SPEEDWAY: PURFLEET’s Vortex Hammers co-promoter Jon Cook and team manager Neil Vatcher says he is delighted with decisions reached at the sport’s AGM. Cook said: “It’s like a return to the days of old with a really British League.

“It was cool that Britain’s very own World Champion Tai Woffinden was the first person to give the thumbs up to Elite promoters decision to follow our Swedish and Polish League counterparts by including two British youngsters at six and seven in all 2014 line ups.”

Woffinden was guest of honour at the closure of Saturday’s session of discussions and was fittingly the first person outside of the sport’s promoters to hear the news that the top 20 young Brits selected by the GB senior and U21 team officials will be graded and allocated in a fast track programme, which is a move warmly welcomed by our very own world champion.

Clubs will be allocated their riders at a draft meeting at the sport’s Rugby HQ early next month and there will be a change of race format to produce two reserve races. Vortex Hammers expect the first rider they are allocated to be Adam Ellis, who signed a full contract for the club at the end of last season.

The sport’s top stars will remain in the country’s top league, led by Woffinden, with a points limit of thirty two set for the top five riders.

There will be plenty of action for the youngsters to soak up as they remain eligible for all three Leagues and, importantly, for fans wanting to enjoy a more regular fix of racing, clubs will now meet home and away twice, increasing the League programme from 28 to 36 meetings culminating in the play-offs.

The top League will remain at ten in number but sees a change of membership with Leicester replacing Peterborough, who has been withdrawn from the League and placed up for sale by their owners.

Further good news is on the horizon as the Sport’s broadcast partners, Go Speed, confirmed to the Sport’s leaders that they expect to confirm a new TV contract shortly.

Continued Cook: “I know our fans will be absolutely delighted at our extended fixture list.

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