Scores Rising
I have had a few meetings since the last post but I personally didn’t have much to say about them. We had away at Birmingham where I scored 4 points, home to Workington where I scored 4+2 and then away to Edinburgh where I only had 3+1. All these meetings didn’t go as well as I wanted. I really enjoy riding at Birmingham and Edinburgh and planned to score around 8 points at both places. It was these meetings that made me decide to try a different engine because mine just didn’t feel fast enough.
I was fortunate enough to have Dan Giffard offer me one of his engines to use. I used his engine for the first time away at Newcastle where I was also switched to the number 5 position. I used my own engine in my first heat and didn’t feel fast enough. I then hopped onto my second bike with Dan’s engine in it. From then on I knew I had plenty of power and speed. All I had to do then was ride the bike. This was the start of the points rise. I finished the night on 13 points from 6 rides. Although by the last race I was starting to feel the 6 races and getting a bit of arm pump. But I was definitely happy about the night and felt relieved to finally score the points I should of had all along.
We then were at home to Isle of Wight on the Thursday where I used his engine again. I started the meeting off with a win. My second race I missed the gate and ended up getting beat by both opponents. I nearly passed them both but couldn't get the bike turned enough to get by. I then went on to win my last 2 heats finishing the night on 10 points from 4 rides. This was more like what I should be scoring at home. I was happy with the night and was looking forward to the next meeting to keep it going.
We were at Somerset the night after. I have felt comfortable with the track in the past and knew I could score well around there on Dan’s engine. I went out in the first race and won. Everything felt really good to start. I was out gated by Jason Doyle in my next race and was left do the chasing. I tried for the outside on the second lap and ended up pushing to wide and going down catching the bottom of the air fence. I then made the gate in my third race and won. I knew heat 13 would be tough. I gave it my all and just scraped through with a paid second. I nearly was passed on the line but managed to just hold third place. I finished the night on 7+1. With how strong of a team Somerset have at home I was quite satisfied with my score.
I am waiting to get my engine back from Graham Jones at the moment. I will hopefully pick it up this Wednesday and test it out at Birmingham after their meeting. If all goes well I will use it Thursday. But no matter what I plan on scoring double figures. I look forward to keeping this run going.
We will see you all at the races.
Chris
Busy Week
Well I made it through the first week and am feeling great. The leg is a little soar but all in all it feels good. Started off the busy week of racing on Tuesday at home to Sheffield. It felt really good to be back at Redcar with all the great supporters. I feel I had an ok night. I felt pretty good on the bike but still felt a little fatigued in a couple races. By the end of the night I started to feel like my old self by winning heat 14. My favorite heat. I finished the night with 7+1. Not what I was shooting for but not bad.
The next meeting was on Thursday against Rye House at home again. Not the best meeting points wise for me but I felt a lot better on the bike. I didn't feel fatigued at all on the track but struggled to get a fast setup with the bike. I made a few changes throughout the night and by the end it started to feel a bit better. My favorite heat came up with Thomas Topinka on a tactical ride off 15m. I made a decent start with a good first corner and was leading the race. I felt really comfortable and made the mistake of getting into cruise mode and not riding the right part of the track. I never looked around and before I knew it Topinka had gone around the outside of me. Didn't end the night on a good note and finished with 6+2. But looking at the positives I felt more comfortable on the bike and didn't get fatigued.
Then I was off to Lakeside for Paul Hurrys Testimonial on the Friday. I had ridden there once before for Wolverhampton last season. I found the track a bit tricky but came to grips with towards the end. I started off the meeting pretty rough. I tried too hard and ended up laying the bike down. I calmed myself down for the rest of my races and ended the night with 3 points. Not the best score but I had a few good races with Joe Screen and David Howe. By the end of the night I came to grips with the track and felt really good about the way I ended. But again struggled to find a good setup.
Saturday was a new day and we were off to Rye house. I've really enjoyed the track in the past and felt that I would be able to score well. The track looked really promising before the meeting but what we found later was the opposite. The track felt slicker than usual and the whole team struggled to find a good setup. I did everything I could to my bike to try and get it to work but was unable to do so. I finished the meeting with only 3+1. I of course wasn't happy with the score but didn't look too much into it being the whole team struggled so much and it wasn't just me.
So at the end of this busy week I find myself feeling really good on the bike and am starting to feel race fit again. We will start this week off fresh and look forward to some good scores at home and away.
I am looking forward to Birmingham on Wednesday. It's a new day and a new track. I really like the track and feel I should score well. I think it's a track the whole team should ride well at and we have a really good chance to walk away with a victory. I am looking forward to seeing some of the Redcar supporters there. Hopefully we can give them what they had gone to see. A victory.
