Ben Hopwood.
SPEEDWAY
WIGHTLINK Islanders’ have again secured the services of Ben Hopwood for next season.
Ben, 21, was voted rider of the year by supporters, as well as the riders’ rider, so management moved quickly to gain his signature.
"Ben wanted to be back here next year and we, and I’m sure our fans, very much wanted him to be back," said co-manager Chris Hunt. "Our thanks go to Rye House promoter Len Silver for readily agreeing to extend his loan to us."
Ben, who travels from his home in Manchester every week to ride, said: "Despite the long journey to home meetings every week I love riding for the Islanders and everything about the club, be it the management, the track itself and the fans, who support us through thick and thin.
Ben, who said he would save hard over the winter to improve his machinery, thanked his sponsors Mike and Kay Richardson, Jamie at the Simeon Arms, Devotion Ink, the tea room girls and the Islanders’ management.
In off-track news, the club has gained approval from the IW Council to start matches half an hour earlier than in previous seasons, with tapes going up at 7pm.
The move will encourage more families to attend and give riders more opportunities to meet fans afterwards in the clubhouse before getting a ferry back to the mainland.