Debut Kestrels flying high

The first competitive speedway event in the UK this season saw the Crayford Kestrels record a debut win at their new home circuit, Lydd Speedway, at Belgar Farm, near Lydd, last weekend. 

Held behind closed doors to adhere to government guidelines, the Kestrels beat a not-so ‘Amateur Allstars’ team, in a thrilling and fiercely contested afternoon of thrills and quite a few spills. With legends of the past such as Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Pullen, an ex-Wimbledon Dons regular, and Steve Cook, a Lydd specialist, despite living in Lincolnshire, it was always going to be a close contest. Indeed, it went all the way to the wire, and it took the last race to seal a 66–54 victory for the new local team. 

The Kestrels, celebrating their 90th anniversary this year, formed in 1930 and raced at Crayford Fairfield until the track closed in 1983. Over thirty years in the wilderness followed, until 2019, when they produced a team to win the SSL Championship League, based at Sittingbourne. Political machinations meant the Kestrels needed a new home for 2020, and Malcolm Smith, track manager at Lydd Speedway, came to the rescue.  

Sharing the track with another local speedway team, the Romney Marsh Falcons, means the revs will be up for a high octane encounter next month, when these two ‘home’ teams, meet head-to-head on August 30.  If government restrictions permit, this will be a clash not to be missed. 

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Image Credits: Chris Lawson .