hawks 1975

What's so special about Oxford?! I can understand why Scott, Troy, Cameron and Jack Thomas are there, but now all of their so-far-announced NDL side have Central Park history! Jordan Jenkins, Nathan Stoneman, Jacob Clouting and Ben Hopward, and even young Hagon was due to ride for us before Covid! I guess a fair few Kent fans will be making the trip to Cowley on a regular basis (the Oxford promotion hopes!)

Strong top two, but not sure what Alfie's average would be. If it is that high, would it mean Danno riding as a third heat leader? If he is a second string, then the side could be quite strong. As for the other four, I'd like to see Jack Kingston back - he showed real promise at Central Park for short while, and I think I'm right in saying that he knows the Iwade track pretty well. Len was reported as saying he would do all he could to help - given his contacts, I hope he is - does anyone know?

As ever, thanks Islander for setting it up - hopefully next season we can all enjoy a NDL season with more meetings throughout the year, and no early season ending injuries for those we pick!

Great news, but wrap up warm - it can howl across Iwade! But then it did nearly every night at Arena/Lakeside.......

With championship Leicester having re-arranged their play-off v Scunny for Tuesday, presumably both Thompson twins will be missing at Central Park! Perhaps the original Armadale fixture will be re-instated?!

His 'news feed'? What is that and how do you access it?!!

All this talk of Brennan not being allowed to ride for Newcastle at Kent - I thought he wasn't there because the averages now no longer had him as their second heat leader, and they could not use a guest? Which is it?

Bad track prep or a visiting team that didn't like what they saw and got the ref to agree?? It had been a warm sunny day and there was a strong breeze. My guess is that Len and his crew prepared a track with a decent amount of material on it, and well watered. Len has often, even going back to his Waterden Road days, tended to have a wet opening heat or two knowing that it would then produces an excellent track later on. The track this season in all the meetings I have seen has been in my opinion the best there since it opened - and the racing has been the best as well. Could it be that having been told to change the track - ie tyre pack it and possibly remove some of the top surface, we were left with a slick track which then you could not water properly? All season Scott has enjoyed riding the inner line or the outer. Last night there was only one line. I'm no track expert, but clearly something was amiss. It would be great if Len or somebody at Kent could explain what went wrong. It looked a really healthy sized crowd - how many went home thinking that's what it's usually like at Kent? NB Full credit to Newcastle, with Max Clegg, Adam Roynan, Connor Mountain, James Wright and Ben Barker all having their moments and never giving up - on paper it looked like the home team would easily top sixty points.

Still no preview of the match on the Kent site - is that because Newcastle will arrive largely with a side that could have ridden against Kent two seasons ago in the NDL?! With the visitors fielding pretty much just the one heat leader, me thinks the Kings management will be paying out a shed load after a record win? I'll still be there for my weekly speedway fix, hoping the away team make some gates, but the likely unevenness of the contest does speedway no favours.

Two questions after last night. Firstly, does anybody know how Dan Gilkes is after his ambulance ride. What sort of injury was it - did he hit his head as he fell? Secondly, can somebody explain to me why, after the extensive track regrade after heat 10, the next two races were a full second slower! Quite often the fastest time of the night is recorded in heat one on a pristine track, yet the regrade produced slower races - why? I wouldn't say the racing improved after, so why do it? Granted an interval allows some to visit the bar, etc, but what is the value of all that tractor action? I seem to remember Mr Godfrey at Scunthorpe once saying he didn't believe in touching the track once the meeting had started! Anyone know?

Another entertaining match in front of what looked like a very decent sized crowd and a well deserved win for the Kings. Heat wins have generally been in short supply for the home side this season - what odds would you have got on Kent winning the first four races against a side with three riders in the top 6 of the Championship averages?! Just a real shame that Dan Gilkes crashed out on the first turn of his opening ride, but full marks to young Jake - a first senior win in his opener after Greaves made a mistake after stalking him for three laps, and then in his seventh ride, an excellent - and crucial - third ahead of Josh Pickering as Cameron won heat 14. Heeps is gradually coming to the party after his injury - when he fully gets going, he's an exciting rider and will be up there with Scott and Paul S in royally entertaining the Central Park faithful. Batchelor had three tape to flag wins, plus a heat 6 from the back over Worrall where for a moment I thought it was Scotty! Edinburgh certainly played their part. Sam Masters made a couple of errors early on, but then rode like the league's No 1 in the averages. Josh Pickering's chase of Paul Starke in heat 3 made it one of the races of the night, whilst newcomer Kye Thomson picked himself up after being dive bombed by Paul S and demolishing a large section of the first turn airfence in heat 13 to collect a fine paid win in heat 15. OK the ref made a couple of bloomers, but it was another good night of speedway on a lovely evening.

