Premier League
National League
Rockets
Chris Neath (January 29th 1982, Worcester)
The Rye House captain is back for his ninth straight year with the Silver Ski Rockets, having enjoyed a truly thunderous eighth. Yes, 2011 brought an all-inclusive average of 9.13 – with no less than six maximums along the way - which was a full 1 ½ points up on his previous season and netted him sixth place overall in the national standings. Neath also passed the 350 mark in terms of official appearances for the Rockets to reinforce his position of third in Rye’s all-time standings behind Bobby Garrad and Kelvin Mullarkey. He is also the third highest points scorer in Rye House history – again behind Garrad and Mullarkey - and the Hoddesdon track record holder. Not surprisingly, the skipper was a shoe-in for the Mr Rocket rider of the year award, as voted for by Rye supporters, and duly collected both that and the Sampford Trophy which was presented by team manager John Sampford in tribute to his parents to the most entertaining rider of the year. Chris’ previous achievements include reaching the 2004 World Championship Semi-Finals, appearing in three British Finals and winning an international cap for Great Britain in 2004. In addition to his Premier League titles with Rye in 2005 and 2007, he featured in Wolverhampton’s Elite League success of 2002. He is also a former British Schoolboy Grasstrack Champion (both Junior and Intermediate).
Jordan Frampton (March 8th 1985, Poole)
The Dorset rider has returned for a third consecutive year at Hoddesdon. Year One brought a final C.M.A. of 7.91 and 351 points across all official fixtures, plus appearances in both the British Final and the Premier League Riders Championship. Year Two, meanwhile, saw Frampton nudge his average up to 8.04, head the team in paid points (368) and bag two maximums – at Newport and at home to Ipswich. He also made repeat visits to the British Final – heading home Grand Prix star Chris Harris in one race – and the PLRC. Promoter Len Silver summed him up neatly in a Speedway Star interview. “One of the nice things about Jordan is his consistency. He rides just as well away, if not better, than he does at home, and there aren’t many riders in the League like that so he is a very important rider for us.”
(Tyson) Nelson (May 4th 1993, Gosford, New South Wales
The 18 year old Australian – rapidly dubbed “The No Fear Cavalier” - turned plenty of heads in his first British season in 2011 as what began as ostensibly frenetic displays of pure courage matured into consistent points gatherings. His tail-end form included tremendous scores such as 15 at Workington, 16 against Sheffield and 17 versus Scunthorpe - which all built to an impressive 5.33 average that was nearer the 6 mark when bonus points were included. That record included a highly creditable 5.44 statistic on the road, when he was visiting circuits for the first time and bodes nicely for his return trips in 2012. Set to push on to the next level with the Silver Ski Rockets this season, Nelson will also share an Elite League position with Josh Auty in Birmingham’s line-up. It is a development that Rye House promoter Len Silver sees as highly beneficial to both the Australian and the club. “I see this as a very positive step in Tyson’s advancement, and the Elite League meetings will no doubt bring an improvement into various aspects of his racing that will also help him to score points for the Rockets.” Nelson has been riding motorcycles since the age of four. He won the NSW 500cc Long-Track title in 2009, while 2010 saw him finish 4th in the Australian U-21 Championship at Mildura, earning him a spot in the World Championship Qualifiers. Proof of his all-round capabilities was delivered when he romped to success in the King of Herts Short-Track event that accompanied the main Ace of Herts meeting last October.
Ritchie Hawkins (November 9th 1983, Peterborough)
The 28 year old is making Hoddesdon his home for a second season after joining the Rockets from Somerset in 2011. He finished last term with an all-inclusive 6.17 average that hid a remarkably consistent home-vs-away record of 6.24-vs-6.10, and also steadily improved following his investment in new machinery in the second half of the campaign. High spots included a paid 13 total at Workington, 10 at Berwick and 11 against Ipswich. Crowned the 2004 British U-21 Champion when the event was staged at Rye House in 2004, he has also ridden for Workington, Berwick, Sheffield and Scunthorpe amongst others. He has spent the winter racing in New Zealand after placing third in last February’s New Zealand National Championship while previously on tour in that country.
Luke Bowen (January 26th 1986, Harlow)
The Bowen 747’s career has been dogged by injury, and 2011 was unfortunately no different, with an abrupt halt called at the start of October after breaking several broken bones in his foot in a crash against Scunthorpe. The injury came just a week after Bowen had contributed a crucial paid 15 in a 47-44 sneak past Sheffield, and a fortnight after he’d bagged paid 14 against Berwick. To make the Harlow Flyer feel even worse, he had also just been handed the Rockets’ captaincy following the sidelining of Chris Neath. Overall, 2011 proved a long road back from the previous season’s broken arm which had ended that campaign in mid-June, but with those late peaks against the Tigers and Bandits, the Bowen 747 feels that he’s finally heading in the right direction again. “Since I broke my arm, I haven’t really had the feeling confidence-wise that I had before. When you’re at the tapes, you need that anticipation that you’re going to be there at the first corner. I’ve got that feeling back again now.”
Jason Bunyan (March 9th, 1979, Milton Keynes)
A tough, seasoned campaigner, the former Isle of Wight and Stoke star will arrive on what looks a “steal” average of just 4.74 after an injury-shortened 2011 at Plymouth. A 2007 Premier League Pairs Champion alongside Chris Holder as an Islander, and also a 6-time New Zealand titlist heading into his most recent winter southern hemisphere tour, Bunyan will also bring added marketing potential with his distinctive look as “The Man in Black”, courtesy of an all-black design for both his kevlars and machine covers. The Dark Hour is at hand.
