Category: Bears News

Redcar Speedway have been awarded 2 national events for the upcoming 2019 season. The British Semi Final will take place at the Media Prima Arena on Friday 31st May and the British Under 19 Final on Thursday 15th August.  With only one qualifying round for the British Final in 2019, the semi final is sure to be an exciting and cut throat event and Redcar fans should have added interest as it is likely that at least one Bear will feature in the meeting.

The top riders on the day will qualify for the British Final which will take place on Monday 29th July at the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester. The British Under 19 Final will feature all of the best up and coming British Under 19 talent. With riders like Kyle Bickley, Leon Flint, Drew Kemp and Tom Brennan to name a few looking like future stars, it promises to be an exciting and close contest.

The event will take place on a Thursday night to prevent any clashes with Championship League racing. Promoter Jitendra Duffill added, “I’d like to thank the BSPA and Neil Vatcher for giving us the opportunity to host 2 major individuals at the Media Prima Arena. It’s a privilege to be awarded meetings like this and both are sure to be very exciting events. Both meetings will be very difficult to call and will feature several current and upcoming British stars and I’m sure we will see some phenomenal racing in both. I’m very excited to be hosting each of them and I’m sure our supporters will be too.”

Its time for you to get your diaries and calendars out, as our 2019 fixtures have now been released! Our season will start on the 23rd March with Ben Barkers testimonial being held at the Media Prima Arena. The first team meeting takes place on the 29th March, with the visit of our old friends the Newcastle Diamonds in the Tyne Tees Trophy.

We will face Somerset in the KO Cup, with the away leg taking place on the 1st May and the home leg on the 10th May. We wrap our scheduled fixtures up on the 13th September with a home clash against Glasgow. There are two further fixtures which will be announced at a later date, plus the Julie Lewis Memorial and Silver Helmet meetings, meaning at least 20 fixtures will be held at the MPA this season. For the full list, head over to our fixtures page!  

Ben Barker has radically revamped his testimonial meeting plans to include teams from triple champions Workington, local rivals Newcastle and a select side representing the old Cleveland Park based Middlesbrough Bears.

The season-opening Four Team Tournament, on Saturday, March 23^rd, replaces Barker’s original idea to stage a 20-heat individual meeting and now poses additional appeal to speedway fans from Cumbria and Tyneside.

Workington’s involvement could provide the Derwent Park club with its only chance to race together this year after last week’s shock decision to withdraw from the Championship.

The Comets claimed an unprecedented treble in 2018, winning the League, Knock-out Cup and Championship Shield but have since paid the price for success.

They were forced to race seven matches in just 11 days, the final four in barely 50 hours, at the end of October and the hectic schedule proved to be financially suicidal.

And when sponsorship, promised on the back of their triumphs, was not forthcoming their promoters were forced to reluctantly pull the plug.

Although manager Tony Jackson is adamant that the club will reform in 2020, he admits that Barker’s big day could be the only chance Comets’ fans might get to support their side in the foreseeable future.

Barker commented:

“It’s such a terrible shame that Workington won’t be there to defend their titles this year and a tragedy for speedway as Derwent Park is a great track and one of my favourites.

“The idea of giving their fans at least one more chance to cheer them on in 2019 came to me and I’m obviously hopeful that as many Comets’ supporters as possible will take the opportunity to come across on the day.”

The meeting is likely to have an early afternoon start, in order to make it easier for travelling supporters to get there and home again.

Redcar’s local rivals Newcastle and a team representing the now defunct Middlesbrough Bears will make up the four teams contesting the meeting, which will have numerous other attractions both on and off the track (more details to follow).

Comets boss Jackson enthused: “I can’t see a problem in us taking part or any reason why Steve Worrall, Kyle Bickley, Bradley Wilson-Dean and Simon Lambert (all originally signed in readiness for the forthcoming season) wouldn’t want to ride.

“We could also call on former Workington riders with maybe Ty Proctor, who is also an ex-Redcar rider, also coming along.”

Proctor, who next season will ride for Sheffield but spent his two formative years in the UK at the South Tees Motorsports Park, would obviously be a popular draw for many Teesside fans who have memories of his thrill-making exploits in 2008 and 2009.

Barker has also hinted that not one, but two former national champions, both still at the top of their game, will be racing as guests to bolster the sides, while explaining:

“I’d like all the Redcar riders to take part and get some more pre-season practice so, in addition to the Bears, which I’ll probably lead alongside either Michael Palm Toft or Charles Wright, I aim to have a side representing the old Middlesbrough Bears, possibly under the name of the ‘Boro Bears’? “Whichever out of MPT and Wrighty doesn’t ride for Redcar will lead the other side, which I hope will be managed by Gary Havelock (Redcar captain between 2006 and 2012 and 1992 World Champion), who began his stella career with Middlesbrough.”

Our full fixture list for the 2019 season will be released next week. Stay tuned to our social media and website for the full details as they are released!

