Harris raring to go with Stars

New King’s Lynn signing Chris Harris can’t wait to get going at the Adrian Flux Arena this season.The treble British Champion admits he has come close to joining the PSH Environmental Stars in the past, and this winter it finally became a reality.He’s one of three new faces in the Stars’ side, along with Ben Cook and youngster Ashton Boughen in the Rising Star berth, whilst the return of Richard Lawson after two years with Leicester is also a major boost.And Harris, who has starred in both domestic and international meetings at the AFA throughout his career, says he’s pleased to be able to call the venue home for 2025.He said: “I’m really looking forward to it, King’s Lynn is somewhere I’ve always enjoyed going.“I’ve had some good meetings there and I’ve also had some terrible meetings there, but that’s because of King’s Lynn producing some good home track riders at the time.“It’s always been a tough one to go, so to finally be a home rider there is exciting in my eyes. “They’ve kept a good bulk of the team which finished strongly for them last year, along with Nicolai (Klindt) coming back from his big injury, and it’s very good that he’s fully fit. “I think it’s a very solid side, and of course they’ve got me and Ashton down at reserve bringing up the tail!”The fact that Harris starts at reserve – and could take additional rides during the early meetings – is a factor of Stars’ team building that has not gone unnoticed by their rivals.The spectacular 42-year-old can still beat the best in the Premiership on his day, and having been a title winner with Peterborough when running a very similarly configured team in 2021, he believes club bosses could just have got it right. Harris said: “There’s a lot of experience in the team even though there are some younger riders in there.“Niels (Iversen) and I have been around for a long time, Nicolai has been there and done it at high levels, and Richard has got that experience behind him, he’s pretty much been around as long as I have and he’s a track specialist. “So we have the experience but we also have youth too with Ben (Cook) coming in, and he’s on the rise and hungry for more success after winning the league with Belle Vue.“(Jan) Kvech is in the GPs and trying to move up the ladder there, and young Ashton is learning which is a bit like when we had Jordan Palin at Peterborough – he was there just to learn and build. “Ashton has that years’ experience with Oxford in the top league behind him, and I know he’ll enjoy the bigger track at King’s Lynn like I do, with a bit of dirt and everything, so I’m sure he’ll kick on this year.”Stars go into action for the first time when they face Harris and Boughen’s former club Oxford in the KO Cup at the Adrian Flux Arena on March 24, but before that on Sunday, March 16 the long-serving Iversen celebrates his Testimonial meeting, with line-up details expected soon.The club’s Rising Star Ashton Boughen has been named in the Great Britain team to face the USA in a Test Match in California next month.Boughen will join up with Dan Bewley, Tom Brennan, Adam Ellis, Leon Flint, Dan Thompson and Jordan Jenkins for the event at Kern Raceway on Saturday, February 1.