? We will be hosting a Speedway Video Race Night in the Bears Club House on Saturday 25th January @7.00pm.
? New Bear’s signing Jordan Jenkins will be joining us on the night – we will be interviewing Jordan and giving you a chance to ask him any questions you want.
?Come and join us for a brilliant night’s fun! Entrance is £5 and includes food and your first race card (card worth £3 and covers the first 8 races).
?Media Prima Arena
? Saturday 25th January
? 7.00pm
? £5 – pay on the door
? Food
? Cash prizes
The Agilia Bears will take on Premiership powerhouses Wolverhampton Wolves, on Friday 27th March. The inter-league clash will be Redcar’s first team meeting of the season, one which is sure to be a tough test for the Agilia Bears.
Bears Team Manager, Jade Mudgway, is excited by the clash; “It’s fantastic to have a side as big as Wolverhampton visit. Although it will be a very tough opener for our boys, the prospect of seeing a top league side race at the Media Prima Arena is a treat that I’m sure our supporters will look forward to. It’s something a bit different and should be a close and exciting challenge. I can’t wait for the season to start now!”
The Parrys International Wolves have been one of the strongest teams in modern day British Speedway, winning the league at the highest level 3 times since 2002 and most recently in 2016. They have announced 6 riders so far for 2020; Jacob Thorssell, Rory Schlein, Nick Morris, Luke Becker, Ryan Douglas and Broc Nicol, leaving over 9 points for another big name to join them.
It has also been confirmed that the Agilia Bears Press & Practice Day will take place on Friday 20th March at 12 noon, with a ‘Meet The Riders’ night taking place on the same day, at 7.30pm in the Bear’s Club House. Stuart Robson stages his Farewell Meeting at the MPA the day after. Entry prices will rise very slightly in 2020, with both adult and concession entry increasing by 50p. Promoter Jitendra Duffill explained, “The strong side the we assembled last year and for the coming season has come at a cost and we have had to increase prices very slightly as a result. We have done our best to give our supporters the very best side that we can, as well as a ‘no compromise’ policy on our track preparation. We can’t continue to do that at the current entry price and I believe people would rather pay a little extra for a title contending side and a great race track, rather than compromise on the quality of the entertainment on offer, which we didn’t want to do. The decision has been made to help secure our clubs future and it also allows us to continue free entry for all kids, something we deem vital to our both our club’s and Speedway’s future.”
A complete fixture list is expected to be released later this month. 2020 ENTRY PRICES Adults – £17.50 Concessions – £13 Disabled/Student/Over 65 (Proof required) Kids under 16 – FREE (must be accompanied by a paying adult) Programmes – £2.50
? We are pleased to announce that we will open our season at the Media Prima Arena on Saturday 21st March, with Stuart Robson’s Farewell Meeting.
? Keep an eye on our social media and website over the next couple of days, where we will release details of our next function and our inter-league challenge on March 27th!
Media Prima are our 6th and final partner for 2020! The Dubai based publisher have been our stadium sponsors for several years now and we are excited that the Bears ‘lair’ will continue to be named the Media Prima Arena in 2020.
“The name Media Prima is now synonymous with our stadium and it wouldn’t seem right for it to be called anything else,” commented Bears promoter Jitendra Duffill. “It’s fantastic that this partnership will continue into 2020 and hopefully beyond and Jade (Mudgway) and I are extremely grateful for the support that Graeme Wilson of Media Prima has shown us over the years. Graeme is a great guy and we have a fantastic relationship with him and his family.”
Media Prima is a London and Dubai based publishing house opened in 1990. The company specialises in high quality books, mainly pertaining to the Middle East and predominantly biographies of major regional leaders. Director Graeme Wilson has a very impressive list of people who have and currently use his skills, including several Presidents and Sheikhs. Graeme and his family have been loyal supporters of Redcar Speedway for a long time and regularly attend fixtures at the Media Prima Arena, including talented daughter Willow who has actually taken to the shale herself in the past!
