Until this season, Kent’s Central Park has held the distinction of being the UK’s newest Speedway circuit; that’s no longer the case though, thanks to Monday’s (15/8) visitors, the Belle Vue Colts. Conversely though, Belle Vue are the oldest (and arguably) most famous Speedway club in the world!
Yes, the club from Manchester was formed in 1928 and has competed in the sport uninterrupted (even through the Second World War) ever since; but this season they moved out of their Greyhound Stadium home into a custom-built arena just a short distance away: Speedway’s first ever ‘National Stadium’.
The first-time visitors to Central Park have at number one, perhaps THE discovery of the season in the Travel Plus National League [TPNL], Dan Bewley. Hailing from Cumbria, the 16 year old has taken the sport by storm, rising from reserve to a TPNL no. 1 berth quicker than any newcomer, current World Champion, Tai Woffinden included, in the history of the division.
Also a first timer at Central Park on Monday will be Andy Mellish – 31 years of age (so basically twice his young team mate’s age) this Tamesider doesn’t have much Speedway pedigree but is something of a legend in Grasstrack circles – graduating from a national junior title back in 2001 to being the 350cc British Champion in 2012. .
Two Colts’ riders who have cause to remember their last visit to Central Park fondly are Rob Shuttleworth and Lee Payne. Visiting last term with Coventry Storm, Barrow-born Shuttleworth recorded a useful nine points tally. Meanwhile, a former moto-crosser (like Kent’s Danny Ayres and indeed young Bewley), Lee Payne who’s from Wigan scored a career best away score of paid 13 in his appearance at the home of the SLYDE Kings last year with the Stoke Potters.
Completing the heat leader trio alongside Bewley & Payne is birthday boy, 24-years-old this week, Matt Williamson. Continuing the local rider theme in the Colts’ ranks, the former League & Cup double winner with Cradley hails from another satellite town around Manchester, Bury.
Another former British Champion at another Oval Racing discipline in the Colts’ line up is Tom Woolley – the former Short Tracker now in his fourth season in Speedway with all three previous years spent with the Buxton Hitmen. A team mate of Woolley’s who visited Central Park with Buxton last term (scoring a useful paid six) and now riding with the Colts is another native north-westerner, David Holt from Cheshire.
The homesters have been reeling from an unprecedented run of injuries but the pressure on selection for this vital TPNL encounter has eased slightly, with broken wrist victim Danny Ayres passed fit to resume and the knocks young reserve Jack Thomas suffered in his high speed/high jump crash over the air barrier safety fence last week proving to be heavy bruising and not breaks.
But skipper Luke Bowen, his namesake Luke Clifton and concussion victim David Mason are all sidelined. The SLYDE Kings bring in popular Sevenoaks-based racer Mark Baseby to ‘guest’ for Mason whilst Ben Morley continues to deputise in a similar capacity for the number one, Bowen.
The match-up between position two (where Kent currently stand in the TPNL table) and position six takes place at Central Park Stadium on the Eurolink estate in Sittingbourne on Monday 15th. August – start time 6.30pm.
TAGS: Kent Kings