Category: Bears News

It would be fair to say that Lockdown hasn’t been a lot of fun, and it would also be fair to say that the lack of speedway has been even less fun.

However one positive about it all has been some of the throwback posts that we have seen on social media have been nothing sort of sensational.

On Twitter and account called Speedway Photographs shared this absolute gem from around 1981/82 featuring Greg Hancock and Ronnie Correy, both of whom would go on to have extremely successful careers.

Of course with Greg Hancock only recently retiring from the sport as arguably one of the all time greats, he was arguably the last of the golden generation of American riders who appeared on these shores during the 1980s.

If you are interested in hearing some of the stories on these guys I thoroughly recommend you have a listen to the Tatum and Pearson Podcast. Recent guests have included Rick Miller, Bobby Schwarz and Bruce Penhall, all of whom had many a story to tell!

Lastly, over on Instagram Robert Lambert has every reason to smile albeit under a mask! The British endured a torrid 2019 season with injuries and such but his blistering form in Poland has seen him be a leading light in a struggling Rybnik side.

Double figure scores week in and week out have become the norm for Robert who has been taking some big scalps along the way. On an individual front he has been tearing it up in the European Championships with a couple of very good displays.

While 2020 has been a struggle for many, Robert Lambert looks to have taken his opportunity with both hands, come of age and become a force on the big stage.

This can only be a good thing for British Speedway as a whole.

If you wish to agree, or disagree with me, you have spotted something on social media you feel is worth a mention here, or you simply want to chew the fat over all things speedway , then get in touch either via email jbspeedwaymedia@hotmail.com, via the JB Speedway Media Facebook page or you can even tweet me @Mythman666.

Until next time, and there will be a next time.

JB

There has been a lot of talk recently about the possibility of speedway returning to the likes of Bradford, Oxford and even Southampton, and if it were to happen, it would be a much needed shot in the arm for British Speedway.

However it only serves as a reminder of how many clubs we have sadly lost over the years. Even in my own time watching speedway I have seen the likes of Newport, Reading, Exeter, Coventry and many more clubs all close the doors for one reason or another.

Long Eaton was another club to sadly close the doors in 1997 and a photo from 2009 appeared on Twitter showing the stadium in a derelict state at the time.

For those who enjoy a trip down memories lane there are a couple of Long Eaton speedway themed pages on Facebook for you to enjoy, which are well worth checking out.

Another club still active on Facebook despite being inactive on track these days is Hull Vikings. A recent post of there’s on Facebook showing an old action shot of Craven Park got me thinking about the impact Covid-19 has had on speedway and sport in general.

Of course everyone is in the same boat and missing speedway at the moment, but it sure makes you think doesn’t it? 

Support your club because you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.

Elsewhere on Twitter there was this absolute gem of a photo of Kelvin Tatum busting a few moves, presumably at an end of season dance somewhere.

Naturally this sparked a bit of debate and lighthearted ribbing of Kelvin and it did make me wonder if this was the genesis of his catchphrase “all out of shape!”

If you wish to agree, or disagree with me, you have spotted something on social media you feel is worth a mention here, or you simply want to chew the fat over all things speedway , then get in touch either via email jbspeedwaymedia@hotmail.com, via the JB Speedway Media Facebook page or you can even tweet me @Mythman666.

Until next time, and there will be a next time.

JB

In the latest of his interviews, Ryan Nassau caught up with Aussie star Jordan Stewart:

Q: You first joined the Redcar Bears in 2018, initially what were your aims when you first landed on British soil ahead of your debut season in British Speedway, what did you hope to achieve in that first season?

A: Initially, my aim was to maintain my starting average which was 5.2 at the time. Unfortunately, I started off the year struggling and midway through the year I started to pick up my form. Additionally, I took on board some advice from people and then I took my engines elsewhere, unfortunately I didn’t maintain my average as I found things a lot harder than I originally thought. 

Q: At the start of your first campaign with the Bears you struggled with finding the right set-ups for each individual track and thus you found it hard to hit the ground running, did you ever have any thoughts that your team place at Redcar might be under threat?

