US speedway star Ricky Wells is part of a star-studded field for this year's Jason Crump Invitational at Kurri Kurri Speedway on Boxing Day.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wells will be joined by three-time world champion Crump, reigning Aussie champion Sam Masters, 2017 NSW champion Rohan Tungage and 2016 invitational winner Justin Sedgeman from Victoria in the field of 16.
Wells made his first appearance at Kurri Kurri Speedway, competing in the 2016 Jason Crump Speedway Solo Invitational.
The US speedway star won two of his five qualifying races and finished second in two others, giving him just enough points to make it through to the sudden death B Final. He finished fourth and missed the A Final.
Wells is back in Australia and has eagerly accepted his invitation to compete at this year’s event.
Wells is just off the back of a huge 2017 speedway season in Europe. He was the captain of the US team that competed in the 2017 Speedway World Cup and doubled-up in the British Speedway League for Rye House and Edinburgh.
He finished on top of the averages for the Edinburgh Monarchs and has already re-signed with that club for the 2018 season.
There will be plenty of familiar faces among his opponents on Boxing Day. Masters and Josh Pickering were both team mates in the Edinburgh Monarchs this year. Mason Campton was a teammate when Wells rode for the Workington Comets in 2016.
Crump has ridden in the previous two events and clearly displayed to his opponents and the fans that he isn’t just “making up the numbers”. Crump qualified for the B Final in last year’s event, finishing sixth overall. Being the fierce competitor that he is, he will be all out to better that in 2017.
Sixteen riders will compete in 20 four-lap qualifying heats, followed by a four rider sudden death B Final with the event culminating in a four lap, four rider A Final.
The full field for the 2017 Jason Crump Speedway Solo Invitational is:
Justin Sedgeman (VIC); Jack Holder (NSW); Rohan Tungate (Pelaw Main NSW); Taylor Poole (NSW); Sam Masters (Newcastle NSW); Zaine Kennedy (QLD); Ricky Wells (US); Josh Pickering (Heddon Greta NSW); Jason Crump (QLD); Mason Campton – (Kurri Kurri NSW); Josh Macdonald – (Cessnock NSW); Alan Macdonald – (Cessnock NSW); Kane Lawrence – (Newcastle NSW); Matt Pickering – (Kurri Kurri NSW); Jye Etheridge – (Buttai NSW); Mitch Cluff – (Lake Macquarie NSW)
The 2017 Jason Crump Speedway Solo Invitational will be supported by events for Junior 125cc solos. Racing starts at 7pm.
