Brothers primed for speedway showdown
Ryan and Lucas Colvin enjoy a bit of sibling rivalry.
The brothers compete against each other on the speedway track and are also both black belts in taekwondo, so they know a thing or two about when the going gets tough.
The pair will be trying their best to capture the 2024 Mainland Mechanical New Zealand Solo Championships in the senior A 500cc class at Oreti Park Speedway in Invercargill.
It’s going to be a tough ask for the brothers as they line up today in an 11-strong field, but like any sport, all it takes is a bit of luck.
“It’s a strong field. We’re going to have to race really well and perform at our best. We’re probably mid-field at the moment,” Lucas said.
Making their chances easier was the fact they were racing on their home track and didn’t have to travel to the likes of
Christchurch or Auckland, two places that were offered the nationals before Invercargill, but turned them down.
“It’s certainly nicer that we’re going to
be racing on our home track. I am hoping to make the final. There’s always tough competition.” Lucas said.
As for getting one over his brother, Lucas remained coy.
“We will see what happens. We might try and team up. We will see what happens. I love the adrenaline of the sport. There is no other sport out there like it.”
With just four laps and around six minutes of track time, there’s little margin for error, so the brothers know they’ll have to be at their best if they are to be victorious.
“Preparation has been pretty good. We’re ready to stick it to the others in our grade,” said Ryan, who was first to take up speedway. “Racing at home is a massive boost, and it’s good to have Lucas in there. We both have good and bad days and push each other to improve.”
A rider to watch is the UK’s Bradley Wilson Dean, who has come over to compete, and fellow Southland rider Finn Reed.
While they no longer do taekwondo, the confidence gathered from the sport helps the pair when they’re on their bikes and in race mode.