Hackney Speedway 2011 Press releases

Hackney Speedway 2011

All Hackney Hawks 2011 press releases by Craig Saul unless otherwise stated
Who do you think should carry the title of Mr GoldHawk for 2011? Currently there is a online pole taking place at www.facebook.com/hackney.speedway. Simply scroll down Hackney’s home page and place your vote.
Hawks Fly Out on a High
Hackney 52 Scunthorpe/Sheffield 39 (at Lakeside )
(National League, Friday, October 7th 2011)

The joint Rye House-Lakeside experiment of the Hackney Hawks came to its conclusion with a positive result at a wet and wild Arena-Essex Raceway. Showers during the afternoon and early evening left the circuit greasy and heavy in places, and it was a credit to both sides that the meeting was completed, albeit with no less than 15 falls along the way.
It was a rather different looking Hackney team that took to the track for the last time. Barrie Evans was forced to withdraw beforehand due to work commitments, while both the injured Ben Hopwood’s spot and the No.8 position were filled by two riders from a pre-meeting Vultures race. Or rather from two races, as Jack Kingston was the sole survivor of a first heat, necessitating a second race that was won by Mark Baldock.
When the match itself got underway, the Hawks jumped into a 7 point lead against a visiting side equally hit by absences. A 5-1 from Kingston and Shane Hazelden in Heat 5 was key here, and although Scunthorpe/Sheffield replied with an identical result in Heat 7, the Hawks restored their points cushion when Marc Owen and Mark Baldock were the only finishers four laps later.
The home side then pushed ahead to 38-26, and after a brief scare when Richie Worrall triggered a visiting 7-2 by winning as a Tactical Rider, made sure of the three available match points thanks to victories from Owen, David Mason and Ben Morley in the close-out.
Mason and Morley each dropped points in just a single race, while Owen and Hazelden had equally strong nights, in the latter’s case despite blowing an engine and having to push home for a point in Heat 14.
The result means that the Hawks have finished fifth of ten teams in the final National League table. While it is the end of the road for the Hackney name, Rye House promoter Len Silver has already announced his intention to run a team at Hoddesdon in 2012 under the previously established Raiders banner, and there is the possibility of a separate Lakeside operation.
Joint-Team Manager John Sampford summed up the season as “a bit of a curate’s egg; good in places. Unfortunately, we weren’t good enough long enough…. we were just too inconsistent. The two home defeats cost us dearly, and there were several away matches where we could and should have got a positive result, but didn’t. Our defeat at Newport was a particular blow, but even then we nearly grabbed a win at Belle Vue only to lose out to a last race 5-1.”
Hackney scorers:
David Mason 12 (5 rides)
Barrie Evans R/R
Jack Kingston 3 (4)
Shane Hazelden 8+1 (4)
Ben Morley 11+1(5)
Brandon Freemantle 2 (3)
Marc Owen 13 (6)
Mark Baldock 3+1 (3)

Scunthorpe/Sheffield scorers:

Steve Worrall R/R
Lee Smethills 3 (4 rides)
Richie Worrall 15+1 (6 rides, inc 6 as a TR)
Adam Wrathall 7+1 (5)
Stefan Nielsen 6+1 (5)
Connor Dwyer 6+1 (5)
Ben Holloway 2 (4)

Match Points: Hackney 3 Scunthorpe/Sheffield 0

FORMER HAWKS RETURN FOR FINALE

Bryn Williams Reports
A trip down memory lane awaits Speedway fans at the Arena Essex Raceway tomorrow evening, Friday 7th October, as a host of former Hackney stars will be at the track to see off the final meeting for the Hackney Hawks.
Already confirmed as attending the meeting are: Paul Bosley, Laurie Etheridge, Alan Jackson, Les (Red) Ott, Alan Sage and Barry Thomas.
The match, between the Hackney Hawks and the Scunthorpe Saints, will be the final National League match for the Hawks.
The SCB appointed Referee for this match is Chris Gay, who, by coincidence, refereed the last meeting to take place at Hackney’s Waterden Road Stadium, which took place on 30th October 1996 and was between the London Lions and Oxford.
Tomorrow is also an important night to for Lakeside Hammers fans as the Club’s Management will be monitoring interest in this National League match with a view to entering a full Young Hammers side into next year’s National League. With that in mind entrance fees have been slashed to just £8 with Children aged 6 to 16 inclusive paying only £1. Children under the age of 6 will be admitted free of charge provided they are accompanied by a paying adult.
This final National League match of the season for the hackney Hawks will get underway at the Arena-Essex Raceway tomorrow evening with the first race at 8pm with the Grand Parade of the participating riders and former Hackney stars at 7.45pm.
Tickets for Friday’s match may be purchased on the night from the paybooths or in advance via the Lakeside Hammers website at www.lakesidehammers.co

Hawks Finale: Hackney vs Scunthorpe/Sheffield at Lakeside

The Hackney Hawks face their final match in that guise this Friday (October 7th @ 8pm) when they host the combined Scunthorpe-Sheffield team in National League action at Lakeside . The fixture was originally allocated to the Essex venue, subsequently switched over to Rye House and has now – after its September postponement – been allocated back to the Arena-Essex Raceway.

The six regular Hawks will feature, which means a final opportunity to salute the efforts of Shane Hazelden, Ben Morley, Barrie Evans and the rest of the team. In addition, with Rider-Replacement operating as cover for the injured Ben Hopwood, a No.8 slot will be up for grabs to the winner of an earlier “Vultures Race”.

As a special send-off to the Hawks, admission prices will be just £8 for adults and £1 for children, with one of the team’s body colours being given away at the end of the night to the lucky purchaser of a specially signed programme.
Although the Hackney name will be no more in 2012, there will be National League speedway at Rye House. Promoter Len Silver has already declared his intention to compete in next season’s competition as the Rye House Raiders, rather than the Hawks, given the much stronger relevance of the former name to the majority of Hoddesdon supporters. (The Raiders were originally Rye House’s National League team from 2002 to 2007, before the side took on the moniker “Cobras” for the period 2008-2010.)

Hawks To Get a Great Send Off
While all eyes are currently on the build-up to the Elite League Play-offs, the Lakeside Management have also confirmed that the last meeting involving their joint shared team Hackney v Scunthorpe will revert to the Raceway and will be staged on Friday October 7th. This follows the postponement of the meeting which was being kindly staged by Len Silver at Rye House last weekend.
Promoter Jon Cook explained ”We had asked Len to take the meeting as the support for NL racing has been poor at Lakeside and we also had a situation where the team had, at the time, a great chance to qualify for the Play offs and were more likely to do that at Rye, with us paying for all the meeting costs. However, following the postponement last week the team has now gone past the cut-off date and lost its chance of Play Off qualification due to defeat at Stoke the night before.
At the same time over the summer the training schools at Arena, run by Linda and George Barclay, have gone from strength to strength and not only represent a great step forward for the club in producing our own riders of the future but also an income that covers the cost of our stadium rental and means we can offer reduced admission for this meeting and can consider our very own third tier Young Hammers team if interest is there from the fans.”
Cook continued ” As a result and with the considerable help of Rob Godfrey at Scunthorpe, we are able to stage the meeting on the Friday October the 7th with admission at just £8 for Adults and Kids for £1 and both Rob and ourselves will be filling any absent riders with the best trainees at our respective Training Schools giving the meeting a real academy feel.
We also want to see the great name of the Hackney Hawks out in the style it deserves. All ex-Hawks and Kestrels will be welcome to attend and we will be giving one of the teams body colours away at the end of the action to the person who is lucky enough to pick up a signed programme. I hope those Hammers fans that have stayed away because they didn’t like the Hawks moniker will come out and show there is a level of support for us to consider our own team and that Hackney fans take one, perhaps last chance, to make it a date Friday at eight”.
Any riders wishing to take part in the afternoon training school can book by calling Linda on 020 8592 3361, with one place to fill on the Hawks team, this could be a chance to impress and start a career with the Young Hammers.

Courtesy of www.lakesidehammers.co.uk

Hawks switch back to Lakeside
Sunday’s (September 18th @ 2pm) rescheduled meeting at Rye House – originally proposed as a double header – will now be a single match only, as the Silver Ski Rockets contend with Ben Barker and the rest of the Plymouth Devils in Premier League action.
The National League match between Hackney and the combined Scunthorpe-Sheffield team – originally allocated to the Arena-Essex Raceway earlier in the season – will now indeed be staged at Lakeside as a separate fixture. Date once known will be on here

Sunday 11th September Double Header - Postponed
A early decision has been made to postpone Sunday's double header at Rye House. The meeting - Silver Ski Rockets vs Plymouth and Hackney Hawks vs Scunthorpe/Sheffield -wIll now be staged a week later, on Sunday the 18th at 2pm, replacing the Raiders-King's Lynn Challenge fixture.


Hawks’ Play-Off Hopes Ended in Potteries
Stoke 59 Hackney 33
(National League, Saturday September 10th 2011)
Hackney’s outside chance of a Play-Off spot finally came to a resounding halt at Loomer Road. With David Mason a non-starter due to a family illness, the Hawks were forced to operate Rider-Replacement for their missing captain and draft in junior David Holt as a guest for the sidelined Ben Hopwood.
Those changes to their team plans made a stiff task against the National League leaders even tougher. It didn’t take long for the Potters to take advantage, as four Stoke 5-1s within the first six races swiftly settled the destination of the match points at 28-8. By Heat 10, Hackney trailed 44-16, but at least stemmed the flow in the closing stages, holding their hosts to a 15-14 score over the remaining races.
Shane Hazelden finished the night as the Hawks’ top scorer, with two race wins and 15 points, with his main support coming from Ben Morley, who claimed Hackney’s other two race wins in his paid 9 tally.
Joint-Team Manager John Sampford said afterwards, “We really struggled to get to grips with the match until into the second half. Shane (Hazelden) rode really well, though, and Ben (Morley) deserved more than he got, what with a chain snapping in one ride and a fall in another when we had him out as a tactical. Brandon (Freemantle) was also a little unlucky, with his bike slowing in one of his races. But it was always going to be a big ask against such a strong side.”
The result leaves Stoke, Mildenhall, the joint Scunthorpe-Sheffield team and Belle Vue as the four Play-Off qualifiers. The Hawks remain three points adrift of the fourth placed Manchester team, with a much inferior race points difference and the cut-off date for the final four passing tomorrow.
The Hawks still have one match remaining, which will be against the Scunthorpe-Sheffield combination as part of a double header at Rye House next Sunday, September 18th). The Hackney match will be preceded by the Premier League fixture between the Silver Ski Rockets and Ben Barker’s Plymouth outfit, which starts at 2pm.
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 5+1 (5)
David Holt (guest) 0 (3)
David Mason R/R
Shane Hazelden 15 (6 rides, inc 6 as a TR)
Ben Morley 8+1 (6 rides, inc 0 as a TR)
Brandon Freemantle 5 (7)
Marc Owen 0 (3)

Stoke scorers:
Richie Worrall (guest) 9 (4 rides)
Jaimie Pickard 9+3 (5)
James Sarjeant 5+3 (4)
Tony Atkin 10 (4)
Tim Webster 13+1 (5)
Ben Read 4+2 (4)
Gareth Isherwood 9+1 (4)

Match Points: Stoke 3 Hackney 0

It’s King’s Lynn on the 18th – plus Special Price and the Hawks Last Meeting Ever.....
While the Hackney Hawks are still targeting the outside chance of a top four National League finish – their final position will ultimately be determined by their results at Stoke (Saturday) and at home to the combined Scunthorpe-Sheffield team (Sunday) - promoter Len Silver has announced a fall-back fixture for Sunday the 18th in the event that the Hawks are not involved in the home leg of the Play-Offs on this date.
The opposition, instead, will be provided by the King’s Lynn Young Stars in a challenge fixture, and as a special thank you to supporters a flat rate admission charge will apply for adults, seniors and children of just £5. (Children under 7 will be admitted free.)
Additionally, Silver has declared his intention to the National League of competing in next season’s competition as the Rye House Raiders, rather than the Hackney Hawks, given the much stronger relevance of the former name to the majority of Hoddesdon supporters. The team to take to the track against the Young Stars will indeed be billed under this title. Further comments on the 2012 direction will appear in the “Lens’ Lines” section of this Sunday’s programme.
The meeting on the 18th will start at 2pm.
On a separate subject, Rye House will play host to the 6th and final round of the 2011 Pozzani Grand National UK Flat-track Championship on Saturday, September 17th. Practice is at 5pm, with the first race scheduled for 7pm.
Admission is: Adults £10, Concessions £8, Juniors (12-15) £3, Kids Free.

For further details, please log on to www.shorttrackuk.com.

Hawks on the Road: Stoke
It’s down to two matches and counting for the Hackney Hawks in their bid for a top four finish, and with it participation in the National League Championship Play-Offs. Next Saturday (September 10th) takes them to top of the table Stoke for what looks a daunting – yet achievable – mission.
While the Hawks’ Play-Off hopes have dipped badly with recent defeats both at Newport and at home to Mildenhall, they were lifted again by a fabulous mid-week performance at Belle Vue. Hackney came within an ace of handing the Colts their first home defeat of the season, only to suffer the heartbreak of a final race 5-1 that left the score at 46-44. The Hawks at least had the satisfaction of heading home with only the second match point taken by any visiting side to Manchester this year.

Garrity Wins NLRC at Rye House
National League Riders’ Championship
(Sponsored by Paradise Wildlife Park )
(Rye House, Saturday September 3rd 2011)
1st Jason Garrity (Belle Vue)
2nd Kyle Howarth (Belle Vue)
3rd Jay Herne ( Newport )

The 2011 NLRC proved to be every bit as competitive as any of its predecessors, and almost certainly the tightest ever in the history of the event. No less than six riders entered the final series of programmed races with a real chance of overall victory, after a further cast list of earlier serious contenders had been whittled away.
Ultimately, 17 year old Jason Garrity claimed his second national title of the season after July’s earlier success in the British U-19 Championship to demonstrate that Britain DOES have young talent coming through. The teenager has enjoyed a real roller-coaster ride since winning the national U-15 title in 2008. He was part of Buxton’s treble winning success story last year, and has recently been given a Premier League opportunity with Leicester .
The latest chapter in Garrity’s success story was achieved in thrilling, against-the-odds, fashion, as the Belle Vue Colt recovered from a last place finish in his opening ride to go through the rest of the card undefeated and edge home by a point.
Fellow Colt Kyle Howarth finished second on 11, just ahead of Newport ’s Jay Herne, who won a run-off for third spot against Robert Branford.
Branford himself could potentially have won the meeting if his bike had lasted beyond the first bend of Heat 16.
There were several additional contenders for “Mr Unlucky”. Todd Kurtz reeled off victories in three of his races, but was also excluded in Heat 9 after locking up on the second bend and bringing down regular team mate Herne and himself, and finished last in his final race when offered a chance to tie Garrity’s 12 points.
Richie Worrall – who also finished on 9 points – had his route to success derailed by a Heat 14 exclusion after collecting Ashley Morris in a third bend tumble, while Morris’ own challenge fizzled out when the Dudley Heathen was able to add just 1 point from his final two rides to the 8 he had earlier collected.
Finally, Steve Worrall opened like a freight train by winning Heat 1 only to suffer mechanical problems when set for a clear-cut victory in his second outing. A first bend fall in his third race did little to ease his frustration, although he was at least able to sign off on a high with a victory in his last outing.
Neither of the two Hackney riders on show was ever really in contention for a major placing, although David Mason’s win in Heat 16 helped to propel the 2011 meeting winner to a respectable 7 points. The night was a long one for colleague Barrie Evans, however. The 2003 titlist suffered mechanically throughout, and withdrew after four rides had yielded just a single point.
Rider scorers (all from 5 races, unless stated):
Jason Garrity 12
Kyle Howarth 11
Jay Herne 10 (after a run-off)
Robert Branford 10
Todd Kurtz 9
Ashley Morris 9
Richie Worrall 9
Simon Lambert 8
Steve Worrall 7
David Mason 7
Jack Hargreaves 6
James Cockle 6
Adam Allott 5
Tim Webster 5
Nick Simmons 4
Barrie Evans 1 (4 rides)
Reserves: Ben Morley 1 (1 ride)
Marc Owen DNR

The Things They Said
Here is what the one-two-three had to say when interviewed on the podium at the end of Saturday night’s NLRC at Rye House:
Jason Garrity
On his recovery from a Heat 4 duck to win the meeting: “I actually made a pretty good start in my first race, but everyone else just bungled up in the bends. That’s Speedway , isn’t it? I did the same thing in the U-19s when I won that. I was excluded in my first race then, and won every other.
“You know, I like hard racing and it’s a matter of fact that you can’t expect to go out and have an easy ride; it’s got to be hard. So there it was; it was hard.
“Everything is going well at the moment - I was at Somerset last night (riding for Leicester in the Premier League) and got a few points. I just need to keep the focus up for the rest of the season, and then start again in 2012.”
Kyle Howarth
“It’s been great tonight. I struggled a little at first in terms of gating, but I got a few good gates as the meeting wore on which made a big difference. I didn’t put too much pressure on myself; I just went out there to enjoy my racing.
“It’s been great at Edinburgh (in the Premier League) as well. The track has been tremendous, but more importantly I’ve just been enjoying it – that’s the main thing, really – and I want to keep the good work up until the end of the season.
And regarding the Belle Vue Colts’ hopes in the run-in toward the National League Play-Off spot? “We’re in with a good shout. We just need to win both our matches in tomorrow’s double header (against Stoke and King’s Lynn ) to set ourselves up.”
Jay Herne
“I haven’t had the best of years, and I hadn’t ridden for two weeks, so I was a bit rusty to come in here. Realistically, I just wanted to get a couple of race wins tonight, so get a run-off for third and then win that was just awesome.”

