Inside Track 2014: Niels-Kristian Iversen dishes out his King’s Lynn Stars end-of-season awards

Lewis Kerr. Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant © 2014)

I've really enjoyed writing this weekly column and I hoped you've enjoyed reading it. Thanks for all the feedback and have a good winter.

Best rider of the year

If I can't nominate myself (hah) I think I'll give this one to Lewis Kerr. Out of all of the guys he's the one who has improved the most. He's scored a lot more points than anybody could have expected.

Most entertaining rider

Buster Chapman chats to Neil Middleditch. Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant Norfolk)

It's got to be Nicklas Porsing. He always gives 100pc and rides so close to the fence. When he's on the pace and his machinery is firing he's spectacular to watch.

Funniest moment

There are a lot of amusing things I can recall from 2014 and it's quite hard to pick just one. When Buster Chapman tried to shave off Rory Schlein's beard it was pretty funny. But after a long think it has got to be Robert Lambert during our team-building day.

He made a right mess of the golf course we played.

Best opposition

That has to be Poole. When they're at full strength they're a tough side. They were the first team to beat us at home and when they've got their full one to seven I'd say they're the strongest team.

Worst track

Another award for the Pirates. It's consistently pretty bad. It's not a good track to ride and I don't like going there. It's got a great shape and it has the potential to be a brilliant track. It used to be decent in the past but in recent years it's either too wet, too deep, too slick or too bumpy for my liking – it's just never right.

Biggest joker

That one is easy. Captain Rory Schlein. He always has an opinion and likes to have banter – as well as having a good old moan.

Worst moment

Simple. When I got injured in the Grand Prix at Gorzow, on August 30 because I knew straight away that my season was over. For King's Lynn, it was just any moment that a rider got injured. There isn't a specific one, but every time it happened near the end of the season we knew how hard it would be.

Best meeting

That massive win we had at Birmingham in April (60-30). That was the moment we realised how strong we could be. Personally, any time I got a maximum or scored well.

Unsung hero

Owner Buster Chapman does get more credit now as people realise he does a great job on the track. But he is the best in the country and as a promoter he pays riders on time, which some clubs don't, and that's a really good thing.

Biggest disappointment

Watching us lose to Poole by a very small margin in the second leg of the play-off semi-finals, which meant our dream of winning the league was over.

The boys all put in the effort, but it's just such a shame how the season ended for us. I was so frustrated as I couldn't do anything. And what's worse is we were really close – and in a few weeks no one will remember just how close we came to winning.

Niels-Kristian Iversen was talking to Gavin Caney.