After the huge frustration of having to abandon their 2020 campaign after the Covid pandemic effectively wiped out the British Speedway season last year, it’s with great optimism and anticipation that the Kent TouchTec Kings announce their fixtures for an inaugural season in the sport’s second tier.

The Central Park, Sittingbourne-based Speedway team are competing in the Championship division for a first-ever time and the season will see no fewer than five first time visiting sides from all over the UK to the track which has staged Speedway since 2013.

The Championship season will start away from home for the TouchTec Kings with a trip to the Second City to take on Birmingham Brummies in the first week of May.

The other big change is the race night which will now be Tuesdays – with the regular 6.30pm start time.

Old rivalries will be resumed with the likes of Birmingham and Eastbourne – who had some memorable battles with the Kings when the clubs were all in the National League. The Sussex club are the opponents the TouchTec Kings have been drawn against in the first round of the Knock-Out Cup – when they meet home and away in late May/early June it’ll be the first local Derby between the fierce local rivals since their stormy Cup semi-final encounter in 2018.

The draw for the next round has also been held at this stage with the reward for getting past the Eagles being a battle against one of the two other south coast sides, the world-famous Poole Pirates or the club who have moved up to the Championship like Kent (and who have three-times former World Champion, the Australian Jason Crump in their ranks), Plymouth Gladiators.

A highlight in the league programme for travelling Kent supporters will be the ‘Northern Tour’ in August journeying north to the Scottish capital to take on Edinburgh Monarchs, moving across country for what will also be a first ever visit to Berwick and then finally in the busiest of weekends, taking on Newcastle Diamonds – with that meeting being a double header which will include Kent’s other side, the Iwade Garage-sponsored Royals in a National League challenge. Talking of the Royals, it’s they that will open the home season at Central Park on May Bank Holiday – the Bank Holiday afternoon start time is 4pm.

Co-promoter Len Silver gave reassurance to fans that all is ready to go with the May start to what promises to be the best season of racing ever at Central Park.

“With an optimistic eye on the Covid situation, our plans for racing this year are now complete and the fixture list has been agreed.  All our Championship events will be on Tuesdays at the usual 6.30pm start time and Bank Holiday Mondays are for National League matches, starting at 4pm.

“For those of you who use Facebook, Twitter and other Social Media sites, we ask for help by spreading the information that Tuesday is our race day from now on.  If there are conditions laid down by the Government for racing to take place, we will, of course, comply and make such information known. Our riders are champing at the bit……so am I and I can’t wait to see all our fans at Central Park on May 3rd.”

All remaining dates reserved, some for Royals – all Royals’ away NL fixtures to follow.