Speedway: Sheffield announce first rider for 2027 season as youngster confirmed for line-up
League announcement confirms all six Rising Stars for next season
Sheffield have made their first rider announcement for the 2027 season, as the Speedway Premiership’s Rising Stars are confirmed.
The 2027 season will see 16-year-old Ryan Ingram fill the role at Owlerton, after a break-out season at Scunthorpe in the Championship. He finished the season on a green sheet average of 3.64.
The Peterborough born youngster, who turns 17 in January, had previously ridden for Leicester Lion Cubs in the National Development League
Tigers say as the year went on, he produced several match-wining performances for the Scorpions, particularly on his home circuit, and showed he can deliver on the big occasions with a score of 10+1 in the first leg of the Grand Final against Poole.
Sheffield co-owner Damien Bates is interested to see how he adapts to Premiership competition.
He said: “Ryan has already taken some steps in the right direction in the sport, despite still being in the educational years of his speedway career.
“I think he surprised quite a few people with his scores for Scunthorpe along the way this year and it shows that he has some ability.
“Racing in the Premiership is a completely different thing though but he’s not the only Rising Star who’ll be making his full top-flight debut next year.
“Yes, it’s a role for gaining experience and furthering development, but we’re going to need him to chip in and contribute along the way without too much pressure being on his shoulders.
“If the rest of our team building goes the way we hope, there’ll be certain other riders we hope he can lean on a bit and learn from and once again, with Simon Stead as his team manager, he’s got the ideal man to give him tips how to settle in around Owlerton.
“With him only turning 17 at the start of next season, hopefully we see him learning and developing and that will put us in a position to use him for the next couple of seasons which will be good stability for him to help him grow and become an established Premiership rider.”
The full list of Rising Stars for the new season is:
King’s Lynn – Jody Scott
Northampton – Ace Pijper
Ipswich – Vinnie Foord
Leicester – Jordy Loftus
Sheffield – Ryan Ingram
Belle Vue – Freddy Hodder