MARK PLUMMER catches up with a young rider aiming for the top – with a little bit of help from someone who has already been there – in his latest Friday Feature . . .
NATURAL talent, teenage ambition, dedicated backing and words of wisdom from a former world king – that sounds like a winning recipe.
And, in the case of 16 year-old sensation Nathan Greaves, it is certainly proving to be the case.
The Chesterfield-based racer has emerged as a rising star on the track during his 18 months of league racing.
And Greaves, who recently completed his GCSE exams and finished his education, already has a very clear career goal.
“I want to be world champion,” says Greaves. “And so should everyone else who rides speedway. If they don’t they are just doing because they don’t want a normal job.
“My dream is to one day be where Tai (Woffinden) is today and I know that time is on my side."
Greaves was a revelation in junior circles in both grass-track and speedway before putting pen to paper on his first league racing deal with Cradley (or Dudley as they were then) when still aged 14.
He had turned 15 by the time the 2013 campaign started and enjoyed a glorious introduction to National League racing by helping the Heathens to a clean sweep of honours.
Now he is part of a Cradley side set to follow up with more honours in the current season after already securing top-spot in the third tier standings.
And Greaves is also earning many admirers for his efforts at Elite League level with Swindon after becoming the youngest rider to feature in the inaugural Fast-Track Draft.
Greaves got the nod from Robins chief Alun Rossiter back in April and has been a regular member of a side now looking like snatching a play-off place ever since.
He has certainly come a long way since persuading father Jon to invest in a moto-cross bike for him nine years ago . . .
“I got my first bike when I was seven,” recalls Greaves. “My dad was doing a bit of moto-cross at the time but sold his stuff to get me a 50cc machine and I loved it straight away.
“I then ended doing grass-track and won a few titles, but one day I asked if I could have a go at speedway.
“We took my grass bike to Scunthorpe for a few laps and I quickly realised that I preferred speedway. It has all gone on from there really.
“Myself and Dad put every bit of spare time and cash we have into speedway. He has basically given up his life to help mine and I’m so grateful to him.
“I’m also really thankful to ‘Rosco’ for giving me the opportunity to ride in the Elite League. I never expected to be doing it this year and I’m in a position now where I could end up winning the title at 16.
“We’ve been in really good form lately and I think we’re looking good for a place in the play-offs.
“Everyone will be expected Cradley to wipe the floor again in the National League and I think we can do it. We have such a strong side that I’m at reserve on an eight-point average.
And Greaves is not just focused on success on the track. He is also working hard to improve his own technical knowledge – something he admits was lacking when he first roared onto the National League scene last term.
“In hindsight I didn’t have anywhere near enough knowledge of the bike when I started racing speedway,” continued Greaves.
“I had always been successful doing the British Under 16 Championship so it was really just a case of turning up and racing.
“Then I went into a National League team featuring top guys like Lewis Blackbird, Ashley Morris and Paul Starke who gave me plenty of tips.
“But I’ve been doing a lot of learning in the workshop to get to the point where I can do most things that need to be done although I had no idea how complicated it can be.
“I’m also starting to get a rough idea of the right set-up for a track and that’s something which will get better over time.”
It was a mechanical mishap that eventually led to Greaves crossing paths with hugely respected 1993 world champion Sam Ermolenko.
“We had a problem with my 250cc bike for about three weeks and we were recommended to take it to Sam.
“He has been a huge help to me ever since. He looks after my engines and sometimes comes along to my meetings.
“To have a man who was world champion helping me out is brilliant.”
And who’s to say that one day Greaves won’t be standing on the top step of the GP podium . . .
Share This:
OUR PARTNERS
UPCOMING FIXTURES...
