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American Touring Team October 2011


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We have updated our squad following last weekends USA Under 21 Championships and are pleased to announce the top three riders in the USA Under 21 Final as it stands will be on the tour.

 

Joining the squad are AUSTIN NOVRATIL and runner up RUSSELL GREEN. Novratil is intending to make a run at getting to at least the semi final stages of the World Under 21 Championship next season, so racing on the tour is vital in giving him enough laps in Europe. Green has been out of action for much of 2011 but he returned to the saddle in the last three weeks. During this time he has exploded into the best form of his career - aside from the 2nd place spot in the Under 21's he has made the Main at event at all of the big three USA tracks as well as winning the Victorville Best Pairs with Eddie Castro. BRYCE STARKS, winner in 2009 and 2010, came third and is also on the squad.

 

The revised squad is

 

Rocco Scopellite (15)

Austin Novratil (16)

Mike Buman (19)

Bryce Starks (19)

Russell Green (20)

Michael Raines (23)

Robbie Sauer (43)

Eddie Castro (52)

Edited by SteveEvans
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Yes exciting names Steve but the loss of Fishback weakens you hugely. Are you planning on replacing him with another No 1 or do you think the boys will have improved enough to give the very competitive matches we've seen on nearly every previous tour?

 

Of course Fishback is one of a kind - I'm sure he will be back some time. Having a young team means continual improvement every event - some of the older riders (McConnell / Nicol) find their level after a match and that is what you get. Note that it's Buman, Stark's and Novratil's stage to shine on, being their third UK trip each - three trips is usually what it takes to get a rider who has it PL ready. Also note Green and Raines are very accomplished riders in the USA and come at a higher level than most of the new kids we bring over.

 

I think exciting times are ahead!

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Of course Fishback is one of a kind - I'm sure he will be back some time. Having a young team means continual improvement every event - some of the older riders (McConnell / Nicol) find their level after a match and that is what you get. Note that it's Buman, Stark's and Novratil's stage to shine on, being their third UK trip each - three trips is usually what it takes to get a rider who has it PL ready. Also note Green and Raines are very accomplished riders in the USA and come at a higher level than most of the new kids we bring over.

 

I think exciting times are ahead!

 

Really looking forward to seeing Russell,just need to convince someone to drive me to Mildenhall now!

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Of course Fishback is one of a kind - I'm sure he will be back some time. Having a young team means continual improvement every event - some of the older riders (McConnell / Nicol) find their level after a match and that is what you get. Note that it's Buman, Stark's and Novratil's stage to shine on, being their third UK trip each - three trips is usually what it takes to get a rider who has it PL ready. Also note Green and Raines are very accomplished riders in the USA and come at a higher level than most of the new kids we bring over.

 

I think exciting times are ahead!

 

Looking good Steve, team looks to have a lot of ability in it, as you say usually takes a few of them a match or so to get upto speed, but with the strength in the team & the experience of being on a couple of tours be really interesting to see what Buman, Stark & Novratil do.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Sorry to say the Mildenhall race on the 9th has been postponed due to the Fen Tigers success - spare dates are needed for KO Cup and Play Offs but Chris Louis wants us next time!

 

Also likely the Leicester date will move forward to the 8th or 9th. Awaiting confirmation on 4 other possibilities for the last 1-2 events.

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Is Kings Lynn on 5th October confirmed Steve?

 

May bring the van up to bandit country for this one :wink:

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  • 2 weeks later...

If only an October tour was simple!

 

When you factor in rain offs, backlogged fixtures, play offs, cup runs, etc an October schedule is a nightmare to organize. It changes on a daily basis - club wants you, then doesn't, or needs to change date etc etc.

 

Ideally we race at both Buxton and Leicester but ultimately the tracks tell us when to come, not vice versa.

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Talking of talent, unfortunately a schedule clash looks like it will make it impossible for #1 USA Flat Track rider 'Slammin' Sammy Halbert to join the team this time around. Halbert had audaciously approached the Touring Team for a spot after having won the prestigious Daytona Flat Track in March, and the TV interviewer suggested that based off of his style, he should perhaps try racing speedway. We arranged a test with Billy Hamill and Halbert, per the Bullet's assessment looked like the most natural rider he had ever seen jump on a bike. After the video of Halbert's test hit Youtube, one Elite League promoter contacted us with the view of a team place for Sammy in 2012 - quite amazing for a rider who has never actually ridden in a speedway race! Now the AMA have added an extra round to the series which would rule out any travel to the UK in October, as chasing the #1 plate is Sammy's main goal right now.

 

Sammy, who has also recently tried road racing, is committed to giving speedway a shot and we will look at bringing him to the UK at a future time.

 

 

I saw the video of Sammy trying Speedway on youtube and was really impressed with how quickly he picked it up. Any idea if he's going to give it another shot?

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I saw the video of Sammy trying Speedway on youtube and was really impressed with how quickly he picked it up. Any idea if he's going to give it another shot?

 

He wants to. He was all set to join us on the tour but then an extra round was added to the Flat Track Series on October 16. He may race the new track in Vegas in November.

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