Hawks Within an Ace of Unseating Colts
Belle Vue 46 Hackney 44
(National League, Wednesday August 31st 2011)
The Hackney Hawks came within four laps of becoming the first National League side to win in Manchester this season only to suffer the heartbreak of a last ditch 5-1.
In contention throughout, the Hawks took the lead for the first time at 34-32 thanks to a Heat 11 maximum from Ben Morley and Barrie Evans after Jason Garrity had fallen in the first staging of the race. Belle Vue hit back with a 5-1 of their own in Heat 13, only for Hackney to re-take the lead, at 43-41, with a second maximum – this time from Shane Hazelden and Marc Owen - in the penultimate race.
Then, unfortunately, came the Hawks’ final race heartbreak, as Garrity surged around Ben Morley on the third bend to join Kyle Howarth for the decisive result. Hackney at least had the satisfaction of leaving town with a match point for keeping the overall differential to less than 7.
Regardless of that last race disappointment, Joint-Team Manager John Sampford was incredibly proud of the team. “To come up here and run them so close was a tremendous achievement. Everyone gave everything they had in every race, and whether it was in a big or small way they all chipped in with points.
“It’s also important to look behind Barrie’s (Evans) score of paid 4. He has been running with two engines, and at the moment is waiting for one of them to be returned after it went at Newport . His other engine is not going well, but he’s simply got to get on with what he’s got at the moment. His score wasn’t a reflection of his ability, just his bike.
“We’ve not given up on finishing in the top four. We’ve still got two matches to go, at Stoke on the 10th and then at home to Scunthorpe-Sheffield the next day, and we’ll just keep trying to win every race and every match.
“We don’t know how the other results will go either. I mean, who would have thought that (bottom of the table) Buxton would go to Dudley last night and win by 15 points?”
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 3+1(4 rides)
Ben Morley 10 (6)
David Mason 7+2(4)
Shane Hazelden 10 (6)
Ben Hopwood R/R
Brandon Freemantle 1 (3)
Marc Owen 13+1 (7)
Belle Vue scorers:
Kyle Howarth 12+3 (5 rides, maximum)
Adam McKinna 6 (4)
Karl Mason 9 (4)
Byron Bekker 1 (4)
Jason Garrity 12 (5)
Chris Widman 3+1 (6)
Scott Richardson 3 (2)
Match Points: Belle Vue 2 Hackney 1


NLRC: Morris Named to Line-Up
Jon Armstrong’s unfortunate injury last night (Tuesday) while riding for Dudley had led to a further change in Saturday’s National League Riders Championship field. Fellow Heathen Ashley Morris has been named as Armstrong’s replacement.
The 2009 British U-15 Champion will be facing his third national Final of 2011, having already finished 7th in the British U-21 Championship and 5th in the U-19 event. A 7 point Heathen so far in 2011, he was also part of Edinburgh ’s Premier League winning squad last term and has ridden at that level with both the Monarchs and Leicester this year.
Revised line-up:
Kyle Howarth, Jason Garrity (Belle Vue), Adam Allott, Rob Branford (Buxton), Ashley Morris (Dudley), Barrie Evans, David Mason (Hackney), Nick Simmons (Isle of Wight), James Cockle (King's Lynn), Cameron Heeps (Mildenhall), Todd Kurtz, Jay Herne (Newport), Richie Worrall, Steve Worrall (Scunthorpe / Sheffield), Simon Lambert, Tim Webster (Stoke).
Reserves: Ben Morley and Marc Owen (both Hackney)
Admission is £16 adults, £14 concessions

Hawks on the Road: Belle Vue
The Hackney Hawks head out on the highway this Wednesday (August 31st) as they travel up to Manchester to face fellow play-off rivals the Belle Vue Colts. The Hawks triumphed 48-39 when the two sides met at Rye House at the end of April, although the visitors were left to rue the absence of British U-19 Champion Jason Garrity, who suffered no less than two van breakdowns en route to leave him stranded miles away from the action.
Despite Saturday’s home reverse against Mildenhall, the Hawks remain 4th in the table while the Colts are currently 7th in the table, but with matches in hand of most of the teams above them.
At the risk of over-using several well-worn clichés, it’s an absolute must-win situation for the Hawks, for whom every match from here on in is like a Cup Final. Hackney have the toughest possible run-in to the regular season, with Wednesday’s match followed on Saturday, September 10th, by the unenviable task of a trip to the top-of-the-table Stoke Potters – who obliterated highly ranked Dudley 64-27 on the road last Tuesday! The season is then climaxed by the following afternoon’s League finale, at home to the combined Scunthorpe-Sheffield team who are currently 3rd in the standings.
That final match will form part of a double header, beginning at 2pm with the Silver Ski Rockets’ Premier League clash against Plymouth . There will be no additional admission charge for the National League match; standard Premier League prices apply.

Hawks Fall Again to Fenmen
Hackney 42 Mildenhall 48 (at Rye House)
(National League, Saturday August 20th 2011)
The Hawks’ National League Play-Off hopes suffered a major body blow as they lost for a fourth consecutive time this season to arch-rivals Mildenhall. They now face the unenviable task of securing positive results against fellow play-off contenders Belle Vue, Stoke (both away) and Scunthorpe-Sheffield (home) in their three remaining fixtures in order to have a chance of finishing in the top four.
Ben Morley led a virtually one man crusade for Hackney, with five race wins and 16 (paid 17) points. The 17 year old received his best support from David Mason – who added a couple of victories – and reserve Marc Owen, who tigered across seven rides for his 8 points.
The Hawks were forced to operate Rider-Replacement for Ben Hopwood, whose season is over following a second half tumble at Sheffield on Thursday which has left him with a broken shoulder or upper arm.
Successive maximums from the pairings of David Mason/Shane Hazelden and Ben Morley/Barrie Evans briefly gave Hackney a 6 point advantage at Heat 10, only for the pendulum to swing firmly the other way thanks to three straight 5-1s in the Fen Tigers’ own favour. A further 4-2 in Heat 14 clinched the visitors’ overall victory, at 46-38, although Morley denied them a maximum four match points by outpacing the Robert Branford in the final race, with David Mason taking third place for a 4-2.
It was Branford’s only defeat of the night, as the Australian proved a fine guest for the injured Cameron Heeps. He received excellent back-up from the rest of visiting troops as well; in all, six different Fen Tigers won races, with all seven paid for at least a race win. They have certainly achieved bragging rights over the Hawks this season, with home and away Cup victories now followed up by victories in both League matches.
Hackney Joint-Team Manager John Sampford admitted afterwards that “The better team won at the end of the day; they were far more consistent than we were and a better unit. Ben (Morley) was superb, but generally we weren’t up to doing the job tonight and we fell short of the mark.
“Getting into the Play-Offs now is a big ask, but we’ll carry on until we are definitely out of the top four and can’t qualify. That’s all we can do. We’ve got three matches left, and we will go into all of them to win, as well as to restore our pride.”
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 6+1 (4 rides)
Ben Morley 16+1 (6)
David Mason 8 (5)
Shane Hazelden 4+1 (5)
Ben Hopwood R/R
Brandon Freemantle 0 (3)
Marc Owen 8 (7)

Mildenhall scorers:
Rob Branford (guest) 12+2 (5 rides)
Mark Baseby 7+1 (5)
Joe Jacobs 5 (4)
Lewis Blackbird 8 (4)
Jack Hargreaves 6 (4)
Daniel Halsey 4+2 (4)
Aaron Baseby 6 (5)

Match Points: Hackney 0 Mildenhall 3

Hargreaves Call-Up For NLRC
Mildenhall captain Jack Hargreaves has been named as the Fen Tigers’ representative in next Saturday’s (September 3rd) National League Riders Championship at Rye House, replacing original qualifier Cameron Heeps, who remains sidelined with a broken wrist. Hargreaves has enjoyed a successful return to the track in 2011 following a two and a half year absence, with a near 8 point all-inclusive average to date.

NLRC Line-Up Confirmed
The cream of the National League will do battle at Rye House next weekend for the biggest individual event on the calendar at that level.
Sixteen riders have qualified for the National League Riders' Championship, sponsored by Paradise Wildlife Park – the home of the Speedway Museum - at nearby Broxbourne, which takes place on Saturday, September 3 (7pm).
Home hopes rest with Barrie Evans, who rides for the Hackney Hawks. The former Waterden Road club have this season shared their home meetings between Hoddesdon and Arena-Essex, and 27 year old Evans brings with him plenty of experience…. plus a previous win in this event back in 2003.
The field also includes the likes of another former titlist in Jon Armstrong, British U-21 runner-up Steve Worrall and recently crowned British U-19 Champion Jason Garrity. Elsewhere, 15 year old sensation Cameron Heeps has qualified for the event just weeks after making his debut for Mildenhall in competitive racing, although he is currently nursing a broken wrist, while Simon Lambert will be aiming to go one better after a final race fall ended his chances of winning big last year.
National League co-ordinator Peter Morrish said: "This is always a hugely successful event and Rye House do a fantastic job in staging it for the National League.
"There are so many riders capable of winning the meeting and like the race for the league title itself it appears to be wide open."
The qualifiers are as follows, not in riding order:

Kyle Howarth (Belle Vue)
Jason Garrity (Belle Vue)
Adam Allott (Buxton)
Rob Branford (Buxton)
Jon Armstrong (Dudley)
Barrie Evans (Hackney)
Nick Simmons (Isle of Wight)
Kyle Hughes (King's Lynn)
James Cockle (King's Lynn)
Cameron Heeps (Mildenhall)
Todd Kurtz (Newport)
Jay Herne (Newport)
Gary Irving (Scunthorpe/Sheffield)
Steve Worrall (Scunthorpe/Sheffield)
Simon Lambert (Stoke)
Tim Webster (Stoke)
Reserves:
Shane Hazelden(Hackney)
Ben Morley (Hackney)

Admission is £16 adults, £14 concessions, Over 12s £5, Under 12s Free. Programme £2.

Bring ‘Em On: Mildenhall (Saturday, August 27th 2011 @ 7pm)
It’s win-or-bust time for the Hackney Hawks here at Rye House next Saturday (August 27th). Last Sunday’s disappointing result at Newport - coupled with successes elsewhere for rivals Stoke and Mildenhall - has pushed the Hawks down to third spot in the National League table. With the joint Scunthorpe-Sheffield side, Dudley and Belle Vue all chasing hard – and even King’s Lynn entering the mix following their win at Buxton – there is no margin for error if the Hawks are to progress to post-season play-off action.
Next Saturday’s match brings them head-to-head against one of those key rivals - and also a team that has proven a real bugbear so far. The Mildenhall Fen Tigers have won all three matches between the sides this season, ousting the Hawks from the Knock-Out Cup by a 36 point aggregate margin and also biting them 57-35 in the first League match at West Row.
Hackney will need to forget the past and focus only on the present and future when they face a Fen Tigers squad fronted by former Birmingham , Redcar and Stoke Premier Leaguer Jack Hargreaves, the fast-emerging Lewis Blackbird and 2010 National League Riders Finalist Mark Baseby, who will hopefully be back in action from last weekend’s grasstrack injury. They also can’t ignore five season Cobra/Raider Danny Halsey, 2010 British U-18 runner-up Joe Jacobs or 2010 British U-21 Finalist Aaron Baseby, who guested for Glasgow at Rye House only a week ago.
One rider who will unfortunately be missing is Cameron Heeps who is being tipped by many as one of Speedway ’s Next Big Things. The 15 year old from Perth - already a 5-time Western Australia U-16 Champion – suffered a broken wrist on the Isle of Wight on Tuesday. With the teenager rapidly rising from a reserve to the No.1 position with a remarkable 8.74 average, though, the Fen Tigers will have access to a guest replacement.

Hawks Draw a Blank in Wales
It has been a frustrating weekend for the Hackney Hawks. On Saturday night, they were knocked off the top of the National League table by Stoke’s win over Dudley, while this afternoon has brought a further disappointing result at Newport.
The Hornets led throughout, with the Hawks only briefly challenging for a match point. Ben Morley’s 6 point Tactical win in Heat 8 closed the deficit to 29-22, while a 5-1 from David Mason and Marc Owen in Heat 12 reduced the points spread to 7 for a second time, at 41-34. The hosts dominated the close-out however, driving home two maximums from the remaining three races to put a final stamp on the fixture.
Joint Team Manager John Sampford was quick to identify the main factor in the result. “We weren’t helped when Barrie Evans had an engine blow up when he was leading Heat 5 (which led to a suspected back injury for Newport ’s Brendan Johnson in the resulting pile-up), but on a warm and breezy day, the track was very dry and slick. It was all about getting to the first two corners, and the Hornets were simply much better gaters than we were. That’s where the match was won and lost; it’s as simple as that.”
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 1+1(4 rides)
Ben Morley 13 (5 rides, inc 6 as a TR)
David Mason 9 (5)
Shane Hazelden 7 (4)
Ben Hopwood 5 (4)
Brandon Freemantle 0 (3)
Marc Owen 4+1(5)
Newport scorers:
Todd Kurtz 12+1 (5 rides)
Tom Young 6+2 (4)
Brendan Johnson 3 (2)
Matt Bates 6+1 (4)
Jay Herne 13+1 (5)
Richard Andrews 6+2 (5)
Jamie White-Williams 8+1 (5)

Match Points: Newport 3 Hackney 0

Hawks on the Road: Newport Away
The Hackney Hawks head to Wales tomorrow (Sunday, August 14th) aiming to cement their play-off hopes against the Newport Hornets. The Hawks are currently in pole position in the National League table, although the pressure is on given the tightness of the standings; you can still perm any four from six teams – the Hawks, Potters, Heathens, Mildenhall, Belle Vue and the combined Scunthorpe-Sheffield outfit in the race to make the cut.
Working in their favour, the Hornets have already proven vulnerable at home, having lost to Stoke and drawn against Dudley at Queensway Meadows. They were also stung 59-35 by the Hawks when the two sides met at Hoddesdon on July 2nd.
Hackney will be back to full strength for the clash, with the new averages meaning a change in team order. Barrie Evans returns to the No.1 mantle, with Marc Owen dropping down to a reserve slot. The full side is:
1. Barrie Evans, 2. Ben Morley, 3. David Mason, 4. Shane Hazelden, 5. Ben Hopwood, 6. Brandon Freemantle, 7. Marc Owen.
Following tomorrow’s action, Hackney face two remaining away fixtures – at Belle Vue on August 31st and Stoke on September 10th. Their remaining home matches – both at Rye House – are against Mildenhall on August 27th and – in what could yet prove the final settler for post-season play – against Scunthorpe-Sheffield on September 11th. That latter fixture will form part of a Sunday double header, with the National League action preceded by the Premier League match between the Silver Ski Rockets and Plymouth .
There will be no additional charge for the double header, with standard Premier League prices applying.

