There’s a rare treat for King’s Lynn Speedway fans on Sunday with co-promoter Jonathan Chapman forsaking his business suit for racing kevlars and getting ‘down and dirt-track’ in racing action!
This auspicious occasion, making the 28-year-old Jonathon’s racing debut will be an added attraction to a packed afternoon of motorcycling action courtesy of the Pozzani/Silkolene Short Track UK championship.
The USA style dirt-track motorcycling series is in its fifth year now and for the fifth time the multi-round series (which travels all across England and Wales on a range of racing ovals to crown no fewer than six national champions) opens up its season at the Norfolk Arena. That the Saddlebow venue has become effectively the spiritual home of Short Track (the fastest growing motorcycle sport in Europe) is in no small measure due to the far-sighted commitment of the Chapmans: father Buster and son, Jonathan. And, in to paraphrase that famous old TV advert, the boss likes the product so much he’s bought himself into it: in Chapman’s case buying a 450cc TRX Quad!
Chapman junior is an accomplished ATV (all-terrain vehicle) Quad rider and is full of confidence for his first foray into competitive action. The Short Track Quads event is unique for this type of four-wheeled racing on dirt track ovals in that six machines line up in a grid-style start at the tapes making for fast and furious action and a lot of passing. Sponsored again by local company Welbourns of Wisbech the main protagonists in this first of six championship rounds are going to be the Hooker brothers from Caister: twice-UK champion, Alan and his sibling, Mark on their howling Banshees; garage-owner sponsor, Charlie Welbourn and providing a real focus for female fans to get behind, the hugely-popular and talented Mandy Renshaw: fresh from a rostrum finish last time out. Making their official competition debut after having made only ‘guest’ appearances previously will be a pair of Norfolk-based brothers who aim to challenge their Lincolnshire counterparts: Ian and Robert Curl racing out of Norwich; whilst other local interest comes in the form of Ely’s Mark Graves.
The Quads form just one of a remarkable SIX championships being contested in what is one of the most action and value-packed afternoons on the Norfolk Arena’s events calendar. The main Short Track championship has a strong European flavour with three times STUK champ, Marco Belli from Italy joined this year by a first-timer at Saddlebow, compatriot Luca Talamona. Belli competes for the CCM Works Team who’ve dominated the championship in recent years and find themselves strengthened this term by the addition of twice Junior champ, Tom Woolley. The 16-year-old from Burton captured the inaugural ACU Under 15s Short Track title last term and this season will be his first championship up among the seniors. Ensuring though that the Woolley family name could yet still retain its undefeated record in the CCM-sponsored Junior Short Track championship will be Tom’s younger brother, Sam; whilst Wisbech-based Tom Welbourn will be optimistic he can improve on the third position he secured at his local track in last year’s opening round now that both Woolley senior and the hugely-promising Ben Baker have both moved-up. The Skegness-based Baker was a sensation late season in 2008 when he moved in the seniors and will be a major challenge for local riders like Kevin Armstrong from Boston and for former King’s Lynn Speedway captain, Peter Boast in the Short Track event.
Boast defends the Thunderbikes crown (the event for the larger multi-cylindered machines which sees truly monstrously-sized bikes up to 1200ccs, thrown into the tight bends of the King’s Lynn circuit in a spectacle not to be missed) facing the largest and most-talented field yet in this fastest-growing of all the disciplines. Peterborough’s Steven Cole comes to the tapes for the new season still basking in the glory of his race win over American Flat Track legend Chris Carr when the 14-times USA dirttrack racing champion visited these shores last October. The US equivalent of the Thunderbikes, the GN Twins has been the breeding ground for some of the biggest legends in motorcycling history, riders like Kenny Roberts and Nicky Hayden – no wonder then that a hugely-talented speed-merchant like one-time Elite League Speedway star and a national champ on the grass, Lincoln’s Andrew Moore is devoted his 2009 racing to success in this discipline. Less experienced but no less enthusiastic will be two local riders setting out for the first time at this level: the colourful Matt Moore from Wormegay and scribe-turned-speedster, journalist Simon Russell.
From the big boys to the mini bikes, an added attraction this term are two new classes: the Open Mini and Superstock Midsize events are sure to add still more excitement to proceedings!
The admission is £10.00 for adults, £8.00 for pensioners and other concessions; with children aged 12 to 15 years of age, £3 and younger than 12 (provided accompanied by an adult) having free admission. The action gets underway at 1pm.
