As I sit and write this final column for 2025, I am watching the first leg of the first semi-final in the Premiership play-offs between Belle Vue Aces and Ipswich Witches, wishing that I had been at the Adrian Flux Arena watching the King’s Lynn Stars instead, battling for a place in that play-off final.
It’s a season of what could have been for the Stars, and given a different set of circumstances, we could have been involved this evening.
I find myself looking back over three meetings which could have changed the picture completely and possibly rewritten the future of the club.
Firstly, I look all the way back to our first meeting of the season against the Belle Vue Aces, and a mixture of cruel luck saw us potentially drop 8-12 points, which would have turned a two-point defeat into a 6-10 point win and saw us start the league season perfectly after home and away success against the Oxford Spires in the Knockout Cup.
We then moved to the end of June, and in the space of a week, we lost our way in where we could, and should, have picked up a further five points.
Having seen our GP superstar, Jan Kvech, drop down to reserve, a further cruel look saw him suffer injury after an accident in the Grand Prix of Poland in Gorzow, where he was wiped out by Jason Doyle, suffering a dislocated collarbone.
I am in no doubt that a fit Jan Kvech, riding at reserve, would have enabled us to win at Belle Vue, and overturn the six-point defeat we suffered.
A week later, we travelled to Birmingham, and given their luckless run, we were expecting another victory, but lo and behold, we lost Ben Cook and Jan Kvech during the meeting as they battled bravely to return from injuries.
On another evening, with both riders fit and firing, we could have picked up the full three points.
The early-season loss of Ben Cook to a serious wrist injury also hampered our progress across a rollercoaster season.
Our end-of-season run of six wins out of seven showed what we were capable of, given an injury-free run and a fully fit team.
Ben has flourished on his return to the side, and ultimately, he is one man who wouldn’t have wanted the season to end.
This was a season of “what ifs”, but also a very enjoyable season.
We have witnessed a side of entertaining riders who have given us some serious highs, including a Knockout Cup semi-final victory over the Ipswich Witches, and a run at the end of the season, which gives us the confidence to believe that even a return of the full seven in 2026 could see us launch another play-off run.
2025 saw the return of third-tier racing to King’s Lynn as the Young Stars assembled a side for the National Development Trophy campaign under the guidance of experienced Manager Jason Pipe.
Optimism was high given the side that was put in place, but we were delivered a side of generational talent that wowed both the home and away crowds.
Led by local rider and captain of the side, Jody Scott, he did not disappoint across the season as he averaged 10.59 across the eight meetings, including three maximums, and never scoring less than double figures.
His elevation into the Premiership side as Rising Star alongside Luke Harrison was also just reward for his fine campaign.
There is no doubt that Cooper Rushen was the star of the season.
Coming into the team as a 15-year-old boy, he left the season almost as a man.
He made a mockery of the 3.00 starting average, averaging 10.46 across the season.
I think we all knew we had something special on our hands, but little did we know just how good he was going to be.
We can’t take anything away from the team as a whole.
These lads enjoyed their riding, and they enjoyed each other’s company, bouncing off each other from as early as Press and Practice Day and carrying this on throughout the season.
It goes without saying that, as a Podcast, the trip down to Kent was the highlight of the season, and to see the Young Stars win the trophy at the venue was just the icing on the cake.
Huge credit must go to Jason Pipe, who spends endless hours on the road, up and down the country, hunting the best talent there is to hone their skills.
It goes without saying that we hope the Young Stars return in 2026, although it will be a tough task to assemble a one to seven that will be quite as dominant as the side of 2025.
My last word for 2025 is a reminder to all fans that the Pride of the East meeting returns to the Adrian Flux Arena on Thursday, October 2, and a field full of young talent has been put together as we celebrate 60 years of speedway at King’s Lynn.
Please try to make it across for this one, as it will be our final meeting of the season, and as we know, it can be a long winter without our Speedway fix.
For one final time in 2025, Up The Stars and Up The Young Stars and let’s hope for a bigger and better season in 2026.
