Category: Bears News

The countdown to the 2026 season is officially on!

Join us at Redcar Speedway on Saturday 14th March for our annual Press & Practice Day.

👋 Meet the Riders in the Clubhouse from 11:00am
🔥 Track action gets underway early afternoon

This is your first chance to see the 2026 Agilia Bears in their brand-new race suits and get a glimpse of what’s to come this season. We’re also hoping to have the 2026 merchandise range available, so you can gear up for the new campaign!

🎟 Season Tickets – Need Help?
If you need assistance purchasing your season ticket through the new online system, support will be available:

🛍 Club Shop open from 1:00pm on Saturday 7th March (all afternoon)
🛍 Also available during Press Day on 14th March

We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to the ECCO Arena as we launch into 2026. See you there!

Redcar Speedway are pleased to announce in association with the Young Lions the date for the 2026 British Under 21 Final will take place at the ECCO Arena on Sunday 7th June at a 7.30pm start time.

This will conclude a fantastic weekend for British Speedway as this prestige event will take place the day after the double SGP in Manchester.

The Young Lions have confirmed that the top eight riders from the 2025 Championship averages will be seeded direct to the final which will include Redcar’s Ace Pijper and Jody Scott as well as Middlesbrough’s Ben Trigger, so plenty of interest for the Redcar home supporters

The remaining seeded riders will be Luke Killeen who will be representing both Sheffield and Oxford in 2026, Scunthorpe’s Luke Harrison, Belle Vue’s Rising Star Wiilliam Cairns with Workington’s Vinnie Foord and Glasgow’s Freddy Hodder completing the seeded riders.

The line up will be completed following the British Under 21 Qualifier taking place at Leicester with a date to be confirmed

The Middlesbrough Tigers class of 2026 was unveiled last night at the Supporters’ Club event held in the track clubhouse, with fans getting their first look at a team that blends continuity, progression, and headline surprises.

It came as little surprise to see Ace Pijper confirmed as captain and returning to lead the team at number one. Pijper will once again double up his Tigers role alongside his Redcar Bears Championship commitments. Also returning is his brother Stene Pijper, who comes back to continue the clear progression he showed during the 2025 campaign.

Another familiar face returning for a third consecutive season is Kai Ward, who has demonstrated steady development throughout his time with the Tigers and remains an important part of the club’s long-term plans.

The final 2025 returnee is Charlie Southwick, who joined the side mid-season last year and was an instant hit with both team-mates and supporters.

The first surprise of the evening came with the capture of Nathan Ablitt, a proven heat leader who will also be competing in the Championship with Scunthorpe this season, adding further strength and experience to the Tigers’ top order.

The biggest reaction from the crowd followed the announcement of Ben Trigger, the former Bear and Tiger who had recently indicated he would be sitting out the 2026 season. Following a short discussion with the Redcar promotion, Trigger confirmed he was fully committed to returning to the saddle and getting back on track with the Tigers.

The final place in the team is filled by Harry Sadler, a rider largely unknown to British supporters. Sadler is the son of former rider Nigel Sadler and has been racing in Australia to date. He now makes the move to the UK as he looks to continue and develop his speedway career on the British circuit.

With the team now confirmed, attention turns to the 2026 season, with optimism high around a Tigers side built to compete while maintaining a strong focus on rider development.

Promotor Jamie Swales said

“I’m extremely pleased with the team we’ve assembled for 2026. Rider development will always be at the heart of what we do with Middlesbrough, with a clear eye on producing future Redcar Bears riders, but I’m particularly happy that we’ve also built a highly competitive team. This is a side capable of pushing for honours, while still keeping the average age of the squad at around just 18 years old, which is something we’re very proud of.

We are also still actively looking for a title sponsor for the Middlesbrough Tigers. With the team shaping up as well as it has, 2026 could be a fantastic season for a business to have its name associated with the club.”

Visit here to purchase your 2026 Season Ticket.

2026 Season

£248 – Adult
£216 – Concession
£0 – Under 16 (with a paying Adult)

Valid for:

All 8 championship matches (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Berwick, Workington, Scunthorpe, Oxford, Poole, Plymouth)
2 BSN Series group matches (Workington & Scunthorpe)
1st round of KO Cup (Edinburgh)
5 National league matches (Edinburgh, Leicester, Oxford, Kings Lynn & Buxton)

Season ticket holders also get a 10% discount on semi-finals and finals of the play-offs, BSN Series and KOC.

We’re proud to announce that Redcar Speedway has been awarded the British Under-21 Final for 2026 🇬🇧🏁

One of the most prestigious events on the domestic calendar will be heading to the ECCO Arena, showcasing the very best young talent in British speedway as they battle for national honours.

We can’t wait to welcome riders and supporters from across the country for what promises to be a fantastic night of racing at Redcar.

📅 Date and further details to be announced in due course.

SIX teams will contest the 2026 National Development League including the welcome return of Buxton Speedway to official competition.

The Hi-Edge Raceway last staged league racing eight years ago with the club having become long-serving members of the third tier.

They are now being re-launched as the Bulls under the stewardship of the vastly experienced Laurence Rogers, and they were accepted into the NDL at this week’s British Development meeting, with an SCB track inspection due to take place at the Derbyshire venue in the near future.