Barrie Evans Fit To Return
Good news from the Barrie Evans, although his foot is still not 100% he expects to be back on a bike for the Hawks away trip to Newport on the 14th August.

Hawks Dip Out of Fours
National League Fours Championship
(Stoke, Saturday July 30th 2011)
1st Dudley
2nd Belle Vue
3rd Stoke
The 2011 National League Fours Championship was never going to be an enjoyable experience for the Hackney Hawks. Already missing Barrie Evans through injury, they also had to face up to the late withdrawal of David Mason through a repeat of last season’s illness. With Shane Hazelden and Brandon Freemantle unable to respond due to major transport issues, the Hawks were forced to borrow Stoke’s Ben Read to augment their depleted squad.
Hackney duly finished bottom of their semi-final group, five points adrift of next team the Isle of Wight , with Mildenhall and Dudley sailing through to the grand final.
The Heathens proceeded to win the title, with former Rocket Adam Roynon leading the way with two victories in the final and dropping his only points of the night as a faller in an earlier race. He will be part of the Redcar team heading to Rye House for Premier League action this Saturday (August 6th).
Semi-Final A (8 races):
Mildenhall 22 (Jack Hargreaves 5, Cameron Heeps 5, Lewis Blackbird 5, Joe Jacobs 3)
Dudley 16 (Richard Franklin 5, Jon Armstrong 4, Ashley Morris 4, Adam Roynon 3)
Isle of Wight 11 (Paul Starke 6, Nick Simmons 1, Rob Smith 1, Danny Warwick 0)
Hackney 6 (Ben Morley 2, Marc Owen 2, Ben Hopwood 1, Ben Reade 1)
Semi-Final B (8 races):
Belle Vue 18 (Adam McKinna 6, Byron Bekker 4, Jason Garrity 4, Karl Mason 4)
Stoke 16 (Simon Lambert 6, Tony Atkin 4, Jaimie Pickard 3, Tim Webster 3)
Buxton 11 (Adam Allott 3, Ben Taylor 3, Rob Branford 3, Luke Priest 2)
Newport 3 (Jay Herne 2, Brendan Johnson 1, Steve Jones 0, Richard Andrews 0)
Grand Final (8 races):
Dudley 15 (Adam Roynon 6, Ashley Morris 4, Jon Armstrong 3, Richard Franklin 2)
Belle Vue 12 (Byron Bekker 4, Adam McKinna 4, Jason Garrity 4, Karl Mason 0)
Stoke 12 (Tony Atkin 4, Simon Lambert 3, Tim Webster 3, Jaimie Pickard 2)
Mildenhall 9 (Cameron Heeps 3, Joe Jacobs 3, Jack Hargreaves 2, Lewis Blackbird 1)

Hawks’ Squad for National League Fours
The Hackney team for Saturday’s Corbettsports.com National League Fours Championship at Stoke has been confirmed. Shane Hazelden and the injured Barrie Evans are unavailable, but the Hawks will still field British U-19 Bronze winner Ben Morley and the resurgent David Mason, together with Marc Owen and Ben Hopwood, who has picked up form again in recent weeks.
The Hawks have been drawn in Group A alongside teams from the Isle of Wight, Mildenhall and Dudley, while Group B will consist of sides from Buxton, Belle Vue, Newport and hosts Stoke. Each group will be run over eight heats, with the top two finishers then progressing on to the Grand Final which will be run over twelve races.

Hawks Come Up Tactically Short at Mildenhall
Mildenhall 57 Hackney 35
(National League, Sunday July 24th 2011)
Missing the services of Barrie Evans due to a foot injury, this was always going to be a big ask of the Hawks. The Rider-Replacement facility yielded a scant 2 points (plus two bonus) as coverage for the former Mildenhall man, leaving a huge hole in the Hackney offence.
Ben Morley – following on from his third placed finish the night before in the British U-19 Championship – did his best to fill the gap with two wins in an excellent paid 14 point haul. That tally would have been even higher but for a last lap fall while leading Heat 15.
Marc Owen added a further race win, but that was about it in terms of major positives. Hackney’s lack of top-end firepower contrasted heavily with a rock solid Fen Tigers outfit that fielded five different race winners, with all seven riders paid for at least one success.
The biggest talking point of the meeting, though, derived from a bizarre Heat 9 which saw first Joe Jacobs and Cameron Heeps excluded for separate falls. With Morley on a Tactical Ride nomination, an 8-0 in Hackney’s favour clearly beckoned in the second re-run. Unfortunately, Morley’s cut-out came adrift on the final lap, with partner Brandon Freemantle then slowing in an attempt to keep his partner in front for the additional double points. Morley duly got his bike running again and both riders completed the race, only for the referee to disqualify Freemantle for not making a bona fide attempt to race!
The consequent 6-0 (rather than 8-0) left the Hawks behind 32-22 at that stage, instead of within 8 points of their hosts, and had the Hawks’ management absolutely spitting feathers over the decision. As promoter Len Silver stressed afterwards, “The slowing of a rider to allow his partner through when on a Tactical nomination is an established situation within the sport, and one that is witnessed around the country every week. Why, in Heat 11 today we had an identical situation, where Ben Hopwood allowed Shane Hazelden through for second place without any questioning of the finish. It makes a mockery of an established rule, and we plan to make an official complaint.”
All of which will add heat to the forthcoming return match between the two sides. The Hawks will have their chance of revenge when the Fen Tigers arrive at Rye House on Saturday, August 27th.
Between now and then, the Hawks are travellers themselves as they visit Newport on Sunday, August 14th.
Hackney scorers:
Shane Hazelden 7 (5 rides, inc 4 as a TR)
Barrie Evans R/R
David Mason 5 (5)
Marc Owen 5+1 (5)
Ben Morley 13+1 (6 rides, inc 6 as a TR)
Brandon Freemantle 0 (4)
Ben Hopwood 5+1 (5)
Mildenhall scorers:
Lewis Blackbird 15 (5 rides, maximum)
Mark Baseby 5+2(4)
Danny Halsey 2+1(3)
Joe Jacobs 6 (4)
Jack Hargreaves 7+2(4)
Aaron Baseby 9+2(5)
Cameron Heeps 13+1(6)
Match Points: Mildenhall 3 Hackney 0

British U-19 Championship
( Rye House, Saturday July 23rd 2011)
1st Jason Garrity (Belle Vue)
2nd Shane Hazelden (Hackney)
3rd Ben Morley (Hackney)
There was plenty to shout about at the British U-19 Championship at Rye House on Saturday night, with the unpredictable, yet wildly exciting Jason Garrity winning the crown and home stars Shane Hazelden and Ben Morley filling the other rostrum places.
For Garrity, it was the continuation of a roller-coaster ride that initiated with the British U-15 title in 2008 and has more recently taken in a 9 point National League average with Belle Vue and 6th place in April’s U-21 Final. The 17 year old had to sweat it out earlier in the night after falling in his opening ride and making the cut for the Semi-Final race-off on count-back – he squeezed out Joe Jacobs for the last qualification spot courtesy of an extra second place in his programmed rides – before making no mistake in either the Semi or the Grand Final.
Said Garrity afterwards, “I didn’t start off well, locking up in my first ride, but it’s how the night ends that really counts. Things have been going well for me this year. I had my Elite League debut at Peterborough last night, and I learned from that experience, and I was able to come here tonight and show where it’s got me.”
For Hazelden, meanwhile, the evening proved a triumphant return from a fractured and dislocated finger which had kept him on the sidelines for the previous two weeks. The teenager has endured a rough ride since his elevation from reserve to Hackney’s No.1 slot, but despite aggravating his injury in a first bend fall in the first attempt to run the Grand Final, it was impossible to disguise his elation afterwards. “The doctor said I should take another fortnight off, and said that I was pushing it to ride. I haven’t been on a bike for two weeks, but I went back to basics with my settings, and felt good on the bike and really fast.
“I struggled a little bit toward the end of the night as the track slickened off, but I was still getting wins and seconds. I hurt my finger again and got winded during the first go at the Final, but I went out in the re-run and made a better gate. I would have settled for just reaching the Final, so second place is more than good.”
Fellow Hawk Ben Morley finished third in the Final shoot-out but was visibly disappointed afterwards with that result, having earlier dropped just one point in his programmed rides to post top spot in the main meeting. “It was a good meeting overall, but I chose the Final to make my worst gate of the night. Unfortunately that was the one that counted.”
It proved a mixed night for the third Hackney rider involved, Marc Owen. The 16 year old managed just two points from his first three rides, but then won his last two outings to finish 8th overall.
Elsewhere, James Sarjeant turned more than a few heads by winning three of his programmed races and then easing through the Semi-Final before coming unstuck in the decider. Much was expected of doubling-up Belle Vue Colt and Edinburgh Monarch Kyle Howarth, and the 17 year old looked on the crest of a wave after recovering from a third race third place to reel off three straight victories. Another third place behind Morley and Garrity forced him into the Semi-Final, however, and he was left trailing in that last chance run-off. British U-21 Grasstrack Champion Tom Perry also sparkled in places, but a fall while leading Heat 16 seemed to sap his morale and he trailed in last in his final outing.
Young Lions Managers Phil Morris and Neil Vatcher were more than pleased with the night’s action. Said Morris afterwards, “It was great to see the young lads putting on a really good show. There were a couple of tough first bends, but that showed they all wanted to win.”
Vatcher added, “We must offer a big thank-you to (Rye House promoter) Len Silver for putting the event on. It’s a great venue to come to, and it offered some great racing. There were some exciting British youngsters on show tonight. Let’s hope that everyone can keep supporting them to help give them a big future in the sport.”
Scorers (main 20 heat programme):
Ben Morley 14
Shane Hazelden 12 (both to grand final)
Ashley Morris 12
Kyle Howarth 11
James Sarjeant 10
Jason Garrity 10 (through to semi-final)
Joe Jacobs 10
Marc Owen 8
Ritchie Franklin 6
Tom Stokes 6
Tom Perry 5
Darryl Ritchings 4
Ritchie Andrews 4
Jake Knight 3
Brendan Johnson 2
Oliver Rayson 2
Reserves: Danny Stoneman 1 (1 ride)
Adam Portwood dnr
Semi-Final (top two to Grand Final):
Garrity, Sarjeant, Morris, Howarth
Grand Final:
Garrity, Hazelden, Morley, Sarjeant

Neil Vatcher, Ben Morley, Jason Garrity, Shane Hazeldene, Phil Morris and former Hawk/Rocket Fiala who presented the winning trophies.
Picture from www.speedwaygb.com
Additional Home Match For Hawks at Rye House
A date has now been agreed for Hackney’s outstanding home National League fixture against the combined Scunthorpe/Sheffield side.
The match – which could well have great bearing on the final Play-Off qualification spots – will take place at Rye House on Sunday, September 11th as the second part of a double header meeting and will be preceded by a second phase Premier League fixture involving the Silver Ski Rockets.
Although there will be 30 races on show, there will be no increase in admission charges above Rye ’s standard Premier League pricing. The meeting will start at 2pm, which means that the Hawks should take to the track at around 4pm.

Feak Accident For Evans
Hackney star Barrie Evans has been sent to the sidelines following a freak injury suffered at Lakeside last Friday. The 2003 National League Riders Champion had posted a paid 15 tally during the Hawks’ victory over Buxton, only to suffer the injury at the end of the victory parade which saw the team circle the tarmac stock car circuit that surrounds the speedway track. Evans’ right foot caught and became lodged in a small pothole in the circuit and was then hit by his footrest as the bike continued forward.
He was treated at the time by the track paramedic, but subsequent hospital x-rays on the way home were inconclusive due to the swelling that had already developed in his foot.
Evans revisited his local hospital today, where further examination thankfully revealed no broken bones, but unfortunately also confirmed extensive tissue damage and the possibility of ligament and tendon damage.
Evans is now on crutches for non-weight bearing purposes, and will miss the Hawks’ National League match at Mildenhall this Sunday, with Hackney operating the Rider-Replacement facility as coverage. There is also a major question mark over his fitness for the National League Fours Championship which is being staged at Stoke the following Saturday (July 30th).