Chris
Here are two recent articles from the Evening Gazette:
Back At Last
Well it finally came, my first meeting back. A lot of people wouldn’t think Sheffield is the best place to come back to but I happen to love the place. I would have to say it’s my favorite track. I was planning to have a few practices before the meeting but the weather had different plans for me. I went into the meeting planning on scoring at least 8 points. Most would probably think that it’s a bit high for the first meeting back but I felt that was completely within reach.
The weather wasn't looking too promising when we got to the track. It rained a fair bit before the start of the meeting making the track a bit trickier. My heart was racing before my first race. Not nervous but excited. The first race went as good as I could have hoped and ended up with a paid win. My second race I had a battle for second with Ben Wilson, but finished up third almost passing him on the last bend. My second two races were not so good. The rain fell quite heavily halfway through the meeting causing the track to be a bit more one lined and sloppy. In my second two races I didn’t fare so well. I missed the start in both of them and was unable to pass finishing fourth in both. Not exactly the way I hoped for the meeting to finish but I made it through with no problems. It wasn’t the result I was hoping for but everything went smooth and felt great.
I was really looking forward to the home meeting at Redcar the next day to make up for the low score at Sheffield, but we were unfortunately rained off. The next meeting would have been at Stoke on the Saturday but that was rained off as well. I don’t know how the weather was in Stoke but we are only 30 minutes away and it was great all day. But oh well. I will just have to wait until the rescheduled match at Redcar on Tuesday the 15th.
So all in all it was not such a bad first meeting back. Got rid of a few cob webs and tested the fitness. Found everything to be back on track. So now I will have to work hard on getting that average that we have been talking about all season. Starting with the next meeting.
I’m very glad to be back on the bike and it was very nice to see all of our great supporters at the track cheering us on to a near victory. Hope to see you all at the races.
Chris
Practice
I had a practice this last Monday night at Wolverhampton after the meeting. I did about 8 laps the first practice before I got a bit tired. Then went straight back out again and could only manage 2 before getting tired. With a little more of a break between rides I would of been alright but it was too quick. Most importantly the leg felt really good. Didnt give me any problems and other than a few sore muscles it felt good the next day.
I went to see the doctor for new x-rays and he said everything looks like its healing really good. He recommends some more time off though. So I will not be riding at Wolves this coming Monday the 30th. I plan on getting myself more race fit before I make my comeback. I will practice at Redcar this Thursday as well as next Thursday. I plan on making my comeback at home on the 11th against Sheffield.
I hope this is good news for everyone. We all wish it was sooner but this will have to do.
Thank you for all the support
See you at the races
Chris
Laser Treatment
Just an update for everyone. I've been to see Brian Simpson on two seperate occasions now and everything went well. The treatment doesnt really feel like its doing anything while I am being treated but Brian told me to expect it to ache afterwards and it did. So I take that as a good sign thats its doing something but we wont know until I get new x-rays taken.
I have booked a new appointment to see the doctor for new x-rays. I see him on the 24th of this month. Hopefully everything looks good and I can get back on the bike. I am hoping to get back for the meeting at Redcar on the 3rd of July against Scunthorpe.
I will keep everyone updated as news changes.
See Gallery For New Picture!
Thank you
Chris
Update
Well I made it back to the UK alright. I landed in the country last Tuesday the 20th. As soon as I landed it was straight to business. I offered to help the American Team with the World Cup Qualifier in Hungary. I picked up the van on thursday and we then headed straight off to Hungary. The trip took a total of 24 hours non stop. We got lost a few times along the way, but whats a good road trip without that.
The race was on the Sunday and that didnt go as well as planned. A few of the guys had some bike problems and they all struggled to find a set up. But there were 2 less experienced Americans who benifited from this experience greatly. One was Shawn Harmatiuk and the other was Kenny Ingalls. Hopefully we will see both of these boys on a team in the near future.
We headed straight back to England after the races and the trip back was exactly the same as the trip there, including the small detours (getting lost).
I went to Redcar Thursday night for the first time in about 6 weeks. It was really great to see everyone again and to be back at my home away from home. Unfortuneatly it wasnt the best night for the team but I think we can pull ourselves back from this.
I spoke with quite a few people about my leg and when I was going to make my return. If you didnt hear, I am looking at least 4 more weeks. My aim is to be back by the first meeting in July but there are no guarentees. I need to wait until my bones are fully healed before I ride. If not the smallest crash could set me back even longer. I have an appointment with the physio on Tuesday so we will hopefully have some more information after that.
