TAYLOR, Benjamin (Ben) Reece
DATE OF BIRTH: 7 November 1990, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
BRITISH CAREER: (2006-08) Buxton; (2009) Birmingham, Buxton; (2010) Dudley; (2011) 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).
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 8.09 (NL).
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 Brummies’ declared 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. He went on to appear in twenty-three official meetings for the Hitmen and accumulated 220 points for a striking real-time average of 8.25.

In early-February, it was revealed that Taylor would represent the new Dudley Heathens side in the 2010 National League. Unfortunately, though, in the Heathens’ historic opening meeting versus the USA Dream Team at Birmingham’s Perry Barr Stadium on 7 April, Taylor was involved in a spectacular accident in his first ride when he tangled with opponent Eddie Castro on the straight.

He was able to walk away from the track, but was withdrawn from the remainder of the meeting with a wrist injury. With the rider later ruled out of action for a month due to ligament damage, the Dudley management initially sought a temporary replacement and, shortly afterwards, they announced the signing of Jon Armstrong.

However, Taylor’s injury proved a complicated one that required extensive treatment and he was ruled out of action for the remainder of the season. Having recuperated, it was announced on 15 February 2011 that he was returning to Buxton for season ahead in the No. 1 slot, as the Hitmen set about the defence of their National League Championship success.

Taylor sustained a leg injury in heat five of Buxton’s National League fixture at Newport on 2 May. This occurred when he took a tactical ride, but was inadvertently taken out by team-mate Dean Felton. He returned to action in the Hitmen’s home encounter versus Belle Vue Colts on 19 June but, in heat ten, he was hit by visiting rider Kyle Howarth and took no further part in the proceedings, having aggravated the leg injury he picked up at Newport.

He also sat out the following evening’s return fixture at Kirkmanshulme Lane, when Buxton operated the rider replacement facility. Thankfully, though, Taylor was able to resume in the saddle for the Hitmen in a National League fixture at Mildenhall on 26 June.

TOMÍČEK, Luboš
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; (2010) Somerset, Stoke; (2011) Newcastle, Lakeside, Redcar, Wolverhampton.
CLUB HONOUR: Premier Shield winner: 2011 [Newcastle].
NOTE: Tomíček 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 Luboš Tomíček [1] (born: 16 August 1934). Son of Luboš Tomíček [2] (born: 10 July 1956).
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 4.96 (PL), 3.00 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: After joining Lakeside in June 2007 – following the closure of Oxford – Tomíček 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 Jabłoński as a late-season replacement for the Czech.

Following that, Tomíček appeared lost to British racing until he was part of a raft of changes at Belle Vue in August 2009. This was a touch ironic as in 2006 the then-Aces’ promoter, the late Ian Thomas, had tried to sign the Czech for £13,000 from Oxford, but the bid was turned down.

Other incoming riders to strengthen-up the Aces were Jason Crump, plus the ‘doubling-up’ duo of Joel Parsons and Michał 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, Tomíček 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.

After Steve Boxall’s decision to quit Somerset in the early weeks of the 2010 campaign, it was announced by the Rebels’ management on 29 April that they had signed the talented Tomíček as a replacement. The easy-going rider concluded the deal very quickly with co-promoter Debbie Hancock, linking with the Oak Tree Arena-based side on loan from his parent club, Lakeside.

Basing himself in the UK, the Czech’s starting green-sheet average of 8.96 saw him assume the No. 1 race-jacket when he made his debut for the club on 7 May, scoring 8+1 points in a home league fixture versus Workington.

Tomíček crashed out in heat eighteen of the Czech Grand Prix on 22 May and was subsequently transferred into a waiting ambulance. Thankfully, it was only precautionary and he declared himself fit to continue racing for Somerset. However, he was unable to maintain the form he showed in his opening meeting for the Rebels and, on 17 June, the club announced that they had released him from their line-up.

He had made ten appearances in their colours, scoring 43 points for a real-time average of 4.65. Although he was replaced by German racer Christian Hefenbrock, the Czech ace made a swift return to the British scene the following month, when he linked with Stoke.