Hawks on the Road
The Hackney Hawks have enjoyed a renewed drive toward the National League play-offs, with home and away wins over Buxton and earlier comfortable victories over the Isle of Wight and Newport hoisting them to top spot in the table.
That momentum will next be put to the test when they head to Mildenhall next Sunday (July 24th). The Hawks will need little reminding of the 60-32 mauling they received - after losing Shane Hazelden early on to injury - when they were last at West Row on June 5th in the Knock-Out Cup. They will also have noticed, however, that the Fen Tigers were made to struggle by Buxton in their next home match (47-43) and then became the first team to lose to the Hitmen in the League when upended at Hi Edge.
Beyond their trip to West Row, the Hawks have outstanding away fixtures at Newport (August 14th), Belle Vue (August 31st) and Stoke (September 10th) still to come.
Their final home regular season fixture at Rye House will be against the Fen Tigers on Saturday, August 27th, while a date has yet to be agreed for their one remaining match at “alternative nest” Lakeside, against the combined Scunthorpe/Sheffield team.
Bring It On: the 2011 British U-19 Championship (Saturday, July 23rd @ 7pm)
There is now less to one week to go until the staging of the re-christened British Under-19 Championship at Rye House.
Brendan Johnson will defend the title he won at Somerset at Under-18 level last season, with the age group modified to allow British speedway to fall in line with FIM/UEM set-ups.
There are three ‘home’ riders gunning for glory in the main body of the event, courtesy of Hackney Hawks Ben Morley, Shane Hazelden and Marc Owen, with fast-improving British U-15 Champion Brandon Freemantle also named as one of the meeting reserves.
In the case of Hazelden, it’s a case of a rush to fitness following the fractured and dislocated finger he suffered in the Hawks’ recent home win over the Isle of Wight . He has been drawn at No.8, which brings up an opening ride against 2008 British U-15 Champion Jason Garrity, 2009 titlist Ashley Morris and Newport ’s Ritchie Andrews.
Morley and Owen, meanwhile, have been drawn at 14 and 16, respectively, which will pit them against each other in a first ride that also includes Jake Knight of King’s Lynn and Dudley ’s Tom Perry, who escaped from a nasty crash at Belle Vue last Wednesday with an all-clear verdict from subsequent x-rays.
The full draw is:
1. Joe Jacobs (Mildenhall)
2. Oliver Rayson ( King’s Lynn )
3. Brendon Johnson ( Dudley )
4. Ritchie Franklin ( Dudley )
5. Jason Garrity (Belle Vue)
6. Ashley Morris ( Dudley )
7. Ritchie Andrews ( Newport )
8. Shane Hazelden Hackney)
9. Darryl Ritchings ( Dudley )
10. James Sarjeant (Stoke)
11. Kyle Howarth (Belle Vue)
12. Tom Stokes ( King’s Lynn )
13. Jake Knight ( King’s Lynn )
14. Ben Morley (Hackney)
15. Tom Perry ( Dudley )
16. Marc Owen (Hackney)
Reserves
17. Danny Stoneman ( Dudley )
18. Brandon Freemantle (Hackney)

Hawks Buck Buxton to Stay Clear at Top
David Mason [pictured] is having a fantastic season and top scored with 16 against Buxton
Hackney 54 Buxton 41
(National League, Friday July 15th 2011)
The Hackney Hawks completed a quick double over last season’s champions to extend their lead at the top of the National League table back to four points. They were, however, made to fight in the closing stages for the final available match point.
The Hawks provided the first man past the post in nine of the first twelve heats, with four of those races – all involving reignited reserve Ben Hopwood – producing 5-1s, to help boost the progressive score to a comfortable 45-29. Buxton gave their hosts a scare, though, when Tactical Rider Robert Branford combined with Adam Allott to blast an 8-1 in Heat 13, reducing the margin to just 9. With Ben Taylor then heading home Hopwood and Marc Owen in the next race, Hackney took a 49-40 advantage into the final heat, needing to avoid a 5-1 to claim the third match point.
That objective was achieved in emphatic fashion when David Mason and Barrie Evans led Allott and Branford from the tapes to the chequered flag. Mason finished the night with a monster 16, with both Evans and Hopwood close behind on paid 15.
Hackney operated Rider-Replacement for injured No.1 Shane Hazelden, who is out with a fractured and dislocated finger but aiming to return to action for next Saturday’s British U-19 Championship at Rye House. The Hawks had hoped to book Paul Starke – who had been instrumental in Sunday’s first victory over the Hitmen in Derbyshire - as a guest, but the 2010 Rocket was injured himself at King’s Lynn on Wednesday.
Joint Team Manager John Sampford was happy overall with the way things went. “We got the result we wanted tonight. We were cruising at Heat 12, but the 8-1 in Heat 13 changed matters a bit. In the end, David (Mason) and Barrie (Evans) trapped in the final race to make absolutely sure there was never a chance of Buxton getting a repeat result there.
“You can’t underestimate the contribution of our top three – David Mason, Barrie Evans and Ben Hopwood – tonight, but we needed the other riders to also score, and they did. Ben (Morley), in particular, was doing well until he hit mechanical problems in his fourth ride, and he eventually had to borrow a bike when he came out for Heat 13.”
Hackney scorers:
Shane Hazelden R/R
Ben Morley 7+1 (5 rides)
David Mason 16 (6)
Marc Owen 3+2 (4)
Barrie Evans 12+3 (6)
Brandon Freemantle 2+1 (3)
Ben Hopwood 14+1 (6)

Buxton scorers:
Adam Allott 9+1 (5 rides)
Dean Felton 2+1 (4)
Luke Priest 4+2 (4)
Ben Taylor 12(4 rides,inc 4 as TR)
Robert Branford 13 (5 rides,inc6 as TR)
Paul Burnett 0 (4)
Ryan Blacklock 1 (4)
Match points: Hackney 3 Buxton 0

Hawks Shoot Down Hitmen
Buxton 40 Hackney 50
(National League, Sunday July 10th 2011)
The Hackney Hawks celebrated their first away win of the new season in stunning style, with their ten point victory taking them to the top of the National League table for the first time, some four match points clear of previous leaders Dudley. Despite the late withdrawal of captain David Mason, who was forced out on the morning of the match for family reasons, the Hawks were in control from the very first race. A 4-2 from guest Paul Starke and Ben Morley set them on their way, and further successes built the advantage to 16-8 by Heat 4. Buxton briefly threatened with a 5-1 in Heat 10 that pulled the progressive score back to 32-28, but a maximum from Barrie Evans and guest Paul Starke over Adam Allott and Robert Branford in Heat 13 effectively clinched the win, and the same pair secured a 4-2 in the last race to make sure of the final match point. Evans dropped just a single point all afternoon in finishing with a magnificent 17.
A delighted Joint Team Manager John Sampford reviewed the Hawks success shortly after Heat 15. “The team really took the match by the scruff of the neck from the word go. That early 8 point advantage could have been even bigger, but for Ben Morley suffering a broken chain when holding third place on the last lap of Heat 5 and Brandon Freemantle falling on the last bend of the next race when in a similar position.
“There were a few tense nerves, at 38-34, when Barrie (Evans) and Paul (Starke) – who was a great guest – were off the unfavoured outside gates in Heat 13. But they totally controlled the start of the race and led all the way.”
“As we said at the start of the season, this is a team that will improve as the campaign progresses. We’ve turned the corner in the last week or so. Now it’s a question of building for the run-in to the play-offs.”
Hackney scorers:
Paul Starke (guest) 10+1 (5 rides)
Ben Morley 5+1 (5)
David Mason R/R
Marc Owen 3+1 (4)
Barrie Evans 17 (6)
Brandon Freemantle 5+1 (4)
Ben Hopwood 10+2 (6)
Buxton scorers:
Adam Allott 6 (4)
Dean Felton 7+2 (4)
Luke Priest 8 (4)
Ben Taylor 9+1 (5)
Robert Branford 8 (5)
Paul Burnett 2+1 (3)
Ryan Blacklock 0 (5)
Match points: Buxton 0 Hackney 4

Shane Hazeldene Update
Following his fall during last night's victory over the Isle of Wight - one that took the Hawks level on points with leaders Dudley at the top of the National League table - Shane Hazelden has visited his local hospital for further examination this morning. This has unfortunately revealed that he has suffered a dislocated and fractured finger.

Next up Buxton Home and Away
The Hackney Hawks are rapidly re-building momentum, with tonight’s victory over the Isle of Wight joining a last week’s prior success against Newport to erase memories of that troubled run of five defeats.
The next week sees the Hawks continue their chase of the end-of-year play-offs with home and away matches against Buxton. The Hawks travel to Hi Edge tomorrow (Sunday), before hosting the Derbyshire side at Lakeside ’s Arena-Essex Speedway next Friday (July 15th @ 8pm) in the return.
The Hitmen are currently re-building following last season’s treble of the National League, Cup and Trophy crowns, although that broad-brush summary may be lost on highly rated Mildenhall after Buxton stunned the Fen Tigers by bagging a match point at West Row two weeks ago and then shocked them even more with a follow-up victory at Hi Edge.
Heading up the Hitmen’s firepower is former Sheffield and King’s Lynn star Adam Allott, who can expect backing from doubling-up Redcar Bear Robert Branford, Luke Priest, former Birmingham Brummie Ben Taylor and veteran Dean Felton, whose lengthy career has taken in Premier League runs with Berwick, Stoke and Long Eaton.

Hawks Halt Islanders, as Ref Halts Play
A delayed start due to the late arrival of the match referee following major traffic delays in the area served only to temporarily postpone what proved to be a comfortable victory for the Hawks – and what proved a personal night to remember for 15 year old Brandon Freemantle.
Once racing finally got underway half an hour late, the home side edged into a 17-13 lead before 5-1s from the pairing of Bens Morley and Hopwood in both Heat 6 and Heat 8 quickly bumped the score to 30-18. Paul Starke’s 6 point Tactical ride in the next race raised brief concerns, but any minor nerves were rapidly quelled when Barrie Evans and Brandon Freemantle combined for a 4-2 in Heat 10, and David Mason and Hopwood maxed out in the following race to push Hackney to a 45-30 cushion.
A further 5-1 from Evans and Freemantle – riding a superb race against the Islanders’ big guns of Nick Simmons and Starke – wrapped things up with a couple of races to spare, although there was still room for the youngster to add another victory in what was the best night of his fledgling National League career.
Freemantle aside, the match provided another sparkling display from Ben Hopwood, who has definitely rediscovered his form at reserve, while David Mason and Ben Morley also blasted into double figures, and Barrie Evans and Marc Owen were not far off that mark.
The one negative from the evening unfortunately came at the expense of Shane Hazelden. The British U-19 Finalist had soldiered through relentless misfortune against Newport the previous week, and exited this match after suffering a hand injury in the very first race. With the six other Hawks all gaining full or paid race wins as early as Heat 7, however, there was never a problem in terms of sharing the workload.
Joint Team Manager John Sampford was delighted with the Hawks’ display. “Everyone rode well and gave 100% effort, and that effort showed in the final score.
“If there was a man of the match, though, it had to be Brandon (Freemantle). He rode so well to win Heat 2 and Heat 14, but to see him out-gate the Islanders’ top two in Heat 13 was something else. It has taken time for him to find his feet in the National League: it’s fair to say that it’s been a baptism of fire. But we have persevered; he has persevered and the last two or three meetings have seen that effort pay off”.
Regarding Shane Hazelden’s injury: “He’s had two fingers taped up, and he’s likely to go for hospital tomorrow morning for an x-ray. We’ll have to wait to see how things go from there.”
Hackney scorers:
Shane Hazelden 0 (1 ride)
Ben Morley 10+1 (5)
David Mason 13 (5)
Marc Owen 5+3 (4)
Barrie Evans 9 (4)
Brandon Freemantle 9+1 (5)
Ben Hopwood 12+4 (6)

Isle of Wight scorers:
Nick Simmons 7(5 inc 1 as a TR)
Gary Cottham R/R
Danny Warwick 1+1 (4)
Rob Smith 9 (5)
Paul Starke 12 (5,inc 6 as a TR)
Rhys Naylor (guest) 1 (5)
Luke Chessell 5 (7)

Match points: Hackney 3 Isle of Wight 0

Tony (Professor) Barnard
By Hawkeye
"One of speedway's best known fans, Tony (Professor) Barnard passed away peacefully on June 27th at London's Whipps Cross Hospital. Tony, who was 83, had battled lung cancer for a long time. He supported Hackney from 1963 until its demise half way through the 1991 season. He was also a regular at The Wick when the club operated as The London Lions in 1996. He was well known for his meticulous calculation of the number of passes in each race at Waterden Road. He also pioneered a revolutionary starting system which, alas, never came to competitive fruition. His funeral will be held at 10.30am on Friday July 15th at the City of London Crematorium."

Coming Up For Hawks
The Hackney Hawks will be out for revenge for their recent narrow defeat across the water when they host the Isle of Wight at their “other” nest of Lakeside on Friday (July 8th @ 8pm).
They will be facing an Islanders team that offers a strong Rye House connection, courtesy of 2010 Rocket Paul Starke, two year Cobra Rob Smith and former Raider Gary Cottham. The visitors also include 7th year Islander and former Exeter Falcon Nick Simmonds and newly signed Danny Warwick, otherwise known as “The Dreaded One”.
The Hawks will also be in action at Lakeside the following Friday (July 15th @ 8pm) when they host defending champions Buxton.
The next Hackney fixture at Rye House – the Hawks’ final regular season action at that venue – will be on Saturday, August 27th, against the Mildenhall Fen Tigers.

Hawks Give Hornets the Sting
Hackney 59 Newport 35
(National League, Saturday July 2nd 2011)
The Hawks powered to their biggest National League win of the season against an outmatched Hornets side, with all seven of their riders securing at least one race win. Barrie Evans managed much more than that, going through the card with a full 15 point maximum, and was nearly matched by David Mason, who was beaten only by Jay Herne in a hard-fought Heat 5. Elsewhere, Ben Morley enjoyed a strong night marred only by a mechanically troubled Heat 8, while Marc Owen bounced back to form with a win in Heat 3 and a later last bend storm past Tom Young for second place in Heat 14.
The biggest plus, however, was probably at reserve, where Ben Hopwood looked white hot in scorching to paid 13 and Brandon Freemantle delivered a highly encouraging paid 7 that included paid and full wins in Heats 2 and 14 respectively, and would have been even higher but for a last lap fall when holding third place in Heat 7.
Poor Shane Hazelden had to endure a string of misfortune, being excluded for touching the tapes in Heat 1 and later suffering two falls when on for 5-1s in Heats 6 and 13. He still managed a race win alongside Ben Morley in his other outing of Heat 10.
The Hornets, in contrast, were effectively a two man side. The Premier League experienced Jay Herne looked stylish, and received solid support from Matt Bates, but the Welsh side certainly missed Todd Kurtz, who was on doubling-up duty with the senior Wasps. The rest of the side managed just 10 points between them.
Hackney scorers:
Shane Hazelden 3 (4 rides)
Ben Morley 7+1 (4)
David Mason 11+3 (5)
Marc Owen 6+1 (4)
Barrie Evans 15 (5 maximum)
Brandon Freemantle 6+1 (4)
Ben Hopwood 11+2 (5)

Newport scorers:
Jay Herne 16+1 (6 rides,inc 6 as a TR)
Todd Kurtz R/R
Jamie White-Williams 2+1 (4)
Tom Young 5 (5)
Matt Bates 9 (6 rides,inc 4 as a TR)
Richard Andrews 1 (5)
David Gough 2+1 (4)

Match points: Hackney 3 Newport 0

Silver Puts a Positive Damper on Things
Hackney and Rye House promoter Len Silver is keenly aware of the problems evident at the Hoddesdon circuit, particularly during afternoon meetings, of dust clouds during the racing. He has been working tirelessly to solve the problem, and believes he has finally hit on the solution.
As he explained after Saturday’s National League match at Rye House, “I have been searching for a number of weeks for a substance to mix with the water to stop it evaporating so quickly. I have tried many different things, but finally discovered a material this week called Track Moist, which is manufactured and marked in Canada . I was given a sample quantity by former rider and Sky presenter Kelvin Tatum, and I used that sample yesterday and today.
“There is no doubt that it is really good stuff. It won’t stop the dust in itself, but it gives us the opportunity, because of the way it reacts with the shale, to water the shale much closer to the start time. So the track can be wetter for the first race without being dangerous for the riders. It will also enable us to keep the dust down by having to water less frequently during the meeting.
“Because of its overseas source, I cannot say at the moment exactly when we will receive our first full supply, but it will obviously be as soon as possible.
“We are also changing our supplier of red shale to a source used by five other tracks, including Scunthorpe , all of whom report that it rides very safely and comfortably, and can also once again be watered much closer to the start time. We are due for our first delivery ahead of next Saturday’s match, and will start to introduce it as soon as it arrives.”

Next in town the Newport Wasps this Saturday
The Hornets – Championship Play-Off Finalists last year – include the duo that finished as runners-up in the recent League Best Pairs Championship. Former Somerset , Birmingham and Edinburgh man Jay Herne was nearly a 2010 Rocket until being over-ruled as a late season replacement for Robbie Kessler. The 2009 Bronze Helmet meeting winner, he also finished third in that season’s NLRC. Best Pairs colleague Todd Kurtz, meanwhile, is also a five point Wasp in the Premier League.
There are no less than four Newport-born riders in the Hornets’ line-up – Tom Young, Jamie White-Williams, David Gough and Richard Andrews. The latter is enjoying a major jump on last season’s 3 point average with Weymouth , already posting high scores of paid 11 against both Buxton and the Isle of Wight , and will feature in the forthcoming British U-19 Championship at Rye House on July 23rd. The Welsh side is rounded off by Matt Bates, who was previously a National Trophy winner with Plymouth .