Jason Garrity (November 9th 1993, Droylsden, Greater Manchester)
Probably the most sought after teenager in the country at present, Garrity became the final member of the Rockets’ 2012 jigsaw after agreement had been reached with his parent club, Belle Vue. The 18 year old was a double national champion in 2011, winning the British U-19 and the National League Riders' titles. Both events were staged at the Hoddesdon circuit, and it was little surprise that Jason elected to ride for the Rockets to maintain the momentum of his blossoming career. As he himself said on signing for the team, “I just love the track, and I think I can win a lot of races there, so it was any easy decision for me once I knew that Len (Silver) was interested." A quick glance at Garrity’s overall 2011 statistics confirms the excitement that surrounds him. His U-19 and NLRC crowns tell an important part of the story, but there was much more to his campaign than that. He also finished 6th in the British U-21 Championship, while on a team front, he was a key driver for Belle Vue’s National League Colts and achieved a tremendous 4.43 average (inc bonus points) from nine official appearances for Premier League Leicester. He was even given his Elite League debut by Belle Vue in the Aces’ top flight match at Peterborough! It has certainly been a roller-coaster ride for the teenager who first turned heads by winning the British U-15 Championship in 2008, and one that will now continue into 2012 at Rye House.
Raiders
David Mason (December 20th 1976, Crawley, Sussex)
The Raiders’ captain was the mainstay of their Hackney Hawks incarnation in 2011, producing consistent form in his return from 2010’s illness-afflicted campaign to pop 1 ½ points on his starting average for a near 8 point record (including bonus points. The 2001 Conference League Riders Champion was the Rockets’ captain across 2001-2003. His other clubs include Weymouth, Stoke, Plymouth, Swindon, Mildenhall and the London Lions.
James Sarjeant (November 16th 1993, Sheffield, Yorkshire)
The 18 year old has agreed a spot with the Raiders following a strong 2011 campaign with Stoke. Sarjeant averaged out at 7.72 (all-inclusive) for the Potters – a massive 3 point jump on his 2010 campaign - although his CMA (excluding bonus points) heading into Hertfordshire is 6.87. He raised plenty of additional eyebrows by placing 4th in the British U-19 Championship behind meeting winner and new Rockets recruit Jason Garrity, a result that helped leverage his Raiders opportunity. Sarjeant was previously 2nd in both the 2007 (to Daniel Greenwood in a run-off) and 2008 (to Garrity) British U-15 series. He was born and still lives in Sheffield, and is on a full contract to Coventry. The Bees have been prime movers in ensuring that he has become a Raider with a possible view to moving upward into the Silver Ski Rockets team should his progress warrant it. His other clubs include Weymouth, Stoke, Plymouth, Swindon, Mildenhall and the London Lions.
Ben Morley (March 10th 1994, Southend, Essex)
18 just ahead of the start of the new term, the Essex-born teenager finished second in Hackney’s averages last term with an all-inclusive record of 7.56 that was comfortably up on the 5.78 achievement that bagged him the “Mr Cobra” rider of the year award in 2010. He also made 21 official appearances for the Rockets, after consistently impressing in a run of Young Shield matches for the side the previous autumn. Although he found points much harder to come by this time around, he did achieve highs of paid 7 against both Ipswich and Scunthorpe, and also finished third in the British U-19 Championship, having placed 6th in the previous season’s National League Riders Final.
Shane Hazelden (October 24th 1993, Eastbourne, Sussex)
2011 proved a real breakthrough campaign for the teenager, who at one point put three points on his starting average to soar from reserve to Hackney’s No.1 position. Although unable to maintain that form over the remainder of the campaign, he did finish the year with a commendable all-in 6.79 average. On the individual front, Hazelden claimed Silver behind Jason Garrity in the British U-19 Championship, having previously appeared in the (then U-18) event in 2010. He also qualified for the British U-21 Final at Lakeside, recording a race victory en route to finishing the night with 5 points and 12th spot overall.
Luke Chessell (January 6th 1990, Swindon, Wilts)
Swindon-born Chessell is the son of former rider Mark Chessell and the nephew of both Gary and Martin Chessell. He is very much on the rebound from a 2011campaign that was split between Dudley and the Isle of Wight but marred by his slow recovery from a previously broken hand and then a fractured coccyx and sternum suffered when riding for the Islanders. The 22 year old was previously with Scunthorpe and Weymouth, but is already remembered by Rye House fans for his “one night stand” for the short-handed Cobras at Buxton in June 2010. Chessell famously bagged the team’s only two race wins of the match, including a Heat 11 success against both Rob Branford and then-National League Riders Champion Craig Cook!
Nick Lee (March 1st 1983, Swindon Wilts)
The 29 year old first rode at Reading’s training track in 1999, making National League level appearances for the Swindon Sprockets in 2002 and 2003. He put his racing career on hold for the next six seasons, but was still involved in the sport as a mechanic for both Ritchie Hawkins and 2005 World U-21 runner-up Tomas Suchanek, before returning to the shale in 2010 with Weymouth.
Stat-Fact: The Swindon-born rider uses his middle name as his preferred surname; his given one is actually “Stubbs”.
Tom Braddock (Bungay, Suffolk)
The Raiders’ roster is completed by the newcomer, who has only recently transitioned to speedway from enduro racing. He has attended each and every training school at Rye House, showing rapid and continuous improvement on a week-by-week basis, and will now get the opportunity to maintain that development in a competitive environment.