Mildenhall Speedway – proudly sponsored by Manchetts Rescue and Recovery – have moved swiftly and decisively to deal with the injury crisis brought about by the loss of skipper Ryan Kinsley to a shoulder injury – bringing into the side as a temporary injury replacement, James Shanes.

The Dorset-born but now Suffolk-based racer is one of GB’s finest young riders, indeed with a huge list of achievements in Speedway and both of its ‘sister sports’ of Grasstrack and Long Track, Shanes can rightly claim to be the outstanding all-round Oval Motorcycle racer of his generation.

Ryan Kinsley is still awaiting confirmation of the extent of his shoulder/collar bone injury suffered in heat one of Sunday’s ultimately abandoned match vs. Plymouth Centurions, but whatever the eventual diagnosis and treatment plan (which may include an operation to insert a pin), the Fen Tigers’ skipper is likely to be out for six weeks. 

There’s better news regarding Sam Bebee, injured in the same incident on Sunday who, though he’s out of Saturday’s trip to Leicester after suffering sore ribs and back spasms, is hopeful that he’ll be back in the saddle next month.

With a potential six week vacancy in the number one race jacket, the club couldn’t be more pleased that an injury replacement move has been able to be brokered so quickly, allowing Shanes to make his Mildenhall bow at Leicester on Saturday evening. James is well known to many around the club and a regular visitor to West Row and will prove a very popular stand-in while Kinsley recovers from his nasty knock. 

Starting riding Speedway with Coventry back in 2013, the 25-year-old Shanes is a twice European Grasstrack Champion and four-times British Masters champion on the green stuff. His amazingly diverse racing CV also includes taking the national title on another surface, winning the British Sand (Beach) Racing Championship in 2015!

tJames also represents the country at Long Track, being a member of the GB side who won the World Team Championship in 2015 . The following year James triumphed at the Grand Prix Challenge winning himself a place in the World Championship Grand Prix series, which he’s retained now for five seasons now. 

Speedway-wise James has ridden for, among other clubs, Kent Kings, Swindon Robins, his home county club Poole Pirates (with whom he was an Elite Shield winner in 2017); and, his current Championship club, Birmingham. The club are very grateful to James’ boss at Perry Barr, Laurence Rogers for being so helpful in allowing his injury replacement deal to go through, and it’s quickly been ratified by the BSPL.

The other temporary change sees Jason Edwards stepping up to captain the Fen Tigers in Ryan’s absence.