Young Hawks Race For The Title
THE list of competing riders for the re-named British Under-19 Championship at Rye House on July 23 has been announced.
Isle of Wight star Brendan Johnson will defend the title he won at Somerset at Under-18 level last season, with the age group modified to allow British speedway to fall in line with FIM/UEM set-ups.
There will be three ‘home’ riders in the meeting with National League Hackney staging half of their meetings at Rye House, so Ben Morley, Shane Hazelden and Marc Owen will all hope to benefit from local knowledge.
GB youth coach Phil Morris said: “The field looks very open with Kyle Howarth heading the list of qualifiers after his impressive start to the season in the National League with Belle Vue, and in the Premier League with Edinburgh .
“The three home men all look likely to be in the mix as they have lots of Rye House knowledge, and I’m sure Brendan Johnson will be working very hard to hang on to the title he won last year. He does seem to raise his game for the bigger events.
“There are four Dudley boys in the line-up which shows they have a great British youth policy which I commend. The four are all showing up well this season, and Ashley Morris and Tom Perry were selected to race in the European Under-19 semi-finals in Germany and Poland .
“Also, Jason Garrity of Belle Vue is a rare breed and he’s a pleasure to watch on a bike, and Mildenhall’s Joe Jacobs has recently hit the form we know he’s capable of, and he’ll be looking to emulate last season and make the podium.
“But going down the list there are so many talented young riders, and they will all feel they have a chance of being amongst the front-runners.”
The draw for riding order will take place a fortnight before the meeting, and Morris’s colleague Neil Vatcher says the youngsters will provide a terrific night of racing.
He added: “This is now the middle tier of the British Young Lions, in between the Under-21s and the Youth programme. We have had great success with the other two sections and we’re sure the the Under-19s will prove just as exciting.
“I’m sure when race-day comes and they all pull on the Young Lions race-jacket they will be all-out to emulate the senior boys and put on a first-class show of hard and exciting racing.
“We need the fans to get behind the riders and lift them as this is a very big meeting in their calendar, and we’re extremely grateful to Len Silver at Rye House for agreeing to stage the event. Len has always been a big supporter of youth development and we thank him for his help.”
BRITISH UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP, Rye House, July 23: (not in riding order)
Kyle Howarth (Belle Vue/Edinburgh), Jason Garrity (Belle Vue), Ashley Morris (Dudley), Ben Morley (Hackney), Shane Hazelden (Hackney), Jake Knight (King’s Lynn), Brendan Johnson (Isle of Wight), Tom Perry (Dudley), Marc Owen (Hackney), Joe Jacobs (Mildenhall), Richard Franklin (Dudley), James Sarjeant (Stoke), Oli Rayson (King’s Lynn), Tom Stokes (King’s Lynn), Darryl Ritchings (Dudley), Richard Andrews (Newport). Reserves: Danny Stoneman ( Dudley ), Brandon Freemantle (Hackney).

Fixtures Update
Following the postponement of last Saturday’s home fixture against Redcar, the Silver Ski Rockets Premier League match against the Bears has been quickly re-scheduled for Saturday, August 6th (7pm start).
This new date necessitates the re-scheduling of Hackney’s home National League fixture against Mildenhall, which was originally slated for this same slot. The Fen Tigers clash will now move to Saturday, August 27th.

Former Hawks Dies
It’s with deep regret to announce that former Hackney Hawk Jimmy Gooch,83 died peacefully yesterday, Saturday, 18th June. During his long career Jimmy rode speedway for Wembley, Oxford and of course Hackney, eventually retiring in 1970.
Jimmy was a member of the World Speedway Riders Association and will be sadly missed.
Jimmy Gooches Hackney record

Mts Rds Pts BP Total CMA
1969 31 120 165 20 185 6.17
1970 37 135 177 24 201 5.96

Tribute to Jimmy Gooch by Laurence Rogers
Below is copied from e-mail I received yesterday from Steve Magro in Australia about Jimmy Gooch --RIP mate. One of my favourites and it was a pleasure to meet up and have a talk with him at the World Speedway Riders Association dinner at Leicester last year. He told me about his parachute jumps and bike riding 6 miles a day at the grand old age of 81. A great character --and a superb speedway rider to boot.
Newport Speedway are sad to announce the passing of popular former Wasp Jimmy Gooch who rode at the former Somerton Park Stadium in 1967 and 1968. Jimmy had been a World Finalist and a Great Britain international by the time he joined the Newport club but was still a top points scorer despite his mature years. There will be a one minute silence in tribute to Jimmy prior to this Friday evening's National League fixture at Queensway Meadows.
James Everard (Jimmy) Gooch
Born: November 16, 1928, Dagenham, Essex, England.
Jimmy Gooch began his long career on the Army tracks in post-war Germany, winning the 1949 Combined Services Trophy and a contact with the famous Wembley `Lions'. The Empire Stadium club were the dominant force in British speedway and Jimmy managed to win a reserve spot during the 1950 season in a side which included such stars as Tommy Price and Freddie Williams.
Jimmy was renowned for his wholehearted efforts and was a popular figure at the north London venue, but struggled to lift himself into the main body of the team for five years.
Then in 1955, tiring of the struggle of Division One speedway, he went out on loan to Swindon in the Second Division then moved to Bradford the following year in an attempt to step up to the next level.
Jimmy Gooch died very peacefully
this morning.
Jimmy rode at Wembley, Oxford,Hackney.
The year of 1964, suddenly brought Jimmy to the forefront of speedway. Riding for Oxford at age 35, he should have been in the twilight of his career but the move brought him more of an Indian summer as he added over two points to his average to record a figure in excess of 8 points per match (out of 12) for the first time as the `Cheetahs' won the National League title.
In 1965 Gooch earned an average of just under 10 points per match, as well as a World Final appearance and a place in the Great Britain World Team Cup Final side at Kempten, Germany. Jimmy's World Final appearance at Wembley proved to be the peak of his career and he found it hard to retain that form as he approached 40. Nevertheless, Jimmy remained a force to be reckoned with in later spells at Newport and Hackney until 1970 and proved a shining example to other riders as to what could be achieved with hard work and perseverance.

1950-55 Wembley
1955 Swindon
1956 Wembley
1956 Bradford 1957-58
1959 Retired;
1960-61 New Cross
1962-63 Norwich
1964-66 Oxford
1967-68 Newport
1969-70 Hackney

Individual Honours
1965 World Finalist (14th)
International Honours:
1965 Great Britain World Team Cup finalist England international: 10 caps/35 points
Great Britain: 3 caps/16 points.
Team Honours
National League Division One Championship winner 1950,51,52 & 53.
National League Championship winner
1964
National Trophy winner 1954, 1963 & 64.
Rest in Peace Jimmy

Hawks Grounded in Pairs
National League Pairs Championship
(Newport , Saturday June 18th 2011)
1st Stoke (Simon Lambert, Tim Webster)
2nd Newport (Todd Kurtz, Jay Herne)
3rd Scunthorpe/Sheffield (Richie Worrall, Steve Worrall)
4th Mildenhall (Jack Hargreaves, Lewis Blackbird)
The Hackney duo of Barrie Evans and Shane Hazelden failed to make progress in the first of the National League’s “Big Night” events, the Pairs Championship at Newport . The tandem blasted King’s Lynn with a 7-2 under the 4-3-2-0 scoring formula, with Evans winning a further race when pitched against Belle Vue, but both the Hawks’ other two races saw them on the wrong end of 7-2 results to leave them fourth out of five teams in their round-robin group.
The title was won by Stoke’s Simon Lambert and Tim Webster, with Lambert claiming his third Pairs crown after previous successes with Boston in 2007 and 2008.
Group A
Newport 26 (Todd Kurtz 15+1, Jay Herne 11+1)
Scunthorpe/Sheffield 22 (Richie Worrall 14+1, Steve Worrall 8)
Belle Vue 17 (Jason Garrity 9+1, Adam McKinna 8+1)
Hackney 15 ( Barrie Evans 8, Shane Hazelden 7+1)
King’s Lynn 10 (Jake Knight 7, Lewis Kerr 3)

Group B
Stoke 23 (Simon Lambert 14+1, Tim Webster 9+2)
Mildenhall 21(Jack Hargreaves 12+1, Lewis Blackbird 9+2)
Dudley 20 (Kyle Newman 11+1, Jon Armstrong 9+1)
Buxton 13 (Adam Allott 8, Luke Priest 5+1)
Isle of Wight 13 (Nick Simmons 9, Rob Smith 4+1)

Grand Final: Stoke 5 Newport 4 (Kurtz, Webster, Lambert, Herne)

Hawks v Isle of Wight on Friday 17th June meeting off
Tomorrow’s (Friday, June 17th) scheduled National League fixture between the Hackney Hawks and the Isle Of Wight at Lakeside ’s Arena-Essex Raceway has been postponed due to the current wet track conditions and with a very poor weather forecast for Friday.
The Lakeside Promotion are mindful of the fact that a many of the riders involved in the meeting have to take time off of work, college or school, as do their parents, and by making an early call hope to have caused the least inconvenience to them and to supporters.
The match will now be restaged on Friday, July 8th (8pm start).

Hawks Take Islanders to the Limit
Isle of Wight 47 Hackney 43
(National League, Tuesday June 14th 2011)
It’s been a tough few weeks for the Hackney Hawks, who have already suffered two narrow defeats against Dudley , and also sunk without trace both home and away against Mildenhall in the Cup.
The Hawks slipped to a fifth straight defeat here, but only after pushing their hosts all the way to a last race decider.
Positively speaking, and after Saturday’s poor showing against Mildenhall, there was a far more even look to the spread of the Hawks’ workload this time around, with no less than five Hackney riders paid for at least one race win.
Equally important, Hackney showed great character and resolve in rebounding from an early 6 point deficit to take the lead at Heat 9. Former Islander Ben Hopwood and Shane Hazelden sparked the recovery with a maximum result in Heat 5, and a further surge from Hopwood against Rob Smith in Heat 8 - with Ben Morley picking up a point - brought the Hawks level at 24-24. Another 4-2 quickly followed as Barrie Evans outpaced Brendan Johnson and 15 year old Brandon Freemantle finished third ahead of the vastly experienced Lee Smethills, to put the visitors in front by two points.
The home side immediately replied with a 5-1, with Paul Starke fending off David Mason to join Smith at the front, only for the Hawks to draw level once again with just three races remaining. The two teams then traded maximums, with Ben Morley coming through against Gary Cottham to finish behind Marc Owen for the 5-1 in Heat 14 that took the score to 42-42.
Ultimately, the Hawks were edged out by the greater consistency of the Islanders’ top two, Nick Simmons and Paul Starke, who combined for a total of 29 points out of a possible 30 and clinched the match with a 5-1 over Evans and Hopwood in the last race.
Hackney at least had the consolation of returning home with a well earned match point for restricting their hosts to a margin of less than six points.
The two teams face a quick-fire return as they meet again at Lakeside this Friday (June 17th @ 8pm).
Hackney scorers:
Shane Hazelden 4+2 (4)
Ben Hopwood 8 (5)
David Mason 5+1 (4)
Marc Owen 5 (4)
Barrie Evans 10 (5)
Brandon Freemantle 2 (3)
Ben Morley 9+1 (5)

Isle of Wight scorers:
Paul Starke 13+1 (5)
Rob Smith 8+2 (4)
Lee Smethills 6 (4)
Brendan Johnson 3 (4)
Nick Simmons 13+2 (5 rides, maximum)
Ross Walter 0 (3)
Gary Cottham 4 (5)

Match points: Isle of Wight 2 Hackney 1

Hawks Slither Out of Cup

Top scorer against the Tigers David Mason
Hackney’s involvement in this season’s National League Knock-Out Cup ended at the first stage, as a dominant Fen Tigers outfit completed a home and away double to qualify for the next round by a hefty 36 point margin.
The Hawks needed a strong opening surge to give themselves any hope of pulling back a 28 point first leg deficit, but it was Mildenhall who shot into the lead with a 5-1 from James Brundle and Aaron Baseby to quickly kill the tie. The Fen Tigers rapidly pushed their advantage up to eight points and had the aggregate victory mathematically assured as early as Heat 8.
Former League Riders Champions David Mason and Barrie Evans did their best to stem the tide, with five wins and 28 paid points between them. The two Bens - Hopwood and Morley - offered fairly solid support, although Morley’s evening brought to a premature end with a swollen knee suffered when falling outside Jack Hargreaves in Heat 9, while it proved a troubled night for the rest of the team as the Hawks finished with a long tail.
Five race wins out of fifteen at home - and just one on-track heat advantage - does not make for pretty reading.
Mildenhall, in contrast, looked solid throughout, and fielded the individual stars of the match in James Brundle and Joe Jacobs, who shone at either end of the visitor’s spectrum. No.1 Brundle lived up to his reputation for lightning starts and was beaten only by Barrie Evans in Heat 13, with the Hackney No.5 striking again to inflict Jacobs’ only loss of the night when surging past the 17 year old in the final race. The Fen Tigers’ reserve then fell on the last bend to gift Evans and partner Mason a consolation 5-1.
Mildenhall will now meet the Isle of Wight in the Semi-Finals. The other tie will be between Dudley and Stoke.
Hackney scorers:
Shane Hazelden 2+1 (4)
Ben Hopwood 6 (4)
David Mason 14+1 (5 rides, inc 4 as a TR)
Marc Owen 1 (3)
Barrie Evans 12+1 (5)
Brandon Freemantle 2+2 (5)
Ben Morley 5+1 (4)

Mildenhall scorers:
James Brundle 11 (4)
Aaron Baseby 4+1 (4)
Daniel Halsey 10+1 (5)
Lewis Blackbird 5+2 (4)
Jack Hargreaves 6+1 (4)
Adam Portwood 2+1 (4)
Joe Jacobs 12 (5)

Hawks on the Road
The Hackney Hawks will re-focus their attention on the race for the National League play-offs when they head south on Tuesday (June 14th)…. and keep going. Their destination is Ryde and a clash against the Isle of Wight .
The Islanders will return the favour on Friday (June 17th) in the return clash at the Hawks’ Lakeside nest, which will bring into play the likes of 2010 Rocket and 2011 British U-21 British Finalist Paul Starke, 7th year Islander and former Exeter Falcon Nick Simmons, two year Cobra Rob Smith and British U-18 Champion Brendan Johnson.
The action at the Arena-Essex Raceway gets underway at 8pm.
New Date for Hackney vs Buxton
A revised date for the Hackney Hawks’ home match at Lakeside against Buxton has now been agreed. The Hitmen will visit the Arena-Essex Raceway on Friday, July 15th (8pm start).

