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Alex Raby

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14/04/24

Narrow defeat on racing return

Eastbourne Eagles took part in their first competitive fixture since 2021 but came up short at Kent’s 2024 season launch despite twice taking the lead. 

Words: Alex Raby   |   Images: © niallstrudwickphotography.com

Over 350 fans of the nomadic Eastbourne Eagles swelled the crowd to a record attendance in Iwade, Kent as the Sussex side made their debut at non-League level.  The opening fixture of Kent’s 2024 season under the NORA Motorsport Federation and the revival of their ‘Kings’ moniker saw the hosts come out victorious by a 47 point to 43 margin.

Save Eastbourne Speedway campaigners Michael Gray and David Graveling tracked a representative Eagles side featuring two members of the short-lived Eastbourne Seagulls outfit and Hailsham-born Vinnie Foord.  Nathan Ablitt, born in Sussex and a member of both 2021 Eastbourne teams, was due to lead the side at number one but was unfortunately withdrawn with an ankle injury sustained in a Heat 14 crash at Scunthorpe two days earlier.

Nonetheless, in perfect weather conditions it was an entertaining county derby in which there were never more than four points separating the two sides.  And that was the final margin as Kent took honours in a last heat decider.  But the Eagles had looked set for victory after twice taking the lead courtesy of their one and two partnership: guest from the Oxford Chargers Jody Scott and his race partner Vinnie Foord, who represented Kent in the third tier in 2021.  The duo also had an opportunity to set the tone for an early advantage in Heat One, before a late fall for 17-year-old Foord from the lead that gifted Kent first blood with an awarded race win to Ben Morley.

Eastbourne swiftly responded with Arran Butcher and Ryan Kingsley victorious in Heats 2 and 3, swinging the pendulum in favour of the Eagles for the first time.  The Sussex side provided 9 winners from the 15 heats, but lacked sufficient back-up with 11 non-scorers; 2021 Seagull Nick Laurence picked up his only point in that Heat 3 advantage.  There was plenty of incident too: Arran Butcher falling on the final bend of Heat 5, then when Butcher returned to winning ways in Heat 8 Jake Knight went down at Turn One.

Meanwhile experimental handicap regulations were used best by Kings boss Ben Clifton, who nominated Jody Scott for a 15 metre penalty in Heat 4, then Arran Butcher for the same in Heat 11, both riders came home scoreless.  Meanwhile Ben Morley recovered to second from the handicap in Heat 6, another small boost for Kent’s hopes. 

The key race appeared to be an entertaining Heat 9, in which Jack Kingston inflicted Ryan Kinsley’s first defeat of the meeting and pulled the Kings level.  And although the Eagles hit back with Rhys Naylor unable to recover from the penalty line in Heat 10 and Sam Ward coming down, Naylor was took his first win of the meeting with an unexpected success in Heat 14 and that paved the way for Kent’s victory.

Ultimately it was big scores from the Kings’ heatleader trio, all in double figures, that gave them the win.  Jack Kingston fittingly brought the meeting home in Heat 15 for the Kings, a fairytale story on his return from a fractured a vertebra, broken three ribs and a leg injury that ended his 2023 season.

But the Eagles had the final word in the five second half races sponsored by the Sussex Eagles Motorcycle Club, with their representatives winning all four of the qualifying heats to lock out the Grand Final places.  Ryan Kinsley won Heat 1 after a fall for Ben Morley, Jody Scott won a two-man Heat 2, Arran Butcher took Heat 3 and Vinnie Foord won the LCQ.  Butcher took the final honours ahead of Scott, with Kinsley unexpectedly relegated to the back as the track slickened off at the end of 20 races.