Its great to be back. Hope to see you all at the races.
Chris
New Update
There is only about another week until I fly back overseas. It's amazing how time flies by. I'm ready to get back and focused on racing now. I have had a great time at home seeing family and friends, but its almost time to get back to business.
The leg is healing really nice now. I have been in the gym regularly over the past 2 weeks and it seems to be coming along great.
I fly back into the country on the 20th of May and plan on being at the races on the 22nd. Although the leg is feeling good, I'm giving it another month to heal. My goal is to be ready for the home meeting on the 19th of June against Reading. All being well of course.
I hope to see you all soon. Thank you all again for the great support.
Chris
Chris Kerr Update
I made it home successfully. The flight was long but it all went well. The leg didn't cause any problems, surprisingly. I was expecting it to cause me some grief with swelling and everything but it was all quite comfortable considering its technically still broken.
I landed to the typical California spring weather. Sunny, slight breeze, and around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 Celcius). Although I would rather be there racing, it is a nice change of weather. But from what I read last night, Redcar is still plagued with rain offs. Hopefully the weather improves so everyone can watch some speedway. But if things continue this way I might not miss many meetings.
I will be thinking of everyone enjoying the racing while I'm soaking up the sun recuperating my leg. I will keep everyone updated on my healing while I am away. Take care everyone
Chris
2008 Merchandise Now Available!!
All Chris Kerr racing 2008 merchandise is now available for order. See Merchandise section for more details.
Home Bound
I have booked my flight home. I am flying out on Wednesday the 16th from Heathrow airport. I will be returning on the 20th of May to get focused on my racing and get everything in order. I would like to thank everyone for all there support and get well messages/cards. It is all very appreciated and I am looking forward to making a strong come back on my return to Redcar. All being well with the healing of the leg I am hoping to be back on the bike by mid June.
I would like to personally thank the Bears Supporters Group and all the Redcar fans for their contributions. It is greatly appreciated.
Thank you all again for the great support. See you all soon.
Chris
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Sunday 6th April 2008
Frustrated promoter Glyn Taylor has revealed how he’s spent the past week scouring the glove trying to find a replacement for injured star Chris Kerr. But, although he has so far drawn a blank, the Redcar TLS Bears promoter says he won’t be held to ransom by riders’ pay demands. Because Kerr was scoring well above his 5.56 average this season, Taylor is not keen to use rider replacement while the popular American spends up to three months recovering for the broken leg he suffered at Scunthorpe last weekend. But after a week of trying and a telephone bill as long as the straights at Earle Street, he’s no further forward.
At one point during the week it looked like Taylor might have been able to reverse his decision to persuade Adam Allott not to have a year out, while veteran former England star and World Finalist Paul Thorp would have happily made a comeback, but undergoes a major hand operation shortly. Greg Bartlett, who made a big impression with Sheffield in the old amalgamated Premier League in the mid-1990s, had been close to filling the gap, but decided against the move. Currently on the comeback trail in his native Australia where he has been posting some impressive results, Bartlett reluctantly told Taylor the offer had come too soon after his return to the sport.
“I was very, very close to getting him to come over,” revealed Taylor. “Greg has sorted out his personal problem but he has just got custody of his kids and he didn’t want to risk that by coming to England, which is understandable. I said ‘bring them with you! Bring your mother as well! But it was a lot to ask for nine or 10 weeks, and he said it had just come at the wrong time for him, although he asked me not to leave him out of the picture in the future.” Bartlett was just one of a huge number of riders contacted by Taylor, both at home and abroad.
“I have literally rung riders all over the world,” he said. “There are riders available, but unfortunately most of them are not within our points limit. There are plenty of Scandinavian riders there - Andreas Bergstrom among them - but they are all committed to the Swedish League on a Thursday, when we race. I can’t match what they earn over there to make it worth their while coming back over here. I’m not going to do that. For me, it’s more important to the club to get facilities than it is to be paying silly money for riders.”
Taylor revealed that at least two riders would have taken up his offer - but only for wages of £100 per point. “It’s what they were earning in Sweden,” he explained, “and that’s what they wanted to be paid to come out of the Swedish League. My answer was no. I’m not paying that sort of money. I want Redcar Speedway to be there for a long time and be strong, and I’m not going to bankrupt it because of a couple of riders. So we’ll go with R/R to start with and if something crops up, all well and good. I can see a few riders dropping out of the Elite League because they are not happy - they might do a job for us in the Premier. We’ll have to see.”