Hawks Get Set For Pairs
Shane Hazelden and Barrie Evans have been named as the Hackney representatives in the first major event of the National League season, the Pairs Championship, which will be staged at Newport on Saturday, June 18th. Hazelden has shown tremendous improvement to climb from a reserve berth to the Hawks’ No.1 position in the new averages, effective this Saturday, while Evans – who now is the team’s No.2 – has won this event before when riding for Wimbledon in 2004.
The duo have been drawn in Group “A” alongside pairs from Belle Vue, King’s Lynn, Newport and Scunthorpe, with each tandem meeting the others on a round-robin basis. Group B, meanwhile, will comprise pairs from Buxton, Dudley, the Isle of Wight , Mildenhall and Stoke.
The first placed finishers in each group will meet in a final head-to-head at the end of the night to settle the title.
The full line-up has been announced as:
Group A
Belle Vue (Jason Garrity and Kyle Howarth)
Hackney (Barrie Evans and Shane Hazelden)
King’s Lynn (Jake Knight and Scott Campos)
Newport (Jay Herne and Todd Kurtz)
Scunthorpe/Sheffield
(Richie Worrall and Steve Worrall)
Group B
Buxton (Adam Allott and Robert Branford)
Dudley (Jon Armstrong and Kyle Newman)
Isle of Wight (Nick Simmons and Rob Smith)
Mildenhall (Jack Hargreaves/Lewis Blackbird)
Stoke (Simon Lambert and Tim Webster)

Hazelden Injury Leaves Hawks to Suffer Cup Mauling
Mildenhall 60 Hackney 32
Knock-Out Cup, first leg
Sunday, June 5th 2011)
The Hackney Hawks have the proverbial mountain to climb in order to retain an interest in this season’s National League Knock-Out Cup after suffering a 28 point mauling at West Row. The Fen Tigers, who had levelled the Isle of Wight 61-33 in their last track outing, ran riot again here, although the pivotal factor was on very clear view.
Reserve Shane Hazelden has been hugely influential for the Hawks this season – the 17 year old is due to soar to the team’s No.1 spot when the new averages take effect this Saturday –but was quickly ruled out of the match with slight concussion when partner Brandon Freemantle locked up directly in front of him in Heat 2, leaving the British U-21 Finalist with nowhere to go other than straight into his colleague.
It took a long time for the Hawks to settle from that disaster. They trailed 19-4 at Heat 4 and 44-16 at Heat 10, before Ben Morley finally stemmed the flow with a six point Tactical ride in Heat 11, with Barrie Evans’ third place finish forging a 7-2. Evans followed up by winning Heat 13 for Hackney’s second race victory, as the Hawks matched their hosts 16-16 across the final five races.
Hackney co-promoter Len Silver stressed afterwards that “Losing Shane (Hazelden) made a huge difference. He has been going so well this season, and with a full run of rides I believe we could have held the deficit to ten or twelve points. He is about to go to our No.1 position, so what effectively happened here is that we lost our No.1 in his first race – and you know what usually happens to most away teams in that situation, don’t you?
“Ben (Morley) rode consistently well throughout, but I think the rest of the side let their heads drop when we lost Shane. It wasn’t until well into the second half of the match that we really got our act together again.”
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 6 (5 rides)
Ben Morley 12 (5 rides, inc 6 as a TR)
David Mason 4+1 (4 rides, inc 2 as a TR)
Ben Hopwood 5 (4)
Marc Owen 4 (4)
Brandon Freemantle 1+1 (7)
Shane Hazelden 0 (0)
Mildenhall scorers:
James Brundle R/R
Aaron Baseby 15+2 (6 rides)
Danny Halsey 8+2 (5)
Lewis Blackbird 13 (5)
Jack Hargreaves 7+2 (5)
Nick Laurence 2+1 (3)
Joe Jacobs 15 (6)

Bring ‘Em On: Mildenhall
The Hackney Hawks will have it all to do when they attempt to overturn a mammoth 28 point deficit in the second leg of their Knock-Out Cup tie against Mildenhall at Rye House on Saturday (June 11th @ 7pm).
The Fen Tigers are a club re-born this season under the promotion of former stars Kevin Jolly, Chris Louis and Michael Lee, and their results have so far matched their owners’ optimism, with five straight home victories – including Sunday’s charge over the Hawks – already added to with a hard-fought draw at King’s Lynn .
Long-time King’s Lynn Star James Brundle missed the first match between the sides having experienced a heavy crash at Ipswich three days earlier, but will hopefully be fit to return for Saturday’s second leg. Also heading into town are former Stoke, Redcar and Birmingham man Jack Hargreaves, who has returned to the sport after a near three year absence, and Lewis Blackbird, who has been gone for a similar period to successfully concentrate on British Mini-Bikes.
2010 Cobra and British U-18 runner-up Joe Jacobs and former British U-21 international and 2008 Raiders’ Rider of the Year recipient Danny Halsey will add an extra spice to the line-up.
There may also be a spot for highly rated Aussie Cameron Heeps. The 15 year old, who is already a five times Western Australia U-16 Champion, has now arrived in this country and is ready to ride in what would be his British debut subject to final BSPA ratification of his patriality.

Revised Home Fixtures
The Hackney Hawks have brought forward their home fixture at Lakeside against the Isle of Wight from its original date of July 8th to Friday, June 17th.
Additionally, a new date is still to be confirmed for the Hawks’ home fixture at the same venue against Scunthorpe .
Hackney’s amended home fixture list is therefore as follows (all National League, except where stated):
Saturday,June 11th Mildenhall (KO Cup)
(at Rye House)
Friday, June 17th Isle of Wight
(at Lakeside )
Saturday, July 2nd Newport
(at Rye House)
Friday, July 29th Buxton
(at Lakeside )
Saturday, August 6th Mildenhall
(at Rye House)

TBC Scunthorpe
(at Lakeside )

A thriller in Dudley and no points!
Dudley 49 Hackney 41 (at Wolverhampton )
(National League, Monday May 31st 2011)
Last Friday, the Hawks slipped to their first home defeat of the season when edged out by a strong Dudley side in a tense last race decider at Lakeside.
Just four nights later, they looked to have exacted their revenge by handing the highly rated Heathens their own first home loss of the year, only to capitulate in the final third of the meeting.
Spurred on by another tremendous performance from reserve Shane Hazelden, the Hawks made light of Marc Owen’s morning withdrawal due to illness and looked home and dry with a 34-26 advantage after Heat 10, only for the Heathens to sucker-punch them in the closing stages. An unexpected fall from Barrie Evans – his second of the fixture – helped Dudley to a 5-1 in Heat 11, while a second maximum quickly followed when Hazelden was controversially excluded after falling under pressure from Tom Perry in Heat 12.
With the scores now level, Kyle Newman – a real thorn in the Hawks’ side on Friday – then inflicted yet more damage by holding off Evans for second place behind partner Jon Armstrong, as the Heathens took the lead for the first time in the match, at 41-37.
Hackney enjoyed brief respite when Ashley Morris ground to a halt on the last bend of Heat 14 as a fourth consecutive 5-1 loomed large, but the match still had one final sting in the tail, as Newman won the finale from the back and Armstrong sneaked past Evans for second place right on the line. That last race result left the Hawks just a bike length adrift of leaving town with a consolation match point.
A disconsolate co-team manager John Sampford said afterwards, “I’m absolutely gutted for the lads, who rode their hearts out and yet came away with nothing to show for their efforts. It didn’t help that Barrie (Evans) suffered two uncharacteristic falls, although the real blow was when Shane (Hazelden) was excluded in Heat 12. There was definitely contact, and I’ve seen similar decisions given the other way. Instead of possibly getting a heat advantage from that race, we conceded a 5-1…. and that proved crucial at the end of the night.”
From here, the Hawks will aim for a fresh start in a fresh competition, as they head to Mildenhall on Sunday (June 5th) for the first leg of their Knock-Out Cup first round tie.
The Fen Tigers will return the favour when they are the visitors for Hackney’s next home fixture at Rye House, on Saturday, June 11th, in what will be the second and deciding leg of the tie.
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 7+1 (6)
Ben Morley 8+1 (6)
David Mason 5 (4)
Ben Hopwood 5+2 (5)
Marc Owen R/R
Brandon Freemantle 0 (3)
Shane Hazelden 16 (7)

Dudley scorers:
Jon Armstrong 9+1 (5)
Richard Franklin 4 (4)
Tom Perry 6+2 (4)
Ashley Morris 5+1 (4)
Kyle Newman 13+1 (5)
Darryl Ritchings 11+1 (5)
Danny Stoneman 1+1 (3)

Match points: Dudley 3 Hackney 0

Hawks Halted By Heathens
Hackney 42 Dudley 48 (at Lakeside )
National League, Friday May 27th 2011)
The Hawks suffered their first home defeat of the season when edged out by Dudley in a tense last race decider at Lakeside .
Strong performances from both Hackney captain David Mason (13+2) and reserve Shane Hazelden (14+1) were unfortunately outweighed by disappointment for Ben Hopwood, who struggled with machinery problems throughout and also had the misfortune to fall when challenging for third place in Heat 5 after clipping the inside kerb on the very last bend. Hazelden also had his problems, his Heat 6 quickly ending when his cut-out came adrift.
The match ebbed and flowed, with neither side able to command more than a two point advantage until the final heat. Following a share of the spoils in each of the first six races, Dudley took advantage of Hazelden’s Heat 6 gremlins to take the lead with a 4-2. The Hawks, in turn, replied with a 5-1 two races later to move in front at 25-23, as Hazelden stormed from the gate and Mason cut back from the outside to join him at the front.
Successive Dudley 4-2s nudged the visitors into a 34-32 lead, before another Hawks maximum from the same pairing lifted Hackney to another narrow advantage. That situation did not last long, however, as former League Riders Champion Jon Armstrong and the unbeaten Kyle Newman produced 5-1s from their pairings in Heats 13 and 15 to clinch the win for the Heathens.
The Hawks will be aiming to re-group - and plot their revenge – as venture to Monmore Green in Wolverhampton for next Tuesday’s (May 31st) quick return match. Following that fixture, it will be a case of eyes on a different prize, as the Hawks head to Mildenhall on Sunday, June 5th, for the first leg of their Knock-Out Cup first round tie.
The Fen Tigers will return the favour when they are the visitors for Hackney’s next home fixture at Rye House, on Saturday, June 11th, in what will be the second and deciding leg of the tie.
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 6 (5)
Ben Morley R/R
David Mason 13+2 (5)
Ben Hopwood 2 (4)
Marc Owen 6+1 (4)
Brandon Freemantle 1+1 (4)
Shane Hazelden 14+1 (7)
Rhys Naylor(No.8) DNR
Dudley scorers:
Jon Armstrong 12+1 (5)
Richard Franklin 5+1 (4)
Tom Perry 4+2 (4)
Ashley Morris 9 (4)
Kyle Newman 13+2 (5)
Darryl Ritchings 5+1 (5)
Danny Stoneman 0 (3)
Match points: Hackney 0 Dudley 3

Hackney race the Heathens tonight at Lakeside
This Friday, 27th May, will see two of the most famous old names in British Speedway in action at the Arena-Essex Raceway as the Hackney Hawks take on the Dudley Heathens in a National League match.
Hackney raced at the Hackney Stadium in Waterden Road between 1935/1939 1963/1991 and in 1996 raced at the totally revamped London Stadium and races as the London Lions. The venue was then demolished and now houses the press centre for the 2012 Olympics. The Hackney Hawks name was brought back this season.
The Heathens raced as the Cradley Heath Heathens at the Dudley Wood Sports Stadium on and off between 1947 and 1995. The name of the Heathens was resurrected in 2010 when the Dudley Heathens were formed.
Both clubs are still without permanent home venues with the Hawks sharing their home matches between the Arena-Essex Raceway, the home of the Lakeside Hammers, and Rye House Stadium Hoddesdon, where Premier League side the Rye House Rockets are based. In 2010 the Heathens raced their home matches at either Monmore Green Wolverhampton, where the Wolverhampton Wolves race, or at the Perry Bar Stadium Birmingham the home of the Birmingham Brummies. This year, however, the Heathens will stage all their home meetings at Monmore Green.
Both clubs are steeped in history with many of the World’s top riders having competed in their famous colours. The two clubs now compete in the National League where in a 10 team League the Hawks are currently in third place with the Heathens in seventh place. However, the Heathens have competed in only two League matches compared to the Hawks five matches. A win for the Hawks on Friday will see them move up into top position in the table but the Dudley Heathens are expected to give the Hawks a stern test as the Heathens finished top of the League last season and have already won the National League Shield this year.
The Heathens are led by 36 year old veteran Jon Armstrong who is in his twentieth year of racing. Alongside him he has a youthful team comprising of Richard Franklin (aged 18), Ashley Morris (17), Kyle Newman (19), Tom Perry (18), Darryl Ritchings (16) and Danny Stoneman (19).
The Hawks have two former Hammers riders in their side in Barrie Evans and David Mason along with two riders who are Lakeside Hammers assets in Shane Hazelden and Mark Owen. Completing their team will be Brandon Freemantle and Ben Hopwood with the ‘Rider Replacement’ facility being used to cover the rides of Ben Morley , who misses the match as he will be on Premier League duties with Rye House in Edinburgh.
This National League match between these two famous named clubs in Speedway will start at 8pm on Friday (27th May) at the Arena-Essex Raceway. The Grand Parade of riders will be at 7.45pm. A special matchday programme will also be available at £1.

The Hackney Hawks are next in action on Friday (May 27th) when they take flight against pre-season title favourites Dudley at Lakeside . They will be facing a Heathens side that includes World U-21 competitor Kyle Newman, former League Riders Champion Jon Armstrong and 2010 British U-21 Grasstrack titlist Tom Perry, who was also voted Dudley ’s Rider of the Year last term.
The meeting at the Arena-Essex Raceway starts at 8pm.
The Hawks’ next home action at Rye House is set for Saturday, June 11th, when they clash with arch-rivals Mildenhall in the Knock-Out Cup.

HAWKS NO GO ON FRIDAY 13TH MAY
Hackney’s originally scheduled next fixture at Lakeside on Friday, May 13th, against front-runners Dudley has been moved back a fortnight and will now be staged at the Arena-Essex Raceway on Friday the 27th.
The Hawks’ next home action at Rye House is set for Saturday, June 11th, when they clash with arch-rivals Mildenhall.