A: I did a couple of times actually, when I first arrived I was new to everyone including Ben Duffill and Kevin Keay and with not knowing them that well I thought I might have been in danger of being dropped but Ben pulled me aside a couple of times to tell me I wasn’t going anywhere and there was no pressure on me. Then I started to have fun on the bike and enjoy my racing which in turn helped me to start scoring points. I’m lucky that I went to such a great club in Redcar who believed in me and stuck by me.

Q: The catalyst for your turnaround came against the Glasgow Tigers when you notched a very impressive 16+1 to help the Bears defeat the Tigers 48-42, looking back does this go down as your best individual performance as a Bear to date and if not, what performance do you class as your best?

A: Yeah that meeting was probably my best so far but I also enjoyed Berwick away last year, I only scored 3 points but me and Greavsie (Nathan Greaves) got a 5-1 in heat 14 which virtually won us the meeting so that was pretty cool as well. Heat 14 has been pretty kind to me but I always ride better when I’m put under some pressure and Ben and Jade know that they can bank on me coming good in heat 14. 

Q: In modern day sport loyalty is often hard to find, especially in a young sportsman. It was heavily rumoured that after your first season with the Bears that you received a strong offer from another championship club, were you ever tempted by this and did the faith shown in you by the Bears promotion early in that first season convince you that Redcar was the right place to be?

A: Obviously, I did have a couple of different offers from clubs but I had no intentions of going elsewhere in my second season. Redcar do a lot for me on and off the track and they are a massive help in my career and I am a loyal rider. Honestly, I owe Redcar a lot and I love rocking up to the track every friday and racing around the track. In my opinion, it’s the best track in the country so why would I want to be anywhere else

Q: Last season your away form improved dramatically, from a meagre 2.51 in 2018 to an impressive 5.71 in 2019, is this an area you see yourself improving again in 2020 and if so, do you have your eyes firmly set on the third heat leader position at Redcar?

A: 100% I do, this year I want to be a heat-leader, number 1 if possible. You’ve got to strive for success and now I’ve found my feet I want to really go for it this year.

Q: When the 2020 season finally gets underway you will be doubling-up by also riding for the 2019 Premiership champions the Swindon Robins, on a personal level what are your aims in your first Premiership campaign and did having two other Australian riders in Jason Doyle and Troy Batchelor help convince you that Swindon was the right place for you?

A: With Swindon I’m aiming to be a good team rider and maintain my average and hopefully improve meeting on meeting. I know it’s going to be harder and a step up riding against better opposition. With the likes of Jason and Troy you can’t get much better guidance and advice than them. I also gel well with Rosco (Alun Rossiter) and Lee Kilby (Swindon co-promoter) which is good. I had one other premiership offer but Swindon were the ones who really wanted me which really helped make my mind up. 

Q: Do you think it’s important that Redcar have kept the same top 5 this season?

A: Yeah, obviously I ride with Tofty (Micheal Palm Toft) and I like riding with him as he just sits on the white line which gives me the whole track to attack. Charles likes to gate and go but the top 5 from last year really gelled well and got along well. It’s massive when the whole team gets along, we were all pushing each other on to improve and the team’s confidence was sky-high. A lot of other teams have no team spirit but at Redcar the feeling is different, everyone gets along and we all enjoy having a laugh. I love Redcar. 

Q: In recent years British speedway has failed to attract the elite level riders consistently but do you believe with the recent big name acquisitions of Nicki Pedersen at Sheffield and Jason Crump at Ipswich that British Speedway is once again on the rise?

A: Definitely, like you said with Nicki going to Sheffield it will bring more people through the gate as he’s a racer and people enjoy watching top racers. With Nicki, Jason Doyle, Jason Crump and Neils Krisitan Iversen riding against each other week in week out, that should hopefully help British speedway improve. Racing in England is good for your career as the tracks are tough and it improves you as a rider.

