BUXTON

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The Hitmen continue with their team building for the season ahead with the signing of 22 year old Ryan Burton from Washington in Tyne & Wear.

Ryan is a newcomer to Speedway but no stranger to motorbikes as firstly at the age of 13 he started doing trials and then between the ages of 15-19 he moved on to Moto cross and then into Enduro racing where he recently won the Northern Enduro championship. It was in November 2015 he decided to attend an Andy Meredith training school at Scunthorpe and enjoyed his first day that much that he went out and bought himself a speedway bike straight away!

Since then Ryan has been out on the bike as much as possible and intends to carry on practicing as much as he can before the season starts.
Promoter Jayne Moss said: ‘We are pleased to have Ryan on board, he has been recommended to us by Steve Wignall who has worked with Craig Cook and Max Clegg and we are looking forward to working with them both and helping Ryan progress in his new career. Andy (Meredith) first spotted some potential at his training school and got in contact with Steve who in turn approached us about Ryan taking one of our reserve spots this year. He obviously has very little experience but is willing to listen and learn from those more experienced and we are happy to give him an opportunity in the team.’

Club officials met with Ryan and his father on Sunday when Ryan put pen to paper and committed his immediate future to the Hitmen as a full club asset. Burton said

‘I'm very happy to be signed up to Buxton Speedway and I'm very much looking forward to the season starting and my first season can hopefully be a memorable one for all the right reasons. In the meantime I'll be trying to get out on my Speedway bike every weekend, weather permitting and just keep learning and picking up what I can from others along the way. Andy Meredith and Steve Wignall have been a really big help to me in getting me started in Speedway. Andy saw me at my first Andy Meredith Speedway Academy at Scunthorpe, that I did back in November of last year and I seem to have made an impression because he got in touch with Steve Wignall and Steve has worked with me ever since and put me in touch with the Buxton management. From speaking to other people and with the Buxton management, Buxton seems a good place to start your Speedway career and I really can't wait to get going and hopefully in return show the faith that people have shown in me. I always wanted to have a go of a Speedway bike and decided it was time to do something new back in November, which is why I took myself off to one of Andy’s training days. I enjoyed myself that much in that one day that I realized this is what I wanted to do and went out and bought myself a bike and I'm currently building up a 2nd one. I'm very excited to be starting this new chapter in my life and I can assure everyone that I'm going in to this fully committed. I look and see what Craig Cook has done and achieved in Speedway since moving over from motocross and I think if I can achieve at least half of what he has, then I'll be very happy with that.’

Team manager Jason Pipe commented “I'm really pleased that we are able to give a debut to riders like Ryan and from what I've seen from him so far, I'm excited at the prospect of what he may be able to achieve in the sport. I'd like to thank Andy Meredith and Steve Wignall for what they have done for Ryan so far and will be doing in the future for him. I've spent some time with Ryan away from the track recently on 2 separate occasions and he seems the type of lad who will really fit in well with our good team spirit at Buxton next season and he really does have his head screwed on. His keenness to learn and listen to people has impressed me and he will also have some good equipment. We won't be pressuring Ryan to score some big points and I've told him to just go out there and do 4 laps and get used to all the tracks and the points will gradually come to him. We've privately set a little target between us for next season and I'm sure we'll see Ryan achieving that first target! Ryan is certainly a rider who I can see having a future in this sport and with the right guidance and backing, I'm sure the name Ryan Burton is one that the fans will soon all be talking about! He's a very approachable lad and will surely become a fans favourite like one or two others in the Buxton team next season! He has got a very good family backing and supporting him all the way, which will be a really big help to him.

'With Ryan being based in Washington, Tyne & Wear near Sunderland and Jade and Shelby also being local to me in Middlesbrough, it will really help with team spirit because we will spend some time together away from the track doing different things and sometimes travelling together. One of those things will be getting them round to my house before away meetings so that the three of them can see these away tracks on DVD before they travel there for the first time. It's a shame all the riders can't be close to me for these team bonding sessions, but even by just working with 3 of them like this, can hopefully be much better for us as a team. There's more riders out there like Ryan who are wanting to now try Speedway and in an ideal world, I'd love to give debuts to say 4 or 5 at once, but that's impossible because we also as a team, have to try and stay competitive with the other teams in the league.’