Kerr, meanwhile, is hoping to return to California shortly to continue his recovery after having his right tibia and fibula plated. “He’s pretty sore,” said Taylor, “and when you get injured you always get homesick, so we’re all trying to be as supportive as we can." One of the ways the Bears will do this is by holding a collection for Kerr at the next Bears Meeting v Edinburgh
Great News
Chris has been released from the hospital.
He is happy to be up on the crutches and out of hospital.
He is hoping to be at the Bears next home fixture which is v Edinburgh, where Chris will thank his fans in person for all there support.
Operation Update
Chris Kerr has undergone a successful operation on Monday to plate the broken tibia and fibula in his right leg. He has been advised that he cannot put weight on that leg for one month but intends to then get into the gym to rebuild muscle strength in the limb. At that point the medics will advise when he can resume riding with the initial diagnosis being late June.
Chris is in good spirits and already planning ahead.
Chris would like to thank everyone for their concern.
If You Would Like to Send A Get Well Card to Chris, please send them to:
4 Cradley Fields
Colley Gate
Halesowen
West Midlands
B63 2DT
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Monday 31st March 2008
AMERICAN ace Chris Kerr has broken his leg in two places and will be out of action for up to three months. The popular Redcar TLS Bears star’s sickening early season injury took the gloss off his side’s 45-45 Premier Trophy draw at Scunthorpe yesterday - achieved after a stunning last heat victory by man of the moment Ty Proctor. The Bears had thought the horrendous injury problems that plagued them throughout 2007 were in the past, but now they face a long spell without one of their most prolific riders.
Kerr had started the season in awesome form and had won both his first two races yesterday before tangling with Viktor Bergström at the first turn in heat nine. The crash ruled both riders out of the meeting - the Swede with elbow ligament damage and Kerr with a broken tibia and fibula in his right leg. “It wasn’t an especially heavy crash,” lamented team boss Brian Havelock, “but Chris said he knew it was broken immediately. He was due to have an operation today to plate it and I think we’re looking at three months without him. We were hoping to bring in Adam Roynon as a guest for our matches with Sheffield on Thursday and Friday, but we can’t do that. We’ll have to use rider replacement although the problem with that is we can only use Josh Auty, Ty Proctor and the two reserves to take his rides so, after this week I think we’re going to have to re-declare our 1-7. He’ll be difficult to replace. His average is 5.56 but he’s been flying this season and averaging around nine a meeting.”
The Bears had already gone into the meeting short-handed, with heat leader James Grieves forced to miss out due to the chest infection which curtailed his involvement in last Thursday’s derby clash against Newcastle. The good news, however, is that he should be fit for this Thursday’s trip to Owlerton. The Bears were two points up at the time of Kerr’s crash, and Havelock believes his side would have recorded their first victory of the season had they not lost him. “I couldn’t see us losing,” he said. “It’s two points that have got away really.”
As it was, the Scorpions almost snatched the win themselves - and would have done but for Proctor’s heroics. With the score standing at 42-42, Richard Hall and Magnus Karlsson made the gate in the final race and, with visiting skipper Gary Havelock at the back, were on course for what would have been a decisive 5-1. But Proctor took less than a lap to pass Hall and then, after breathing down his exhaust for two laps, passed Karlsson to make sure of the draw. “Gary’s bike dropped its guts at the start,” said Havelock Snr, “so there’s something wrong there and he went straight into the workshop when he got back to sort it out. It was a tremendous ride from Ty - he did really well to pass their two.”
Though Kerr’s injury will be the abiding memory of yesterday’s match, the Bears can at least take some consolation from the improved performances of Josh Auty - who won twice at his former track - and Dan Giffard.
SCORPIONS
Magnus Karlsson 13, Richard Hall 10+1 Andrew Moore 7+1, Carl Wilkinson 6+1, Byron Bekker 5+2, Benji Compton 4+1, Viktor Bergström (w/d) 0.
BEARS
Gary Havelock 11+1, Josh Auty, Ty Proctor 10+4, Dan Giffard 7+2, Chris Kerr (w/d) 6, Arlo Bugeja 0, James Grieves R/R.
Latest News!
Chris Crashed in heat 9 of Scunthorpe v Redcar, it was a first bend crash where no one was to blame, just racing.
Upto this heat Chris was unbeaten and looked in fine form. The Final Score was 45-45
Chris is in plaster to his thigh and will have surgery tomorrow afternoon to plate, screw and pin his broken Tibia and Fibula.
He is in good spirits!
He has no other injuries and is optimistic about a 6-8 week lay off.
More news to follow................
Kerr's racing for his future
Mar 17 2008 by Martin Neal, Evening Gazette
AMERICAN World Cup star Chris Kerr will be riding for his future when the tapes go up on the new season this week.
