Kent Speedway

[Old Crusader 135]

Just wondered if Kent will be in the NDL next year?

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

21 minutes ago, Old Crusader said:

Just wondered if Kent will be in the NDL next year?

Nothing officially announced yet but Mildenhall statement said they would have been the only standalone team in the NDL (so gave it a miss). 

Shame really as the return at Iwade was actually a decent success (few blips) but sadly costs and limitations on top up income have cost another team.

[hawks 1975 69]

Crying shame that Iwade will not be in the NDL next year - Si has confirmed that nobody has expressed an interest in running it. A solid, loyal group of fans now have no club.

After an impressive first season, Si had only bad luck this year - allied to family health issues - and the powers that be seemingly went out of their way to make things more difficult. Now Iwade is no longer a SCB track. 

I believe the plan was to operate under the Nora banner and involve some 'nomad' tracks like Lakeside and Eastbourne, utilising three existing tracks, but with Mildenhall now under new ownership, I wonder whether Iwade and the Isle of Wight can still go it alone.

I had hoped that a six team league, with say Lakeside riding with Iwade out of Iwade; Rye House at Mildenhall and an Eastbourne side on the island might have worked. 

Now it appears there will be no venue for speedway in a huge catchment area between Oxford and Poole where once there were so many.

Finally, a huge thank you to Si Kellow for the last two  years. There was always a friendly vibe at Sunshine Speedway on Sunday afternoons at little old Iwade and that was down to Si - a promoter who was always in amongst the patrons and regularly welcomed the visiting fans. 

[rocket007 101]

They may be good at welcoming fans, but not very good at sending out merchandise purchased online. Took payment rapidly but not replied to 4 further emails.

[old bob at herne bay 828]

The BSPA can be proud of their hand in closing down Kent speedway at Iwade, and extinguishing the last league speedway in the South East of England.

it’s been fun - my family over 3 generations have been supporting speedway since the early 30’s at Crystal Palace, but finally old Bob has lapsed his speedway star subscription and with it my interest in a sport that has little appeal in far off locations …….

 

[bruno 1,790]

On 1/9/2024 at 10:09 AM, old bob at herne bay said:

The BSPA can be proud of their hand in closing down Kent speedway at Iwade, and extinguishing the last league speedway in the South East of England.

it’s been fun - my family over 3 generations have been supporting speedway since the early 30’s at Crystal Palace, but finally old Bob has lapsed his speedway star subscription and with it my interest in a sport that has little appeal in far off locations …….

 

Same here with Monmore closing, cancelled star a while back. Keep having a gander on here but not sure how much longer. May do a few away days next year. I've not took out BSN and may not bother with the gps

[Hawk127 1,359]

Good read in this week’s Star that Kent are coming to the tapes this year under the Nora association. Good luck to all involved. It deserves to succeed after the grief dished out by the BSPL in 2023.

[M.D 463]

They have a challenge lined up on April 14th V Eastbourne Eagles..

[Bavarian 767]

When will they form a NORA League? Isle of Wight, Kent, possibly Mildenhall, maybe Eastbourne to join them. How about Buxton, and Northampton? 

[Come on the Skipper 75]

https://www.kent-speedway.co.uk/fixtures

Home fixtures at present.

[ellioth4 67]

The whole team has been announced today. Taken from Kent Facebook Page

 

Kent Speedway Press Release 002/24 dated 18/2/24 The joy of six: fixtures & team members announced

The Kent Kings revival under the new regime and NORA jurisdiction received a further boost this week with team news and a full programme of fixtures at their Iwade base.

The six fixtures added to the opener vs. Eastbourne Eagles on 14th. April announced last week, see two other sides representing campaigns to bring the sport back to long established defunct venues visiting: with Thurrock Hammers coming on May 19th and then Rye House Rockets on June 16th.

Then on July 7th. it’s the other NORA club, Isle of Wight Warriors in what’s expected to be a two leg challenge; before fixtures on September 1st. (slated currently as a London Four Team Tournament) and in October in what promises to be an exciting campaign for the reformed Kings.