The Agilia Bears now have 6 partner sponsors, increased from 4 in 2019, who join title sponsor Agilia Infrastructure as the club’s main sponsors. Promoter Duffill added, “I’d like to offer my sincere thanks and gratitude to all of our sponsors; without them, we simply couldn’t survive! Their backing has allowed us to field what we feel is an extremely competitive side in 2020 and hopefully we can realise our ambitions of lifting more silverware in the future, including that elusive league title that we are aiming for. We have worked hard to build a solid foundation of sponsorship which the club can hopefully thrive from and I’m now extremely excited to start next season. This is a really exciting time for our club and its supporters.”
The Bears will be releasing a new sponsorship brochure in the new year which will showcase any remaining opportunities to sponsor and advertise with the club, including heat sponsorship, air fence banners, meeting sponsorship and programme advertising. Duffill finished by saying, “With the recent success that the club has experienced and the plans we have for 2020, there has never been a better time to get involved with us. I’d urge anybody who is interested in sponsorship to contact us via our website, social media, email (duffill.redcarbears@gmail.com) or our commercial manager Ian Drinkel (07827 293866).”
A big warm welcome to SG Petch Middlesbrough, who are our 5th confirmed partner for 2020. The Bears have had a long and successful relationship with SG Petch and they will continue as the sponsors of our SG Petch Platinum Suite, which boasts one of the best viewing spots within the Media Prima Arena and is used for hospitality.
SG Petch have a successful and long-established Hyundai and Fiat dealership within Skippers Lane Industrial Estate, but also have a Mazda and Seat dealership which opened just this year, very close to the Media Prima Arena! Bears promoter Jitendra Duffill attended their opening night this year; “I was fortunate enough to get an invite from SG Petch to attend the opening of their new dealership, which is so impressive and I’ve no doubt it will be a huge success. Shaun Burke and SG Petch have backed Redcar Speedway for years and our supporters will remember them as being our main sponsor for a couple of years. In typical fashion, our supporters have backed them in return and have bought several cars from them over the years. It’s a relationship I’m proud and excited to continue and one I hope will continue for a long time”, said Duffill.
Sales director, Shaun Burke has a message for Bears fans: “I am so pleased to be involved with ‘The Bears’ again next season – the main reason for our continued support is the fans. Results are important of course but the feedback I get from my staff who regularly attend the meetings is the positive and passionate support from the Bears fans that has carried the team to its best result for years. A lot of these fans are also loyal customers of S G Petch Middlesbrough and so it’s a no brainer for me to offer our own support to the 2020 team. I have been a fan and followed speedway since the 1970s when my heroes then were, Terry Lee, Tom Leadbitter , Bruce Forrester and the like. They were of course Tigers and not Bears then. In those last 30 odd years I have only followed the team from a distance but in the last few years I find myself being slowly drawn back into this fantastic and exhilarating sport. So I am fully intending to join you all next season and take this fantastic team to the next level. Good luck to the team and all the backroom staff for 2020 – Come On Bears!!”
Everybody at Redcar Speedway would like to express their thanks to SG Petch Middlesbrough for their continued support. Any fans who are looking for a car should check out their fantastic deals in branch, or by visiting their website (address below).
Hartburn Garage are the latest partner to join the Redcar Agilia Bears side for 2020. Based on Darlington Road in Stockton, Hartburn Garage become the 4th partner to be announced in 4 days. Director Graham Abel is a lifelong supporter of Speedway on Teesside and has sponsored the side for years, as well as many of its riders, including British Champion Charles Wright and Australian star Jordan Stewart.
Speaking about the partnership, promoter Jitendra Duffill explained, “I’ve known Graham for a few years now and he has been a loyal supporter of Redcar Speedway for a long time. I wanted to increase the number of partners we have to 6 in 2020 and Hartburn Garage seemed a natural choice, given our history, so I approached Graham a few weeks ago, asked him to consider a partnership and I’m so pleased that we have been able to make it happen.”
