THE first league action of 2024 is only days away, and the Belle Vue ‘ATPI’ Aces feature in one of the first meetings of the season when they travel to Leicester on Thursday, March 14.
The club held its annual Press Day earlier this week, with all seven of this year’s alumni in attendance, and it was a chance for season ticket holders to get their first look at the lads in action.
Excitement was palpable at the National Speedway Stadium, and the riders were equally enthusiastic about getting back to business and kicking off their pursuit of league title glory.
The ATPI Aces just missed out on facing Sheffield in last year’s grand final after a thrilling encounter with Ipswich in the semi-finals, when it all came down to a last-heat decider.
But captain Brady Kurtz insists bygones are bygones, and last year’s achievement are something for this year’s crop of recruits to aspire to, and exceed, for the coming campaign.
He said: “It fantastic to have so many of last year’s team back for the new season, but this is very much a clean slate and nothing we’ve done before has any impact on how things will go this time around.
“The Premiership is probably the strongest I’ve ever seen it. There’s no such thing as an easy meeting, but this year will pose a unique challenge for all the teams.
“We’ve got a good track record at Leicester, but we are mindful of the fact that they have had work done on their circuit over winter so we must go there with an open mind.
“That said, their boys will be in the same boat as us in terms of how the track will behave and evolve over the meeting, so we are both starting on level footing.
“We want to start our season strongly and put that message out there that we mean business, so we’re going there to do the best we can and hopefully that’s enough to get us some points.”
The Speedway season in Manchester kicks off on Monday, March 18 with the prestigious Peter Craven Memorial, featuring a star-studded line-up of world-class riders.
Book your tickets for the 2024 Peter Craven Memorial online via our online portal at BELLEVUE-SPEEDWAY.COM/EVENTS, and Race Day Hospitality at BELLEVUE-SPEEDWAY.COM/HOSPITALITY.
LEICESTER v BELLE VUE – THURSDAY, MARCH 14 @ 7:30PM [P1]
Leicester ‘Watling JCB’ Lions: Max Fricke (C) 8.98, Richard Lawson 6.41, Sam Masters 7.13, Luke Becker 7.03, Ryan Douglas 7.14, Drew Kemp 3.03, Joe Thompson RS; TM: Stewart Dickson
Belle Vue ‘ATPI’ Aces: Brady Kurtz (C) 8.51, Norick Blodorn 5.83, Jaimon Lidsey 7.86, Ben Cook 6.00, Dan Bewley 8.00, Connor Mountain 3.52, Connor Bailey RS; TM: Mark Lemon
Image: ©Belle Vue Speedway