14/04/24
© niallstrudwickphotography.com
14/04/24
© niallstrudwickphotography.com
Eastbourne Eagles
© niallstrudwickphotography.com
SCORERS KENT
# Rider12345TOTAL
1. Ben Morley32'232'12+1
2. Sam Woods11'1'115+2
3. Jack Kingston2313312
4. Nathan Hargrave001225
5. Rhys Naylor2221310
6. Sam Ward01'X1'1'3+2
SCORERS EASTBOURNE
# Rider12345TOTAL
1. Jody Scott203308
2. Vinnie FoordX12'2'38+2
3. Arran Butcher3F3FR6
4. Jake Knight13X228
5. Ryan Kinsley3323112
6. Nick Laurence100001
Heat-by-Heat (from official Kent Kings):
1: Morley, Scott, Woods, Foord (fell exc.) awarded – no time [4-2]
2: Butcher, Kingston, Knight, Hargrave 60.6 [6-6]
3: Kinsley, Naylor, Laurence, Ward 60.9 [8-10]
4: Kingston, Morley, Foord, Scott {15m handicap} 60.0 [13-11]
5: Knight, Naylor, Ward (fell rem.), Butcher (fell) awarded – 59.9 [16-14]
6: Kinsley, Morley {15m handicap}, Woods, Laurence 59.8 [19-17]
7: Scott, Foord, Kingston (tapes offence, 15m), Hargrave (fell rem.) 60.1 [20-22]
8: (rerun) Butcher, Naylor, Woods, Knight (fell exc.) 63.4 [23-25]
9: Kingston, Kinsley, Hargrave, Laurence 60.6 [27-27]
10: (rerun) Scott, Foord, Naylor {15m handicap}, Ward (fell exc.) 60.4 [28-32]
11: (rerun) Morley, Knight, Woods, Butcher {15m handicap} 59.7 [32-34]
12: Kinsley, Hargrave, Ward, Laurence 59.6 [35-37]
13: Foord, Hargrave, Ward, Laurence 63.2 [38-40]
14: Naylor, Knight, Woods (fell rem.), Butcher (ret.) 62.8 [42-42]
15: Kingston, Morley, Kinsley, Scott 60.3 [47-43]
Gordon Kennett

Gordon Kennett 1953-2023

Eastbourne Speedway are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Gordon Kennett last night, days after his 70th birthday. 

Kennett made his debut at the Arlington Stadium in 1970 and celebrated his testimonial ten years later.  In a 24-year career he also rode for thirteen other British Speedway teams.  But he is widely considered Eastbourne’s greatest ever rider, and by the end of his final season in Sussex, 1991, he was the club’s record scorer with 2,300 career points in Eagles colours.  He contributed no less than 20 maximum scores in the club’s land-mark title-winning 1986 and 1987 seasons.

Kennett was also one of England’s leading riders during a boom spell for the sport in the late 1970s.  In his debut World Final appearance in front of 92,000 fans at Wembley, he came within touching distance of a shock World Championship title, missing out by only one point at the hands of Ole Olsen.  But Kennett did earn an FIM gold the following season at the World Pairs Championship, when he and Malcolm Simmons beat the likes of Olsen and Mauger in Chorzów for England.

Kennett remained in close contact with the sport after his retirement and was still seen taking part in track days into his 60s. 

Our condolences go out to the Kennett family at this sad time.

1978 Speedway World Championship - Final

Gordon Kennett wins silver at the 1978 World Final
Eastbourne-Eagles_Ultimate-Eagle-David-Norris

Norris receives Ultimate Eagle Award

Eastbourne Eagles’ all-time record highest points scorer David Norris has been awarded the ‘Ultimate Eagle’ by the ‘Save Eastbourne Speedway’ group

David, affectionately nicknamed ‘Floppy’, was handed his prize last week at the Arlington Stadium, where he spent no less than 17 seasons as an Eagle in four spells with the club.  Norris beat the likes of Gordon Kennett, Nicki Pedersen and Martin Dugard with a remarkable 47.38% of over 1,500 fan votes in an online poll conducted in the early part of 2020.

Norris made an immediate mark on his debut for Eastbourne in August of 1988, aged just 16, scoring ten points at home to Stoke.  He went on to win major silverware with Eagles Cup-winning sides of 1994, 1997 and 2002 as well as with the club’s latest top-flight title in 2000.  He went on to surpass Gordon Kennett’s career total of 5,339 paid points to become the club’s record all-time highest points scorer in 2007 before retiring in May of 2009 with 577 career appearances to his name. 

