Thanks to Bryn for this update from the Wightlink Islanders speedway team. Ed
After seeing off the Buxton Hitmen’s challenge to their unbeaten record so far this season at Smallbrook last Tuesday, the Wightlink Islanders are eager to extend that unbeaten run to six matches this week they face the fairly tough task of racing two matches in two days, both of which could pose them problems.
Firstly they travel today to Britain’s newest speedway venue at Central Park at Sittingbourne in Kent. Eager to defeat the newly formed Kent Kings side who’ve only had one official match themselves on their brand new circuit, that being the 41-49 defeat they suffered at the hands of the touring American side last Monday afternoon.
Hunt: “Speedway matches aren’t won on paper”
Wightlink Islanders’ co-promoter Chris Hunt’s straightforward initial comment on tonight’s match was to say,
“On paper we look to have a much stronger side than they have so we ought to win but speedway matches aren’t won on paper, our seven riders will have to do the necessary where it matters on the track itself.
“It’s not going to be easy for us tonight as, of course none of our team have ridden their track before and from what I’ve been told it’s completely different to our own Smallbrook circuit other than being basically oval in shape and having a shale racing surface, so as I say, it won’t be easy to get a win tonight but we fear no one and are very much going there with the intention of winning.”
Different riding techniques required
The main differences Chris refers to are firstly that a lap of their track measures a mere 268 metres as opposed to a lap around Smallbrook being 385 metres and there’s no banking on the bends at Central Park. Whereas we have plenty so there’s slightly different riding techniques required for each and obviously different bike settings required to such things as different sized front and back fixed gear ratios needing to be used and appropriate discs affixed, drive chain sizing etc., etc.
It’ll certainly be be an interesting encounter with both sides expected to be at full strength, Kent including within their septet the very experienced duo of David Mason (aged 36) and Steve Boxall who’ll be celebrating his 26th birthday this Thursday but not celebrating a win over our young side in hop country tonight if skipper Ben Hopwood and his fellow youngsters have anything to do with it!
Seeking pole position
A win tonight will put them in pole position to reach finish top of the Southern section of this year’s National Trophy and thus through to the finals and qualification for those will most certainly be confirmed if victory tonight is followed by a similar outcome in tomorrow’s home match at Smallbrook Stadium tomorrow night.
That match gets underway at the usual time of 7.30pm and our opponents will be the side from Suffolk, the Mildenhall Fen Tigers who last year finished as National League champions and ‘did the double’ by winning the National Trophy too. So although they’ll be tracking a somewhat changed side from the all-conquering one they tracked last year, the threat they are like to pose to us won’t be underestimated. And their three riders to watch our for are another experienced campaigner, 38 years old Mancunian Jon Armstrong, teenager Stefan Nielsen and Aaron Baseby who has ridden for us in the past.
