In an attempt to secure every point available to the Royals on track, they have made a rider change going into our final six matches.

The club have persuaded 15 year old Ashton Vale to join the Royals, with an eye firmly on the remainder of this season and beyond.

Ashton rode for the team against Leicester and showed that his skills from the British Youth Championship translated well onto a 500cc machine in the National Development League. Ashton has been a regular rider at Iwade, and we are delighted that he has chosen the Royals and Iwade to be his home team.

Ashton is an ex British Youth Grasstrack champion, and has come 3rd in the 2023 Speedway British Youth Championship (behind Ashton Boughen and Jody Scott) – his first season on 500cc.

On 250cc he has come 3rd and 2nd in the British Youth Championship in consecutive years, and he has raced in the 250cc Euro Championships and pairs in 2022.

Ashton says “Racing is my life, it’s a family thing for us. My uncle, Rob Mear, rode for Lakeside and Rye House, and my dad (Aaron Vale) raced 500cc sidecars in the European Championship Finals in 2019, and came 3rd in the British finals in 2019 & 2021. If i’m not doing speedway i’m racing flat track”

The club and fans are sure to welcome Vale to the Royals when he takes to the track for the first time.

To allow Ashton to join, the club have released Sam Woolley. Sam has been an integral part of the Royals on and off the track for the past two seasons, and they thank him for his contributions, and wish him every success in the future.

Images courtesy of Oddshots Speedway Photography