Buxton will be joined in this season’s competition by defending champions Oxford Chargers along with fellow existing members Edinburgh Monarchs Academy, Leicester Lion Cubs and Middlesbrough Tigers, whilst King’s Lynn Young Stars switch from the parallel NDT competition which ran in 2025.

There is one NDL competition this season, and the teams will build to a points limit of 42 with seven riders in a team. Teams will meet once home and once away with the championship being decided based on the league table, with no play-offs.

The following regulations will apply:

* For riders who completed 2025 with an average in both NDL and NDT, the NDL average will apply for 2026. Any rider who has an existing NDT average but not NDL will use their NDT average.

* Riders new to the NDL will enter on a 2.00 average, a reduction from 3.00 which applied last season.

* Riders who achieved an average of under 3.00 in 2025 will start the 2026 season on their actual average, subject to a minimum of 2.00.

* From the 2025 regulations, teams were permitted to include a maximum of one rider with a Championship average of 4.00-6.00 if that rider was not declared in a Championship or Premiership team. This regulation will be removed for 2026, and a team could therefore include more than one rider who falls into that category, subject of course to the points limit.

* Where ‘no facility’ is utilised for an absent rider in a team’s top five, this will be either a 3.00 or below Unattached Rider, or a rider with an established NDL average of 3.00 or below, subject to SCB Regulation 013.1.6a (a guest must have the same or lower MA than that of the absent rider).

* Where ‘no facility’ is utilised for an absent rider who is 6th or 7th in a team’s averages, this will be a 3.00 or below Unattached Rider, subject to SCB Regulation 013.1.6a (a guest must have the same or lower MA than that of the absent rider).

All NDL regulations are subject to SCB approval.

As part of the British Development regulations, all clubs not competing in the National Development League must participate in at least one of the following alternatives during the season: National League Riders Development Individual, Midland Development League, Northern Junior League, Second Half Open Invitation or a standalone British Youth Championship Round.

2026 NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE: Buxton, Edinburgh, King’s Lynn, Leicester, Middlesbrough, Oxford. 

The Bears Supporters Group are holding an evening in the club house on the 31st of January with a few activities planned.

We also plan to reveal any Tigers signings so far and some more exciting club news, tickets available at

Online Shop

We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Heatfloors and Graham Wood for their valued support of the Middlesbrough Tigers over the past two seasons as title sponsor.

Their backing has played an important role in the team’s journey during that period, and we are grateful for the commitment they have shown to the team.

Following their withdrawal, the Middlesbrough Tigers are now actively seeking a new title sponsor as the team prepares to once again compete in the National Development League.

This represents an excellent opportunity for a business to align itself with a proud, ambitious club with a strong supporter base and a clear vision for the future.

 For sponsorship enquiries or to discuss opportunities, please contact us via email at jswales.redcarbears@gmail.com

 Merry Christmas from everyone at Redcar Speedway 

Thank you to our incredible supporters, volunteers, riders and sponsors for an amazing year.
We hope you all have a fantastic Christmas.
See you back at the Ecco Arena in 2026 

Redcar lifted the lid on their 2026 Cab Direct Championship side on Friday night, as supporters packed into Teesside University Students’ Union for the club’s Christmas Party and team reveal.

In front of a noisy and expectant crowd, the Redcar Agilia Bears “Class of 2026” was confirmed as Charles Wright, Jake Mulford, Jason Edwards, Jordan Jenkins, Jake Allen, Ace Pijper and Jody Scott.

Co-promoter Jamie Swales was delighted to finally share the line-up with the club’s supporters after weeks of speculation.

He said, “We’ve talked a lot about building on what we achieved in 2025, and we genuinely believe this seven gives us the tools to do exactly that.

“There’s a lovely balance to the side – proven top-end quality, exciting young talent, and riders who already have a real connection with Redcar and our fans. We can’t wait to see them together on track.”

Former British Champion Charles Wright once again spearheads the Bears’ challenge, bringing top-end firepower and vast Championship experience back to the ECCO Arena.

Around him, Redcar have assembled a well-balanced, all-action top 5 with Jake Allen, Jason Edwards, Jordan Jenkins and Jake Mulford all capable of big scores at home and away.

At reserve, the Bears will track two of British speedway’s most exciting young prospects in Jody Scott and Ace Pijper, both already firm favourites on Teesside after impressive debut seasons with the Bears in 2025.

Jade Mudgway also joins the side as joint Team Manager alongside Gavin Parr and believes the Bears have put together a side that the Redcar faithful can really get behind:

“We asked ourselves two questions: will this team be competitive everywhere, and will our fans enjoy watching them? We think the answer on both counts is a massive yes.

“There’s aggression from the gate, riders who can come from the back, and lads who genuinely want to wear the Redcar race jacket. The atmosphere tonight showed how much it means to everyone.”

The reveal capped a hugely popular festive evening, with supporters enjoying racing replays, fundraising activities and the chance to meet members of the 2026 side ahead of the new season.

Redcar will now turn their attention to finalising official event dates and season ticket availability for the 2026 Cab Direct Championship campaign, with more information to follow once confirmed following British Speedway’s AGM in January.

For further information, sponsorship opportunities or season ticket details, supporters are encouraged to keep an eye on the club’s official website and social media channels.

Image by Colin Poole.