The final line-up for Saturday’s (20/8) National League Pairs tournament  at Leicester has been announced.

The pairing from Mildenhall – proudly sponsored by Manchetts Rescue and Recovery – of Jason Edwards and Jack Kingston take on opponents in Group ‘B’  from the three southern clubs: Kent Royals, Oxford Chargers and Plymouth Centurions.

The Iwade-based Royals (who the Fen Tigers visit the following day in a vital NDL match) tried without success to have new signing Max Clegg added to their Pair – though it’s a long-standing rule of this competition that a rider who’s yet to ride for the team concerned can’t be included. Instead with their skipper Danno Verge unavailable due to work commitments, it’s Sam Woolley (brother of Armadale’s Tom) who will partner former NL Pairs champion, Ben Morley.

Plymouth have had quite a season of team disruption through injury and riders leaving the club and so have, like Kent, had to look outside the ranks of their top three averaged riders to find a racing partner for one-time NDL Riders’ Champion Adam Roynon. Coming in is the ever ready Rhys Naylor. Rhys is making a successful return to the sport this term and is of course himself a former British Youth Champion – this event (two days before his 29th. birthday) is for the Essex-based rider really his biggest meeting since taking that national title back in 2009.

Group ‘B’
Kent Royals: Ben Morley, Sam Woolley
Mildenhall Fen Tigers: Jason Edwards, Jack Kingston
Oxford Chargers: Jordan Jenkins, Sam Hagon
Plymouth Centurions:  Adam Roynon, Rhys Naylor

Group ‘A’ sees the hosts Leicester Lion Cubs’ represented by twins, Dan & Joe Thompson up against the three northern sides: Belle Vue Colts (who were triumphant over the East Midlanders in a vital match in the race for the NDL Play Offs up in Manchester on Friday evening),  current league leaders Berwick Bullets and basement side Armadale Devils.

The Edinburgh-based Devils have been hit by the withdrawal of Lee Complin (due to family illness) – Lee also out of Sunday’s match at Iwade when he was due to ‘Guest’ for the Fen Tigers – and with their ranks seriously depleted, the rider coming in to partner club captain Tom Woolley is Elliot Kelly.

If Rhys Naylor would not have imagined when the 2022 season began that he’d be appearing in this major NDL event, then it’s certain neither would have the North Yorkshire-based Elliot – who actually announced his retirement and pulled out of the Mildenhall squad on the eve of this campaign.

Belle Vue Colts have announced their pairing and Harry McGurk (who actually rode last week, as Ben Morley did, in the second tier Championship version of this event) is joined by the National Speedway Stadium-based side’s skipper, Jack Smith.

Berwick also had the luxury of making a selection from a full strength side and have plumped for Luke Crang and Greg Blair.

Group ‘A’
Leicester Lion Cubs: Dan Thompson, Joe Thompson
Belle Vue Colts: Jack Smith, Harry McGurk
Berwick Bullets: Luke Crang, Greg Blair
Armadale Devils: Tom Woolley, Elliot Kelly

The meeting starts at 7pm on Saturday 20th.August at Leicester Speedway, Beaumont Sports Complex, 1, The Lions, Leicester, Leics  LE1 1DS   

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Club Honours

2023 NL KOC Winners
2022 NL Runners Up
2021 NL Champions
2018 NL Trophy Winners
2017 NL Trophy Winners
2014 NL Trophy Winners
2012 NL Champions
NL Fours Champions
NL Pairs Champions
NL KOC Winners
NL Trophy Winners
2011 NL KOC Winners
NL Runners Up
2004 CL Champions
CL Fours Champions
CL KOC Winners
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2003 CL Champions
CL KOC Winners
2002 CL Trophy Winners
2000 CL Cup Winners
1987 Fours Champions
Pairs Champions
1984 Fours Champions
1979 NL Champions