FORMER British Youth Champion Jack Parkinson-Blackburn will take the No.1 position for Coventry’s 2018 National League campaign.
The Bees have been confirmed as members of the sport’s third tier with home matches to take place on Sundays at Leicester’s Beaumont Park Stadium as they are unable to race at their traditional Brandon venue.
Parkinson-Blackburn, 17, is regarded as one of the biggest rising stars of the sport and advanced rapidly from reserve newcomer to No.1 during two successful years with rivals Birmingham.
He won all six rounds of the 2015 British 500cc Youth series before entering full-time league racing, and this year he also has a team place in the SGB Championship with Glasgow.
At the other end of the experience range, the Bees will be captained by veteran racer Jon Armstrong, who remains a major force at NL level at the age of 43.
Armstrong won a host of honours during recent spells with Mildenhall, and in fact had a spell with Coventry way back in 1993 when they were competing in the former British League Division One.
Promoter Mick Horton said: “Our team is built, and we’ll be announcing all of the riders over the next couple of weeks. I feel it will be very competitive and the riders are all very keen to make their mark. “I’m delighted to be able to bring in Jack as No.1. He has a big reputation in the sport already, and deservedly so, and I’m confident he will be able to meet the expectations of his role in the team. “To have Jon as captain is also great news for the team. I’ve been in close contact with him over the winter so far, discussing riders and planning ahead, and this is a move which will also give him a new lease of life in the sport.”
Horton has added his thanks to the speedway authorities who have sanctioned the club’s move to Leicester as a temporary home.
The Bees had to sit out the 2017 season after a complex stadium dispute at Brandon followed by ultimately unsuccessful efforts to remain in the SGB Premiership by racing at Leicester.
Horton said: “After all our troubles off the track, it is with huge satisfaction that both the BSPA and the SCB have given their full support to my quest of keeping the Coventry Bees racing.
“I would also like to thank both Damien and Marc Bates for their help in allowing us to race at Leicester this season.
“Until such time as a satisfactory resolution is found to re-home the Bees in the Rugby/Coventry area, it is so important that we all come together and support the Bees riders on track.
“The riders representing our club this season are fully aware of the honour to put on a Bees race-jacket and I know they will not let us down.
“Please come along on Sunday afternoons and enjoy the speedway. I am under no illusions that racing at Leicester will be easy; however, I know we must keep the famous Bees name alive and racing. With the fans’ support, we can achieve this.”
Admission prices for the 2018 season have been set at £13 for adults with under-16s free of charge. A free racecard will be included with admission, with the fixture list to be confirmed in due course.
Bees compete in a ten-team National League alongside Belle Vue, Birmingham, Buxton, Eastbourne, Isle of Wight, Kent, Mildenhall, Plymouth and Stoke. Additionally they are part of a National Trophy group featuring Birmingham, Buxton, Cradley and Stoke, whilst the quarter-final draw of the KO Cup has seen them paired with the winners of the first-round tie between Eastbourne and the Isle of Wight.
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