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Last Updated: Mar 18th, 2010 - 20:21:45 |
The Newport 'Darlows' Wasps open the new speedway season at their Queensway Meadows stadium on Sunday March 21st at 2.30pm with a most distinctive challenge match against the 1999 Legends.
1999 was the most successful season at Newport Speedway since the sport was relaunched in the city in 1997. That year the Wasps won the Premier Trophy, were runners-up in the Premier League and the junior side the Newport Mavericks won the Conference League. Now a selection of the 1999 squad take to the track for one last time to race the 2010 Wasps with Craig Watson changing sides for one week only to re-acquaint with his former team-mates.
Travelling the longest distance to be back on track at Newport again is Frank Smart who makes a flying visit from Western Australia. Frank was hugely popular in his seasons with the Wasps and his willingness to give it one more go is a feather in the cap of the Newport management. Joining him and Craig Watson will be Andrew Appleton, Chris Neath, Scott Pegler and Tony Atkin. Atkin replaces Emil Lindqvist who has not recovered from a recent shoulder operation but who will attend the fixture and be available for autographs along with the other Legends plus another 1999 squad member Bobby Eldridge. The club has produced a special colour supplement in the matchday programme with the Legends in action and portrait and space provided on the pages for fans to obtain those autographs in the Wasps Nest bar after the match.
Frank Smart has continued to ride on a part-time basis at home while Andrew Appleton is now one of the world's leading Long Track and Grass Track exponents; Chris Neath is captain of the Rye House Rockets in the Premier League and Tony Atkin is captain of the Newport Hornets. Only Scott Pegler has not ridden in recent years but has been practicising behind closed doors at Queensway Meadows as well as taking on a fitness regime.
The 2010 Wasps will be led by Leigh Lanham now fully recovered from the shoulder he suffered at the end of the 2009 league campaign. He will be supported by two very talented young Swedish riders in the form of Kim Nilsson and Anders Mellgren plus another up and coming teenager Todd Kurzt from Australia. Canadian Kyle Legault makes his debut as a Newport rider while New Zealander Grant Tregoning has been delayed in his travel plans and will replaced by a Newport Hornet to be named on the day.
Commented Newport co-promoter Nick Mallett: 'There has been so much interest in this fixture and many fans past and present can't wait to see Frank Smart and the 1999 boys on track and around the stadium. We look forward to seeing many of our former supporters back on the terraces and in the grandstand on Sunday. It would be great to revive the level of support that those legends enjoyed in the previous decade.'
NEWPORT 'DARLOWS' WASPS:
1. Leigh Lanham (C)
2. TBC
3. Kim Nilsson
4. Anders Mellgren
5. Kyle Legault
6. Todd Kurtz
1999 LEGENDS:
1. Craig Watson (C)
2. Tony Atkin
3. Andrew Appleton
4. Frank Smart
5. Chris Neath
6. Scott Pegler
For general club news log onto: www.newportwasps.com or ring the hotline on 09066 555 915(calls charged at 60p per minute)
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