The 2015 season may still be five months away but preparations are already well underway for the new campaign.

Team building work for the new season has been going on quietly, with promoter Len Silver and team manager John Sampford already able to name three proposed starters. The first piece of good news is that former World Cup star and 2014 “Mr Rocket” rider of the year Edward Kennett will be returning to Hertfordshire for a second straight term, with Cardiff Grand Prix Wildcard Jason Garrity also heading back to Hertfordshire. Silver admits that “There are several permutations for the rest of the team, all of which are dependent on a work permit for Tyson Nelson, whose inclusion or otherwise dictates the final seven, subject of course to any changes to team-building limits agreed at this coming weekend’s BSPA annual conference.” The young Aussie was absent from Britain this year due to issues in that regards, leaving a late hole that helped to propel the Rockets towards an unwanted wooden spoon position in the Premier League.

The Premier is set to be one of two leagues in which the Hertfordshire club is set to compete in 2015. Subject to final ratification from the council of promoters in Britain’s third tier, the Rye House Raiders will also be joining the National League.

This will not only help to provide a natural next step for young talent coming through the weekly training schools staged at Hoddesdon but ensure a full and regular home meeting schedule through 2015.

Talking of which, Bank Holiday Mondays will return as a racing day for the Rockets next season to augment the regular race day of Saturday which has been in place for the last 13 years.

Silver has also announced a number of stadium improvements planned for this winter. The first of these is improved lighting, with Silver admitting that “The installation of the air fence has resulted in some dark patches on the circuit, so a number of our floodlight lampposts are being moved nearer to the track in the corners. The first of the posts were taken out this past week and it has demonstrated that the job is quite massive and will take a number of weeks to complete. Some of the steep track banking has also been removed - although you wouldn’t notice it to look at it!”