The Potters had originally enlisted the services of Henning Bager to replace Claus Vissing, but when it became clear that the Dane was only available for a month, club promoter Dave Tattum instead turned to Tomíček to plug the gap.

Upon his arrival, the Czech duly completed several meetings in the No. 1 berth before a new green-sheet average of 4.26 permitted him to shuffle to a reserve slot. That switch coincided with some resurgent form, highlighted by a 10-point return from a league encounter versus Sheffield at Loomer Road on 7 August.  

He went on to appear in seventeen official meetings for Stoke and recorded 117 points for an average of 6.02. With the addition of his earlier record with Somerset, it gave him a seasonal tally of 160 points from twenty-seven matches and an overall 5.56 average.

Then in 2011, following a BSPA Management Committee meeting on 15 March, Newcastle knew that they required a short-term replacement for injured skipper Jason King and, the following day, they announced that the incoming rider would be Tomíček, who had previously represented the club in 2004 and 2005. The Geordie outfit had made an application to the MC requesting a facility to cover for King, but that was rejected necessitating the need to sign the Czech rider as cover.

Then, on 21 March, Lakeside strengthened their squad on the eve of the season by confirming the Czech Republic international and club asset in the No. 8 back-up position, following the rider’s loan to Newcastle in the Premier League. The Hammers had named Tomíček in their original squad way back in January, but were unable to confirm his place under the regulations until he had secured a team place in British speedway’s second tier.

But, on 20 April, Newcastle announced that they had signed Claes Nedermark as a direct replacement for Tomíček, who had bravely battled on despite suffering a devastating loss of form. But, on 23 May, Redcar revealed that they had signed the Czech as a replacement for the injured Adam Roynon following a couple of narrow home defeats whilst operating the rider replacement facility. The Prague-born rider kept his place in the side until Roynon was fit to return in late July.

On 8 August, it was announced that Tomíček had joined his fourth club of the season with the news that he had linked with Wolverhampton for the remaining weeks of the campaign as a direct replacement for Tyson Burmeister.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix Record:
Grand Prix ridden: 6 – 70th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix points: 16 – 80th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix races: 25 – 65th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix race wins: 0 – n/a
Grand Prix wins: 0 – n/a      
Grand Prix finals: 0 – n/a

FIM Speedway World Cup Record:
SWC tournaments: 1
Events: 1 – 16th on Czech Republic’s list; 173rd on SWC all-time list
Points: 4 – 12th on Czech Republic’s list; 130th on SWC all-time list
Finals: 0
Gold medals: 0

TOPINKA, Tomáš
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; (2006-10) King’s Lynn; (2011) Workington, 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].
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 7.64 (PL), 4.58 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The Czech was first identified in the colours of King’s Lynn in 1993, making his official debut for the club on 10 July. His name has been synonymous with the Norfolk outfit pretty much ever since and he has rarely ridden elsewhere in a glittering career. In fact, one of the only times he plied his trade elsewhere occurred in 1996, when he represented Oxford in a year that King’s Lynn didn’t operate.

In 1999, he started the campaign with the Stars but moved to Ipswich in mid-term. Then, after missing the 2000 season, Topinka was a late-season signing by Belle Vue in August 2001. The rider was all set to link with 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.

He rejoined King’s Lynn in 2003 and his testimonial meeting was held at Saddlebow Road a year later, on 21 March 2004, when Mark Loram was victorious in an individual event. With the Czech’s tall scoring and leadership qualities, the go-ahead Norfolk club went on to attain a large trophy haul from 2005 onwards.

In 2009, Topinka led King’s Lynn to League Championship and Premier Trophy glory, but missed out on the club’s Knock-Out Cup success 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.

He was again named in the Stars’ line-up for 2010 but, on 17 April, in a Premier Trophy encounter at Rye House, the club No. 1 was to sustain a broken fibula and severe bruising to his right hand as a result of a horrifying heat five accident. The race saw the home duo of Luke Bowen and Jordan Frampton gate ahead of Topinka, before the Czech endeavoured to drive outside the two Rockets in a single move coming off the fourth bend.