For the hugely popular Redcar TLS Bears star must achieve an average of an least eight points this term - or it will be virtually impossible for him to return in 2009.
“It’s a big season,” said Kerr. “I need to get an eight-point average in order to come back.
“If I don’t, it makes it too hard to re-apply for a work permit.
“But I’m pretty sure I can get it. Last year as a whole wasn’t too bad at all, it’s just that I had a dip in mid-season, which is what killed my average.
“But I started the season strong and I ended it strong, so I have to focus on staying consistent this year.”
Kerr parted company with Team Enzville over the winter and now he’s working hard at finding new sponsors to help him achieve him aim.
Speedway is a notoriously expensive sport to compete in, and Kerr needs the backing to invest in his equipment.
“I need all the backing I can get,” he said.
“Last year I needed it too, although maybe it didn’t look like it - but this year I am completely on my own.
“It takes money in order to be fast. You’ve got to have fast engines and keep your equipment up at the top of the line.
“It’s a tough league and this year, even though there are more teams, it’s still going to be tough.
“But we’ve got a good team and I want wait to get the season started.”
Anyone who wants to help Kerr with sponsorship can call 07783 246996 or contact him via his website at www.chris-kerr.com
The Bears open their season with a Premier Trophy match against Stoke Potters at South Tees Motorsports Park this Thursday.
Courtesy of
Prepared For a Great Season
Chris landed in the
The first week was nothing but work on the house. No speedway. It included replacing the roof on the garage, gutting out the kitchen, painting walls, and cleaning up the garden. All the hard work will pay off in the end though.
In the second week the work on the bikes finally begun. He picked up his new bikes on the 4th of March from GT tuning. The work on the bikes was nice to have to break up the time working on the house.
On the 9th Chris attended the Ivan Mauger training school at Redcar Speedway. Chris learned a lot from Ivan but we will just have to wait and see if he can put what he learned into affect on the track. It was a good day of practice and testing of the new equipment. All went well and the new equipment felt great…………
Support CHRIS in 2008!
YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED!
Success, as in any Sport does not rely on talent alone.
Chris could not do it without the Superb, Valued Support from his Sponsors who appear on his: Racing Suit, Bike, Van and this Website
Financial Support is Vital, to be able to compete at the high standard required in speedway, the costs can be High.
Tyres, Methanol, Engine Maintenance and New Parts
(not to mention the high accident risk factor) all need to be covered, and of course the travelling expenses to get to the events.
If you become a sponsor for Chris, You Will Gain Maximum Publicity For Your Support. This website is only the start!
Any help, how ever Large or Small will be Greatly Appreciated.
To enquire about how you can help Chris, please contact us:
chriskerr_racing@hotmail.com
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or
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*Speedway Features in the the Local Media Regularly*
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A late Happy New Year to all
Before I look ahead to this up coming season, I would like to take a minute to personally thank the family who has helped me more than anyone. Without them I wouldn't be where I am today. They welcomed me into there home with open arms and gave me a second home away from California. Im talking about Mr. Enzville and his family.
Mr. Enzville and his family have helped me tremendously over the last two seasons. He took me in when I only had one bike and gave me one of his. An Enzville machine is one of a kind. He puts more time into his bikes than anyone I know. Everything is precise and perfect. He is excellent at what he does. He taught me a lot about speedway, the bikes, and life. I have to personally thank him for everything he has done for me and let him know that it was all greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten.
Behind the scenes is a very wonderful woman who became my adopted English mom. Her name is Adelaide. She always kept me well fed and best of all she cleaned the bikes. She was always more than happy to clean them as long as she could use the pressure washer. I would like to thank her for all her help and motherly care.
I also need to thank Reggie for doing all the hard work with bikes. He stayed up late many times getting things prepared for the next day. He was a huge help and plays a huge part in the Enzville team.
Cant forget Lynsay either. Although she can be a huge pain sometimes, we had a lot of fun together. She is like the little sister I never had. She made the times at home more enjoyable (most of the time anyway).
Thank you to the whole Enzville family for all there help in the last two years. I appreciate everything they have done.
Thank you: Enzville, Adelaide, Reggie, Lynsay, Margaret, Lisa, and Hayley
Best Wishes
Chris Kerr
A Season of Two Halves !!!!
Colin
Bronco
Chris Van Straaten
Enzville
Darren / Oz Chem
Merle
Glyn Taylor
Gareth
Autograph
Arai
Oakley
DLG
Teng Tools
Mr Tyre
Kit Co
Richard & Leslie
Audrie
Snapper
Joker