Anglian Junior League returns to local tracks

Friday, February 3, 2012
10:05 AM

THE Anglian Junior League is set to return to our local tracks for the forthcoming 2012 campaign.

THE Anglian Junior League is set to return to our local tracks for the forthcoming 2012 campaign.

This will see young teams representing Ipswich, King’s Lynn, Lakeside, Mildenhall, Peterborough and Rye House doing battle during the season and the management of each club are delighted to announce the reformation of the league.

The Anglian Junior League was first staged in 1978 and proved to be a rich training ground for stars of the future, and it returns this year to allow the current crop of up-and-coming riders to make the jump from Training Schools to National League.

Matches will be raced over a six-heat, four-rider format, with the action following straight after full team meetings. The exception being Lakeside who will stage their meetings before the main event starts.

Teams will meet each other twice home and away.

BSPA Vice Chairman Jon Cook said: “The Anglian League provided a rich vein of talent in days gone by and we hope to do the same again.

“It’s tough for riders to break into league racing and this venture will fill the gap between training and National League, and give those riders a competitive environment in which to develop.

“Leagues of this kind already operate in the Midlands and Northern sectors and it’s the aim of the BSPA to increase activities of this kind as we work towards an organised programme to take young Brits from their first tentative laps right the way through to the National team.”

Peterborough co-promoter Julie Mahoney added: “Rick (Frost, Panthers owner) and I are proud and delighted to be associated with the league. We were keen to be involved in something that encourages and develops young British riders.”

The Anglian Junior League was originally founded in 1978 by Boston, Crayford, Ipswich, Rye House, Cradley Heath, King’s Lynn, Peterborough, Mildenhall, Leicester and Hackney.

Many riders from the league went onto to enjoy long and successful careers from those initial seasons, including: Richard Knight, Kevin Smith, Marvyn Cox, Andy Campbell, Martin Goodwin, Carl Blackbird, Kevin Teager and Tim Hunt.