted to have done this bit of business. Recent matches since losing Benji Compton to injury have shown that attempts to cover Benji’s absence via the Rider Replacement facility haven’t worked out.
“Having seen how well Aaron went on Whit Monday around our circuit, especially after a period out of the saddle, firmed our resolve to sign him up and he’ll go straight into our side away at Mildenhall on Sunday and then make his home debut as a Kings’ rider on Monday versus Coventry.”
Picture by Jeff Higgot.