THE NATIONAL League play-offs is the target for Coventry Storm after British Youth Championship runner-up Jamie Halder completed the team line-up for 2016.
The 16-year-old made and his debut ride for Storm at Kent in June and gained plenty of experience from nine appearances in the team.
He joins fellow teenager Callum Walker who joined Storm this week after both riders shared a reserve spot for the majority of the 2015 season.
The news means the Storm’s one-to-seven for 2016 is complete with Halder and Walker at reserve, Ryan Terry-Daley and Conor Dwyer as second-strings, and Dan Greenwood, Liam Carr and Martin Knuckey as heat-leaders.
Carr is the only complete newcomer to the team after he guested impressively in the season finale against Eastbourne and Mildenhall, whilst Terry-Daley is back from a loan spell with Stoke.
“I like the look of the team,” said promoter Mick Horton. “I expect us to be able to challenge for a play-off place and the league overall looks very interesting.
“I’m sure the usual suspects will be in and around the top again, but what I want to stress is that at Coventry we’re in this league for the right reasons.
“We want to develop our own riders and give them opportunities in the team, and I think it should be another good year.”
Whilst Jack Parkinson-Blackburn won all six rounds of the 500cc Youth series, Halder finished second in all but one of them to take a clear silver medal position overall in the competition.
Speaking about his move to Storm, Halder added: “I really enjoyed having my first National League season with Coventry, and it was brilliant to win my first ride.
“I learnt a lot about bike set-ups and how to ride different tracks, and it’s a really good team spirit at Coventry. I had a lot of help this year from Martin (Knuckey).
“I think next season is going to be really good, it’s me and Callum (Walker) at reserve and I think I should be able to up my average.”