Q: One of the many highlights of last season came in the club’s final meeting when we clinched the KO Cup against our closest rivals the Newcastle Diamonds. Arguably, you were a deciding factor in the Bears clinching the trophy with a 9 point haul despite failing to score in your last visit to Brough Park, was the miraculous turnaround in your fortunes down to a strong amount of resilience and strong mental fortitude or simply just having a better night at the office? 

A: I’ve always struggled when I’ve rode at Newcastle, Brough Park is one of them tracks where you’ve just got to rock up, forget about it and ride the place hard. This time I turned up with the mentality that I’ve got nothing to lose as it was my last meeting of the season and it was a massive night for the club. 

With league racing still curtailed due to the Covid-19 situation, we bring you an Interview with Bears reserve Jordan Jenkins:

Q: The 2020 season brings new challenges for us all on and off the bike and you are riding in two leagues for the Bears and the newly named Kent Royals in the National League in 2020, when the season does get underway just how important is it to get as much track time as possible to help you progress as a rider and how much did you enjoy riding for Kent last season?

A: 100% it is vital for me to be on the bike as much as I can to keep myself not only race fit but occupied. I’m happy when I’m riding. For sure it’s going to be one hectic season to say the least when we finally get underway but I feel I’m ready to make the jump now more than ever. To be back at Kent is really good for me I enjoyed my time there last season even if my performances didn’t match that. Redcar was a club I always looked at as being so professional even when I rode there back in 2017. To get the call to ride for the Bears was effectively a dream come true.

Q: During last season you had a short spell with Birmingham before you decided to take a break from speedway, do you feel the break helped you and do you feel much better prepared for the rigours that championship speedway brings this season?

A: I think that was a decision that I rushed. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind and I don’t think I was fully prepared and that is a recipe for disaster. That break from the sport made me realise what I want and what I love and that is to be on a bike winning races. It’s made me understand where I need to be in order to succeed at that level and this season I really do feel we’ve got everything in place to give me the best chance of success.

Q: The Bears have got two young and hungry British reserves this season, is it helpful working alongside a rider in Joe Lawlor as you are at similar stages of your career and presumably you can bounce off each other and help each other improve throughout the season?

A: Joe is such a character. It will be good to ride alongside him this year for sure. I feel that we can both push each other on too. We get on so well so to spend a season with him will be good.

Q: The Bears boast the current British champion and former world longtrack champion in their septet, when you decided to sign for the Bears did having experienced riders like Charles and Erik help sway you to the club as surely having their knowledge and experience can only help you improve throughout the season?

A: If I’m honest I don’t think you can single out just Charles and Eric. The team Ben, Jade and Jamie have put together is incredible. I will learn an awful lot from each and everyone of them and it’s something I really can’t wait for. For sure riding with Charles and Eric is going to be awesome but the team as a whole I feel I can benefit from.

Q: You start the 2020 season in the championship on an assessed 2.00 average, realistically, what average are you hoping to attain by the season’s end and do you have any specific goals you want to achieve this season?

A: Personally, I don’t like putting too much pressure on myself, when I’m relaxed I’m fast and I win races. I will take each meeting and race as it comes and hopefully that will lead to something far bigger in the long run. If I had to look at it from an average perspective I would like to aim for a 4. I think the main goal for anyone coming into the season is for it to be a success but I really do feel that I have a chance with both the Bears and the Royals to pick up some trophies.

Q: In your last meeting at the Media Prima Arena you scored a very respectable 9 points from 5 outings in the British U19 final including finishing your programmed rides with a win over Glasgow hotshot Connor Bailey, how much did you enjoy the experience of riding in a national final and is a place on the podium the goal for this year’s final?

A: The last meeting I did at Redcar was the under 19s final. I chose completely the wrong set up at the start of the meeting only getting 2 points from my first two rides which was very disappointing but for my 3rd ride I swapped bikes and then got 7 points which I feel should have been 8. I was happy with the way I ended my night and I could have only wished I was on that bike from the start. I then feel that the meeting would have been a whole different story.

Q: As a part of the no limits training program what is the best piece of advice you have received from a current or former rider and what is the best moment in your fledgling career so far?

