Redcar Agilia Bears now have a 3rd Promoter with the appointment of ex-rider Jamie Swales into a senior management role within the club. Jamie is a very familiar face at Redcar Speedway and has been heavily involved in youth development for a number of years, including working with the Redcar Cubs, plus the organising and running of amateur meetings and training days at the Media Prima Arena. His appointment was announced last night in front of a packed club house at the Media Prima Arena. Jamie becomes the 2nd of the Swales family to become a promoter, after Uncle Tim Swales, who was promoter for Middlesbrough Speedway for 12 years.
Jamie started racing Speedway in 1998, having spells with Linlithgow and Newcastle at National League level and with Workington in 2000 at Championship level (formerly named the Premier League), before retiring from racing at the age of just 20. Jamie also helped to create the Northern Junior League in 2010, before becoming the league coordinator in 2013 and introducing 125cc racing to the leagues format.
Jamie becomes the latest in a long line of Swales’ to represent the Teesside club, with few, if any names, having a longer connection with Speedway in the area. Two of Jamie’s uncles have raced for the Teesside club; Uncle Jack represented Middlesbrough from 1963 to 1965 and Uncle Tim from 1969 to 1974. Tim was also Promoter for Middlesbrough Speedway alongside wife Sally from 1982 until 1994 and was BSPA Chairman and an FIM representative from 1990 to 1994. Jamie’s father Tony, also raced for Teesside from 1970 to 1974, making 98 appearances and then later became track curator for Middlesbrough, Hull, Workington, Belle Vue and Redcar.
The family connection doesn’t stop there! Cousins Andrew and Stuart Swales have also raced Speedway (Stuart has represented both both Middlesbrough and Redcar), as well as his 2 brothers, Matthew Swales and former National League Riders Champion Jonathan Swales.
Jamie joins current Redcar Promoters Jitendra Duffill and Jade Mudgway, to form a management team that Duffill sees as a strong trio. “I made a plea at the end of last season for more help behind the scenes, as running Redcar Speedway is an intense and time-consuming role and one I was struggling to manage. Jamie approached me shortly afterwards and after lengthy conversations with him, Jade and our directors, we invited him to join us as a promoter. Jamie will ease some of my workload and will again be responsible for all of our training days and amateur events, but will also be heavily involved with our merchandise and supporters club. Jamie has a very good knowledge of speedway, as well as a very long and impressive family connection with Speedway on Teesside. He is Redcar Speedway through and through and it seems a natural progression for him to follow in his Uncle Tim’s footsteps as a promoter for our club. Alongside Jade and myself, I feel we will make an excellent team”
Jamie added, “I’ve grown up in speedway with a lot of my childhood spent at Cleveland park and now I’ve spent almost as much time at Redcar. In all that time I’ve never felt a better atmosphere within the club, the last 3 years have really been building it up and most of that is due to the hard work of Jitendra and Jade. Mid-season last year both of them told me separately how much of a hard time they were having and both were considering their future. While I was watching the cup final I was just thinking to myself that I need to give them whatever help I can to keep them doing what they’re doing and if I can lighten their load a bit and then it’ll be mission accomplished. It’s not something I thought I would ever be do but I’m really excited about the season ahead now.”