Hartburn Garage is a family run, independent garage which was established in the 1910’s. Run by Graham and his sister, they provide a variety of services to motorists, including MOTs, servicing, air conditioning diagnostics, repair and recovery. Hartburn Garage provide a quality, professional and fully qualified service, is a member of the RMI Trust My Garage Scheme and also the Forte Good Garage Scheme.
Duffill added, “This partnership can be of huge benefit to both Hartburn Garage and our supporters. I know how difficult it can be to find a garage that you can trust, so as an existing customer of theirs, I can assure Bears fans that they are in very good hands with Hartburn Garage and will experience a friendly and professional service. The fact that they are 100 years old and still going strong is almost unbelievable, as well as being a huge testament to their business. I don’t know of any other garage that has been established as long as they have and I’d urge our fans to give them our support, allowing this partnership to continue for a long time!”
We are pleased to announce that our 3rd Partner Sponsor for 2020 will be Ecco Finishing Supplies. Ecco were last involved with the Bears as main team sponsor in 2018 and director Keith Miller was a frequent visitor to the Media Prima Arena in 2019 and sponsored 2 meetings in 2019.
Speaking about his return as a major sponsor of the Bears, Keith said, “I am delighted that ECCO Finishing Supplies will be involved in Sponsoring the Redcar Bears during the 2020 season; after the excitement of the Bears recent successes we are looking forward to the new season, like all the fans. That last meeting at Newcastle was a night that will be remembered for a long time to come and we hope that it will become something the riders, management and fans can enjoy again and again.”
Keith added, “We are very excited that the top 5 from last season want to come back, it says a lot about the whole club from top to bottom and we are excited to be part of it. 2020, for my business, will be our 25th year and we hope to get as many new companies to the Media Prima Arena next year to celebrate with us.”
Promoter Jitendra Duffill is ecstatic to have Ecco Finishing Supplies involved again; “I’m very excited to have Keith Miller and Ecco come on board as our 3rd Partner Sponsor for 2020. Keith is no stranger to the management or supporters here at Redcar Speedway and we have remained in regular contact throughout 2019. He is Redcar Speedway through and through and had genuine reasons to step away from being our main sponsor last year; I’m pleased for both him and us that the time is right for him to return. His support to both the club and its riders over the years has been invaluable and has never been forgotten.”
Established in 1995, Ecco is a global specialist in the supply and manufacture of surface preparation and coating equipment. They deliver efficient, professional, cost effective products into the oil and gas, offshore renewables, automotive, construction, and manufacturing industries.
Ecco are based on the Letitia Industrial Estate in Middlesbrough, very close to the old Cleveland Park Stadium. They are renowned as a leading manufacturer and distributor within the fields of grit blasting and recovery systems, spray systems, plural component and passive fire protection equipment.
Welcome back to Town & City Management, who are the second partner sponsor of the Redcar Agilia Bears to be announced for 2020. Town & City Management remain as our grandstand sponsor and have been a loyal backer of Redcar Speedway in recent years.
Promoter Jitendra Duffill is delighted to have their continued support and said, “Sue Johnson from Town & City Management is a huge fan of the Bears. She and her husband Brian have had a long association with speedway on Teesside and regularly travel to watch Grand Prix Speedway too. They are an absolute pleasure to work with we are so fortunate to have them on our side.”
Speaking to Sue Johnson, she told us, “We have loved being associated with Redcar Speedway and enjoyed our time as a partner sponsor in 2019 immensely. It’s fantastic to see the Bears have some success on track, but we don’t do it for those reasons, we do it to support our local team and give something back to the club and its brilliant supporters. We would like to wish the team, management and supporters a successful 2020 and I can’t wait for the season to start already!”
Town & City Management are an independent property and apartment block management company, specialising in Residential Leasehold Management throughout the UK. Their head office is based locally in Darlington and they currently manage an impressive portfolio of 365 developments across the UK. The company also boast several impressive accolades in recent years, including a Highly Commended Award for Employer of The Year and National Property Management Company of the Year from News On The Block’s Property Management Awards 2019-2020.
