Kent Kings’ fixtures for their inaugural season in speedway’s second tier have been revised with the anticipation of fans returning in mid-May.

Supporter attendance is vital for speedway and their lockout led to the whole of the 2020 campaign being scrapped. The new season will now start a fortnight later than first planned and it’s going to be a tough start for the Kent side.

The Kings will now hope to welcome Leicester Lions to Central Park on Tuesday, May 18 (6.30pm) for their first Championship fixture of the 2021 season. The Lions are the reigning champions at the second tier level.

A week later Eastbourne Eagles will be the visitors for a cup meeting and on Monday, May 31 the Royals - the Kent club’s second team - also face The Eagles at home (4pm), in the National Development League.

The government’s roadmap out of lockdown - introduced after Speedway GB’s first list of fixtures was produced - states that outdoor sporting events at elite level can take place with spectators again from May 17, providing their criteria for relaxing the restrictions are met.

Kent Speedway co-promoter, Len Silver said: “The dust has settled and we are now in a far better position to know where we are going.

“All subject to any changes made by the government, we now expect to stage our opening meeting against a very tough Leicester Lions side with the TouchTec Kings lining up as expected with Scott Nicholls and Cameron Heeps leading the charge, aided by Paul Starke and Paul Hurry plus track specialist, Tom Bacon. Two excellent reserves with Daniel Gilkes and Ben Morley gives us a real fighting chance.”

Kings’ first away match will be against Glasgow on Friday, May 21, the team which finished second to Leicester in the 2019 SGB Championship standings.

The Kent Royals, sponsored by Iwade Garage, start their campaign at the end of the month of May, on the Bank Holiday Monday. They will be making their debut as a team in the sport’s third tier, the development league.

The development side have had some changes to their line-up, including a new No. 1, Ryan Kinsley and promising rider Jamie Bursill from Plymouth.

Regulars Daniel Gilkes, skipper Rob Ledwith, Jacob Clouting and Jake Mulford will also be joined by 20-year-old Josh Warren, on the recommendation of Kent-born, former British Champion Danny King.

The third tier is there to provide promising young riders and those with limited experience a route into the sport.

Kent Speedway co-promoter Chris Hunt is clear about the importance to the club of continuing to enter a team in the NL.

He said: “The league is very important to us at Kent as it should be to British Speedway as a whole. It’s where youngsters start out and develop their skills and riding know-how – and that’s helped of course by some the more experienced riders in the division.

“The development side is very much to the fore with the number of senior clubs in the Championship and top division too entering junior sides in this year’s NL.

“We’re very much supporting the league and its efforts to improve Britain’s young and up and coming speedway riders.

“We are fortunate that we have some really good youngsters in the 2021 Royals line-up and they’re all dedicated wanting to race. I think there’s a really good percentage of that team who really have big futures in the sport.

“If we could have boys coming through the Royals side and on into the TouchTec Kings team in the Championship that would be absolutely brilliant for us and that is our aim for the future.”

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