Kent’s four teen titans go into national individual championship action on Thursday when they contest the GB Under 19 Final being held at Ipswich Speedway’s Foxhall Heath Stadium – 7.30pm start time.
Having won his semi-final of the older age range championship (the U-21s) the SLYDE Kings’ heat leader Jack Thomas will go into this one confident he can challenge right at the top end of the field. Taylor Hampshire with connections at the Ipswich club (he made a Championship appearance for the Witches earlier this month) will also be confident he can follow up on his GB U21 Final qualification with a solid showing in this event also. Anders Rowe had some mechanical difficulties on Monday at Kent with valve spring problems and will be looking to put those behind him; whilst young reserve Alex Spooner will be cock-a-hoop after a career best and match-wining paid 10 points return in that nail-biter against Plymouth – when the Essex racer who’s 18 next month and team mate Hampshire were the heat 14 heroes.
The man to beat is clearly last year’s runner up in this event and later on in the 2017 campaign, the National League Riders’ Champion Dan Bewley – who now rides in the top division for Belle Vue Aces. Fellow Belle Vue-based but with the Travel Plus Tours National League Colts, Kyle Bickley was third last year and knows what it takes to win national titles on the national and even world stage and he will also be a contender.
Newcomers to the event, 15 year olds Leon Flint and Drew Kemp (respectively the reigning Youth 250cc and 500cc national champions) are sure to want to impress at this step up; as will be two riders Kent saw at close hand on Monday – Plymouth’s Henry Atkins and Eastbourne 2018 debutant Jason Edwards. Kemp who’ll be seen at Central Park next week (Monday 21/5) with his side Mildenhall is like Hampshire from Suffolk so will be looking to impress on his home county shale.
Another former youth champion in the field who will be looking for the next title up the age ranges is Edwards’ Eastbourne team mate, Tom Brennan.
It’s certainly a field packed with burgeoning young Speedway talent – the best ever at this championship and a good contingent of Kent fans are sure to venture down the A12 to cheers on their awesome foursome on Thursday evening.
Ipswich Speedway is at Foxhall Heath Stadium, Foxhall Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP4 5TL and the event is on Thursday 17th. May – 7.30pm start time.
Riders (in confirmed draw order):
1. Jamie Halder (Coventry Bees), 2. Henry Atkins (Plymouth Devils), 3. Dan Bewley (Belle Vue Aces), 4. Ben Woodhull (Belle Vue Colts) 5. William O’Keefe (Stoke Potters), 6.Taylor Hampshire (Kent SLYDE KIngs), 7. Matt Marson (Mildenhall Fen Tigers), 8. Charlie Brooks (Eastbourne Eagles), 9. Tom Brennan (Eastbourne Eagles), 10. Anders Rowe (Kent SLYDE Kings), 11. Jack Thomas (Kent SLYDE Kings), 12. Jason Edwards (Eastbourne Eagles), 13. Kyle Bickley (Belle Vue Colts), 14. Alex Spooner (Kent SLYDE KIngs), 15.Drew Kemp (Mildenhall Fen Tigers), 16. Leon Flint (Birmingham Brummies)
Reserves: 17. Lewis Whitmore (Buxton Hitmen) & 18. TBC
Admission for Thursday’s meeting is £15 for adults and £11 for concessions with kids going free.