7:00am Wednesday 14th January 2009
By Phil Chard
MATT Ford is tipping Jordan Frampton to enjoy a lengthy Elite League career and hopes it will be with the rider’s hometown club – Poole.
Castle Cover Pirates’ chief was so impressed with Frampton’s performances for Somerset last season he has made him the Dorset club’s number eight again this term.
At the same time, Ford has warned doubling-up riders Carl Stonehewer and Tomasz Piszcz he won’t be afraid to make changes if they don’t perform and Frampton does.
But if Stonehewer and Piszcz impress in their dual Poole reserve berth, Ford has revealed he would let Frampton go to a rival Elite club if it meant the rider getting more meetings.
Frampton made three Pirates appearances in 2008, scoring three paid four from nine rides, before his lack of top-flight experience saw Mark Lemon take over the number eight role late in the campaign.
Ford said: “Jordan has shown a massive improvement in the last year or two.
“If he keeps his current progress up, by next year he will be looking for an Elite League berth.
“It’s just his gating. He must improve that. If he does, he really has a great future in speedway.
“He’s not gaining points in an easy manner. He has had to come from the back and showed that in the New Year Classic at Poole (when Frampton scored seven from five rides).
“If he can get his gating going he can definitely have a career in the Elite. Being a hometown boy, it would be wonderful if he could have his future here.”
Frampton, at 23 a late developer in speedway terms after only taking up the sport in his late teens, averaged 6.49 in the Premier League last term.
With Stonehewer averaging 7.47 and Piszcz 7.11, Frampton – currently enjoying a non-racing holiday in Australia – is not far keeping an eye on that position throughout the year.
“If Jordan’s rapid rise continues we won’t be afraid to change things.
“Jordan is a very popular guy to deal with and he was more than happy to act as our number eight last year.
“Hopefully he can pick up a few more meetings than the three he had in 2008.
“With that in mind, I’ve told Jordan if anyone else comes in for him as a doubling-up rider we won’t step in his way because I believe in encouraging his development as a young British rider.
“What’s clear at this time is that if he can pick up more meetings than I can offer, that will be to the benefit of Jordan and hopefully us in the future.”
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