Go back a few decades and many towns up and down the UK had thriving speedway teams. Sadly though, over the years, those teams have slowly folded for one reason or another. The Bradford Dukes, the Crew Kings, the Ellesmere Port Gunners, the Hull Vikings, and the Newport Wasps are just some of the dozens of names that have been lost in the last few decades.  

Speedway has excited fans of everything two wheels for around 100 years, with the first races taking place in Australia before spreading to the UK in early 1928. Throughout the 20th century, especially during its second half, interest in the sport grew and grew.  

It is believed that around 30,000 people turned up to watch the first British speedway meeting at High Beech, a figure that would put it on par with a lower-table Premier League football club today.  

Through the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, people would cram into local stadiums to watch their team battle it out on track against a visiting opponent. Today, however, many fans have to travel long distances just to go and watch a match. For example, fans of the former Ellesmere Port Gunners team now have to choose between the Belle Vue Aces in Manchester or the Stoke Potters as their home team, both of which are an hour’s drive away.  

But as the general populace lost interest in motorcycles, speedway fell into decline. 

What Makes Speedway Different? 

Any lover of bikes will know there are plenty of two-wheeled motorsports in the world. Here on the British Isles, we’re treated to the Isle of Man TT each year, as well as a round of MotoGP, and our own domestic circuit and dirt racing competitions.  

Speedway is different. A speedway bike has no brakes and no gears. A meeting is made up of a couple of dozen four-lap heats that are quick sprints around an oval where riders get within millimetres of each other as they slide their machines through shale-covered corners.  

Anyone that’s been to a speedway meeting will know the unique smell that comes from the methanol-fueled engines. For fans, that smell brings back memories of exciting races that only speedway can offer.  

Unlike categories like MotoGP, speedway (at least at a domestic level) is a team sport. Each heat is all about getting the most points possible for your team, with different riders coming out each time to make their contribution to the tally.  

Speedway in the UK vs Abroad 

While speedway still chugs along in the UK, it is a million miles from the sport in continental Europe. Eastern and northern European countries like Poland, Czechia, and Sweden have well-funded leagues and teams, bigger audiences, and larger stadiums to accommodate them.  

In fact, in Poland, speedway is often in the top-three national sports, whereas it is very much an “also-ran” in the UK’s list.  

What Holds Speedway Back in Britain? 

There is no single reason why speedway doesn’t have the same following that it does elsewhere. Interest in bikes is relatively low among the general population in the UK. In fact, money spent on motorcycles declined sharply between 2011 and 2016, with purchases by the booming motorcycle courier sector responsible for the rise in the years since.  

The cost of partaking in any motorsport is incredibly high, and it can become prohibitively expensive if you’re funding it yourself. Stories of talented riders like Lukas Hlavac that are unable to compete due to financial issues are common. The former motocross rider ran out of cash to fund his championship campaign during his first season, forcing him to drop out while leading his division, though he has since gone on to enjoy success in the world of professional poker instead. It’s the same in car racing, the Formula 2 driver David Beckmann had to bow before the end of the 2021 season due to financial pressures.  

Speedway is not immune to these pressures, but the sport doesn’t have the huge crowds delivering millions in revenue from ticket sales or the huge sponsorship deals that can be seen in other competitions. It’s also why talented speedway riders like Craig Cook have to find innovative ways to raise the funds they need to compete at the levels their skills allow.  

There is a chicken and egg problem here. The funds won’t come without the crowds, but the crowds can’t be attracted without marketing and promotion, and that costs money.  

Sadly, this means potentially millions of Brits are missing out on the unrivalled excitement that comes from watching speedway, and could, ultimately, lead to its extinction in the UK.  

 

 

 

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