Ipswich Witches skipper Danny King reflects on the Witches opening night defeat, the Masters golf and why Lakeside is such a tough place to win.
Well, what a start to the new speedway season.
I’ve never known so much rain to cause so many postponements. It’s simply been crazy.
Here we are nearing the middle of April and the season has hardly got going.
Hopefully by the time you read this I will have got a meeting under my belt as Leicester were at Rye House last night. The Lions are at Swindon tonight and of course the Witches are back in action at Lakeside tomorrow night.
Like buses, all coming at once.
It wasn’t the start to the season we wanted at Foxhall.
Fair play to Peterborough, but we should have been better and to lose on opening night is never ideal.
The track was slick, but we were told it was going to be slick because the track hadn’t been down that long and hadn’t had time to bed in. Chris Louis was quite right not to rip it up to get more grip.
So, we have no excuses.
Of course it was the first meeting of the season for many of us and Peterborough had already ridden once as a team. But still.
It’s not the end of the world, far from it.
But we have put ourselves under pressure in our mini-group of three in the Championship Shield and we have to try and get a point at Lakeside tomorrow night and then beat both the Hammers at home and then win at Peterborough in our final group clash.
None of that will be easy of course, but we can do it.
We just need to get on our bikes and get some racing in!
MORE: Undercooked Witches pay penalty on opening night
So, we are off to Lakeside tomorrow.
It’s not a track I love and can be a bit of a gaters track. There are lines to pass but you have to race it regularly and I honestly don’t think the Hammers will be beaten at home this season.
For the likes of our own Michael Haertel and Cameron Heeps, it’s the first time they have ridden there, so it will not be easy.
But we go there looking for at least a point to keep our chances alive and Peterborough kept it very close at Lakeside last week before losing by 10, so we have nothing to fear.
Before the Witches went on the track walk on opening night of the season at Foxhall the other week, my eldest son Logan went round the stockcar track with me, on a little mini bike I have got him.
He really enjoys his bike, but I am not keen on getting him into speedway, if I’m honest.
I can’t stop him liking bikes and engines of course, but I won’t be encouraging it, although I don’t want to be the kind of dad who just says ‘no’ to everything.
So, he can enjoy his motorbike and I love seeing him on it.
If he had to take up a sport, I would tell both my boys to take up golf.
Now, there is a sport.
I love golf, as most of you know. Indeed me and Logan were playing golf on the PlayStation the other day when Logan asked if his name was up there among the players.
I told him it wasn’t, but if he practiced hard enough, one day it could well be – of course I’d be his caddy!
MORE: Mike Bacon’s five observations from Witches opening night
Talking of golf.
Did you sit up and watch the Masters?
I’m a great Rory McIlroy fan, so was disappointed he couldn’t put it together on the final day to grab the title.
Rory has won all the Majors, except the Masters and people say it is just a matter of time. But it is never that easy.
I remember when I came close to winning the British Speedway title a few times, people kept saying it will come.
Well, yes, it did.
But I never thought it would just do so because I’d been close in previous years.
Of course to win the title was fantastic, but winning any individual crown, in any sport, is very, very difficult.
Still, Rory is my man and my favourite golfer. I’m confident he’ll do it one day.
So, there we go.
Hopefully the sun will start to shine soon and we can all enjoy a bit of speedway.
The Witches are not at home tonight, or next Thursday.
But we are at home on Saturday, the 21st.
Come and give us a look.
See you then.
Danny
AS TOLD TO MIKE BACON
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