TAYLOR, Benjamin (Ben) Reece
DATE OF BIRTH: 7 November 1990, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
BRITISH CAREER: (2006-08) Buxton; (2009) Birmingham, Buxton.
RIDER LINKS: Grandson of Jack Hughes (born: 3 March 1932, Roberttown, West Yorkshire). Great nephew of Arthur Wright (born: 14 October 1933, Odsal, Bradford, West Yorkshire).
ADDITIONAL INFO: A team change saw Taylor released by Birmingham in May 2009, although he was told that he remained part of the club's future plans. He was replaced in the line-up by James Cockle. The Dewsbury-born youngster was subsequently lined-up to join Glasgow at the start of June in place of Lee Smart, but the Scottish side eventually elected to sign Lee Dicken instead. In July, Taylor returned to National League action with his first club, Buxton, taking the place of Danny Hodgson.

THOMPSON, Mark
DATE OF BIRTH: 8 July 1979, Orsett, Essex.
BRITISH CAREER: (1996) Sittingbourne, Linlithgow, Mildenhall, Eastbourne II; (1997) Anglian Angels; (1998) Mildenhall, Newport, Stoke; (1999) King's Lynn II, Mildenhall, Newport II; (2000) St Austell, Arena-Essex; (2001) Peterborough II; (2002) King's Lynn II, Mildenhall; (2003) Boston, Peterborough; (2004) Weymouth, Swindon II, King's Lynn II; (2005) Mildenhall; (2006) Mildenhall II, Sheffield; (2007) Mildenhall, Weymouth; (2008) Boston; (2009) Mildenhall.
ADDITIONAL INFO: The much-travelled ‘Thommo' lost his place in the Mildenhall side at the end of May 2009, when he was replaced by Luke Priest.

TOMICEK, Lubos
DATE OF BIRTH: 14 March 1986, Prague, Czech Republic.
BRITISH CAREER: (2003) Oxford; (2004) Newcastle; (2005) Newcastle, Oxford; (2006) Oxford; (2007-08) Lakeside; (2009) Belle Vue.
NOTE: Tomicek also appeared for Oxford in 2007, but this is not credited in his career record because the club closed down prematurely, with all their matches expunged from the records.
RIDER LINKS: Grandson of Lubos Tomicek [1] (born: 16 August 1934). Son of Lubos Tomicek [2] (born: 10 July 1956).
ADDITIONAL INFO: After joining Lakeside in June 2007 - following the closure of Oxford - Tomicek remained in the Hammers' line-up for the start of the following term. However, he didn't appear for the club again after a Knock-Out Cup semi-final tie at Eastbourne on 30 August. He had crashed in heat four whilst representing Holsted in a Danish Super League match at Grindsted five days previously, the effects of which left him suffering from dizziness for several weeks. Lakeside eventually drafted in Krzysztof Jablonski as a late-season replacement for the Czech. Following that, Tomicek appeared lost to British racing until he was part of a raft of changes at Belle Vue in August 2009. Other incoming riders to strengthen-up the Aces were Jason Crump, plus the ‘doubling-up' duo of Joel Parsons and Michal Rajkowski. Meanwhile, those replaced were Tomasz Chrzanowski and Morten Risager, together with the injured Charlie Gjedde. Regrettably, though, in only his fourth meeting for the Aces, Tomicek broke his left collarbone in two places and suffered rib injuries in a heat fourteen accident during an Elite League encounter versus Peterborough at Kirkmanshulme Lane on 7 September. The accident occurred when guest team-mate Kevin Doolan inadvertently collected him after hitting a rut on the third and fourth bends, which had sent him careering across the track at high speed.

TOPINKA, Tomas
DATE OF BIRTH: 5 June 1974, Prague, Czech Republic.
BRITISH CAREER: (1993-95) King's Lynn; (1996) Oxford; (1997-98) King's Lynn; (1999) King's Lynn, Ipswich; (2001) Belle Vue; (2002) Coventry; (2003-04) King's Lynn; (2005) King's Lynn, Coventry; (2006-09) King's Lynn.
MAJOR HONOURS: Czech Republic Under-21 Champion: 1992; Czech Republic Champion: 1996, 2003; Czech Golden Helmet Champion: 1996.
CLUB HONOURS: Four-Team Championship winner: 1996 [Oxford]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2005, 2007 [both King's Lynn]; Young Shield winner: 2005 [King's Lynn]; League Championship winner: 2006, 2009 [both King's Lynn]; Premier Trophy winner: 2006, 2007, 2009 [all King's Lynn].
ADDITIONAL INFO: (1) The Czech rider was all set to join Reading in 2002 until his work permit application was turned down. He subsequently sought legal advice and, after re-applying, was able to resume his British career with Coventry after missing the first six weeks of the campaign; (2) Topinka's testimonial meeting was held at King's Lynn on 21 March 2004, when Mark Loram was victorious in an individual event; (3) The loyal Czech made his 506th official appearance for King's Lynn in an away match versus Newport in the Premier Trophy on 12 April 2009. That put him into second place - ahead of 1970s favourite Ian Turner (505 matches) - in the club's records, whilst Stars' legend Terry Betts (649 matches) remained in top spot. Topinka went on to lead King's Lynn to League Championship and Premier Trophy glory, but missed out on the club's bid to also win the Knock-Out Cup after suffering concussion , double vision, a black eye and ankle damage in a crash during the prestigious Czech Golden Helmet at Pardubice on 4 October.