The Hitmen will shortly name their final team member for 2016.

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From the SGB website::
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www.speedwaygb.co/news.php?extend.31409

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From the SGB website:
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RYAN Blacklock has announced his retirement from the sport following Buxton’s final meeting of the season on Sunday.

Blacklock has been a one-club man in the National League, having ridden for the Hitmen since 2012.

He said: “I’ve fully enjoyed being the captain for 2016 and hope I’ve done a decent job. But sadly, I’m gutted to say this but today was my final meeting as a speedway rider.

“I finished on a high with a win for the team and I won my last race which means a lot to me.

“I’d just like to thank all at Buxton Speedway for sticking by me in the last five years and to all the fans and everyone who has helped me and believed in me over this time.”

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From the SGB website:
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BUXTON team manager Jason Pipe has confirmed he will be staying with the National League club next season.

Pipe says he has stuck with the Hitmen despite having the opportunity to be involved at Championship level in 2017 – and is optimistic of building a team to improve greatly on a campaign badly hit by injuries and retirements.

Pipe said: “After weighing things up and looking back at how things have gone for myself and Buxton Speedway over the last two seasons, I feel like I've still got unfinished business at Hi-Edge.

“Who's to say how long I will be here for, but after one half decent season and a very bad one, I didn't want to leave it at that and say goodbye. Jayne and Richard (Moss) have been very good to me and we do work well together, which is not always the case with some team managers and their bosses!

“I'm already excited about next season, as team building is going to plan so far! Believe me, Buxton will have a team next season where no one will be coming to Buxton looking for an easy victory like last term!”

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From the SGB Press Release:
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SHELBY Rutherford will return to Buxton next season keen to build on his form from the closing stages of the 2016 campaign.

Hitmen boss Jason Pipe believes Rutherford represents a major team-building bargain on a 4.45 average.

Pipe said: “I'm really pleased Shelby has chosen to stay with us for another season. I had a chat with Shelby at the last home meeting, told him that we wanted him back at Buxton in 2017 and that he should consider giving us at least another full season. Thankfully he made the right decision.

“If he starts off next season like he was at the end of last season, I believe with the right help, backing and financial input, he's well capable of putting at least 1.50 - 2.00 points on his starting average.”

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From the SGB website:


TOM Woolley is rejoining Buxton in 2017 having spent last season with Belle Vue.

Woolley joins fellow returnee Matt Williamson and team member from this year Shelby Rutherford in the line-up so far for the Hitmen.

Manger Jason Pipe said: “Tom guested a few times for us at home in the latter part of last season and he rode the track like a track specialist with some very good scores, and some of those from the No.1 spot!

“It was great to see him back to being the rider we all know. I'm really looking forward to working with him again in 2017.

“Tom will start the season in the No.3 or 4 position, which he's very happy about. Now fully fit and sleeker, I can see Tom putting another 1.00-1.50 points on to his starting average of 4.90 and having his best season yet in the sport.”

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From the SGB website:
BUXTON have been rocked by the sudden departure of Jason Pipe as team manager.

Pipe recently announced he would be continuing for a third season with the Hitmen but has now elected to relinquish the post for personal reasons.

Promoter Jayne Moss said: “We would like to thank Jason for his time here at the club and all the hard work he has put in over the last two years.

“Unfortunately, speedway has been taking over his life recently and he has made the decision to step away for the time being, and we wish him well for the future.”

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From the Buxton website:
www.buxtonhitmen.co/news.php?extend.526
After a short period of reflection Jason Pipe has had a change of heart and will once again resume his team manager duties at Buxton Speedway.

‘Jason regretted his decision to stand down almost immediately and a break over the Christmas period has reinforced his wish to continue said Jayne Moss. There was no falling out between us but Jason had let things get on top of him and he felt he had to step down. There may be an occasion or two next year when Jason will not be available due to work commitments and if that is the case then Joshua Moss will step in to cover for him.’

Team building has continued in Jason’s absence and the club will be announcing the next team member on Wednesday.