And there’s a familiar look for the Kent faithful in the sextet revealed as bringing back the Invicta race jacket to track action, with three members of the original Kings side of 2013 named. Club legend with a record number of appearances for Kent and way ahead as top points scorer for the club, BEN MORLEY will line up as number one – the twice National League Riders’ Champion representing the ambition of new club owner Steve Ribbons to field a very strong side.

Joining Morley is JACK KINGSTON, now recovered from the injury which saw his season with the Kent Royals curtailed early in 2023 and he’s joined by a third ‘original’ Kings man from those Central Park days in the ever-dependable SAM WOODS.

Then it's a case of best foot for-ward with the signing of Speedway returnee, SAM WARD. The Cheshire-based multi-discipline motorcyclist rode on the shale for Stoke Potters in the early 2010s before taking a 10-year hiatus from the sport, returning in 2023 on the amateur scene and now seizing the opportunity available in NORA racing.

The Iwade track has for decades been the route into the sport for local Kentish riders and one of these is Ashford-based NATHAN HARGRAVE. Hailing from Ashford, Nathan was a member of the Sittingbourne Crusaders side that competed in the MSDL in 2022 and his career kicked on further in 2023, when he was the winner of the Second Half Championship held at the Old Gun Site track.

Marshalling these troops as 2024 Kent Kings captain is Essex-based RHYS NAYLOR. The 30-year-old made his comeback to the sport with Plymouth back in 2022 and was Iwade-based with the Royals last term and now the former GB Youth Champion is given the responsibility of fronting up the new club at the Old Gun Site.

He is looking forward to the challenge,

“I’m honoured to captain the Kings this year and will do the best job I possibly can and help out the lads when needed”.

[Chris116 756]

I note that the date for the 4TT is 1st September on Facebook and 4th August on the Kent Kings website. I am surprised how few fixtures they are planning although they may only be the first set and more will be added to fill the gaps.

[szkocjasid 3,027]

9 hours ago, Chris116 said:

I note that the date for the 4TT is 1st September on Facebook and 4th August on the Kent Kings website. I am surprised how few fixtures there are planning although they may only be the first set and more will be added to fill the gaps.

I agree it looks a very small fixture list, plus I'm surprised that they have big gaps between fixtures. Although they'd only have 5 home matches if they raced in the NL, so 8 is an improvement on that.

IoW tend to have all of their racing squeezed into a couple of months, obviously designed to get the most out of the holiday makers.

[HGould 2,213]

1 hour ago, szkocjasid said:

I agree it looks a very small fixture list, plus I'm surprised that they have big gaps between fixtures. Although they'd only have 5 home matches if they raced in the NL, so 8 is an improvement on that.

IoW tend to have all of their racing squeezed into a couple of months, obviously designed to get the most out of the holiday makers.

Couple of points

(a) I wonder if it's time to have a dedicated NORA section to make it easier to follow IOW and Kent (and anyone else who may join)

(b)  I suspect the Owner of Iwade can make as much money / more money from hiring out for Track Days and Practices as he can from renting to Kent ?

(c) I hope that IOW and Kent and other dormant Clubs joining in with the NORA supported Fixtures WON'T be black-balled by the BSPL for doing so, should they wish to return. It seems Kent were very shabbily treated last season, as IOW have been in the past. Other dormant clubs currently too must NOT be penalised for riding under NORA supervision.

Sadly the treatment of Kent and IOW suggests that the current BSPL hierarchy will do all they can to try to punish and prevent them from running successful operations under NORA. The Sport needs all the participant it can find and not helped by the petiness of the BSPL. At least there seems to be more friendly overtures from the ACU according to the Speedway Star this week.  

 

[hawks 1975 69]

Last season I was led to believe that the promoter was only allowed to hold two meetings per month where paying spectators were allowed in at Iwade.

Given that Crayford have already announced that they are riding out of Iwade in 2024, perhaps that might explain why Kent Kings, sadly, look to only have one meeting per month?