BANTER'S GUIDE TO SPEEDWAY NATIONAL LEAGUE GRASSTRACKERS

The SCB speedway National League has contained some of the nation’s hottest young prospects and is once again full of young talented riders. Naturally some of Britain’s finest Grasstrack stars find themselves turning in laps for National League teams in 2017 once again.

SCB National League

The first team of note to Grasstrack fans is surely Plymouth Devils. The team looked like they were closing their doors at the end of 2016 following financial strife but they are back in the National League for 2017 and stacked full of Grasstrack stars. Heat leaders include Steve Boxall and Lee Smart.

Boxall returned to Grasstrack full time in 2016 after several seasons away from the sport, concentrating on his speedway career. He was a great addition to the Grasstrack fraternity and was at the pointy end across the country throughout the season. Smart has been around the Grasstrack scene for many seasons now and can always mix it with the best, although he is probably considered a speedway specialist.

Also joining the Devils ranks are Devonians Richard Andrews, Henry Atkins and Saul Bulley. Andrews, from Bradninch just outside Exeter, had an assault on the British Upright title a few seasons back, as well as competing in the mainstream 500cc class from time to time.

Henry Atkins burst onto the 250cc scene in 2016 and will continue to compete in this class throughout 2017 as he gathers much needed experience for both his Speedway and Grasstrack career. And Saul Bulley slots in as Plymouth’s Number 8. Although much of his grass racing has been in the 250 class, the Exeter teenager has moved up to the 500cc class already.

The final Grasstrack lad plying his craft for the Devils will be Callum Walker. He has had a good degree of success already on the Grass, and now looks to continue his momentum in the speedway world. 

Luke Harris has been searching for a team place through the winter and has now been landed by Cradley, who look to strengthen their team with the youngster. He has competed in 250 and 350 classes so far on the Grass and will step up to 500cc in 2017. It’ll be interesting to see how Harris progresses both at Cradley and on the Grass in the ‘big’ solo class. Joining Harris at Cradley is British 350cc Champion Tom Perry, who doubles up with Glasgow in the Championship.

Eastbourne have their share of Grasstrack talent as once again Charley Powell and Georgie Wood join the side. The speedway commitments saw a dramatic reduction in Grasstrack appearances for Wood, who is a hugely talented Grasstrack rider. Powell, however, was still a present force at Grasstrack’s up and down the country. Both lads are born from sidecar racing backgrounds, with Georgie’s Dad being former sidecar passenger Andy and Charley Powell being the son of former British Masters sidecar champion Richard Piggott. 

So perhaps it is significant that a third regular grasser joining the Eagles is yet another rider with sidecar Grasstrack in his blood. Son of former sidecar passenger Paul, Mark Baseby heat leads for the Sussex team in 2017.

The Eagles also feature youth sensation

Tom Brennan, who experienced a wealth of Grasstrack experience through his formative years, and Connor Coles, who doubles up with Newcastle in the Championship. Coles has never ridden adult Grasstrack but rode plenty of Grasstrack when he was a young boy, before his father signed for Newport- a Sunday team.

Former Youth World Grasstrack Champion Zach Wajtknecht doubles up with Lakeside in the National League and Swindon in the Premiership so will be very busy on the shale, whilst multi British 250 and 350 champion Harland Cook returns to the shale for 2017 with the Isle of Wight team. Harland is a fantastic Grasstrack rider and had limited track time in 2016. Hopefully we will see more of Cook in the coming season. 

Other riders with Grasstrack connections finding themselves in teams for 2017 in the National League include Darryl Ritchings (Birmingham) and Dan Greenwood (Cradley). Both riders were good youth Grasstrackers but turned to speedway as adults. Both have returned for rare Grasstrack outings but have not been regular competitors. Tyler Govier is also a rider who competed in youth Grasstrack as a young boy. He lines up for the new Isle of Wight team. 

Photo by Alan Whale

Mildenhall once again will field a rider with plenty of National League experience whose Grasstrack roots are very clear- Danny Halsey. The Fen Tiger has forged a great speedway career, but spent his early years travelling to the country’s biggest Grasstrack meetings, watching British Masters sidecar champion father John Halsey race. When Halsey came of age, it was speedway and not sidecar racing which was to be his path of choice. Perhaps one day, we will see Danny put his Grasstrack lineage to the test.

Finally, Stoke Potters field two riders with clear Grasstrack blood. The first is Luke Priest, whose father John was a good Grasstracker. Priest rode youth Grasstrack and Formula Grasstrack before turning his attention to speedway as an adult. He has had a very successful Speedway career and would be a welcome addition to any Grasstrack, should he choose to follow in father John’s footsteps. And the other Potter is something of a Grasstrack legend. It is 4x British 350cc Champion Tony Atkin. Grasstrack outings are very rare for the vastly experienced racer, but perhaps one day he’ll return to win another British title?

Photo by Alan Whale

Once again, good luck to all of the members of the Grasstrack family finding their way into the National League Speedway setup. On behalf of Grasstrackers everywhere, we wish you the very best of luck...and don’t forget to come and visit your old Uncle Grasstrack from time to time! There’s always a place for you!

SCB National League Grasstrackers

Darryl Ritchings (Birmingham)

Tom Perry (Cradley)

Dan Greenwood (Cradley)

Luke Harris (Cradley)

Mark Baseby (Eastbourne)

Georgie Wood (Eastbourne)

Connor Coles (Eastbourne)

Charley Powell (Eastbourne)

Tom Brennan (Eastbourne)

Tyler Govier (Isle of Wight)

Harland Cook (Isle of Wight)

Zach Wajtknecht (Lakeside)

Danny Halsey (Mildenhall)

Steve Boxall (Plymouth)

Lee Smart (Plymouth)

Richard Andrews (Plymouth)

Callum Walker (Plymouth)

Henry Atkins (Plymouth)

Saul Bulley (Plymouth)

Luke Priest (Stoke)

Tony Atkin (Stoke)