teaboy279

Bit harsh on Ledwith, he certainly has not been knocking about this league for any time, infact his last official fixture before Plymouth lat Friday was over a quarter of a century ago and before there was a third tier. Likewise Danny Ayres had never been on a speedway bike until pre season 2014...

Oh we have some moany fans that will find something to knock, for sure.

That's still cheaper then anything decent at Cardiff.

Unfortunately with the first gp a week later, some of us cant do them all. Worth going just to see Tai ride on British soil though.

Should imagine you ll struggle to get anything this late without paying a premium.

Well written sir.

You call it what ya like fella, it's no more a development league, then the the championship is to the premiership. And despite it back firing the reason Len took the decision to use RR was so he could give our own youngsters an extra heat. I ve done over a 1000 miles this week travelling to meetings from top flight to national league and spent a fortune, and Plymouth v Kent had more passes then I had seen in the other meetings this week put together. You add in more unattached wobblers especially in Kent's case at number 1, the less fans will come to watch.

Certainly looks likely to produce some top action as the season goes on.

I believe the Poultec team is. Tom Brennan Sheldon Davies Alex Spooner Kean Dicken Anders Rowe Jamie Bursill Jacob Clouting

The track bedded in well but there was no racing to speak of until the last 5 heats, with the last few being very good. Was a very sizeable crowd so I was shocked how little atmosphere or noise there was from the terraces. Also the website says if you pre book your tickets you get a free programme, then you buy your online ticket and it says on the ticket does not include programme..... plenty of annoyed people with that one. Once I finally got my programme I found the centre fold was from the Belle Vue vs Wolves match how the hell did that end up in a Swindon programme. I ve seen quite a few comments from Swindons fans saying how good the meeting is was..... if that was a good top flight meeting I think I ll just stick to NL and GPs.

Slightly strung out at times due to a bit of a gulf in ability, but some good racing was produced. Highlight being a big outside pass by Ablitt on Ruddick going down the back straight and round bends 3 and 4. Ruddick himself highly unfortunate to have mechanical gremlins on the last lap of the semi final when in 1st place As always welcome first class, kids interaction first class, adult interaction yep you guessed it first class. Food pukka as always. Note to self though, if you gonna run half the kids race to film your daughter running round make sure you press record not photo.........

With Belle vue coming to town Monday i cast extra eye over the 2 colt lads tonight. Woodhull won his first ride, missed his 2nd ride in ambulance with I believe arm pump, retired when last in his third, and did not take his 4th ride so is probably a doubt for Monday especially only being a challenge. Palin looks a class act with speed and race craft. From what i have seen him Dan Thompson, Nathan Ablitt, and Dan Gilkes genuinely have a chance to do a Drew Kemp and go from reserve to #1.

Strangely for someone so young he has all the attributes of a seasoned professional. Always in control of his bike, always appears calm in public, and just Carrys and presents himself in a highly professional manner.

Anyone know how both riders were after that horrific crash?

MacDonald did show considerable progress last year, another similar one could make him a useful 2nd string.

Yes, but they got the old team in to help out and by all accounts the chips are back up to the top of the league status. For years, well decades now I ve starved myself race day just so I could enjoy an extra portion of chips towards the end of a meeting... lol

Pretty sure the track has been signed off already.

What makes this more annoying is the clubs insistence on supporters being negative about this, well they have had near perfect weather since they started and still not managed it. So looks like my trip down on the 18th will now be the test event. Makes the comments by Lee Kilby who was criticising supporters for being negative and that it would be done easily a complete nonsense.

