Tonights meeting is postponed -update
Update – Unfortunately due to a downpour at 4.30, which exacerbated problems caused yesterday by heavy rain, and despite the best efforts of the track staff to re-dress the surface, a further light shower at 7.30pm, made the surface unraceable.
Re-admission Tickets are valid for any Lakeside Hammers Elite League meetings for the remainder of the 2012 season.
Hammers track staff try their very hardest to re-dress the track and get the meeting on. Further images can be viewed here
Fans of The Lakeside Hammers are scheduled to see their Young Hammers team for the first time as they are due to face the Peterborough Thundercats in the first of their newly formed Anglian Junior League fixtures.
This four a side meeting staged over six heats is due to take place at the Arena Essex Raceway this Friday, 13th April, at 6.45pm before the senior sides from the two clubs take to the track at 8pm in a Sky Sports Elite League match.
The Young Hammers quartet for this opening Anglian Junior League match were all regulars last year in the very successful Training Schools staged at the Raceway by George and Linda Barclay.
Mark Baldock is the ‘veteran’ of the Young Hammers team being 31 years old. In addition to the Club’s Training Schools he regularly appears in various amateur meetings.
The youngster of the team is 16 year old Jack Kingston, who is based in Harold Wood, Essex and is still at school attending Robert Clack School.
Jack Kingston is action at the Hammers open night
Both Baldock and Kingston made their National League debuts in the final National League match of last season at the Arena Essex Raceway where they rode for the Hackney Hawks against the combined Scunthorpe and Sheffield team. Baldock scored three points plus a bonus point from his three rides and Kingston gained a notable win in his second of four rides. That saw him beat the experienced Lee Smethills although current Hammers Elite League squad rider, Richie Worrall, did fall in that race.
18 year old Adam Sheppard, who comes from Surrey, has also gained experience via the vibrant amateur scene in the south East.
Unfortunately the fourth member of the team, Jamie Couzins, has been forced to withdraw due to a hand injury but his place will be taken by 23 year old Martin Pearce, who along with his older brother Simon, are members of the Club’s track staff.
The Peterborough Thundercats have named in their quartet:-
- 17 year old Adam Kirby from Lincolnshire, who was the 2010 British Under 15 runner up.
- 16 year old Adam Portwood, who started in the Sport as the Peterborough Panthers mascot.
- 24 year old Ben Holloway from Leicester, who rode for Scunthorpe and Sheffield against Mark Baldock and Jack Kingston in last October’s National League match scoring two points from his four rides.
- 19 year old Jamie Collins from Swindon, who recently took up the Sport having previously had success whilst riding in junior MotoX.
The Anglian Junior League is effectively the fourth tier of racing in Britain and has been set up to give inexperienced riders vital track time at several venues throughout East Anglia.
In addition to the Young Hammers and the Peterborough Thundercats the League will also include sides from Ipswich, King’s Lynn, Mildenhall and Rye House. Each team will meet each other team twice, home and away, making it a twenty match League.
Picture credit: Jack Kingston – Lakeside Hammers Open Evening at the Arena Essex Raceway. Rob Newell/TGSPHOTO