HOOKED!

Always good to see a nice guy getting a break.

It would have been at the back end of 2019 I really watched Jacob Hook in action on a 500cc machine — on previous visits, I’d been aware of him, among a clutch of other under-sixteeners on 125cc bikes, but hadn’t identified him then as a prospect.

However, at a couple of meetings – not far off four years ago – Hooky charged into my reckoning, not least at the Queensland state title event at North Brisbane, plus a solid showing a week later at Kurri Kurri, on a very hot night, during part of which I had the pleasure of sitting with his mum, finding out more about his ambitions and intentions in the sport. Nice family.

I wrote in Speedway Star at that time about how I’d watched Kai Thomson and Zach Cook (both of whom had were due to be making UK debuts in 2020 as Monarch and Rebel respectively, but were of course denied by the pandemic) adding that I thought Jacob the only other likely lad on the immediate horizon, but hadn’t qualified for one of the visas on offer to the top four in any state title – coming exceptionally close however, dipping out to Zaine Kennedy by less than half a wheel for a podium place in his home state affair.

Once the vaccines had cleared the air and racing resumed, Hooky got himself into visa territory easily enough and was invited to join the Dorks last season. He has by no means been a failure at Armadale, but fell victim to the dreaded numbers game when that long-term injury to Joshie Pickering here at Shielfield, plus spotty form from others dragged their team results down, forcing the recruitment of their new Danish lad – shades of our own solution to such problems last season – and creating a need to sit their reserves down to get the bacon-boy’s average into the squad.

So, not for the first time, we find ourselves picking up an Edinburgh discard – and, if Hooky comes as good for us as Jye has (three-time Rider of the Year, I think?) I for one won’t be complaining!

It’s been a while since the FTS Bandits have been on track as a unit, but Friday night’s outing at Redcar should see how the new line-up (RooBoy goes to No 1, TJ at 5) will do against the Bears.

The GHT Bullets are back on Saturday, of course – racing against Mildenhall, starring Lee Complin (fresh from his role as a match-stealing ringer for the Comics) with a solid squad alongside him. Should be good stuff, with hopefully as much excitement as was generated last week against the Chargers.

Now, I like to win as much as the next guy, but – as I said on my mike – that match last Saturday was just about as good a speedway meeting as I’ve seen all year so far. Some of the passing (mainly Mason Watson and Greg Blair) was “out of the top dwawer” and the closeness in scoring throughout kept us all-a-tingle.

So let’s look forward to a good Championship result on Friday, and a more thrills and spills at Shielfield on Saturday.

Why not?
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Want to disagree with Dick (as so many do)? He is always happy to hear from interesting people on dick@crystalfm.co.uk