King's Lynn V Castleford (mdl) - 12th June 2013

[Mimmo 1,070]

Tonight gives us the opportunity to witness a little piece of history, as Castleford make their first EVER visit to King's Lynn.

 

These Midland Development League meetings have really caught the imagination of the Norfolk people this season, unlike last year when we were so dominant in the Anglia Junior League, with large numbers staying on to watch the youngsters go through their paces, and so far nobody has been disappointed. I know from talking with the riders, that they really appreciate the support they are being given, and say that it's so much nicer for them rather than racing in front of empty terraces.

 

Although currently bottom of the league, the Yorkshire club will be far from a push over tonight, as they have introduced into their line-up current Mildenhall rider Nathan Stoneman, who is more than capable of going through the card unbeaten.

Victory for King's Lynn will move us up into 2nd place, just two-points behind league leaders Belle Vue, and with a match in hand, and with our support, that can and will be achieved......hopefully/

 

The line-ups are as follows: -

KING'S LYNN: Andy Mountain; Connor Mountain; Adam Kirby; Josh Bailey. (Team manager: Wayne Dunworth).

CASTLEFORD: Nathan Stoneman; Arron Mogridge; Lee Geary; Adam Sheppard. (Team manager: Pete Hibberd).

 

 

As I said, this is the first time that the 'King's have ever visited King's Lynn, but the two sides have met before at their former home the Whitwood Stadium. It was in their inaugural season of 1979, on the 31st July to be precise, when the two sides slogged out a 38-38 Challenge Match draw.

At no point were the Yorkshire club never not in front, until the very last heat of the night, when we grabbed an important heat victory to tie the match.

 

CASTLEFORD 38

1. Kevin Clapham (2-2-3-2) = 9

2. Les Race (1-0-2-2) = 5

3. Dave Parkin (1-F-F-N) = 1

4. Paul Stead (1-0-3-F) = 4

5. Ray Watkins (3-2-FX-2) = 7

6. Wayne Jackson (3-3-3-2-F) = 11

7. Shaun Kingscott (1-F-N) = 1

(Team manager: - Grahame Dawson)

KING'S LYNN 38

1. Bob Garrad (3-3-3-3) = 12

2. Nigel Sparshott (FX-TS-N-TS) = 0

3. Craig Featherby (2-3-1-3) = 9

4. Mike Sanderson (FX-1-1-FX-1) = 3

5. Peter Framingham (2-2-F-1) = 5

6. Phil Vance (2-0-1-3-2-1) = 9

7. Keven Dye (F-N-N) = 0

(Team manager: - Martin Rogers)

 

1) Garrad, Clapham, Race, Spartshott (FX) 51.0

2) Jackson, Vance, Kingscott, Dye (Fell) 52.2

3) Watkins, Framingham, Stead, Sanderson (FX) 58.4

4) Jackson, Featherby, Parkin, Vance 58.0

5) Garrad, Watkins, Sanderson, Stead 53.0

6) Featherby, Clapham, Vance, Race 54.6

7) Jackson, Framingham, Sanderson, Parkin (Fell) 54.4

8) Vance, Race, Kingscott (Fell), Dye (NS) 54.4

9) Stead, Vance, Featherby, Watkins (FX) 52.4

10) Clapham, Race, Framingham (Fell), Sanderson (FX) 53.0

11) Garrad, Jackson, Vance, Parkin (Fell) 51.0

12) Featherby, Clapham, Framingham, Stead (Fell) 61.2 (Yes that time is correct!!)

13) Garrad, Watkins, Sanderson, Jackson (Fell) 56.8

 

So enjoy tonight (assuming the weather behaves), and subject to confirmation, the 'Lightning' are due on track again next Wednesday, in the 1st leg of the KO Cup against the Stoke 'Spitfires'. This is scheduled to follow the KO Cup meeting between King's Lynn 'Young Stars' and Stoke 'Easy Rider Potters'.

[Great Central 226]

Mike,

Lovely write up on a piece of history in the making. Their old stadium must have been quite small looking at the race times. Was Craig Featherby pushing his bike round in heat 12?

Martin

[Mimmo 1,070]

Mike,

Lovely write up on a piece of history in the making. Their old stadium must have been quite small looking at the race times. Was Craig Featherby pushing his bike round in heat 12?

Martin

 

It was a mere 202-yards Martin.

 

Speedway at the Whitwood Stadium was promoted by Jim Streets, who had a 9.30pm deadline on evening meetings.

 

They hosted their inaugural meeting on the 12th June 1979 when Rod Hunter was victorous in the Daily Mirror Kings Cavalcade.

A total of eleven open licence meetings were staged at the tiny venue in that initial season of racing. In 1980, just five open meetings were held, the last of which saw Castleford beat Felton 43-35 on the 24th June.

 

A further meeting, namely the West Yorkshire Pairs was scheduled for the opening day of July, and although a programme was produced, for whatever reason, the meeting was never staged, and that was the end of the road for speedway at Altofts Lane.

[Steve Oval Racing Thomas 0]

It will be a good meeting tonight. I hope Dale and Wayne will keep me up to date on scores so i can post on Young Stars and Lightning fb.

[Mimmo 1,070]

After all the build up yesterday, what a huge disappointment for this meeting to fall victim of the weather.

 

What disappoints me even more is the fact that if the referee had shown a little more effort in trying to get the races up and running in the main meeting, then this MDL fixture could have started and quite possibly reached a conclusion.

 

Visit a Grand Prix, and the riders are out ready for the next race before the announcer has had chance to give the result from the race you've just seen.

 

Visit a British Youth Championship Meeting, and the riders are out ready for the next race before the announcer has had chance to give the result from the race you've just seen.

 

Visit an Amatuer Meeting, and the riders are out ready for the next race before the announcer has had chance to give the result from the race you've just seen.

 

Visit a domestic league meeting, and spend half your time twidling your thumbs between races, where in the case of last night, it was chilly on the terraces, but no doubt nice and snug in the officials box...........WHY?

 

The weather forecast last night was not good, the sky looked full of rain all evening, yet the referee still allowed riders all the time in the world to get through fifteen races. It was known that there was a junior match to follow, and every effort should have been made to keep the meeting running at a decent pace.

 

Although I shouldn't think the youngsters actually reside in or around Castleford, I bet that a fair number of them had to make at least a 2-hour journey to reach the Norfolk Arena, which is a lot of return travel time and incurs large fuel costs, and these are lads and parents that probably can ill afford that.

 

The junior meetings were lost at both Coventry and Stoke for varying reasons, and now last night makes it three in a row.

 

Please officials, for the sake of those who both compete, and those that enjoy to watch these events, when the weather looks a bit iffy, keep your finger on the button.

 

The seniors enjoyed their evening, and the juniors have got the same right to enjoy theirs too.

 

Mike

[Great Central 226]

Very disappointing to read how it went last night. Regarding the travelling by the riders, Nathan Stoneman may be from Wales, Lee Geary lives in Hinckley, Adam Sheppard in Surrey and not sure about Aaron Mogridge but down near London I think. Not small distances to travel on top of time off work etc.

Kent can run 15 heats in about 80 minutes or less. I am not advocating that sort of speed in an EL match but I do echo your sentiments about keeping it moving by use of the 2 minute warning button.

Edited June 13, 2013 by Great Central