HAWKS HOLD OF YOUNG STARS
Hackney 49 King’s Lynn 41 (at Rye House)
(National League, Saturday, May 7th 2011)
The Hawks rebounded from Bank Holiday Monday’s nightmare at Scunthorpe to bag all three match points in a tense, tight affair that was a credit to both teams. Both have adhered to the original National League ethos of assembling sides based around young prospects plus the added stability of one or two experienced “old hands”, and there both elements were very much on show here.
Ultimately, the Young Stars proved too over-reliant points-wise on James Cockle and Darren Mallett – although Lewis Kerr also showed strong hints of his potential – against a Hackney side that was firing on far more cylinders. Exciting reserve Shane Hazelden continued his rich vein of form to head the Hawks’ score-charts with paid 16, with David Mason in close contention for the man of the match award with paid 12. There was excellent support, also, from Barry Evans (8) and Ben Hopwood, who recovered from an early fall to rack up a matching paid total.
It proved a mixed night for Ben Morley, who was originally scheduled to be with Rye House at Berwick. That Premier League action was postponed very early in the morning, allowing the 17 year old to take his place in the Hawks’ team. Morley rattled off two race wins, one on Ben Hopwood’s machinery, but also suffered two falls in what turned out to be a mixed night.
All in all, the Hawks fielded six different race winners, with Marc Owen gaining mention for his important victory in Heat 7. Even the odd man out, 15 year old Brandon Freemantle, contributed a hard fought point from his battle with Oliver Rayson in Heat 7.
There was nothing to separate the two teams over the first seven races, before the Hawks finally pushed clear to 31-23 with successive 5-1s. Ben Morley and Shane Hazelden secured the first over Jake Knight in Heat 8, then David Mason and Ben Hopwood repeated that outcome over the previously unbeaten James Cockle in Heat 9.
The two sides exchanged 5-1s in Heats 11 and 12 before a final maximum blast, from Hopwood and Hazelden ensured all three match points for Hackney with a race to spare. That last heat saw Cockle and Mallett win out in a close finish over Mason and Evans to give the Young Stars a final uplift for their efforts.
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 8 (5 rides)
Ben Morley 6 (4)
David Mason 10+2(5)
Ben Hopwood 7+1(4)
Marc Owen 4 (3)
Brandon Freemantle 1 (4)
Shane Hazelden 13+3(6)
King’s Lynn scorers:
Darren Mallett 9+2 (5 rides)
Adam Lowe R/R
Oliver Rayson 2+2 (5)
Lewis Kerr 6 (5)
James Cockle 16 (6)
Tom Stokes 2+1 (4)
Jake Knight 6 (5)

Match Points: Hackney 3 King’s Lynn 0

Bank Holiday Horror For Hawks
Scunthorpe-Sheffield 66 Hackney 24
(National League, Monday May 2nd 2011)
The Hawks experienced a real night to forget at a bitterly cold Eddie Wright raceway as they were taken apart by a very strong combined Scunthorpe-Sheffield team in Lincolnshire on Bank Holiday Monday. The home side provided the race winner in fourteen of the fifteen heats, racking up no less than eight 5-1s in the process, and would have won by an even bigger margin had not Ashley Birks stopped and fallen in separate races – each time while leading – and Greg Blair fallen in the final race when holding second.
Barrie Evans provided the Hawks’ one moment to smile with a race win in Heat 13.
Team manager Neil Vatcher was the first to admit that “We are all extremely disappointed with this result. We were simply beaten by a much better side that knew the best way around its own track.
“There are four or five riders with Premier League experience in their side, and it showed tonight. We really missed Ben Morley (who was committed to Rye House’s matches against Ipswich ), although there were pluses from Marc Owen’s 100% effort and the fact that Brandon Freemantle, although scoreless, was on the pace against very good riders.
“We’ll treat tonight as a learning experience on a bigger track, and one that will hopefully provide the re-focus for Saturday’s match against King’s Lynn .”
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 7 (5 rides, inc 1 as a TR)
Ben Morley R/R
David Mason 4 (5)
Ben Hopwood 3 (4)
Marc Owen 5+1(5 rides, inc 1 as a TR)
Brandon Freemantle 0 (5)
Shane Hazelden 6 (6)

Scunthorpe-Sheffield scorers:
Greg Blair 11 (5 rides)
Adam Wrathall 5+2(4)
Steve Worrall 12+3(5 rides, max)
Gary Irving 11+1(4 rides, max)
Ashley Birks 5+1(4)
Stefan Nielsen 8+2(4)
Richie Worrall 12 (4 rides, max)
Match points: Scunthorpe-Sheffield 3 Hackney 0

Bring ‘Em On: King’s Lynn Young Stars
More action at Rye House this Saturday night as the Hackney Hawks will aim to rebound from their bad day at the office against Scunthorpe-Sheffield with the National League visit of King’s Lynn. The Young Stars just edged the Hawks 47-45 when the two sides met at the Norfolk Arena on April 13th, and have since gone on to draw with Mildenhall and take a match point away from their trip to Scunthorpe after a tense 48-42 result.
Arriving with them on Saturday are the likes of newly crowned Bronze Helmet holder Darren Mallett, former Raider and current doubling-up Plymouth Devil James Cockle and Jake Knight, who blasted paid 18 in the first match between the teams, although 13 at Scunthorpe on Easter Monday wasn’t bad either!
Waiting for them will be former League Riders Champions Barrie Evans and David Mason, British U-21 Finalists Marc Owen and Shane Hazelden, 2009 Finalist Ben Hopwood and reigning British U-15 Champion Brandon Freemantle.

HAWKS SNEAK HOME AGAINST COLTS
Hackney 48 Belle Vue 39
(National League, Saturday 30th April 2011)
The Hackney Hawks continued their positive start to the season by claiming all three match points against a previously unbeaten Belle Vue side in an enthralling, back-and-forth meeting.
An otherwise powerful Colts side was left to rue the absence of Jason Garrity. The fast-rising 16 year old had previously posted a 15 point maximum against Scunthorpe-Sheffield and paid 18 against the Isle of Wight, but no less than two van breakdowns en route left him stranded miles away from the action here.
Garrity’s non-arrival was balanced out by a night of misfortune for the Hawks’ Marc Owen. The British U-21 Finalist – whose form had warranted Heat 15 appearances in both of Hackney’s previous League matches - struggled all night with set-up issues and managed just 2 points.
Fortunately for the Hawks, Barrie Evans and Shane Hazelden provided plenty of fire-power from either ends of the team spectrum. No.1 Evans reeled off four straight victories after tasting defeat in his opening ride, while reserve Hazelden romped to four outright wins and was paid for a win in a fifth ride. His only disappointment came when falling in his two other rides.
An exciting, increasingly tense affair saw the lead change hands on no less than four occasions, with both sets of team managers playing a tactical game of cat and mouse with their reserve deployments. With the score level at 38-38, a change of machinery for Ben Hopwood proved critical for the Hawks. The Hackney No.4 had struggled in two earlier rides but swept to victory on-board alternative machinery in Heat 14, with Hazelden’s second place - ensured after Karl Mason had fallen - pushing the Hawks 4 points clear.
That left Hackney needing a 5-1 from the finale to clinch all three match points, with a second place finish from Belle Vue meaning the Colts would leave town with a match point, while a 5-1 in their favour would result in a drawn match. As things materialised, Kyle Howarth was excluded after falling on the third bend and Byron Bekker’s machine never left the start line in the re-run, to gift Morley and Evans the 5-0 that produced a final winning margin of 9.
The Hawks are next in action on Bank Holiday Monday at Scunthorpe , when their National League fixture follows the earlier Scorpions-Edinburgh Premier League match. They will be operating Rider-Replacement for Ben Morley, who is committed to the Silver Ski Rockets’ home and away Premier League meetings against Ipswich the same day, with the match at Hoddesdon starting at 7.45pm.
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 14 (5 rides)
Ben Morley 7+3 (5)
David Mason 7 (4)
Ben Hopwood 4+1 (3)
Marc Owen 2 (3)
Brandon Freemantle 0 (3)
Shane Hazelden 14+1 (7)
Belle Vue scorers:
Byron Bekker 9+1 (5 rides)
Scott Richardson 3+1 (4)
Kyle Howarth 11 (5)
Karl Mason 4+2 (4)
Adam McKinna 7 (4)
Chris Widman 5 (5)
Jason Garrity did not arrive

Match points: Hackney 3 Belle Vue 0

NEXT IN TOWN BELLE VUE COLTS
The Hackney Hawks take centre stage as they go head-to-head with Belle Vue in National League action at Rye House this Saturday 30th April, 7pm start.
The Hawks claimed all three match points in their home opener against Stoke at Lakeside on Good Friday, to add from a hard fought point won at King’s Lynn .
The Colts, meanwhile, have ridden just once as of time of writing, routing the combined Scunthorpe-Sheffield team 60-31 to support their pre-season billing of third place in the national Speedway Star magazine. Their side is centred around 2008 NLRC runner-up Byron Bekker, 2009 British U-18 and U-15 Silver winner Kyle Howarth, and second generation rider Adam McKinna, who won the Knock-Out Cup with Newcastle last term. There is also an added kick at reserve, courtesy of 2008 British U-15 Champion Jason Garrity, who finished 6th in the recent U-21 Final.
Traxcitement starts at 7pm.

HAWKS SMASH POTTERS
Hackney 53 Stoke 41
(National League, Friday April 22nd 2011)
The newly re-launched Hawks opened their home programme at Lakeside on Good Friday, collecting a maximum three match points to add to the point already gained from their first fixture at King’s Lynn . Three 5-1 advantages in the first four races put the Hawks in early control at 17-7, while a third in Heat 12 finally wrapped things up at 45-29.
British U-21 Finalist Shane Hazelden featured in all three of those maximum results, and finished the day with a tremendous 12+1 tally that made him joint-top scorer alongside fellow U-21 Finalist Marc Owen and captain David Mason, who produced the pass of the match in getting past both Tony Atkin and Gareth Isherwood on the very last bend of Heat 3. There was back-up from the rest of the team too, with all the remaining Hackney riders paid for at least one race win.
Joint-team manager John Sampford was delighted with the result. “This was potentially a tricky meeting in the sense that we followed on from the earlier Lakeside-Eastbourne match on a sundrenched circuit. As things materialised, we quickly grabbed a ten point lead and never let go. We could even have won by a few more had Ben Hopwood not snapped a throttle cable on the start line in Heat 14.
“It was great to see Shane (Hazelden) rack up his big score, and Marc (Owen) too. We were also delighted to see David Mason back to his best around one of his former stamping grounds. All in all, this was just the result we needed to take us into another tough-looking match against Belle Vue.”
That fixture against the highly rated Colts is the next Hawks’ home meeting, but will be staged at their other home circuit of Rye House on Saturday, April 30th (7pm start).
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 5 (4 rides)
Ben Morley 6+3 (4)
David Mason 11+2 (5)
Ben Hopwood 6 (4)
Marc Owen 11+2 (5)
Brandon Freemantle 2+1 (3)
Shane Hazelden 12+1 (5)

Stoke scorers:
Luke Priest (guest) 5+1 (4 rides)
Jamie Pickard 11 (5 rides, inc 4 as a TR)
Gareth Isherwood 2 (4)
Tony Atkin 6+1(4)
Tim Webster 14 (5 rides, inc 4 as a TR)
Dan Berwick 1 (3)
James Sarjeant 2 (6)

Match points: Hackney 3 Stoke 0

Hawks come close at Kings Lynn
The Hackney Hawks followed up Saturday’s landslide victory over the US Touring Team by nabbing an unlikely match point in their National League opener at the Norfolk Arena. The Hawks trailed by 11 points with just three races remaining yet battled back to force a last heat decider.
After the home side had taken an early lead with a 4-2 in the second heat, Ben Hopwood became the first Hawk to win a National League race when he headed home partner David Mason in a Heat 3 marred by a back injury sustained by Young Star Adam Lowe. With Lewis Kerr also failing to complete the race due to a bike stoppage, the resultant 5-0 gave Hackney a 9-8 advantage.
A 5-1 from James Cockle and Jake Knight swiftly put King’s Lynn back in front before another maximum, this time from Barrie Evans and Ben Morley, popped the Hawks ahead again, at 15-14.
The lead changed hands for a fourth time in the very next race, and from there the Young Stars built their advantage to 41-30 after Heat 12. Game, set and match? Not quite, as the Tactically nominated Barrie Evans delivered a No.1 ride to cinch Heat 13 and Marc Owen produced an incredible last-to-second display to follow him home for an 8-1.
With Heat 14 producing a shared result, the Hawks needed a 5-1 in the finale to snatch a draw. But although Evans came from the back against Darren Mallett to take the win, Marc Owen had to settle for third place leaving Hackney just shy of that target.
The Hawks were ultimately caught out by a lack of heat wins – just four in total, with three claimed by Evans – while the Young Stars were grateful for key points from established hands Darren Mallett and James Cockle, plus a decisive haul from superb reserve Jake Knight, who dropped his only points when excluded for bringing down Ben Morley in Heat 11, to edge them home.
Joint Hackney Team Manager John Sampford was pleased with his team’s achievement afterwards. “We came away with something from the match when at one stage that didn’t look likely. In fact, it looked less than remote; some will no doubt have thought we didn’t have a prayer. Overall, though, it was a good team performance, and one that we’re determined to build on going forward.”
Next up for Marc Owen and Shane Hazelden is the British U-21 Final at Lakeside this Friday at 7.45pm. The Hawks’ next action as a team is also at the Arena-Essex Raceway, in this case one week later (Good Friday) as they make their home League debut against Stoke in what will be the second half of a double header that also features the Lakeside-Eastbourne Elite League match (1pm start).
The Hawks’ next match at Rye House is set for Saturday, April 30th, when they entertain Belle Vue (7pm start).
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 15+1 (5 rides, inc 6 as a TR)
Ben Morley 7+2 (4)
David Mason 6+1 (4)
Ben Hopwood 5+2 (4)
Marc Owen 7+1 (5)
Brandon Freemantle 0 (3)
Shane Hazelden 5+1 (5)

King’s Lynn scorers:
Darren Mallett 11 (5)
Oliver Rayson 1 (4)
Lewis Kerr 3+1 (4)
Adam Lowe 0 (1)
James Cockle 10 (5)
Tom Stokes 5+2 (4)
Jake Knight 17+1 (7)

British U-21 Final, Lakeside
Owen and Hazelden Feature in U-21 Final
British U-21 Final, Lakeside
Friday, April 15th 20110
1st Tai Woffinden
2nd Steven Worrall
3rd Joe Haines
Hackney Hawks Marc Owen and Shane Hazelden could both take away positives from the first “Super 7even” event of the 2011 season, although for Owen it was also a case of what might have been. The teenager posted a win and 7 points in total to finish 11th, but was left to rue a fall while leading his opening race which was cruelly leave him two points shy of the cut for the semi-final race-off.
Hazelden also recorded a race victory, finishing the night with 5 points and 12th spot overall.
It was both riders’ first U-21 Final, and at just 16 and 17 respectively, both will have many more shots at this event in the future.
Heavy pre-meeting favourite Tai Woffinden totally dominated proceedings, reeling off six straight victories to claim his second national crown following his earlier success in 2008. Receiving the Championship trophy, the Elite League star dedicated his success to his father (the late Rob Woffinden) and mother.
Steven Worrall produced a sensational display to finish second. Remarkably, he has transitioned from Scunthorpe ’s training track to a Premier League reserve to an U-21 podium place in just two seasons, making it a real dream-come-true performance.
Defending champion Joe Haines finished third, but although relinquishing his title stressed his gratitude just to be in the meeting considering his serious injuries of just four months ago.
The pre-seeded Haines, Josh Auty (who reached the Grand Final only to take a scary tumble), Kyle Newman and Jerran Hart will compete in the World Qualifying round at Herxheim this Sunday. Worrall’s reward for his fantastic display at Lakeside is a slot in the Ukraine Qualifier on May 15th.
Scorers (main 20 race programme):
Tai Woffinden 15, Josh Auty 13 (both straight to Grand Final), Joe Haines 11, Jason Garrity 10, Steven Worrall 9, Kyle Howarth 9 (through to Semi-Final race-off), Ashley Morris 8, Paul Starke 8, Jerran Hart 7, Jamie Pickard 7, Marc Owen 7, Shane Hazelden 5, Tom Perry 5, Ashley Birks 4, Joe Jacobs 1, Brendan Johnson 1
Reserves: Ben Reade 0 (1 ride), Tom Young dnr
Semi-Final Race-Off:
Joe Haines, Steven Worrall (both to Grand Final), Kyle Howarth (fell), Jason Garrity (fex)
Grand Final:
Tai Woffinden, Steven Worrall, Joe Haines, Josh Auty (fex)