At the time of his Farewell meeting in 2010, Norris said: “I think I was six years old when I first went, and I looked at the Eagles as heroes.  Eastbourne has been my passion – that’s why I stayed there for so long. It’s been a pleasure to ride for the club.”

Norris also spent spells away from Arlington, notably with Ipswich in 1990 when he attracted a £12,000 transfer fee; he returned to Sussex in 1993 and aside from one season – 1995 – with Reading, he was a one club man for the rest of his career.  Norris remains best remembered for his stunning 2004 season in which he out-scored Nicki Pedersen to top the Eagles’ averages, finished tenth at the British Speedway Grand Prix at Cardiff and won an FIM silver medal with Great Britain in the Speedway World Cup Final at Poole.

Despite his impressive career accolades, Norris was as much a supporter of his beloved Eagles as the next person, his family – Dad Mick, Mum Sue, Sister Sarah as well as David – were very much a part of the furniture at Arlington.  He has now settled in to enjoy family life with lovely wife Ellie and strapping sons Ashley and Jack; David also retains his love of fishing. Norris still lives in Hailsham, and retains a keen interest in the fortunes of the club he loves and ongoing efforts to ‘Save Eastbourne Speedway’.  On receiving his award he commented: “As expected returning to Arlington for the first time in over ten years there were many different emotions. Obviously it was a full-on exploration of reminiscing and of new discoveries though little has changed. It was a proud moment receiving my ‘Ultimate Eagles Award’, made that bit better by receiving it from David Graveling.  In supposedly gloomy times as an Eagles fan David together with Michael and Steve are the light left keeping hopes alive and their passion and dedication is so much appreciated. Let’s hope that one day soon there could be a Part 2 to my return to Arlington with a positive twist, who knows, you can’t live life without a dream or two……. Love Floppy X.”

Save-Eastbourne-Speedway-Ltd_Bring-speedway-back-to-sussex

Save Eastbourne Speedway update

We would like to write to Eastbourne Eagles fans and followers to advise you of our latest activity since the announcement in March that Speedway no longer has a future at the Arlington Stadium.  We have since been researching viable venues for the return of the sport to Sussex.  

Whilst keeping an eye on the local market for appropriate land that might become available for purchase, we have been in contact with landowners in the county with existing planning permission for leisure activities.

Former Eastbourne Speedway promotions have previously made similar approaches without success, so we are aware that we may need to broaden the scope of our search to include new plots of land – agricultural or industrial – for a new track to be constructed.  As such, we are now seeking the support of our local council, with meetings organised in the coming days, to discuss locations where such a venue may be permitted.

We will continue to highlight the proud history Eastbourne Speedway, established in 1929 and sadly closed in 2021.  We remain enthusiastic about bringing Speedway back to Sussex and in late summer we expect to announce our first fundraising ventures to support with the expense of resurrecting the sport in the county.

Arlington-Stadium-Eastbourne-Eagles-Speedway

No Speedway in Sussex for 2024

The Save Eastbourne Speedway consortium has been forced to admit defeat in their bid to bring racing back to the Arlington Stadium but hopes to return the sport to Sussex remain.

Speedway at the venue dates back to 1928, but owners have now made a final decision that the Stadium will be unavailable in 2024 and beyond.  Since the Eagles last came to the tapes in 2021, the Save Eastbourne Speedway project is now forced to turn attentions to finding a new venue within the county.

Save Eastbourne Speedway’s Steve Chantler commented: “It goes without saying that we are devastated to have been informed that the stadium will no longer be available to Speedway. 

 We have been working hard behind the scenes to secure media coverage for the sport, the necessary equipment to stage racing plus the right staff and investors to see the project through.  

We are determined to prove that the sport can be successful in Sussex, but now that the Arlington Stadium is closed to us it is back to the drawing board and the search for a new venue begins.”

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