We will be holding a quiz night and talk in at the Bears Bar on Friday 25th January. We will be joined on the night by new Bear Jack Smith, his Dad and ex-GP rider Andy Smith, and former World Champion Gary Havelock.

Tickets for the event, which starts at 7:30pm, are £5 and can be booked in advance to avoid disappointment. To reserve a ticket, please contact us via our Facebook page or email us via website@redcar-speedway.com

Redcar Speedway are looking to form a supporter’s group for the upcoming 2019 season. Any supporters that would be keen to form and run this group should email Jitendra Duffill duffill.redcarbears@gmail.com to express their interest. Deadline for enquiries is Friday 11th January.

Nathan Greaves 2018 season came to a spectacular end, crashing out on his home debut for Glasgow in July. After a few months of recovery, the young Brit is now raring to get back on a bike with his return to the Bears. Greaves had a short, but successful spell with the Bears last season and impressed supporters and management enough to earn himself a permanent spot this year. Greaves also enjoyed his time at the Media Prima Arena, and feels the Bears are the right club for him:

I wanted to come to Redcar because I feel like it’s the right team for me at this point in my career. I enjoy the track, there’s an enthusiasm around the place. The management believe in me and I enjoyed my time there last season.

Greaves is an ambitious man, and is looking forward to the season starting. After having a good couple of seasons, he is looking to push on again this season – especially after having had to wait since the summer to get back on a bike:

My goals for this year are to progress as much as possible as quick as possible. I want to succeed and I want to win. I think we have a good team this year, and I’m really looking forward to the season even more so because I have had to wait longer than everyone else as I finished in July this year!”

One of Redcar Bears bright new prospects for the 2019 season, Tom Bacon enjoyed a superb 2018 season. Riding for Peterborough in the Championship, he had a fine season and ended with a 4.67 average. One of his many fine scores was a 9+2 score at Redcar! And riding for Birmingham in the National League, he was near enough untouchable as he roared to the top of the averages for the League with a 10.20 average. Bacon admits he is pleased to be signing for Redcar:

I am delighted to have signed for Redcar. The management have always been a pleasure to deal with, and whenever I have been to Redcar as a visiting rider the place has a friendly feel to it.

Tom will hoping to build on the successes of last season as he makes the Media Prim Arena his home track.  The track at Redcar is one Tom likes riding, and he is excited for the season to begin:

The track is one I’ve always enjoyed riding, it is usually well prepared with plenty of lines and it is important to have a home track you look forward to going to! I look forward to meeting all the fans in the New Year, and can’t wait to get going!

After spending the 2017 season at Redcar, Charles Wright admits he is delighted to be a Bear again in 2019. Wright, who spent a great 2018 at Sheffield, is excited to put on a Bears racejacket again:

I loved riding for Redcar in 2017, the promotion, management and fans have always been behind me 100% so who would ask for more than that. It gives you that buzz to always want to do your absolute best! I always have a job to do, and I will make sure I do it, both on and off the track. I am really looking forward to wearing a Bears race bib again in 2019 and can’t wait to get started!

Wright admits to enjoying his time at Sheffield last season, and indeed won the Championship Pairs last season. And whilst it was a disappointing season for the Tigers, Wright finished the season at number 1 with a 7.88 average. He is looking to keep that going in 2019, on a track he really enjoys riding:

Redcar’s always been a track I have loved riding. It is always well prepared, and credit has to go to Terry the Trackman! I wanted to come back to Redcar in 2018 but had to make the decision to ride somewhere that was best for me in terms of travelling, especially as I do most of the driving myself. I had a great year at Sheffield last year – riding there was invaluable and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and made strides in my career.

Wright is backing himself to challenge for the number 1 spot this season, and insists with the team the Bears have this year that there is no reason for team Silverware at the end of the season:

I don’t have any wild aspirations this year, as long as I am progressing year on year I am smashing my own goals. People will only remember you for your last race. I put in the work to my absolute best 12 months of the year; I am a born racer and will give absolutely everything, putting myself in places other people wouldn’t both for myself and the club. I started last year at number 3, and ended up at number 1, there’s no reason that won’t happen again – it’s all about the racing and to do well personally and for a club that backs you through everything means a lot. The team we have this year is a team of racers, of guys who want to go as far as they can and I don’t see why we can’t finish the season with that silverware.

Redcar Bears new number 1 Michael Palm Toft has finally made the move to the Media Prima Arena, and admits he is here to win! MPT, who comes in with a 7.96 average after a good season at Peterborough, has always gone well around the Teesside track and say’s it was not a difficult decision to come to the North East:

It was an easy choice for me, as it’s a track I like riding. My aim for next season is to stay at number, up my average and win some silverware with Redcar!

It was the chance to win some Silverware which tempted MPT to join the Bears, and admits the ambition of the Bears was the first question he asked promoter Jitendra Duffill when he first made contact:

It was a big question to Ben when he rang me, what the aim was for the team he was putting together. I want to win, not just ride and get paid. I think we have got a good team that is more than capable of being up there.