Hawks Teach Eagles How to Fly
Hackney 66 USA Touring Team 25 (at Rye House)
(International Challenge, Saturday, April 9th 2011)
The Hawks’ new era began with a totally dominant performance against the American Touring team, with three Hackney riders going through the card and the rest of the side also contributing freely.
Ben Hopwood reeled off five effortless victories for his maximum, and any preconceptions that he has been brought into the side purely for his abilities on the larger away tracks being dismissed by his instant prowess on the Rye House circuit. There were maximums also for doubling-up Silver Ski Rocket Ben Morley and new Hawks No.1 Barrie Evans.
Elsewhere, Marc Owen was undefeated following a surprise last place in his opening ride, and Shane Hazelden’s record was also unblemished following a Heat 2 fall. Captain David Mason picked up steam as the night wore on, while it proved an excellent team debut for 15 year old Brandon Freemantle. The British U-15 Champion won his first ride at this level, followed home team-mate Owen in his next and finished with paid 7. His only down-point came when he had to be treated by medical staff after pulling up abruptly on the second bend of Heat 14 when he appeared to have been struck by his chain which had come loose.
The Hawks essentially did as they pleased, providing the race winner in all fifteen heats and blasting no less than nine maximum score-lines in the process. It was a performance that will have brought a smile to Saturday’s special guest Barry Thomas. The original 20 year Hackney legend raised the biggest cheer of the night when completing a couple of laps during the pre-meeting parade.
The Tourists looked a very pale version of the Dream Team that unleashed the likes of Kenny Ingalls and Tyson Burmeister on an unsuspecting public at Rye House a year ago. Their mixture of veterans and up-and-coming youngsters was simply no match for a rampant Hawks side, and even mainstays Eddie Castro and Shawn McConnell struggled to get going. “Fast Eddie”, who had impressed in last year’s match and top-scored with 16 in the first meeting on this tour at Birmingham on Thursday, hit problems with a machine failure at the start line in Heat 1, and although producing a successful from-the-back charge against Brandon Freemantle when handicapped by a 15 metre penalty for tapes touching in Heat 11, managed just 6 points overall. The “Mad Dog”, meanwhile, suffered two early falls which restricted his tally to just 4. There were flashes of potential from 16 year old Joey Holt, who kept Marc Owen behind him in Heat 4 and finished with a top-scoring paid 7, but that was about it for the Eagles.
The Hawks will face far stiffer opposition in the National League campaign on which they are now embarking, but in fairness could only beat the opposition that was laid out in front of them. As such, this match will have provided a good confidence booster for their League opener at King’s Lynn on Wednesday (April 13th). The Hawks’ first home League match will be at Lakeside on Good Friday (April 22nd) when they face Stoke in the second part of a double header that opens with the Elite League clash between the Hammers and Eastbourne .
Their next home fixture at Rye House will be on Saturday, April 30th, when they come up against a Belle Vue Colts side that includes 2008 NLRC runner-up Byron Bekker, 2009 British U-21 and U-15 Silver medallist Kyle Howarth and 2008 U-15 Champion Jason Garrity.
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 9+3 (4 rides, maximum)
Ben Morley 13+2 (5 rides, maximum)
David Mason 6+2 (4)
Ben Hopwood 15(5 rides, maximum)
Marc Owen 9(4)
Brandon Freemantle 6+1(4)
Shane Hazelden 8+1(4)

USA “Travel Plus” Touring Team scorers:
Eddie Castro 6 (5 rides, inc 4 as a TR)
Marvin Sonnier 1 (3)
Mike Buman 1 (4)
Doug Nicol 5 (4)
Shawn McConnell 4 (5 rides, inc 1 as a TR)
Dylan Black 3 (3)
Joey Holt 4+3 (4)
Jim Terchila (No.8) 2 (2)

This coming Saturday (April 9th) brings a very special fixture to Rye House, marking as it does the track return of the Hackney Hawks nearly fifteen years after the bikes last roared at Waterden Road . The 2011 breed of Hawks is a mixture of experience and potential, with 2003 Conference (now National) League Riders Champion Barrie Evans and 2011 titlist David Mason providing the foundations. Mason is one of four 2010 Rye House Cobras in the new side, the others being British U-21 Finalists Marc Owen and Shane Hazelden, and doubling-up Rocket Ben Morley. Completing the team are Ben Hopwood, who has arrived from the Isle of Wight , and 15 year old Brandon Freemantle, who won the 500cc British U-15 Championship last season, twelve months on from capturing the 250cc version.

Bring ‘Em On: Hackney vs American Touring Team
This coming Saturday (April 9th) brings a very special fixture to Rye House, marking as it does the track return of the Hackney Hawks nearly fifteen years after the bikes last roared at Waterden Road . The 2011 breed of Hawks is a mixture of experience and potential, with 2003 Conference (now National) League Riders Champion Barrie Evans and 2011 titlist David Mason providing the foundations. Mason is one of four 2010 Rye House Cobras in the new side, the others being British U-21 Finalists Marc Owen and Shane Hazelden, and doubling-up Rocket Ben Morley. Completing the team are Ben Hopwood, who has arrived from the Isle of Wight , and 15 year old Brandon Freemantle, who won the 500cc British U-15 Championship last season, twelve months on from capturing the 250cc version. Saturday’s opposition is provided by the American Touring Team, who as the “Dream Team” took the Cobras to an enthralling 47-46 result at Rye House last April. Kindly sponsored by Travel Plus Tours, the Eagles will be led by Ronnie Correy, who is coming out of retirement for two matches of the tour. “The Rocket” is a four-time former World Finalist, and a 1992 World Team Cup and Pairs Champion.
There are eight other riders making the tour, so perm seven of these eight for Saturday’s fixture. “The Mad Dog” Shaun McConnell is known to British supporters for his runs with Birmingham and Swindon, plus his starring roles in the Brighton Indoor events, while “Fast” Eddie Castro is celebrating 31 years of racing, and at the age of 52 is, according to both his own website and neutrals alike “still going strong, still going fast”.
Doug “The Destroyer” Nicol is a year “Fast” Eddie’s junior and was once a Middlesborough Bear in 1992, while 19 year old Mike Buman is making his second trip to the UK and Joey “The Bolt” Holt is also a member of this year’s national U-21 team.
Indianapolis’ Jim Terchila was previously third in the 2006 Central Series Championship, while the American squad is rounded out by 2007 Industry Hills Youth Second Division Champion Dylan Black and “Marvellous” Marvin Sonnier.
To mark the occasion, Saturday’s meeting will host a very special guest in the form of legendary Hawks captain Barry Thomas, who appeared at Hackey at Waterden Road as a Hawk from 1970 to 1983, and then as a Kestral from 1984 to 1986, as well as in 1988 and 1989. That twenty year run brought in not one but two testimonial!
By the way, Thomas’ one missing year – 1987 – saw him ride for Rye House, so the link is fully completed on Saturday.
The action gets underway at 7pm.

HAZELENE FLYING HIGH

Hazelden Qualifies For U-21 Final
2011 Hackney Hawk Shane finished third in last night’s (Saturday’s) Semi-Final at Stoke to safely qualify for the British U-21 Final which is being staged at Lakeside on Friday, April 15th.
The battling 17 year old started quietly with just a single point from his opening ride, but rebounded to win two of his remaining four outings – and was only passed right on the line by eventual meeting winner Jason Garrity in another – to total 11 points from his programmed heats. That was enough in itself to take Hazelden through, and also put him into the semi-final race-off for last night’s event. He duly finished second in that race, and then third in the winner-takes-all finale.
Although fellow Hawks Ben Hopwood and Ben Morley have withdrawn from the competition, there will be a double Hackney representation at Lakeside , as Hazelden will be joined by exciting 16 year old prospect Marc Owen, who has been seeded through to the big night. At stake will be the championship itself, plus a spot in the World Qualifying rounds, with defending titlist Joe Haines, Lakeside asset Jerran Hart and Sheffield’s Josh Auty having already been allocated three of Britain ’s four international places.
Standings from programmed rides:
Jason Garrity 12
Ashley Morris 12 (both through to Grand Final), Shane Hazelden 11
Ashley Birks 10
Brendan Johnson 8
Steven Worrall 8 (through to Race-Off)
Jamie Pickard 7
Ben Taylor 7
Tom Perry 7
Ben Reade 7
Tom Young 6
Jake Knight 6
John Resch 5
Ritchie Worrall 4
Aaron Baseby 4
Richard Franklin 4
Reserves: Darryl Ritchings 0 (from 1 ride), Scott Day dnr
Semi-Final Race-Off:
Ashley Birks, Shane Hazelden (both through to Grand Final), Brendan Johnson, Steven Worrall
Grand Final:
Jason Garrity, Ashley Morris, Shane Hazelden, Ashley Birks
Line-up for British U-21 Final at Lakeside :
Seeded: Joe Haines, Tai Woffinden, Josh Auty, Jerran Hart, Marc Owen, Kyle Newman, Paul Starke, Kyle Howarth, Joe Jacobs
From Stoke round: Jason Garrity, Ashley Morris, Shane Hazelden, Ashley Birks, Brendan Johnson, Steven Worrall, Jamie Pickard

Hawks Enjoy Practice Flights
It has been nearly fifteen years since the bikes last roared at Waterden Road in Hackney, but the Hackney Hawks are returning to the track in 2011 as a National League side, in a joint project funded by and racing at both Rye House and Lakeside Speedways.
The newly formed Hawks took to the track as a full team at Rye House’s Press and Practice Day on Friday, March 11th, and we used the occasion to catch up with joint team managers Neil Vatcher and John Sampford.
Vatcher sums up both managers’ views with his anticipation toward the coming campaign. “It’s an exciting time to be part of this new venture, and we’ve got a really good team on paper. We’ve got two experienced boys at the top end in Barrie Evans and David Mason – both former League Riders Champions – and five really good youngsters who are all under 21. We’re convinced that Ben Morley and Marc Owen will be pushing Barrie for the No.1 race jacket, while Ben Hopwood could well be our trump card away from home on the bigger circuits where perhaps previous Rye House teams have lacked. Finally, Shane Hazelden and Brandon Freemantle give us possibly the best reserve pairing in the country. So, yes, it’s definitely an exciting time for us.”
Sampford concurs. “The team-building concept is very similar to what we attempted with the Cobras last year. You need the older heads at the top end to show the way, while Ben Hopwood in the middle has valuable experience already, and the rest are youngsters with National League experience of two years or less. We believe that that is the way to do it.”
Neither manager sees the sharing of home fixtures between two circuits as inhibiting the side’s potential - in fact, quite the opposite. Sampford argues that “It should work well across the two home circuits, because it gives the lads another track to race and learn. They are both technical tracks, I appreciate, but they are different circuits.”
Equally, as Vatcher explains, “They are also tracks that visiting teams probably won’t be looking forward to coming to. We’re having a couple of days’ practice at Rye House, followed by another session at Lakeside in about ten days’ time. If we can get the lads tuned into both circuits, and turn them into fortresses, it will be the ideal launch-pad to get us into the play-offs. With these boys also getting stronger as the season goes on, the end of the year could be a prime time for us.”
The first chance the public will have to see the team in action will be against the American Touring Team at Rye House on Saturday, April 9th. It’s the ideal prelude for the main National League programme that will commence with a home fixture at Lakeside against Stoke on Good Friday. Vatcher: “It’s going to be a very tough start for us, because the American boys will like a really tight circuit. It will be important for us to get a win under our belts, though, to get our confidence up - and a winning feeling that will hopefully roll on through the National League season.”

The Hawks return to British Speedway's National League
I wonder how many people ever thought that apart from the very occasional challenge match, Hackney Speedway would ever be reborn to race once again in a British League! Okay so it’s not the top flight speedway, but it’s a start. Of course our Waterden Road home is no more, it’s part of the massive Olympic Park development. Part of the old stadium is under the massive media centre which will house the worlds press come the 2012 Olympics.
The Hackney Hawks will race in the countries National League -Britain’s third tear- it will get the names simonise to the Hackney Hawks remembered by many. Names such as former promoter Len Silver, Mr Hackney Speedway Barry Thomas, Bengt Jansson, Garry Middleton, Malcolm Simmons, Zenon Plech, Bo Petersen, the sorely missed Vic Harding, Dave Morton, Laurie Etheridge, Terry Busch, Snowy Beattie, Tony Hurren, Dave Erskine, Alf Weedon [Established 1947] the list could go on and on………..
So where will the revived Hawks race? In a joint venture the Hawks will race there home matches at Lakeside -Arena Essex- and Rye House, the latterly of course run by the Hawks former promoter Len Silver.

The official press as on the BSPA website reads:- In a joint venture between Lakeside and Rye House the clubs have reborn the Hackney Hawks as a 2011 National League team.
The motivation behind the move by the Elite and Premier league clubs came from the lack of developing British talent in the sport, after being accepted at the National League AGM on Tuesday the new team will race at both Lakeside's Arena Essex Raceway and Rye House's Hoddesdon track come March.
Lakeside Co Promoter Jon Cook said to Lakeside's website: "This is a new exciting venture for us and will give our fans a chance to see the development of our young riders at our Arena-Essex Raceway.
Rye House owner Len Silver also commented in the same item: "I am very excited to be linking with our friends at Lakeside, and I am sure this move will be a great success and a big factor in producing future stars for both of our teams."
I’m sure that the resurrection of the Hawks has a lot to do with the 2012 Olympics, they’re just over twelve months away. Hopefully the extra exposure of the Olympics and the running of a team who actually raced on what is now the Olympic Park can only benefit both Lakeside and Rye House [and of course the Hackney Hawks] in some much needed extra publicity. Many former Hackney fans still regularly visit both these tracks.
I’m also trying to get a memorial in place before the start of 2012 Olympics to remember the riders who lost there lives at the Waterden Road track. Of course I refer to:-
Dusty Haigh
Alan Clegg
Vic Harding
Denny Pyeatt
Paul Muchene
Currently there are discussions ongoing with the Olympic Park Legacy Company and the London Borough of Hackney’s mayor Jules Pipe [who I hope will both support the venture] to having a permanent memorial as close to the track as possible. There are currently well over 1500 people who are supporting this and anyone who wishes to add there support -you’ll need a facebook account and its free to join- please follow the link below. It’s not only the current generation to know of the area’s past but also to future generations as well.
If your not on facebook then you don’t know what your missing. Many former Hackney riders are on there, there are thousands of speedway people from all over the world plus many thousands of photo’s. Former Rye House ‘Rocket’ and Hackney number 8 Karl Fiala, has spend endless hours in putting photo’s not only of himself but has scanned nearly every front and back cover of Speedway Star since the mid seventies! Well worth joining and of course Hackney Speedway is on there and with loads of pictures of Hackney riders to!

I do hope that the Hackney Hawks of 2011 stick with a little bit of tradition. The match out music has to be ’The Magnificent Seven’ and of course wouldn’t it be great to get Hawkeye back writing some witty programme notes!
I think we all know there is very little chance of the Hawks returning to there former east end home. The whole area has changed immensely. Gone have all the buildings we would have instantly recognised, Tibbett & Britton, Lesney, the Oxo factory, Hackney Stadium. The roads have gone to, Waterden Road, Carpenters Road, Temple Mills Lane they are now just in our memories and in future history books.
But Hackney Speedway is carrying on even if they are not at there traditional east end home! The Hawks always tried to get home grown riders, young riders who wanted to ride for Hackney. Many came from Len Silver’s Rayleigh, Rye House and the famous Hackney Speedway Saturday afternoon training school. Many young man took his first steps to stardom on a Saturday afternoon. The training school carries on at Rye House, so that tradition hasn’t stopped. The NL will be the first stepping stone for our future stars, hopefully then progressing into the Premier and Elite Leagues. Then even a future British World Champion maybe! Lets hope the Hackney Hawks can do it’s bit in 2011 to produce the stars of the future!
It’s down to two matches and counting for the Hackney Hawks in their bid for a top four finish, and with it participation in the National League Championship Play-Offs. Next Saturday (September 10th) takes them to top of the table Stoke for what looks a daunting – yet achievable – mission.
While the Hawks’ Play-Off hopes have dipped badly with recent defeats both at Newport and at home to Mildenhall, they were lifted again by a fabulous mid-week performance at Belle Vue. Hackney came within an ace of handing the Colts their first home defeat of the season, only to suffer the heartbreak of a final race 5-1 that left the score at 46-44. The Hawks at least had the satisfaction of heading home with only the second match point taken by any visiting side to Manchester this year.