A: The no limits programme is great and I’m very grateful to be a part of it. My fitness is something I’ve struggled with in the past but they’ve given me the knowledge I need to progress not only physically but mentally. The various tracks we train at really puts a different perspective on things. It’s all about technique and things you may not really focus on in a race situation. I really do think my best moment was the way I started the 2018 season prior to breaking my back. My form then was something I really want to get back. I think I got two maximums in two days and was loving my riding.

Q: Rather unusually the Bears full septet all won national honours last season with the Bears current top 5 winning the KO Cup, Joe Lawlor winning the league with Leicester and you picking up the National Trophy with Kent. Unsurprisingly, the Bears are the only championship side who can boast that distinction, just how vital do you believe it is to have that trophy winning mentality throughout the team ahead of the 2020 campaign?

A: I’ve won a trophy every season that I’ve been involved with a club that is something that means a lot. To be in a winning team is a massive confidence boost. I know we are all hungry for success and I do believe that is vital. Knowing the feeling of winning makes you want it even more. I am really hopeful that both the Bears and the Royals can pick up some silverware at some point in the not too distant future.

Finally, I really hope all you loyal fans that support us every week up and down the country are staying safe in this horrific time. Follow the guidelines and hopefully we can be back before you know it. I’m keeping myself busy by building a new workshop and working full time in Tesco’s. I can’t wait to get back on a bike and see you all trackside.

Interview by Ryan Nassau

While there is still very little in the way of racing action it would appear that closed door practice sessions have now been allowed to take place with Richie Worrall one of the first to be back on track. The Edinburgh Monarchs star, like many, has been itching to be back on a bike and he took the opportunity to practice at old club Scunthorpe.

Berwick were another club to have held a practice session behind closed doors with the 2020 Bandits getting their first laps around the newly reshaped Shielfield Park.

Elsewhere it seems that the lockdown hasn’t just been a frustration to the current crop of riders, with some past riders dusting off their old gear.

Former Sheffield star Sean Wilson had been spotted on Twitter firing up his old bike, but it is unknown whether a comeback is on. Of course Sean was a top line rider in his day with a celebrated career, which he spoke about recently on the excellent Talk Speedway Podcast.

If you’re a fan of speedway, and a fan of a few funny stories, then that episode of the podcast is must listen stuff!

With the lack of on track action many clubs have been digging into their archives to bring us content. Despite it being over a decade since the Oxford Cheetahs last took to the track, their presence on social media is admirable and a recent post brought us a brilliant throwback from 1998.

They had a star studded team that year including stars like Jason Crump and Steve Johnstone, but with those kevlars there was no danger of any one star outshining the team!

Dan Bewley was quick to state that the colour scheme wouldn’t look out of place in the insane world of Joe Exotic, star of the much talked about Tiger King TV show on Netflix! 

He may have a point to be fair!

If you wish to agree, or disagree with me, you have spotted something on social media you feel is worth a mention here, or you simply want to chew the fat over all things speedway , then get in touch either via email jbspeedwaymedia@hotmail.com, via the JB Speedway Media Facebook page or you can even tweet me @Mythman666.

Until next time, and there will be a next time.

JB

In our latest Redcar Rewind we delve back into the Tapes Up Productions archives to 2012 for the visit to Teesside of the Edinburgh Monarchs. In the absence of injured captain Gary Havelock, the Bears aimed to break a month-long losing streak, while the Scottish side included the likes of Craig Cook and Charles Wright and had high hopes of furthering their Play-Off aspirations. With thanks to #SaveCoventrySpeedway for the sponsorship.

The Redcar Bears Promotion would like to reassure fans that they still hope to run speedway in 2020, but insist that there is a lot to consider before making a decision.

Last week, Championship club Glasgow stated that they had withdrawn from the league with concerns in relation to safety, the ability to social distance within their stadium and also the likelihood of reduced crowd numbers having a huge financial impact.

