KYLE HOWARTH is back in Leicester colours and set for his top-tier debut for the Lions.
The 30-year-old former British Under-21 Champion enjoyed an excellent two-year spell with the Watling JCB Lions in the Championship culminating in them topping the 2022 standings only to lose out to Poole in the Grand Final.
All-action Howarth was involved in much of the best racing at Beaumont Park and now heads back to the East Midlands having been with Sheffield since 2016.
He skippered the Tigers to a memorable Premiership title win in 2023 to add to a previous senior league success with Wolverhampton in 2016 and staged a successful testimonial at Owlerton earlier in the year.
Howarth arrives on a 5.18 average, discounted to 5.05 for team building purposes, and joins Max Fricke and Rising Star Sam Hagon as confirmed starters for last season’s beaten Grand Finalists.
Lions’ manager Stewart Dickson said: “Kyle is a bona fide second string in this league.
“We knew a little while back that Kyle would most probably be moving on, and as far as I know, Leicester was his first choice.
“He was on the phone to me asking to be kept in touch.
“Kyle had good times with us last time he was at Leicester, we finished well clear at the top of the league and he seems to enjoy the track.
“There’s a big difference between riding Sheffield every week and Leicester twice a season, and I’m sure he’ll get himself dialled back in with a few practice sessions.
“I know I’m going to get 100 per cent effort from him and he’s also a good rider to have in the pits as well.”
Words by George Dodds.
Images by Taylor Lanning.