01/05/21 1900 Berwick v Armadale (NDL) (behind closed doors)
07/05/21 1930 Armadale v Berwick (NDL) (behind closed doors)
14/05/21 1930 Armadale v Newcastle (NDL) (behind closed doors)
17/05/21 1930 Belle Vue v Sheffield (Prem)
17/05/21 1930 King's Lynn v Ipswich (Prem)
17/05/21 1930 Wolverhampton v To be confirmed
18/05/21 1830 Kent v Leicester (Champ)
18/05/21 1915 Plymouth v Glasgow (Champ)
19/05/21 1930 Leicester v Eastbourne (NDL)
20/05/21 1930 Ipswich v Belle Vue (Prem)
20/05/21 1930 Sheffield v Peterborough (Prem)
21/05/21 1930 Edinburgh v Birmingham (Champ)
21/05/21 1930 Glasgow v Kent (Champ)
21/05/21 1930 Scunthorpe v Plymouth (Champ)
21/05/21 1930 Belle Vue v Newcastle (NDL)
22/05/21 1900 Berwick v Birmingham (Champ)
22/05/21 1930 Eastbourne v Newcastle (Champ)
22/05/21 1900 Leicester v Edinburgh (Champ)
22/05/21 2100 Berwick v Belle Vue (NDL)
22/05/21 2100 Eastbourne v Newcastle (NDL)
25/05/21 1830 Kent v Eastbourne (C-KOC)
25/05/21 1915 Plymouth v Poole (C-KOC)
26/05/21 1930 Poole v Plymouth (C-KOC)
27/05/21 1930 Ipswich v Sheffield (Prem)
28/05/21 1930 Edinburgh v Redcar (Champ)
28/05/21 1930 Scunthorpe v Leicester (C-KOC)
28/05/21 1930 Belle Vue v Berwick (NDL)
28/05/21 2100 British Youth Championship R1 (500cc/250cc), Belle Vue
29/05/21 1900 Grand Prix Qualifier, Glasgow
29/05/21 1930 Eastbourne v Poole (Champ)
29/05/21 1930 Leicester v Armadale (NDL)
30/05/21 1930 Redcar v Edinburgh (Champ)
31/05/21 1200 Belle Vue v Peterborough (Prem)
31/05/21 1930 Wolverhampton v Ipswich (Prem)
31/05/21 1500 Kent v Eastbourne (NDL)
LATEST RESULTS...
THURSDAY OCTOBER 22:
PETER CRAVEN MEMORIAL – at Belle Vue
1. Jason Doyle
2. Dan Bewley
3. Brady Kurtz
4. Richard Lawson
5. Rory Schlein
6. Sam Masters
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21:
BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL, Berwick 1 Dan Bewley (Belle Vue) 15 2 Leon Flint (Berwick/Armadale) 14 3 Anders Rowe (Swindon/Somerset) 13
Abandoned - Curfew - Result declared after heat 20
SATURDAY OCTOBER 17:
FIM MONSTER ENERGY SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS - FINAL, Lublin, Poland 1 RUSSIA 23 (Emil Sayfutdinov 15, Artem Laguta 8) 2 POLAND 23 (Barosz Zmarzlik 15, Szymon Wozniak 8) 3 DENMARK 19 (Leon Madsen 10, Marcus Birkemose 5, Anders Thomsen 4) 4 SWEDEN 19 (Fredrik Lindgren 14, Oilver Berntzon 5) 5 AUSTRALIA 17 (Max Fricke 12, Jason Doyle 5, Jaimon Lidsey 0) 6 GREAT BRITAIN 12 (Robert Lambert 6, Dan Bewley 6, Drew Kemp 0) 7 CZECH REPUBLIC 11 (Vacliv Milik 11, Eduard Krcmar 0, Petr Chlupac 0) Abandoned after 14 Heats - Result stands (Russia crowned 2020 FIM Speedway of Nations Champions)
FRIDAY OCTOBER 16:
FIM MONSTER ENERGY SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS - FINAL, 1st leg, Lublin, Poland OFF - Track Waterlogged The Final will now be a one-legged event (Saturday October 17)
SATURDAY OCTOBER 10:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 5, Belle Vue 500cc (a) 1 Dan Thompson 2 Harry McGurk 3 Jake Mulford 4 Elliot Kelly Dan Thompson is 500cc Champion
500cc (b - support class) 1 Danny Smith 2 Alex Goldsbrough 3 Sam Peters 4 Katie Gordon
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Cameron Taylor 4 Ashton Vale Luke Harrison is 250cc Champion
125cc (a) 1 Sonny Springer 2 Ace Pijper 3 William Cairns 4 Ben Trigger Sonny Springer is 125cc Champion
125cc (b - support class) 1 Stene Pijper 2 Oliver Bovingdon 3 Owen Booth 4 Caydin Martin
SATURDAY OCTOBER 3:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 8 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Torun 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Artem Laguta (Rus) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
FINAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 8 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 133 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 117 - after run-off 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 117 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 107 Bartosz Zmarzlik crowned 2020 World Champion
FRIDAY OCTOBER 2:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 7 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Torun 1 Max Fricke (Aus) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 16 4 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 7 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarslik (Pol) 113 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 105 3 Fredrik Lindgren 103 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 89
CALEDONIAN RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
1. William Lawson
2. Kyle Bickley
3. Leon Flint
4. Elliot Kelly
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 29:
NATIONAL LEAGUE CHALLENGE
Plymouth Select v Leicester Select - OFF
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28:
BRITISH FINAL, Belle Vue 1 Rory Schlein (Wolverhampton/Somerset) 2 Richard Lawson (Sheffield/Eastbourne) 3 Jason Crump (Ipswich) 4 Steve Worrall (Belle Vue/Poole)
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26:
BRITISH FINAL, Ipswich - OFF Re-staging date: Monday September 28 @ BELLE VUE
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24:
CHALLENGE
Belle Vue Select 49 – Dan Bewley 13+1
ATPI All Stars 41 – Rory Schlein 11+1
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 22:
CHALLENGE
Plymouth Select 51 – Henry Atkins 18
British Young Lions 39 – Dan Thompson 10
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21:
BRITISH UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP, Scunthorpe 1 Drew Kemp (Ipswich/Eastbourne) 15 2 Dan Gilkes (Kent) 14 3 Jordan Palin (Scunthorpe/Belle Vue) 10 (after run-off)
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 4, Edinburgh
500cc 1 Joe Thompson 2 Dan Thompson 3 Harry McGurk 4 Archie Freeman
250cc 1 Max James 2 Ashton Vale (Two riders only in Final)
125cc (a) 1 Max Perry 2 William Cairns 3 Sonny Springer 4 Ben Trigger
125cc (b) – Support class 1 Stene Pijper 2 Owen Booth 3 Rebecca Weston 4 Harry Fletcher
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 6 CZECH REPUBLIC GRAND PRIX, Prague 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (POL) 20
2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18
3 Jason Doyle (Aus) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 6 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 99 2 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 92 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 89 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 71
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 5 CZECH REPUBLIC GRAND PRIX, Prague 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18 3 Martin Vaculik (Slk) 16 4 Emil Sayfutdinov (Rus) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 5 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 79 2 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 78 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 71 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 62
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 4 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Gorzow 1 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 20 2 Leon Madsen (Den) 18 3 Jason Doyle (Aus) 16 4 Emil Sayfutdnov (Rus) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 4 of 8) 1 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 66 2 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 59 3 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 57 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 53
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 3 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Gorzow 1 Bartosz Zamarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Jason Doyle (Aus) 18 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 16 4 Leon Madsen (Den) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 3 of 8) 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 48 2 Bartisz Zmarzlik (Pol) 47 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 46 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 43
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHALLENGE Leicester Select v Scunthorpe Select - OFF
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 8:
THREE TEAM TOURNAMENT, Plymouth
Eastbourne 31 – Tom Brennan 10, Jason Edwards 10
Isle of Wight 30 – Ben Morley 13
Plymouth 28- Alfie Bowtell 12
MONDAY AUGUST 31:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHALLENGE Scunthorpe Select 53 (Jordan Palin 14+1) Leicester Select 61 (Dan Thompson 13+1)
SUNDAY AUGUST 30:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 3, King’s Lynn 500cc 1 Joe Thompson 2 Harry McGurk 3 Elliot Kelly 4 Dan Thompson
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Ashton Vale 4 Jody Scott
125cc (a) 1 Sonny Springer 2 Billy Budd 3 Jamie Etherington 4 Jack Shimelt
125cc (b - support class) 1 Rico Joyce 2 Becky Weston 3 Caydin Martin
SATURDAY AUGUST 29:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Wroclaw 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 20 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18 3 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 2 of 8) 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 38 2 Artem Laguta (Rus) 32 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 32 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 30
FRIDAY AUGUST 28:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Wroclaw 1 Artem Laguta (Rus) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 16 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 14
SATURDAY AUGUST 22:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 2, Leicester 500cc 1 Dan Thompson 2 Joe Thompson 3 Elliot Kelly 4 Harry McGurk
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Ashton Vale 4 Cameron Taylor
125cc (a) 1 Max Perry 2 Sonny Springer 3 Ben Trigger 4 Ace Pijper
125cc (b) - support class 1 Charlie Wood 2 Caydin Martin 3 Rico Joyce 4 Owen Booth
SUNDAY AUGUST 9:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 1, Scunthorpe 500cc 1 Jordan Palin 2 Dan Thompson 3 Archie Freeman 4 Joe Thompson
250cc 1 Max James 2 Luke Harrison 3 Ashton Vale 4 William Hocaniuk
125cc (class A) 1 William Cairns 2 Sonny Springer 3 Ben Trigger 4 Max Perry
125cc (class B - support class) 1 Billy Budd 2 Stene Pijper 3 Jake Lee 4 Owen Booth
SUNDAY MARCH 15:
50TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING, Peterborough - OFF
SATURDAY MARCH 14:
BEN FUND BONANZA, Scunthorpe 1 Danny King (Ipswich/Poole) 2 Steve Worrall (Belle Vue/Poole) 3 Josh Auty (Scunthorpe) 4 Lewis Kerr (King’s Lynn/Eastbourne)
