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 . . .
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UPCOMING FIXTURES...
20/07/18 1900 Championship Pairs, Somerset
20/07/18 1915 Plymouth v Kent (NLKOC)
21/07/18 1700 British Grand Prix, Cardiff
22/07/18 1700 Scunthorpe v Glasgow (Championship)
22/07/18 1900 British Youth Championship (500cc/250cc), Scunthorpe
23/07/18 1930 King's Lynn v Poole (Premiership)
23/07/18 1930 Swindon v Leicester (Premiership)
23/07/18 1930 Wolverhampton v Belle Vue (Premiership)
23/07/18 1930 Kent v Birmingham (EC)
25/07/18 1930 Belle Vue v Wolverhampton (Premiership)
25/07/18 1930 King's Lynn v Swindon (Premiership)
25/07/18 1930 Poole v Leicester (Premiership)
25/07/18 1930 Birmingham v Plymouth (TPNL)
26/07/18 1930 Redcar v Ipswich (Championship)
26/07/18 1930 Sheffield v Lakeside (Championship)
26/07/18 1900 Isle of Wight v Buxton (TPNL)
27/07/18 1930 Edinburgh v Redcar (Championship)
27/07/18 1930 Glasgow v Berwick (Championship)
27/07/18 1930 Scunthorpe v Sheffield (Championship)
27/07/18 1915 Plymouth v Buxton (TPNL)
28/07/18 1900 Berwick v Glasgow (Championship)
28/07/18 1900 Workington v Newcastle (C-KOC)
28/07/18 1930 Mildenhall v Coventry (TPNL)
28/07/18 1900 Stoke v Birmingham (TPNL)
28/07/18 1800 British Youth Championship, Belle Vue
29/07/18 1500 Buxton v Plymouth (TPNL)
29/07/18 1500 Coventry v Mildenhall (TPNL)
30/07/18 1930 King's Lynn v Somerset (Premiership)
30/07/18 1930 Leicester v Poole (Premiership)
30/07/18 1930 Swindon v Wolverhampton (Premiership) 30/07/18 1830 Kent v Eastbourne (TPNL)
LATEST RESULTS...
THURSDAY JULY 19:
PREMIERSHIP
Swindon 41 (Tobiasz Musielak 13+1)
Somerset 49 (Jason Doyle 11, Jack Holder 11)
Premiership points: Swindon 0 Somerset 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
Ipswich 48 (Rory Schlein 14)
Redcar 42 (Thomas Jorgensen 13)
Championship points: Ipswich 3 Redcar 1
TOP GUN INDIVIDUAL, at Sheffield
1. Connor Mountain
2. Zaine Kennedy
3. Simon Lambert
4. Nathan Greaves
COBRA’S GARAGE MAHAL BEST PAIRS, at Isle of Wight
1. London Loonies (Scott Campos / Richard Andrews)
2. Speedway Widows (Jason Edwards / Ryan Terry-Daley)
WEDNESDAY JULY 18:
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE Birmingham 44 (James Shanes 15+1) Mildenhall 46 (Drew Kemp 13) National League points: Birmingham 0 Mildenhall 3
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP 1st leg Newcastle 40 – Matej Kus 9 Workington 50 – Nicolai Klindt 15+1
NATIONAL TROPHY Buxton 29 – Tom Woolley 11 Birmingham 61 – Leon Flint 15+1 National Trophy points: Buxton 0 Birmingham 4
SATURDAY JULY 7:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Round 4 SWEDISH GRAND PRIX, Hallstavik 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 2 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 3 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 4 Tai Woffinden (GB)
STANDINGS after Round 4 of 10 1 Tai Woffinden (GB) 65 2 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 54 3 Emil Sayfutdinov (Rus) 48 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 47