However, although he succeeded in getting past Frampton, he locked together with Bowen and took himself and the Harlow-born speedster into the first bend safety fence in a truly frightening crash. The match was delayed for half-an-hour while paramedics attended to the pair, who were – amazingly – able to walk away from the incident, with the home rider suffering torn shoulder ligaments and bruising.

A little over a month later, on 19 May, Topinka returned to action for the Stars in a home league match versus Berwick and rode as if he’d never been away, notching a five-ride paid maximum (11+4 points). However, in spite of that performance, the crash at Rye House and another he suffered in his homeland undoubtedly affected the Czech; indeed, it was only when he made the big decision to change from Jawa machinery – which he’d used all through his career – to GM that his trademark consistency began to re-emerge.  

He went on to complete a seasonal total of thirty-four matches for the club, which yielded 293 points and an average of 8.21. His highest score at home occurred in a Young Shield encounter with Rye House on 6 October, when he romped to a paid maximum tally of 14+1 points.

Meanwhile, on the Stars’ travels, Topinka’s best showing was in a league fixture at Newport on 1 August, when he recorded 13+1 points from five starts; his performance on the afternoon at Queensway Meadows was augmented by 4 points from a tactical outing in heat seven.

Those statistics took his number of official appearances for the Norfolk club to 578; that figure left the loyal speedster in second place – ahead of 1970s favourite Ian Turner (505 matches) – in the club’s records, whilst King’s Lynn legend Terry Betts (649 matches) remained in top spot.

The Stars made headline news during the close season when they elected to join the Elite League and although they released Topinka to ride for Premier League Workington, it was announced on 9 December that the Czech ace had also agreed to enter his fifteenth season with King’s Lynn in a shared team position. And, eight days later, the club confirmed that he would share the role with Ipswich’s Morten Risager.

In January, he was instated as the Comets’ skipper ahead of his first season with the club. Owner Keith Denham had clearly put his trust in Topinka as a rider and as a captain, with the Czech keen to ensure he repaid that faith in his ability.

Following an injury to Risager, a re-shuffle at King’s Lynn on 16 May saw Topinka’s ‘doubling-up’ role switched alongside Sam Masters, whilst Lasse Bjerre continued in a similar role with the incoming Lee Complin, who had effectively replaced Risager.

The Czech was maintaining an average of over 8 points per match for Workington, before being ruled out of the Comets’ league match at Edinburgh on 3 June after a bizarre collision with team-mate Kenny Ingalls’ mechanic on the parade lap.

That came after he had suffered concussion at Rye House at the end of May and, having taken another knock to his head at Armadale, he returned to his homeland to recuperate and was out of action until returning to the Comets’ line-up in a league encounter at Sheffield on 30 June.

In mid-August, a change at King’s Lynn saw the management opt to replace Topinka with Kozza Smith in a ‘doubling-up’ capacity; the move seemingly bringing to an end the Czech’s long association with the Norfolk outfit.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix Record:
Grand Prix ridden: 2 – 109th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix points: 15 – 81st on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix races: 13 – 84th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix race wins: 2 – 79th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix wins: 0 – n/a      
Grand Prix finals: 0 – n/a

FIM Speedway World Cup Record:
SWC tournaments: 5
Events: 10 – 4th on Czech Republic’s list; 33rd on SWC all-time list
Points: 69 – 4th on Czech Republic’s list; 36th on SWC all-time list
Finals: 1
Gold medals: 0

TRÉSARRIEU, Mathieu (Mat)
DATE OF BIRTH: 2 March 1986, Bordeaux, France.
BRITISH CAREER: (2002-03) Isle of Wight; (2005) Reading; (2006) Redcar, Oxford, Wolverhampton; (2007) Redcar; (2010) Peterborough; (2011) Leicester, Ipswich.
MAJOR HONOURS: French Champion: 2002, 2007, 2009.
CLUB HONOUR: Four-Team Championship winner: 2011 [Ipswich].
RIDER LINKS: Brother of Stéphane Trésarrieu (born: 27 February 1975, Bordeaux, France) and Sebastien Trésarrieu (born: 10 January 1981, Cenon, France).
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 5.90 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Having overcome an injury earlier in the 2007 season, Trésarrieu went on to seal third place overall – courtesy of a run-off success over Stephan Katt for the podium spot – in the final round of the World Long-track Championship at Marmande in his homeland on 13 July.

