After 21 months since the roar of speedway bikes was last heard at Mildenhall Stadium, it is now just 4 days until speedway returns to the Suffolk base with the first of two British U21 Semi Finals (3pm first race).

Weeks of preparation behind the scenes to ensure covid requirements have been adhered to will be worth it once the bikes hit the track. Some of the most exciting young British talent will be fighting for one of the six qualifying places available to join the six qualifiers from the Newcastle round plus Drew Kemp, Leon Flint, Anders Rowe and Tom Brennan in the final.

Mildenhall will be well represented by Sam Bebee, Sam Hagon, Jordan Jenkins and Elliot Kelly, and it would have been five Fen Tigers in the meeting had reserve Arran Butcher not injured himself at a grass track meeting last weekend. Initially thought to be a humerus injury it now has been confirmed that Butcher has multiple fractures to his scapula and looks to be out for at least a month. Henry Atkins, a 2019 Fen Tiger, has also withdrawn due to injury whilst Jamie Bursill has pulled out of the meeting. Fen Tiger No 1 Jason Edwards will race in the Newcastle semi final due to a clash with a meeting for his Championship club, Eastbourne.

Promoter Greg Palmer is looking forward to welcoming supporters back this weekend, he said –“It’s hard to think it has been so long since we ran speedway at Mildenhall. The four of us are a mixture of excitement and nervousness just now, we have worked so hard behind the scenes with our wonderful staff to ensure everything is set up right and now we cannot wait for that first race and to get back to what we love seeing, great speedway at Mildenhall!

Things will be a bit different and there are a number of covid requirements placed on us and that we have placed on supporters, I am sure this won’t spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the meeting though and I would like to thank supporters for their positivity ahead of the start of the season which has been a great plus for us.

We have had great support from Neil Vatcher in getting this meeting to Mildenhall (and the U19 Final later in the season) and we would like to thank him for all his help.”

Sunday’s line up -

1) Jake Mulford – Kent l

2) Alex Goldsbrough – Unattached 

3) Jordan Jenkins – Mildenhall 

4) William O’Keefe – Unattached 

5) Chad Wirtzfeld – Eastbourne 

6) Harry McGurk – Belle Vue 

7) Jordan Palin – Scunthorpe & Peterborough 

8) Sam Bebee – Mildenhall 

9) Sam Hagon – Mildenhall 

10) Jack Parkinson Blackburn – Belle Vue 

11) Elliot Kelly – Mildenhall 

12) James Laker – Unattached 

13) Sam McGurk – Belle Vue 

14) Nathan Ablitt – Eastbourne 

15) Alex Spooner – Unattached 

16) Josh Warren – Kent

Gates open on Sunday at 1.30pm with the parade at 2.40pm and first race at 3pm.

Supporters are advised that the bar will not be open and that they may wish to bring their own drinks.