LEICESTER youngster Dan Thompson takes over the No.1 race-jacket in Wednesday’s home National Development League clash with highly fancied Mildenhall.
17-year-old Thompson has been in stunning form in the early weeks of the NDL campaign and is now top of the Roger Webster Lion Cubs’ averages having achieved an impressive 10.00 figure in his first four matches – almost double his 2019 mark.
Brother Joe has also posted a healthy increase and he inherits the No.5 position with skipper Joe Lawlor, who grabbed a race win for Edinburgh in the Championship last weekend, switching to the No.3 berth.
Mildenhall are racing for the first time this season but are expected to be title contenders with several talented youngsters of their own.
Captain Jordan Jenkins has already taken several major scalps with Redcar in the Championship this season, No.1 Jason Edwards is another of GB’s promising crop for the future, and Luke Ruddick makes his return to the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena after being part of the Lion Cubs’ squad in 2019.
The Fen Tigers have made one change to their initially declared line-up with Luke Muff coming in at reserve after Arran Butcher was injured in a grasstrack crash.
Cubs boss Dave Howard hailed the entertainment on show in the recent 45-45 home draw with Berwick – and expects more of the same this week as the less experienced members of his side continue to gain track time.
Howard said: “The new thoughts of the NDL are to develop riders and bring them on in this league, and then into the Championship.
“Obviously we’ve bought into that process as a club, and already you can see with the people we’ve brought in that there is a future for them, and they’ll keep progressing.
“All of the riders, and us as a team, want to win - but we’re also looking at the underlying intentions as well going forward.
“Our next meeting is against Mildenhall and we’ll certainly be there going for a win in that one!”
Tickets for Wednesday’s meeting (7.30pm start) are available from leicesterspeedway.com/ticketoffice .
LEICESTER: Dan Thompson, Mickie Simpson, Joe Lawlor, Tom Spencer, Joe Thompson, Kai Ward, Ben Trigger.
MILDENHALL: Jason Edwards, Sam Bebee, Elliot Kelly, Luke Ruddick, Jordan Jenkins, Sam Hagon, Luke Muff.