However, Redcar’s popular Frenchman suffered a body-blow in September that year, when he crashed during practice for the European Grass-track Championship at Swingfield in Kent, suffering a broken fibula and smashed knee socket. He 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. And, he stepped-up his quest for a regular return to the British scene in 2010, after making a 1,500-mile road trip from Bordeaux to appear in after-the-meeting practice at Peterborough on 20 May.

Having impressed the Panthers’ management, he quickly agreed terms to fill a reserve berth as the Cambridgeshire outfit dispensed with their ‘doubling-up’ duo of Klaus Jakobsen and Linus Eklöf.  

In early July, the Frenchman caught his foot in a hole and twisted it. Afterwards, the foot was too swollen to even get his boot on, but thankfully he was told nothing was broken during a subsequent trip to hospital and he was able to quickly return to action for the Panthers.

However, he was to miss the final month of the campaign after undergoing surgery on a troublesome groin injury on 27 September, having aggravated the problem when Peterborough exited the Play-Offs at the semi-final stage at home to Coventry seven days earlier. He had made twenty-one appearances for the club, which yielded 67 points and a 3.95 average.

Trésarrieu was unable to land a team berth for 2011 but, on 11 May, Leicester announced the Frenchman’s acquisition on loan via his parent club, Redcar, as a temporary replacement for injured Russian Ilya Bondarenko.

His arrival brought the Lions’ search to an end, it having been difficult for the club to find a suitable rider with an average that fitted within the points-limit due to staging their home meetings on a Saturday, which invariably clashed with the commitments of speedsters who raced in Europe on the weekends.

Regrettably, the Frenchman’s stint with Leicester ended in injury, when he aggravated his old knee injury whilst riding in his homeland on 1 June. With Bondarenko fit to return, it was only natural that the Russian was reinstated in the side a little over a week later.

Trésarrieu soon returned to the British racing scene, though, joining Ipswich as a replacement for long-term injury victim Chris Schramm; the move was announced by the Witches on 27 June.

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; (2010-11) Edinburgh.
CLUB HONOURS: Conference Trophy winner: 2005 [Armadale], 2006 [Scunthorpe], 2007 [Scunthorpe]; League Championship winner: 2006 [Scunthorpe], 2007 [Scunthorpe], 2008 [Edinburgh], 2010 [Edinburgh]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2006 [Scunthorpe]; Conference Shield winner: 2006 [Scunthorpe]; Premier Trophy winner: 2008 [Edinburgh]; Play-Off winner: 2008, 2009 [Edinburgh].
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 6.68 (PL).
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, Premier Trophy and Play-Off treble in 2008.

Remaining with Edinburgh in 2009, 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.

Having harnessed his great ability to leap 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.

Remarkably, the Monarchs went on to defeat King’s Lynn in the final for the second season on the spin. It was confirmed in December that the popular rider would remain on board with Edinburgh for their last season of racing at Armadale in 2010. And he was to enjoy another solid campaign, posting an average in excess of 7.5 points per meeting as the Scottish outfit secured a second League Championship in three seasons; this remarkably being the fourth title success of Tully’s career.

Regrettably, his campaign came to a painful end shortly afterwards, however, when he sustained a fractured and dislocated forearm whilst representing the Monarchs in heat four of the Scottish Cup against Glasgow at Ashfield Stadium on 3 October. His final statistics for the season were 320 points from forty-two official appearances, which yielded a real-time average of 7.78. And, on 5 December, Edinburgh confirmed that Tully would remain with them for the 2011 campaign.