Who is the mystery rider with loads of British League experience, who would need a work permit? Assuming the new rider does not ride in Poland, or in the Tuesday night top Swedish league, the only names I can come up with as possibles are: A Czech - Matej Kus? A Dane: Kenneth Hanson, Rene Bach, Mads Kornelliussen, Patrick Hougaard, or Lasse Bjerre? An Aussie: Kozza Smith or Mason Campton? It might well be that some of these might even have packed up the game by now! My best guess, assuming I am right in saying he doesn't ride in Sweden, would be Lasse Bjerre. Let's just hope Uncle Len pulls a worthwhile rabbit out of the hat!

Objection sent. Good luck.

Redcar were always going to be too strong for a Kent side now having to do without possibly their best trapper - Bacon - and having their second heat leader, Heeps clearly struggling after his injury. Yet in Nicholls and a very impressive Paul Starke, plus the ever reliable Ben Morley, they put on a fine show. A word also for the struggling Paul Hurry - he looked more on the pace and was excluded when trying his best to keep Charles Wright at bay in his second ride. It was also very interesting, as a Kent follower, to see how Drew Kemp rode. In his season at Central Park, I often thought he didn't do himself justice, but with this display he really showed how he has progressed in such a short period of time. Scotty had to go some to beat him in heat 10, and he won heat two by a mile. Yes, there were reruns - what do you expect with James Sergeant in two of the first three races! In all fairness though, the lad gated fairly in four races and rode as well as I've ever seen him to get two wins in his 10 points. Not bad for a second string with an average barely over 4, yet his number one, with an average over 9.5, struggled to make a start all night! Spectacular 'offs' for first Jake Allen and then Charles Wright were the result of racing incidents in which the Kent rider was racing hard for the points. I for one am quite happy to accept another rerun after such racing. Clearly Kent need to strengthen, but being a Tuesday night track surely rules out all those who ride in Sweden and limits their options greatly compared to other championship tracks. Judging by the great reception young Dan Gilkes got after his post meeting spin after, by his standards a below par night, I'm optimistic that the majority of fans will continue to support the team in this difficult first season. Treat yourself Old Bob - get down to Central Park and enjoy watching two Premiership stars in Scott Nicholls and Paul Starke racing at the top of their game.

Really sorry to see that Rob has decided to quit at Kent. As somebody who remembers him fondly as a kid at Arena where he gave his all in every race, it was amazing to then see him years later return to the sport at Central Park well past his 40th birthday and perform as if he was twenty years younger. On track he was always worth watching, and off it, I believe he gave a lot to the team. It was a shame that he suddenly lost his Championship place pre-season, but I did wonder how he could possibly make it worthwhile to continue just in the National League, given the crazy situation with the fixtures this year. Having ridden in the Royal's opener on May 31st, his next home meeting was not until the end of July. He was not due to get any regular track action until September. That might be okay for a junior managing a few rides elsewhere, but at 50, with two or three good quality bikes to maintain? Good luck Rob in the future, and thanks for the enjoyment you gave us on two wheels - 24 years apart!

Given his early season form, would not Anders Rowe, with his familiarity with the track, been a sensible choice of guest for the injured Cam rather than R/R?

Oops. The A appears to have disappeared off Nathan in my team!

And also another stunning cover - superb design by Jeff Davies once again. Art work that deserves to be framed!

Dan Gilkes Kent 8.00 Joe Thompson Leicester 6.48 Henry Atkins Eastbourne 5.86 Dan Thompson Leicester 5.50 George Rothery Armadale 3.00 Jake Mulford Kent 3.00 Nathan Blitt Eastbourne 3.00 34.84

Wasn't Spooner announced as being in the Eastbourne 'squad'?!

Hi Phil, No answer from Dave on that number. Is that a Monday - Friday only business number? I have definitely had it delivered by NewsTeam since you changed - ie no wrapper/address.

Hi Phil. Nothing this morning either. I assume it is a problem with NewsTeam, although I paid my sub renewal on 18th April, so not sure exactly when the renewal date was - hopefully it's not a renewal cock-up! Regards, Geoff BR1 3ER.

Hi Phil. Sorry to bother you again, but I have not received this weeks issue - up until now the new system has always seen it here by 9am. How does the new system work? Might it still arrive later today? Should I expect it the following day or should I already be worried that it has not been delivered by 2pm? ! Regards Geoff BR1 3ER

Thanks for sending out another copy, much appreciated Phil.

Hi Phil. Ever since you've moved to NewsTeam my mag has been waiting for me, pristine on the mat inside my porch. Just to say this morning's issue was crammed into the letterbox, resulting in all the pages being torn! I believe you are gathering info like this - my postcode is BR13ER. Guess I could leave the porch door open on Wednesday nights, but then there's the issue of when it pours with rain..... Have only browsed through this copy so far, but once again, congratulations to all those concerned - some tremendous content. I've already read the fascinating Starting Technique article, full of insight from Scott, Olly and Bomber. It reminded me of the excellent series you did with Scott on the different tracks a while back. Great stuff. Anyone reading this post who doesn't get the Star anymore, you are missing a superb read, and a really classy production.