SIXTEEN-year-old speedway whizz-kid Jerran Hart wants to follow in the tyre tracks of Great Britain's top rider, Scott Nicholls.But will it be with his home town club Ipswich?The former Stoke High School pupil has been earning rave reports riding for Sittingbourne in the Conference League.

By Elvin King

SIXTEEN-year-old speedway whizz-kid Jerran Hart wants to follow in the tyre tracks of Great Britain's top rider, Scott Nicholls.

But will it be with his home town club Ipswich?

The former Stoke High School pupil has been earning rave reports riding for Sittingbourne in the Conference League.

A host of clubs have shown interest in signing him, but the teenager is holding fire on committing himself at this stage of his career.

Hart is riding in the British Under-18 final at Wolverhampton tonight where he will be joined by established riders like Lewis Bridger, Josh Auty and Tai Woffinden.

His father Steve, 41, has been an Ipswich Witches supporter since he was taken to Foxhall when he was just one year old. And roofing contractor Hart is looking after the interests of his talented son.

He said: “It would be great for Jerran to be involved with his home town club.

“Jerran loves his speedway and lives for the sport and better judges than me rate him very highly.”

The Harts have had no approach from Ipswich, although Witches promoter John Louis was an interested spectator when the teenager went through his paces during the second half of Thursday's meeting at Foxhall. “It is a great shame that Ipswich do not have an Academy side,” added Hart senior.

Tonight's line-up

J Auty (Redcar/Scunthorpe), J Hart (Sittingbourne), Lewis Bridger (Eastbourne), Nicki Glanz (Mildenhall/ Plymouth), Joe Haines (Scunthorpe), Ben Hopwood (Plymouth), Kyle Hughes (Oxford), Sam Hurst (Weymouth), Simon Lambert (Boston), Sam Martin (Berwick/ Oxford), Robert Mear (Rye House), Jack Roberts (Buxton/ Birmingham), Ben Taylor (Buxton), Shane Waldron (Boston), Tai Woffinden (Rye House/ Wolverhampton), Brendan Johnson (Oxford).