2018 Speedway Preview

With the engines of Speedway riders across the country starting to roar into life with the 2018 Premiership Speedway season just over a month away, TotalSport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives us an in-depth analysis into each teams chances of success come tapes up at the end of March.

Swindon Robins

After winning the 2017 Premiership title in dramatic fashion on that memorable night down at Wolverhampton, the big problem for the Swindon Robins will be building on last year’s success.

Winter rule changes saw manager Alun Rossiter make the tough decision of axing his Captain and World Champion Jason Doyle, however his ability to keep the core of that title winning side, along with the addition of former rider Troy Batchelor, can only be a good thing for the Wiltshire side as they look to retain their status as British Champions.

Nick Morris will face his biggest season in Swindon colours yet with him looking set to be named skipper, and after developing into one of the Leagues best riders, the young Australian will need to embrace this big opportunity. Failure to qualify for the playoffs will be seen as a disappointing season, but with high point scoring riders throughout the side, the Robins are certainly one of the favourites for the 2018 title.

Key rider: Nick Morris

Wolverhampton Wolves

Runners-up in 2017, the Wolverhampton Wolves will be hungry to go one better this season and many teams will once again be fearful of Peter Adams and his side. After making the playoffs the past two seasons, winning the title in 2016, the Midlands club will be hopeful of another successful year in Britain’s most prestigious League. However the release of Grand Prix star Fredrik Lindgren means the likes of Jacob Thorsell, Rory Schlein, and Sam Masters will all need to raise their point scoring if the side are to mount yet another title charge.

With their impressive home form in seasons past, Wolverhampton will once again look to make Monmore Green a fortress against travelling teams, but it will be their away form that is likely to determine the successfulness of their season. A dangerous side and would be no surprise to see them make the playoffs for a third successive year.

Key rider: Jacob Thorsell

Poole Pirates

Reaching the peak of their dominance back in 2015 after winning the then Elite League title for a third successive year, the Poole Pirates have been on a slippery slope downwards rarely showing glimpses of the quality so regularly associated with the Dorset outfit.

But after some positive recruitment over the winter for manager Neil Middleditch, which has seen club legend Chris Holder return to Wimbourne road after a difficult season away, the Poole Pirates once again look an ominous outfit going into the start of the new season. Brady Kurtz and Josh Grajczonek will provide points in the heat leader roles but it’s difficult to see where the rest of the side’s points will come from.

The Poole Pirates will be extremely eager to return to the glory days of past although this season might be one of further development rather than success.

Key rider: Brady Kurtz

Belle Vue Aces

Arguably Britain’s most famous Speedway team, the Belle Vue Aces will go into the 2018 Premiership season hoping to put past failures behind them by finally winning their first British League title.

A mixed 2017 seen the Belle Vue Aces once again make the playoffs but ultimately miss out on the grand final, although with some strong recruitment over the winter, team manager Mark Lemon will be hopeful that 2018 will finally be his sides year for glory.

Reserve rider Dan Bewley will look to build on a fantastic previous year after establishing himself as one of Britain’s best youngsters, but for Aces fans all eyes will be focused on club Captain Craig Cook as he enters his debut year as a Grand Prix rider and all will be intrigued to see how he deals with the combined pressure of league and GP riding.

Key rider: Dan Bewley

King’s Lynn Stars

In past seasons the King’s Lynn Stars have had a great team on paper but also a team that consistently stops short of the finish line. A disastrous 2017 saw the Stars implode both on and off the track, however with former World number three Niels-Kristian Iversen back at the club, fans of the Norfolk side will be hoping to put last years woes behind them.

Robert Lamberts decision to stay with his boyhood side for the immediate future gives an additional boost to a team that has only made the playoffs once in the past five years, and after struggling to hit the high-flying form so regularly associated with the British rider last year, Lambert will be hoping to push on once again in 2018.

The brilliant setup at King’s Lynn is ready-made for a title charge but it’s yet to be seen whether the Stars can shine brightest or whether they will once again fail to live up to expectations. The playoffs will be the aim and with a talented squad this might just be achievable, but it would be hard to see them as one of the favourites for the League title.

Key rider: Robert Lambert

Somerset Rebels

After a relatively successful debut season in Britain’s top tier of speedway finishing sixth overall, the Somerset Rebels look certain to push for the playoffs this year after adding World Champion Jason Doyle to their ranks.

Joining from reigning league champions Swindon over the winter, Doyle will look to spearhead yet another title charge and it will be interesting to see how he performs without the pressure of securing a first World Championship. Lining up with fellow title winner Bradley Wilson-Dean along with other high scoring point riders throughout the side in the likes of Jack Holder and Richard Lawson makes the Rebels a force to be reckoned with in 2018.

Reaching the playoffs in their second season of Premiership speedway is a very realistic achievement, but inexperience in the league might be a weakness in an otherwise strong squad.

Key rider: Jason Doyle

Leicester Lions

Consecutively finishing bottom of the league table for the past two seasons has seen the Leicester Lions struggle to be taken seriously as playoff contenders. However after making some fantastic signings, including the acquisition of GP rider Martin Vaculik, that could all be about to change in 2018.

The Lions will come into the new Premiership season with a point to prove and with point scorers filtering throughout the team in Vaculik, Hans Andersen, and former British champion Danny King, they will be a tough outfit to come up against.

The release of team manager Jim Lynch raised many eyebrows within the speedway world and the pressure will now be on new boss Simon Stead to succeed. Leicester are finally starting to look like a solid squad with playoff potential but it may take more than one season to turn them from bottom table dwellers to title winning contenders.

Key rider: Martin Vaculik

Rye House Rockets

A successful 2017 debut season saw the Rye House Rockets narrowly miss out on the playoffs, finishing fifth overall. But with new team changes and the pressure of keeping up a consistent playoff push, fans of the Hertfordshire club will be hoping their team can go one better this year.

Scott Nicholls, Chris Harris, and Edward Kennett provide experience and points in a strong line-up, however it will the performances of former World Cup winner Krzysztof Kasprzak that will determine the successfulness of their 2018. Disappointing performances whilst racing for the Poole Pirates last season means that the Polish rider will be eager to show he is not past his best and many feel it will be a make-or-break year for Kasprzak.

Rye House have a strong squad that can compete for the playoffs come the end of the season but it’s the crucial the whole team gel together if they are to be taken seriously as title contenders this season.

Key rider: Krzysztof Kasprzak

A hard, fast, adrenaline-packed year awaits riders, clubs, and fans in the 2018 British Premiership season, and although it’s hard to say who will lift the trophy come October, one thing for sure is that it will certainly be a fiery contested battle right down to the finish line.