TÖRNQVIST, Robin
DATE OF BIRTH: 12 January 1987, Hagfors, Sweden.
BRITISH CAREER: (2009) Glasgow.
ADDITIONAL INFO: The highly-rated Swede joined Glasgow as a direct replacement for Peter Juul late in May 2009. However, his stint in the side was to last just three matches, as he struggled to make an impact, particularly from the gate. His place in the side was filled by the returning Rusty Harrison in June.

TREGONING, Grant
DATE OF BIRTH: 26 January 1988, Christchurch, New Zealand.
BRITISH CAREER: (2008) Buxton; (2009) Newport II.
MAJOR HONOUR: New Zealand Under-21 Champion: 2004, 2008, 2009.
CLUB HONOUR: Pairs Champion: 2009 [Newport II].
ADDITIONAL INFO: Tregoning had originally agreed to ride for Mildenhall in 2008, but the start to his British career was delayed for two months due a red tape tangle over his visa. He eventually arrived towards the end of May and linked with Buxton instead. Having agreed to ride for Newport Hornets in 2009, the Kiwi again experienced red tape issues over his visa application. However, having sorted everything out, he linked with the Welsh side at the start of May as a replacement for the injured Tom Young. On 18 August, the highlight of a fine personal season occurred when he linked with Tony Atkin to win the National League Pairs Championship at the Isle of Wight's Smallbrook raceway. A highly encouraging year for the Kiwi was rewarded when, prior to the season's end, he was named as Newport's first signing for the senior Wasps side in 2010.

TRÉSARRIEU, Mathieu
DATE OF BIRTH: 2 March 1986, Bordeaux, France.
BRITISH CAREER: (2002-03) Isle of Wight; (2005) Reading; (2006) Redcar, Oxford, Wolverhampton; (2007) Redcar; (2009) No official appearances.
MAJOR HONOURS: French Champion: 2002, 2007.
RIDER LINKS: Brother of Stephane Trésarrieu (born: 27 February 1975, Bordeaux, France) and Sebastien Trésarrieu (born: 10 January 1981, Cenon, France).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Having overcome an injury earlier in the 2007 season, Redcar's popular Frenchman suffered a further blow in September, when he crashed during practice for the European Grass-track Championship at Swingfield in Kent, suffering a broken fibula and smashed knee socket. Trésarrieu was to undergo two major operations and was ruled out of action for the whole of the 2008 campaign while he recuperated. He belatedly returned to the UK late in 2009, appearing in home and away challenge matches for Ipswich against Poole, on 8 and 14 October, respectively.

TULLY, Andrew Bruce
DATE OF BIRTH: 26 May 1987, Douglas, Isle of Man.
BRITISH CAREER: (2003-05) Armadale; (2006) Scunthorpe; (2007) Edinburgh, Scunthorpe; (2008) Edinburgh; (2009) Edinburgh, Peterborough.
CLUB HONOURS: Conference Trophy winner: 2005 [Armadale], 2006 [Scunthorpe], 2007 [Scunthorpe]; League Championship winner: 2006 [Scunthorpe], 2007 [Scunthorpe], 2008 [Edinburgh]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2006 [Scunthorpe]; Conference Shield winner: 2006 [Scunthorpe]; Premier Trophy winner: 2008 [Edinburgh]; Play-Off winner: 2008, 2009 [Edinburgh].
ADDITIONAL INFO: Tully is currently the only rider appearing in British speedway who was born on the beautiful Isle of Man - the home of the famous TT races. His speedway career began at Linlithgow in 1997 and, having regularly appeared in second-half events at Edinburgh, he made his official debut for Armadale in a Knock-Out Cup tie at Buxton on 11 May 2003. He was to spend three seasons with the Devils - who initially competed only in the Conference Trophy and then stepped-up to the Conference League in 2004 - before joining Scunthorpe in 2006. His time with both clubs was trophy-laden, as he emerged as a highly talented and determined rider, the only downside being when he broke both bones in his left leg in a crash during a Conference Trophy encounter at Buxton on 10 July 2005; this occurred in the opening heat, when he was unable to avoid hitting fallen team-mate Blair Scott. Having turned down previous Premier League approaches in order to gain more experience, he eventually stepped up to speedway's middle tier with the senior Edinburgh side in 2007, whilst also continuing to represent Scunthorpe at Conference level. More success came his way with both clubs and, after making the full-time switch to the PL, culminated in him playing a key role in the Monarchs' fabulous League Championship and Premier Trophy double in 2008. Remaining with Edinburgh this term, Tully also linked with top-flight Peterborough in a ‘doubling-up' capacity; however, he lost the position with the Panthers upon Claus Vissing's return from injury at the end of April - although he did agree to stay on as their official No. 8 rider. Regrettably, having leapt up to second position in the Monarchs' averages, the Douglas-born rider's season appeared to have come to a crunching end on 3 August, when he fell in heat three of the Midland Open Championship at Wolverhampton, sustaining a broken pelvis. Tully initially felt he had aggravated an old problem in the accident at Monmore Green, and amazed doctors by being able to walk into hospital with the injury. Edinburgh reacted by offering Thomas H. Jonasson the chance of a late run in the side, but the Swede turned down the opportunity because of his busy schedule and, instead, highly-rated German Kevin Wölbert joined the Scottish outfit to plug the gap. Remarkably, Tully regained fitness quicker than anyone had imagined and was re-declared in the Monarchs' line-up in mid-September at the expense of Max Dilger. And although he subsequently aggravated his injuries during a Scottish Cup encounter versus Glasgow at Armadale on 2 October, he only missed one meeting before bouncing back to help Edinburgh defeat Newcastle in the Play-Off semi-final. Indeed, amid great drama, he followed team-mate Kevin Wölbert home for a 5-1 in the second of two Golden Heats after the sides had drawn on aggregate.