Promoter Jitendra Duffill stated, “We are constantly monitoring the current situation and feel no urgency to make a decision at this point in time. We have spoken to all of our riders and keep in touch on a regular basis. Though frustrated, they are all happy to wait and understand the complexity of our circumstances. We feel it is best and no harm to wait a little longer, as nobody knows for certain exactly what is going to happen over the coming weeks.”

“We completely respect Glasgow’s decision to withdraw from the league, whatever that may look like, when things get underway. We understand their reasons and share concerns with regards to safety and financial uncertainty. There will be a lot of risk taken by any clubs who decide to run this year, but there is a lot of will to do so.”

Duffill added, “Every club’s situation is different, as some stadiums will allow social distancing with ease, whereas others pose more of a problem. I’ve spoken several times to my fellow promoters, Jade (Mudgway) and Jamie (Swales), as well as our directors to share our thoughts. We all remain dedicated to getting the Bears back on track, but only when and if it is safe to do so. The well-being of our riders, staff and supporters remain our top priority, so we will continue to monitor things closely. At this point, it is highly unlikely any spectated events will be able to happen for at least another 7 to 8 weeks.”

“I’d like to thank our supporters for their patience and understanding. We share your frustration and send our best wishes to everybody. We haven’t forgotten about our season ticket holders either. I’m extremely grateful for your support and we have every intention of refunding you if we cannot stage any speedway at the Media Prima Arena this year; there will be no arguments there. Some have already told us they would be happy to roll their tickets over to next year which is extremely kind gesture.”

“We made a statement a few weeks back informing season ticket holders that everybody would be refunded on a per meeting basis if our season starts and that promise still stands. We want to work with our supporters and if you wish to contact us, I promise that your situation will be understood and there will be no arguments with whatever request you have.”

Duffill also confirmed that he has contacted all of the club’s major sponsors, all 7 of which have pledged their ongoing support in 2021. He explained, “It was important for us to get the thoughts of our partners, because their businesses, like many others, are likely to have been affected by Covid-19. That was a huge concern for us as their support is of monumental importance to our club. I have been blown away by their responses; every one of them have pledged their continued backing next year. We are extremely fortunate to have them on our side and they deserve huge credit for their commitment to our club. It would have been very easy for them to withdraw their backing and everybody would have understood fully.”

“So a huge thanks go out to Mike Pugsley from Agilia Infrastructure Partners, Sue Johnson from Town & City management, Graham Abel from Hartburn Garage, Shaun Burke from SG Petch Middlesbrough, Shaun Hughes from Erimus Insurance Brokers, Keith Miller from ECCO Finishing Supplies and Graeme Wilson from Media Prima.”

Duffill finished by thanking all other club sponsors for their support; “It’s important to remember all of our backers and I’d like to thank everybody who has offered sponsorship in 2020, from programme and heat sponsors to those who sponsor air fence banners. You are all at the forefront of our thoughts and we will be in touch with you all in due course. Like our season ticket holders, we intend to refund anybody who wants it if we cannot run or will roll their sponsorship over to 2021 if preferred. Again, I’m hugely thankful for your support and understanding and we will work with you and your needs.”

We would like to reassure supporters that we will update you as and when we have more information. British Speedway Promoters Ltd continue to stay positive and will make another assessment of the situation when the government give us more information in early July. We hope to have a clearer view of the situation then. In the meantime, please take all necessary precautions needed to keep yourselves and others safe.

Supporters or sponsors wishing to contact the promotion can do so by emailing duffill.redcarbears@gmail.com

Everyone at Redcar Speedway is extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Mark Lowe. A well known face in the pits before meetings and a huge supporter of up and coming riders.Our promotion, riders and staff pass on our sincere condolences to his family.

This weeks Re-Run, kindly sponsored again by #SaveCoventrySpeedway, takes us back to 2011 and a clash with Berwick.

Featuring ‘The Master’ Gary Havelock riding for the Bears, and our own co-promoter Jade Mudgway riding for the Bandits, it was another exciting meeting at the Media Prima Arena!

Join us at 7:15pm this Friday over on our Facebook page!

Join James Black, as he again takes us through the latest goings on in the Social Media world of Speedway.

Click here to view the article.