Jitendra Duffill added, “If we have any supporters who are apartment owners, I’d urge you to check out Town & City Management’s website to see if you could benefit from their services. They certainly have a very impressive reputation and I know that Bears fans have always supported the businesses that support Redcar Speedway” All information can be found via their website at www.townandcity.com
The first of our Xmas Partner Sponsors to be announced is Erimus Insurance Brokers and they have given Bears fans some great news on Christmas Day; they have committed to a further 2 years of support! Erimus have been the main sponsors of the Redcar Cubs and the stadium’s pit area for the last 2 years and that will continue until at least the end of 2021.
Director Shaun Hughes has been a loyal Bears fan for years and he was keen to continue his passion for supporting both senior and youth speedway on Teesside. Shaun told us, “Erimus Insurance Brokers are proud to support both the Bears and the Cubs and it was fantastic to see the club experience some success in 2019. We had a great experience working alongside Kevin Keay in 2018, then last year with Jitendra and Jade and we wanted to show our commitment and support of all the positive things going on around the club at the moment by signing up for another 2 years.” Shaun added, “I enjoyed last season so much that I started travelling to away meetings for the first time – I even ended up going as far as Eastbourne! It’s been a lot of fun.”
Promoter Jitendra Duffill added, “Shaun assured me a few weeks ago that he and Erimus would continue their support and we arranged to meet up last week. I went along to Erimus’ offices in Stockton with our commercial manager Ian Drinkel last week to meet up with Shaun and we were both left speechless when he told us that he wanted to commit to another 2 years! It was completely unexpected and I think we both felt that Christmas had come early for us.” Duffill continued, “Shaun is an incredibly laid back and humble guy, I keep asking him if we can do any more for Erimus and he keeps telling me no and not to stress. I’m always very conscious of keeping our sponsors happy and making sure they know just how much they mean to us, but Shaun just wants to give something back to the community, the club and our supporters and it’s a bit of a dream come true to have people like him on board.”
Erimus Insurance Brokers specialise in business insurance and their offices are based within Bowesfield Park, just off the A66 in Stockton. Erimus are a ‘Top 100 UK Independent Insurance Broker’ and their clients range from owner managed SME’s to £200m plus turnover companies. Erimus also work closely with and have access to the global and technical resources of Willis Towers Watson, a top 3 global insurance broker! More information can be found at www.erimusib.com
One of the two new boys in the Redcar Agilia Bears line up this season, promising youngster Jordan Jenkins admits it is a dream come true to be riding for the Bears next season.Jenkins, who will form a reserve partnership with fellow newcomer Joe Lawlor, is looking forward to the challenge:
Riding for a club like Redcar is really a dream come true to be honest. They have the best track in the country which will make my season a lot more enjoyable. You only have to look at what the team done towards the end of last season to see what the top 5 can do. I’m really up for this coming season and as of this week I’ve got everything set and planned in place. I’m going to make sure I’m physically and mentally prepared and will be making sure my bikes are in the best possible conditions. I know If I am high in confidence and I bring a happy Jordan to race day the club will be getting a fast Jordan.
Jordan is looking forward to working with British Champion Charles Wright and the rest of the Bears side throughout the season:
Its going to be massive working with Charles this year I don’t believe there’s any British rider that tops him with character and personality and of course with ability. But you can’t just single Charles out because I believe we have the best team in the league I’m looking forward to working with all of them and learning where I can. This season is where my careers going to take off.
Jenkins is hoping he will able to enjoy his speedway this season, and is looking forward to being a part of the side under Jitendra and Jade:
I believe I will be riding under the best management in the league in Ben and Jade. I guess you always have to set your self goals otherwise your going to stand still. Mine are to enjoy my racing but also to make the most of learning in such a great team. I’m also hoping to put some good points on the board and make sure I do my piece to chip in where I can.