PRESS & PRACTICE - GET IN THE PICTURE WITH THE KINGS: With the curtain set to rise on the much-anticipated 2019 Speedway season for the Kent TouchTec Kings, there's an opportunity for fans to get up close and personal with the new-look side as final preparations are made at next Sunday's (14/4) Press & Practice Day. As has become traditional, in order to give the maximum opportunities for the riders to get invaluable track time the P&P event is held not at the Kings' Central Park Stadium home but at the nearby Speedway training track facility in Iwade. Thanks go out to the Sittingbourne Speedway club for again allowing Kent to welcome the media, sponsors and supporters to this event which will begin at 11.30am on Sunday 14th. April - with the Kings Men out on track from mid-day. And this year there's a unique opportunity for fans to put themselves fully in the picture - literally, as supporters can have their photos taken with the team and/or individual riders from 11.30am. Team boss Chris Hunt said, "We really appreciate the fantastic supporters we have, many of whom double up as sponsors too, and the backing they give us and the P&P event being held at Iwade gives an excellent opportunity to allow the fans to meet the riders (in some cases for a first time as we have a number of new recruits) and grab a memento of what we hope will be a memorable campaign, in the form of photos with the team". All the new side will be present - with the exception of Drew Kemp who, as well as being the TouchTec-sponsored Kings' number one in the National League, is also 'doubling up' this term with the Sheffield Tigers in the next division up, the SGB Championship - and the South Yorkshire outfit having now moved to a Sunday afternoon racing slot young Drew will up up there in competitive action. The GB U21 Finalist (having secured seeded into the big meeting in Berwick on the 27th. of this month) has made a sensational start for the Steel City side, roaring to a top-scoring tally of paid 14 on his Tigers' debut and so the Kent management can rest assured their no. 1 will be gainfully employed in racing action though missing the P&P event alongside his new team mates. Of that side, Anders Rowe and Alex Spooner are retained from 2018 - both Anders & Alex are in action at the Isle of Wight two days after P&P hoping to qualify to join Drew in that GB U21 Final, competing in the semi-final of that national championship. They'll be joined at Iwade and on the Isle of Wight by new signings, former Mildenhall starlet Jordan Jenkins and double GB Youth Champion, the reigning title holder at the 250cc class, Nathan Ablitt. A new signing familiar to Kent fans and for many the rider who was top of their proverbial 'shopping list' when last season came to a close, is the highly rated youngster, Dan Gilkes. This sextet of teens (all aged 18 years are below) are captained by the fifth new face in the team, Rob Ledwith. Hunt is optimistic that the blend put together for an assault on the National League honours after a number of previous near-misses will see further significant progress made. "We've made improvements each year and now in this our seventh Speedway campaign at Central Park, we do think we can make that final breakthrough - with a side which can mount a strong challenge for honours." And it's the famed Kent team-spirit which can make all the difference, "The most important thing is that the team, although they haven't yet been together as a unit, do all know each other fairly well, so we're hoping that will be an advantage right from the off. "We've already done a series of get-togethers and we've also had team practices - so it's very much been about getting people to gel together. Sunday's P&P is a very important part of that, bringing the fans, media and sponsors into that equation too". The Press & Practice event is free entry and held on Sunday 14th. April with an 11.30am start time at Iwade Speedway, The Old Gun Site, Raspberry Hill Lane, off Old Ferry Rd., Iwade, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8SP.

Photo ops with the riders from 11am, on track from 12.

Krosno Krakow live on you tube as well. I typed in live Zuzel and it appeared.

If there is time can we have a bit a discussion and predictions on the NL this year please. The return of the pairs and fours for the NL is exciting news, as is the proper old school 4 leg 4 team tournament later in the year between the Fen Tigers, The Gladiators, The Kings, and The Warriors.

Let's be honest some of the gardening in the good ol days was worse then today when you look back at some videos.

And this at Kent is what we do, we have speedway more or less every week and even for damp and cold challenge matches we still turn out in big enough numbers to turn a profit. I believe in 2017 the quoted average attendance was circa 800. And last season I remember Len saying the crowds were up significantly during the school holidays in 2018. I think you trawl the pages of the forums and most clubs fans biggest gripe is the big gaps between meetings. I dont think it's a coincidence that we are one of a handful of clubs that has turned a profit each season we have run and we are one of only a handful of teams with weekly fixtures. Infact there were a few grumbles last year that we didn't chuck another meeting or 2 on deep into October.