More than 3,000 fans saw the first speedway meeting at Central Park on Bank Holiday Monday – making it the biggest sporting event in Sittingbourne this century.

Kent Kings were beaten 49-41 by the American Touring Team after 15 heats but the day was a triumph for the club who have spent months promoting speedway’s arrival in the town.

Kings commercial manager Neil Day said: “Other than a victory, I genuinely don’t think we could have asked for any more.

“We’ve had the weather and the stands have been busy.

“The crowd was at the top end of what I was expecting, which is absolutely brilliant.”

No official attendance has been released, but Kings say the crowd was more than 3,000.

That makes it the biggest turnout at the stadium since Sittingbourne FC played Arsenal in a pre-season friendly in August, 1997 watched by 3,349.

The record attendance at Central Park is the 5,951 fans who saw the Brickies play a friendly against Tottenham in January, 1993.