SWINDON Sprockets are putting the final touches on their preparations for the start of their tilt at the 2017 National League Trophy with the completion of their team.

Last week, Sprockets boss Lee Kilby announced six of the riders that will rider for the team this year but has now confirmed David Wallinger is the final name in the septet.

He joins home-grown rider Darryl Ritchings, 2017 Swindon Robins team member Zach Wajtknecht as well as Dan Greenwood, David Mason, Taylor Hampshire and Layne Cupitt.

The Sprockets will tackle home and away meetings against Plymouth Devils and Isle of Wight Warriors in a round-robin group, starting on the road against the latter on Thursday, May 4.

“We did the one-off Sprockets meeting last year and grassroots speedway is something Swindon hasn’t had for a long time and it’s something we want back,” said Kilby, the son of legendary Swindon racer Bob Kilby.

“We’re using riders from other National League sides who haven’t entered this competition but although we are very much a select team, we are in it to win it.

“We’ve got four meetings in a round-robin group and if we win our group, we go into a final – that’s the aim.

“We have got a mix of youth and experience. We’ve got guys who have competed a lot at National League level and some up-and-coming riders too.

“Having Darryl in the team was crucial for us. We have got a great friendship but putting that to one side, he is the best Swindon-born rider out there at the moment so it’s important for us to try to help him along and aid his development as much as we can.

“It’s good to get Zach in too as it’s a nice link with the Robins team and we want to get Zach on track as much as we can.

“Zach is from Bristol, so he is a local boy as well. When my dad was racing years ago, if you were local, you were from Swindon or Minety or Marlborough.

“Nowadays, if you’re local to a club, it just means you’re English, so to have a Swindon lad and a Bristol lad in there is brilliant and good for the fans.”

Youth will be a big factor off the track as well as on it for the Sprockets, with Kilby keen to engage the next generation of the club’s supporters and offering free admission for children to home meetings.

“It’s exciting, it’s a good opportunity for Swindon to do something different and I am really keen to go around some schools and promote it,” said Kilby.

“We want to go into schools and do some assemblies and get people interested, we will take Darryl and a bike and try to get people interested.

“Kids can attend our home meetings for free so it’s a great opportunity for youngsters to come to speedway.”