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From the SGB website:
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BUXTON have confirmed a return to Hi-Edge for the experienced Lee Dicken in the upcoming National League season.

Dicken made his comeback to the sport last year with the Hitmen and has agreed to continue after securing additional assistance for his 15-year-old son Kean, who will be racing for rivals Birmingham.

Buxton boss Jason Pipe said: “I'm over the moon that Lee has agreed to come back to Buxton in 2017.

“After personally talking Lee into a comeback to help us out in 2016, I could see by each week his enthusiasm coming back for the sport, so it came as no big surprise to me when we spoke about 2017 and him agreeing to return for his first full season in a number of years.

“Lee is a great team player and I'm really looking forward to working with him in the season ahead. He could well be the rider who ups his average the most over the season. Lee starts on a 5.87 average, but I'm certain we'll see him put at least two points on that!”

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From the Buxton website:
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Buxton have moved to bring rising star Carl Basford to Hi-Edge for the 2017 season.
The 15 year old younger brother of rider Ben begins his National League career with the Hitmen and manager Jason Pipe is delighted to have made the signing .
Pipe said: ‘The signing of Carl may come as a surprise to some people, but this league is meant for riders like him and I'm pleased we can accommodate him here at Buxton from the start of the new season. Carl is only 15 years of age, but has a good head on his shoulders and in fact I'm tipping him to be a better rider than his older brother Ben, in time!
"There will be no pressure put on Carl whatsoever and I'll make sure that he gets the help and advice in needs from his older team mates with the more experience and is allowed to develop in his own time. He will be parked in the pits next to Lee Dicken and I'm sure Carl will learn a lot off Lee as the season progresses.
"I've known Carl and his family for a couple of years now, with us all going to our local track at Redcar. Carl has a good family fully supporting him, including his older brother Ben, who at this current time is taking a break from racing Speedway himself. Carl has some of the best machinery money can buy and is well set up, so we will have no machinery worries with Carl. He is itching at the bit to get going.
"The next 3 months can't go quick enough for him! I've seen Carl race regular on a 125cc at Redcar and seen the dramatic change in him since he switched on to a 500cc for the 2016 season. I remember at the back end of last season arriving at Redcar for the 2nd half, after being at work and as I walked in to the stadium a 2nd half race was already under way.
" I then watched who I thought was Ben Basford at the time, go from 3rd to 1st and win the race and then it was announced it was Carl that had won that race! He had a set of Ben's Kevlar's on, which threw me. At that moment I just said, Wow! The progression in such a short period of time has really being pleasing to see.
"Carl has also being getting mentored by new Redcar promoter Kevin Keay and Carl has a lot to thank Kev for and I'm sure Kev is just as much looking forward to seeing Carl progress even further this year, just as I am, in his debut NL season. Carl has already shown his liking for the Buxton track when he rode for Coventry in the 1st leg of the MDL final last season.
"I'm sure Carl will settle in to the team straight away and I'm very much looking forward to working with him this coming season’
Basford is looking forward to it: ‘I'm glad to be a part of the Buxton squad in the 1-7, I'm really excited and pumped to be riding in National League and for people to watch out for me and for the future to come’
Basford is the sixth rider to be announced by the Hitmen and moves are afoot to complete the side in the next few weeks

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From the SGB/BSPA website:
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BUXTON have moved to within one rider of completing their 2017 side with the signing of Carl Basford.

The 15-year-old younger brother of fellow rider Ben will be making his debut in the National League with the Hitmen, although he has already appeared at Hi-Edge in the Midland Development League.

Buxton boss Jason Pipe said: “The signing of Carl may come as a surprise to some people, but this league is meant for riders like him and I'm pleased we can accommodate him here at Buxton from the start of the new season.

“Carl is only 15 years of age, but has a good head on his shoulders and in fact I'm tipping him to be a better rider than his older brother Ben, in time!

“There will be no pressure put on Carl whatsoever and I'll make sure that he gets the help and advice he needs from his older team-mates with more experience, and is allowed to develop in his own time.”

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Buxton will not compete at league level in 2019 but will stage open meetings and participate in secondary team competitions.

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The club is no longer competing.