The Kent ‘CTA Fire’ Kings are back in action at Central Park on Monday evening when Leicester Lion Cubs come to town.
The competition is the National Trophy and the Lion Cubs will be desperately seeking points to put themselves into the final of this competition, in which they are competing for a first season.
Sadly the Sittingbourne-based Kings no longer have such pretensions of qualifying for the grand final (like as not to be against Stoke in a two-legged affair); but, back to full strength, the CTA Fire-backed side will be determined to get back to winning ways on their home circuit.
The visiting line-up heading down from the East Midlands could scarcely represent a more stern challenge though, as the Leicester club have really put together a team-of-all-the-talents to represent their proud club name in this third tier competition.
Leading the way is one of the highest-averaged riders in the division, Oliver Greenwood – the popular Oli who hails from Peterborough scored an immaculate 15 points maximum at the Central Park circuit earlier this year, when guesting for the home side; and there’s no doubt he has established a deserved reputation at a track specialist.
The likes of CTA Fire Kings’ heat leaders Simon Lambert, Ben Morley and Benji Compton (re-united in for the first time in this competition since the 38-57 reverse up in Leicester back in April) will need to be at their best to prevent this particular Greenwood going through the meeting unbeaten again.
We say this particular Greenwood, for he’s not alone in having that surname – as the Lion Cubs also have Daniel Greenwood in their side! No relation, Daniel is a former GB Under 15s champion.
A former national champion no less than three times at Under 21 level captains the Lion Cubs – that’s Tom Perry. Though in Perry’s case his national titles case not on the shale but at one of Speedway’s sister sports, Grass Track Racing.
Similarly, Tom Woolley who also lines up for Leicester has national and indeed international titles in a different discipline – in the case of the Derbyshire-based rider, that’s in Short Track and Flat Track: two alternative styles of dirt track motorcycle racing.
The line-up is completed by Max Clegg who has previously appeared against the CTA Fire Kings for Cradley and the young Devon-based Sam Chapman.
Leicester are utilising the Rider Replacement facility for the missing James Sarjeant reporting for Elite League duty and the two teams line up as follows (listed in alphabetical order):
Kent CTA Fire Kings: Danny Ayres; Aaron Baseby; Benji Compton; Jason Garrad; Simon Lambert; David Mason; Ben Morley
Leicester Lion Cubs: Sam Chapman; Max Clegg; Dan Greenwood; Oli Greenwood; Tom Perry; Tom Woolley
Following the NT action, Simon Lambert will defend his Bronze Helmet Match Race Championship against a rider nominated by Leicester.
On another note Friday’s ‘County Challenge’ match between Kent and the Young Hammers scheduled for the Arena Essex Raceway in Thurrock was unfortunately the victim of the unseasonal thunderstorms when a gigantic deluge completely flooded the racing circuit used by the Lakeside Elite League club in the late morning. No details are yet available for a restaging date.