The next two pieces in the jigsaw of putting together a side to challenge to regain Speedway’s National Development League [NDL] title are in place for the Mildenhall DJS Fen Tigers – proudly sponsored by Manchetts Rescue and Recovery.
First up is a rider retained from last season’s line up: Cambridgeshire-based, Josh Warren.
This will be the 22-year-old’s third season in the NDL. The first was in 2021 with the now defunct Kent side based at Central Park in Sittingbourne; and when the Mildenhall management moved to bring Josh (a protégé of former GB Champion and one time Mildenhall star himself, Danny King) to West Row last term it was on the basis very much of assessing the latent talent shown in that initial stop-start campaign.
And what a rabbit-out-of-the-hat move that was, with Warren proving to be one of the most improved riders in the whole of the NDL – all but doubling his three points starting average to 5.79. As an ever-present in the Fen Tigers’ league campaign proper, Josh’s form was without question a major factor in the team finishing runners up in the NDL table and reaching the Play Off Final.
In order to find rider number six for the Fen Tigers’ 2023 line-up, the Mildenhall management had, as the rhyming slang has it, a good butcher’s hook at the options: and have brought home the bacon, by securing the services of Arran Butcher.
It will be a second season as a Fen Tiger for the 22-year-old from Leicestershire too – as he was in the side in 2019 making 11 appearances and finishing that season in good form in a Fen Tigers’ race jacket with a double figures tally in the final meeting. Then came the season lost to the pandemic of course and injury prevented Butcher being part – as planned – of the Mildenhall title-winning side of 2021; and when Arran was able to resume his NDL ambitions in 2022 it was with Oxford Chargers.
Butcher has a very varied motorcycle racing CV, having shone on a range of track surfaces – including Speedway’s sister sport of Grasstrack, winning the British Clubman’s Championship last season and qualifying for the Masters; Long Track on the continent as one of Team UK’s up and coming prospects; and proving life can be a beach, taking third on the wide open spaces of the shore at Mablethorpe in the British Sand Racing Championship in 2019.
Arran was busy cross-overing disciplines last year – winning the Island Masters multi-round competition on Grasstrack machinery held at Isle of Wight Speedway.
It's back to the main land in 2023 and ‘Back To The Future’ as a returning Fen Tiger, filling one of the reserve berths where his 4.36 average makes him look an inspired acquisition.
A very satisfied Mildenhall management commented on these latest pieces of business
“We are delighted to have two of the most improved riders from last season’s NDL in our side – with every prospect of further progression.
“Arran [Butcher] put 1.36 on his average riding for Oxford last term and we feel confident that he can increase his average again back at Mildenhall. Arran has made it quite clear he sees this as a big season for him and that Speedway is his main priority.
“We are very pleased to have Arran back for what will be a second season as a Fen Tiger and the same is very much true of Josh [Warren] – who was a revelation last year, winning the Most Improved Rider of the Year award.
“Josh proved extremely popular with the supporters both on and off the track and we look forward to welcoming him back this season and progressing again. When speaking to Josh about the possibility of coming back to Mildenhall he said 'of course - snap me in half and I'm Fen Tigers through and through'. That was good enough for us!!”
