erstappen was third in the first practice and fourth in the se

Ipswich Witches captain Danny King tells Sky Sports about the life of a speedway rider during the winter months...Having jetted around Europe, racing lap after lap of a speedway track for the best part of seven months, it is no surprise to hear that Danny King takes time to relax once the season has finished before turning his attention to the next campaign.I dont do much until Christmas, I try and have a bit of family time, said King, who also represents Coventry Bees. I try and sort my contracts out which is really important and which I have done this year. I always like to get that done before Christmas so I can relax and enjoy the festive season. Obviously you are keeping fit and training and once Christmas is out of the way I start my bike assembly.We are also jumping around speaking to sponsors and it goes really quick. I know its four months off, but I can assure you it does not feel like that. We are also jumping around speaking to sponsors and it goes really quick. I know its four months off, but I can assure you it does not feel like that. Danny King In the world of speedway, rule changes and poor performances can make it quite feasible for a team to change all seven riders from season to season, meaning a lot of movement in the winter transfer market, and the 29-year-old talks us through the process of sorting out contracts.Its different for everyone really, said King. Mostly clubs will phone you, some riders do have agents, so in that case they will phone them. Normally the club knows what riders want to go there and in return the rider knows what clubs want him to go there. Its quite clear really and then it is down to negotiations. A speedway rider must secure a new contract ahead of the new season You have a bit of say on where you go, but most of the time we have to wait for the AGM [Annual General Meetings] to finish because the promoters cant start building their team without knowing the team average and that sort of stuff. But if I wanted to go to another club, that club would have to get permission from my parent club to speak to me and once we had that we can sit down and open negotiations.There is a lot more to a speedway riders winter than sorting out club contracts. Essentially riders are a business, and like any other business they need as much income as possible to be able to run, which is where sponsors come in. The role of sponsorship can never be underestimated in the sport and the Ipswich rider explains how to obtain sponsorship and the difficulties he faces. Searching for sponsorship is also a regular task for King King said: Its one of the most difficult things in any sport - getting sponsorship. Its important they know what they are getting in return. Its easy to go and get some sponsorship, get some money and never contact them again.I like to invite them down to meetings throughout the year. We put them in hospitality boxes and try to support them in that way, because without them it wouldnt happen. Sponsorship is a huge part of any sport but especially speedway.Nine times out of 10 you hear about potential sponsors through word of mouth; someone who knows someone who likes their speedway and wants to get involved. If you are targeting companies that you know are not your normal speedway companies, like your bigger firms, then it is a case of writing to them.Despite the continuing stresses and strain during the off-season, King insists he would not swap his role as a rider. But the 29-year-old retains his desire to compete He said: Its the adrenalin side of things. Its a strange concept really, its a 500cc bike with no brakes on a fenced circuit. Its that risk factor, its the whole package of speedway. As for why we do it - I dont know, the best way to describe it, and Ive heard people say it before, is its like a drug, you get addicted.Once it is in the blood it is hard to get out. Once youve had a taste of speedway you want to keep going as long as you can. I feel very blessed that Im lucky enough to do it as a job and I want to keep going as long as I can. Discount Soccer Jerseys . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. Cheap Liverpool Jerseys China . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. http://www.cheapsoccerchina.com/cheap-juventus-jerseys-china_136s.html . Once again, DeLaet finished tied for second at a PGA Tour stop on the weekend, this time at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The pride of Weyburn, Sask. Cheap Tottenham Hotspur Jerseys China . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. 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"It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont.ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- Lewis Hamilton warmed up for his bid to wrestle the Formula One title from Mercedes rival Nico Rosberg with the fastest time in the first two practice sessions Friday at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.The defending champion, who is seeking a third straight title and fourth overall, overcame a minor scare when he lost control of the rear of his car in the first session then dealt with some balance issues on his wheels in the second.He was .079 seconds quicker than Rosberg in the second practice after beating him by.374 seconds in the first.It will be a welcome boost for Hamilton, who trails Rosberg by 12 points heading into Sundays race.Were in a good position for tomorrow. Pole (position) is the goal for tomorrow, Hamilton said. I havent managed it at this track for a long time but I know Im quick here, the car feels great and theres still some time in it.But even if Hamilton wins the race, Rosberg needs only to finish third to be crowned champion for the first time.Both have won nice races in a topsy-turvy season that started with Rosberg taking complete control after winning the first four races while Hamilton struggled with engine troubles. The title race then went in Hamiltons favor only for Rosberg to seize the initiative back.We underestimate the pressure these guys are under, Mercedes head of motorsport Toto Wolff said. Sometimes you have to allow the drivers to express their feelings and emotions. You dont want to streamline them too much.Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel was third best in the evening session -- encouragingly only .269 behind Hamilton -- but he had to go back to the Ferrari garage, saying over race radio that he suspected gearbox failure.ddddddddddddHowever, because the engine was being used for practice he will not incur a penalty for a gearbox change.Ferraris performance in the evening gave Vettel encouragement that the car can push Mercedes in Saturdays qualifying.Overall the car felt good and I think we should have good pace, Vettel said. Hopefully tomorrow well have a similar feeling in qualifying and put the car where it belongs.Dutch teenager Max Verstappen was third in the first practice and fourth in the second, where the Red Bull driver was troubled by some tire issues.We had a few issues with the car today which meant aborting the last run was the sensible thing to do, the 19-year-old Verstappen said. Nothing is broken and there is nothing to worry about, just safe to stop early. The grip is always a bit difficult here.The 2010 title, won dramatically by Vettel, and the 2014 title, won by Hamilton, also both went down to the wire in Abu Dhabi.Its down to the last race. Its all coming up: the frustrations and the happy moments, said Wolff, praising the mental strength of his drivers. I find it very remarkable how theyve managed their relationship for the benefit of the team.The race begins at 5 p.m. local time and ends with night falling on the desert track and temperatures still warm, but dropping with a late breeze.Adapting to that and knowing what to expect can be a challenge, Rosberg said. But our car was working well in both conditions. ' ' '