It's very much a case of going again for Kent's National League [NL] side as the seven riders lining up for the yet to be named Central Park-based 'second' team are named.
Six are back from last year – when, as the Kings, the team won the National Trophy [NT] and came tantalisingly close to completing the 'Double' losing in the league title deciding Play Off Final to Leicester.
So, Rob Ledwith captains the team again with Dan Gilkes (the discovery of the NL last campaign) joining his skipper in dividing racing time between the senior Kings team in the SGB Championship and the NL septet.
For Alex Spooner it's a third season in Kent colours and fellow NT winner, Jordan Jenkins is happily back for a second term at Central Park. Jake Mulford was a revelation in 2019 – the Grasstracker champion with youth titles aplenty moving into the senior ranks on the shale and vowing the Central Park faithful with some fearless performances. The Norfolk-based teen's inclusion at reserve is a real coup again for Kent.
Jacob Clouting has been an important squad member in both of the last two NL campaigns and is rewarded for his loyalty to the club by being included in the team from the off this time.
The six familiar faces join highly-rated teenager, GB Youth Champion Sam Hagon in a side sure to be there and thereabouts challenging for that so-far elusive first league title for the Kent Speedway club.
Co-promoter Len Silver commented, "It'll be no kind of a surprise that our agenda for our National League team is to try to produce riders of our own for our senior team in the future and that philosophy dictated the riders that we chose. John Sampford will be the team manager of the NL side and his wise head will get the best out of all seven. The team will be sponsored by Iwade Garage, a strong supporter of Kent Speedway and my thanks to Si' Kellow for his generosity."
Silver gave more details of how the fixtures in a busy campaign will pan out, ahead of them being announced in – it's hoped – in a week's time, "NL matches will be on Bank Holidays as well as some Wednesdays when the Kings are away from home. Our race day for Championship matches will be Wednesday, with our normal 6.30pm start, but there will be a few Tuesdays to take account of other Wednesday tracks who will have precedence when it comes to choice of race night.
Of that still to be decided new nickname for the NL side Silver updated fans, "Local schools are in a competition to name our National League team with the winners to be announced on Jan 31. So far I have seen some very interesting ideas from the youngsters. Fascinating!"
That the 2020 campaign is to be such a historic one for the TouchTec Kings moving up into Speedway's second tier is down to the huge support of the club's sponsor as Silver makes clear, "TouchTec continue as main club sponsors, of course, for which I am very grateful indeed. It is true to say that our elevation to the Championship would not have happened without TouchTec owner Rob Kashdan's involvement. A real power behind the scenes and he has been joining Rob Ledwith in a serious "get fit" programme as well as liaising with our new skipper, Scott Nicholls on all matters to improve the performances of everyone."