New signing Luke Chessell got his pre-season campaign underway last weekend as he prepares for his debut season for the Kent CTA Fire Kings.

Chessell finished fourth in the final round of Speedways Winter Championship held at one of the leading tracks Scunthorpe.

24-year-old Chessell who joins up with the Sittingbourne Central Park-based club after previous spells with Rye House, Weymouth and Stoke (with whom he impressed on his so far only visit to the Kent track last term) recorded an impressive return of nine points in his four qualifying rides to seal a spot in the Grand Final.

There, the son of one time Arena Essex racer Mark Chessell, found himself pitched against former GB U21 runner up and three times a national champ at that age range at Speedway’s sister sport, Grasstrack Tom Perry and fellow National League riders also getting in practice for the forthcoming campaign. Coventry Storm’s Oli Greenwood and Perry’s colleague in the reigning champions Dudley’s line-up, Danny Phillips.

Chessell, who began his racing career at Scunthorpe back in 2008 took a tumble in the Final robbing him of any chance of making the rostrum, but with a visit to the Eddie Wright Raceway in the North Lincs steel town coming up before the end of March for the Kent side, the experience gained of racing against top class opposition like full GB international Richie Worrall and his one-time GB Under 21 championship rostrum man brother Steve will hold Luke in great stead for that National League match on the 30^th and the other challenges to come.

Overall (with Chessell riding only in this round – the third of the popular winter-long championship and therefore not in contention for series glory), victory went to Greenwood from Phillips with a creditable third to one-time Crayford Kestrels and Canterbury Crusaders’ Alan Mogridge’s son, Arron.

Another name from the former Kingsmead club in the Cathedral city’s Speedway past featured in the top echelons of the final rankings, with son of Canterbury legend Steve Koppe, young Aussie Damien Koppe finishing 7^th overall.  Also in action on Saturday were Kent Kings’ from last term, Connor Coles and Sam Woods.

Picture supplied by Steve Dixon.