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PhilK

Transatlantic Challenge - Mildenhall - Sunday 25th June

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Fen Tigers host the Transatlantic Fours!

This Sunday (25th June .. parade at 2.45pm) sees International visitors at Mildenhall stadium as the ‘KJM/Manchetts’ Fen Tigers welcome the USA for a Transatlantic Four Team Tournament.

The meeting is sponsored by the RAF Mildenhall British-American Community Relations Committee in a considerable coup for the club, with the USA team will be sponsored by USAF Letting Specialists Tennens Properties Limited of Bury St Edmunds. A strong foursome will be in representing the USA looking to secure a spot in their World Team Cup line up the following weekend.
Gino ‘G-Man’ Manzares will lead the USA foursome and the twenty three year old from Corona, California will be a highly popular visitor. Returning to Suffolk speedway for the first time since the end of the 2015 season when visa issues bought his UK career to an abrupt halt, a fans favourite from the Ipswich Witches will be assured of a warm welcome. The smiling Manzares had two seasons with the Ipswich Witches and has raced for Team USA in three World Cup campaigns, the highlight being a 9 point haul and defeat of double World Champion Tai Woffinden at Kings Lynn back in 2014.

Luke Becker and Broc Nicol, both rode in the 2016 World Cup Race Off at Belle Vue and look to have promising futures in the sport. Becker briefly stunned the Manchester crowd with a breathtaking sweep past Niels Kristen Iversen in his third ride whilst Nicol is basing himself in Europe for the 2017 season in the hope of taking his career to the next level. Nicol was selected as the USA nominee in the 2017 Under 21 Individual Championship and takes his place in a semi final in Italy on May 20th.
Completing the line-up is seventeen year old Dillon Ruml who is the younger brother of Max and has already achieved a No 3 AMA ranking last year in just his second year of adult competition.

Of equal interest to many Norfolk speedway followers will be the return of one of the most famous names in the history of speedway, as the Norwich ‘Stars’ ride again.
Their last league action came in the1964 season although in July 2012, former rider and legend Ove Fundin played a part in announcing a return of speedway in the city of Norwich. Plans, which did not come to fruition, were outlined for a new track to be built on the city's outskirts, with the hope of a return to the British league structure. Hopes are still held by many that one day they will return to full time action but for now this meeting offers a chance for Norfolk speedway fans to see their team back on track once again. The ‘Stars’ will be sponsored and team managed by one of their favourite sons, none other than Trevor Hedge who now runs a successful engine supply and building business ‘Trevor Hedge Racing’.

To keep with the true spirit of Norfolk’s ‘finest’ the four riders representing the Norwich ‘Stars’ all have been born in Norfolk. Three Fen Tigers, Kings Lynn born Connor Mountain and Lewis Whitmore along with Norwich born Jordan Jenkins will be joined by Kent ‘Kings’ up and coming Norwich born racer Jack Thomas in the green with a yellow star famous race jackets.
The third side will be a GB Young Lions U21 four managed by Neil Vatcher, following the recent success of the Mildenhall v GB Young Lions U21 challenge it is a pleasure to welcome back some of the best young talent in the National League. Their line-up will be led by Jack Parkinson-Blackburn who will be backed by Kyle Bickley, Luke Harris and Callum Walker.

Completing the line-up will be a ‘KJM/Manchetts’ foursome made up of Danny Halsey, Jon Armstrong, Danno Verge and ex-Fen Tiger Connor Coles who comes in for injured Luke Ruddick.

Co-Promoter James Easter was looking forward to a special day at Mildenhall Speedway – he said –

“This meeting has taken some putting together and deserves to be a major success for Kevin. Phil Kirk and Lee Chipchase have given sterling support to me in getting all the blocks in place and hopefully this will be a day that lives long in supporter’s memories for all the right reasons.

We have four excellent fours who certainly should provide some super entertainment on the track. I must thank the RAF Mildenhall British-American Community Committee who are kindly sponsoring today’s meeting along with Tennens Properties Limited who are sponsoring the USA team and Trevor Hedge Racing you are sponsoring the Norwich Stars and of course KJM Road Sweepers and Manchetts for their continued wonderful backing of our club.

Neil Vatcher has done a great job putting together a GB Young Lions U21 four and they are welcomed back to Mildenhall for a second time this season and I am most grateful to the authorities for allowing us to use the famous name of the Norwich ‘Stars’ for the day. Hopefully speedway fans from far and wide will descend on Mildenhall stadium this Sunday”
Sunday’s teams –

USA – Gino Manzares, Broc Nicol, Luke Bekker and Dillon Ruml
GB Young Lions U21 – Jack Parkinson Blackburn, Kyle Bickley, Luke Harris and Callum Walker
Norwich Stars – Connor Mountain, Jordan Jenkins, Jack Thomas and Lewis Whitmore
‘KJM/Manchetts’ Fen Tigers – Jon Armstrong, Danny Halsey, Connor Coles and Danno Verge

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Looking forward to this...should be a cracker, love watching the American riders

 

I think Danny Ayres has stepped in along with Ryan terry-Daley

 

Ipswich's own Gino Manzares makes an appearance, always good fun !

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Weather not looking too good for this today according to BBC and Met Office forecasts!

 

Would be grateful if any locals could please keep us updated on any wet stuff as I'm planning on coming and wouldn't want a second week in a row to arrive in the car park only to turn around and have to go home.

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited by Super Blue

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I'll be at the track from 11.30 this morning. If anything happens I'll post on here (signal permitting)

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Kyle Bickley must have a helicopter ride in between heats because Buxton have him guesting for them this afternoon.

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He's not riding in this meeting. Just Buxton. Bickley and JPB replaced by Luke Priest and Nathan Stoneman

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A wasted hundred mile round trip last week due to the power failure, I don't want to do it again for a rain off, hence my post.

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We had a meeting a few weeks back when we were predicted rain all afternoon. We didn't have a thing. I've also been through Mildenhall and its been tipping down, got to the track and it's been bone dry. Seems the track has its own weather system at times. As I said, as long as I have signal (can be hit and miss there) I will update all the social media places I can.

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Track looks good to the eye. Just cloudy at the moment. American team about to have a practice

Track looks smooth

Edited by adz_mft

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20 heats in under 2 hours, shocked, stunned, did that really happen? All those involved in an excellent afternoons entertainment, take a bow.

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What a meeting that was. Well done to all. Brilliant

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I can only echo the last three comments - a superb meeting.

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