Flying High Issue 6

The race for National
Development League glory
SEVEN OF THE eight teams will have two
measures of success.
Those five, including Eastbourne, see
the NDL team as a way of developing
riders for the senior team. It’s a worthy
and sensible objective but make no
mistake – they would like to be crowned
champions.
Stand-alone Mildenhall will see success
as negotiating the choppy waters of
Speedway survival to fight again in 2022
but the Fen folk will be smiling from
ear-to-ear if they can emerge at the top of
the pile against their more (perhaps)
glamorous rivals.
Eastbourne set the dovecots fluttering
with their National Development League
squad. The mix of experience and
youthful promise looks like a perfect
cocktail for success and one that will
entertain at home and away.
Many have installed the Seagulls as
favourites for the NDL title and you can
see why.
Thrilling rider
The team is led by Jake Knight who is one
of the most thrilling riders to watch in
British Speedway. Jake believes in
entertaining the fans and the way he
throws the bike round Arlington can be
thrilling, if not a little bit heart-stopping at
times. He rides it like it stole it, comes to
mind.
Jake is set to be a big beast in this NDL.
Richie Andrews had a smile a mile wide
when he walked into the pits for a
pre-season practice session. He was
popular with the fans when he rode for
the club before - OK and dad, Gary is too
- and is just delighted to be back.
He is really looking forward to
connecting again with the fans at
Arlington.
Richie is from the Exeter area as is Henry
Atkins. Many tip Henry for big success in
Speedway. It maybe a name we don’t
know too well at Arlington but that’s likely
to change pretty soon.
Key to the door
Henry has had a few outings at Arlington
in the past but never really unlocked the
track’s secrets…with some practice and
guidance from the club’s more senior
riders, he will soon find the key of the
door.
Eight teams will battle it out for National
Development League (NDL) glory in 2021. There
are no Play Offs this year in this league - the team
finishing top will be crowned champions.
Paul Watson reviews the prospects.
Chad Wirtzfeld is another who has
great talent on a motor-cycle and is now
building a Speedway career as well.
His previous home was the wide open
spaces of the Isle of Wight (he is a long
track racer too) so he was another
working hard at the club’s practice
sessions to sort out Arlington.
Connor King had never been to
Arlington until he arrived for the club’s
first practice session of 2021. He had also
ridden for the Isle of Wight so it’s a case of
him dialling in.
Richard Andrews in Eastbourne Eagles colours in 2016.
He’s a hard worker and improved lap by
lap; just as he did when he put in an
appearance for Eastbourne Select in a
3TT at Plymouth last year.
Plenty of experience
Nick Laurence has plenty of experience at
this level of Speedway and the team will
be able to look to him for sage advice
when it comes to racing and the
mechanical side of things. There’s more
about Nick in the MSDL Seagulls preview.
And last and certainly not least is
Mike Hinves
22 FLYING HIGH