It’s a case of ‘Home Sweet Beaumont’ on Sunday (31st. October) as the Kent Iwade Garage Royals bring the curtain down on their 2021 season with a National League [NL] match against Armadale Devils which, although technically a ‘home’ fixture, is having to be held at the Beaumont Park home of Leicester Speedway.
And though the hopes of the Kent club of finally clinching a coveted first-ever NL title have, due to three recent defeats, gone West - in the East Midlands this is a winner takes all clash to decide who finishes in the top three – and for the Iwade Garage-backed Royals that would be for a creditable fifth season in a row.
John Sampford’s charges still have their two injury absentees with both Alex Spooner and Josh Warren side-lined and they bring in as replacements, Luke Harris and James Chattin. London-born Harris is a former GB Youth Champion, taking that title in 2014 the last season he was a regular in a Kent race jacket; while 22-year-old Chattin from Handsworth is returning to the track where he began the campaign as a Leicester Lion Cubs rider.
After Tuesday’s unexpected home reverse against Belle Vue Colts, the side from Manchester leap-frogged both the Royals and the Edinburgh Speedway-based Devils into third place in the table; but that will be short lived, as with the teams laying 4th. & 5th. up against each other meaning the Royals need at least a draw to clinch third but the Devils looking to finish in that position by completing a nightmare for Kent’s NL faltering campaign by claiming victory on Hallowe’en afternoon.
Leading the away side will be NL stalwart, Tom Woolley – one of a pair of racing siblings from Derbyshire (his younger brother Sam was one of the Colts’ heroes on Tuesday). Tom is a multi-faceted racer as well as being one of the nicest guys in the sport – with a number of youth and senior titles at Flattrack, where he also once took the Silver Medal in the FIM event that’s the de facto world championship for one of Speedway’s sister sports. Woolley top scored with paid 16 in the reverse fixture up in Edinburgh.
Joining Woolley in a heat leader berth is 25-year-old Middlesbrough man, Danny Phillips - an NL title winner back in his debut season at this level back in 2014. And at number one there’s a league title winner from this season in ‘Guest’ Jason Edwards – star man for recently crowned NL champions Mildenhall Fen Tigers. Essex man Edwards (also an NL winner in 2018 with now defunct Eastbourne) is in due to Armadale having a facility for their retired former captain Nathan Greaves.
A rider in the Devils’ septet who, like Edwards, had been a visitor to Kent’s normal home of Central Park this term is Geordie, Archie Freeman – the youngster has doubled up in 2021 with his home city side, Newcastle Diamonds. And the youthful side is completed by Scottish brothers Lewis & Gregor Millar and 23-year-old Cumbrian, George Rothery, 2019 Northern Junior League Riders Champion.
The action gets underway at 3pm at the Paul Chapman Arena, Beaumont Leys, Leicester, LE4 1DS – travelling fans are recommended to put ‘Leicester Lions Speedway Bar’ into Google Maps to access the car park side of the stadium. Also fans are advised that it’s CASH ONLY at the gate with admission: Adults £12; Children 12 and under, Free; £2 programme.
