King’s Lynn Stars speedway teenager Jason Edwards on almost defeating 2017 world champion Jason Doyle
“I was hanging on dear life” – King’s Lynn Stars youngster Jason Edwards relived how he almost defeated 2017 world champion Jason Doyle.
Nineteen-year-old Edwards, who is continuing in the Rising Star berth at reserve as Jack Thomas is still ruled out after injury, had the meeting of his fledgling career so far last Thursday.
In Heat 11, Edwards – who has appeared for Eastbourne, Mildenhall, Plymouth and Redcar – and team-mate Richard Lawson faced off against the Grand Prix ace who rides for rivals Ipswich Witches.
He held off Australian superstar Doyle for half the race at the Adrian Flux Arena which was long enough for Lawson to land a vital win, as Lynn took a highly satisfactory 4-2 to lead 35-31 and looked set for a home win.
“I was just hanging on dear life. I said in the pits I just need to get into a lead and get going.
“For me it was all I needed just to have a race and to hang on. It shows I can do it, but I have just got to do it more consistently.”
Lynn ended up losing, but Edwards’ episode was the highlight.
“I was nearly there, whether it was one lap, two laps, two-and-a-half, I’ll take whatever it was. The nice thing was he passed me but I passed him back.
“He passed me and left me behind but for me that was the big thing, I was nearly there.”
When asked if Doyle said anything afterwards, the Billericay-born rider replied: “No, he probably just thought he nearly got beaten by a silly little kid!
“At the start of the year I asked him to jump on one of my bikes and he did that and was like ‘yeah, good enough’ so to me that was: Right, I’ve got to be like Doyle now. That’s what I’ve got to do now.”
The Minors & Brady Stars last night (Thursday) had a return trip to Ipswich in the Premiership.
