It's Grand times at Kent Speedway on Monday evening (14th. October) with the staging of the First Leg of the Play Off Grand Final deciding the destiny of the 2019 National League [NL] championship title.
Over the years where this 'winner takes all' end of season play off system has been used to decide the NL title, it's been apparent that having a septet at full strength and coming into top form is crucial. And for the Kent TouchTec Kings, who take on table-toppers Leicester Lion Cubs in the two-legged tie, hosting the first leg, that looks very much the case - able at last to track their declared one to seven and seeing the septet peaking at the right time.
The visitors have suffered a first leg blow having to go into action without their number one (and in the view of many the NL's top individual), Ellis Perks. The 22-year-old Australian-raised star famously has been riding in all three of Britain's Speedway divisions this term (the only rider to do so) and this has resulted in an unfortunate clash of Play Off Final dates for Perks: being on duty on Monday for his top division employers, Swindon Robins in the Premiership decider first leg, away at Ipswich.
There's a sense of inevitability about the 'Guest', Leicester team boss David Howard has drafted in to cover for the missing Ellis - and it's likely that the news Perks up the Lion Cubs' faithful as the choice is Ben Morley!
The twice NL Riders' Champion has of course scored more points and won more races at Central Park than any other rider - having been an original Kings' man from 2013 and riding for Kent for three seasons, culminating in his first NLRC victory. Ben rides for the Isle of Wight now and on his last visit with the Warriors, Morley was a maximum man as he led his side to the SilverSki Fours title. Kent fans have been used over the period since the Southend based Morley departed the ranks in 2016 to him coming back as a highly productive Guest for his old side - seeing him in the number one for Leicester in such a vital match is going to be a different experience for those fans and adds a huge dollop of spice to proceedings.
Leicester miss their third heat leader also - though in truth Luke Ruddick has barely figured for the East Midlanders this term, riding in only the first and last matches of their hugely successful debut NL campaign. In between, he suffered the long term consequences of a concussive injury from which, in truth, he seems to be really struggling to recover from - officially listed as 'withholding his services', Leicester are allowed a facility for their missing rider and so will us Rider Replacement to cover his absence.
Because Ruddick is technically still third in their averages (though working off 2018 figures) this means Leicester's nine points-man Danyon Hume will be able to take an extra ride. Hume has certainly been a regular visitor at Central Park this term riding in a number of challenges and scored 14 points when the Lion Cubs became the only visiting side to come away with a victory in the NL.
Having said that, that was a match which really doesn’t give too much of an accurate indication of how Monday's First Leg of the Final will go. As Kent in that fixture back in July were then at the nadir then of their injuries and selection crises: the trio of skipper Rob Ledwith, Alex Spooner and Dan Gilkes were all out injured and on the eve of the match Nathan Ablitt decided to walk out of the team – things were so disruptive the Kings had to go with only a single reserve and young rookie James Laker had to take seven rides. With all of that it's remarkable that Kent ended up losing by only 50 points to 40. Ledwith, Spooner & Gilkes are all back now of course.
Leicester suffered misfortune on that night losing Joe Thompson to a broken arm and as a result their reserve Ryan Terry Daley was busy and recorded a best away score of the season of paid 14. RTD is paired at reserve with Josh Emberton this time, whilst the Thompson Twins are reunited in the middle order with Joe fit to line up alongside sibling Dan who scored paid seven in the NL match in July.
The gates open at 5pm with a parade at 6.15pm and tapes up at 6.30pm. As befits the biggest meeting ever in the seven seasons of Speedway at Central Park, they'll be a spectacular End of Season Fireworks Display after the final heat.