LATEST NEWS ~ AUGUST 2007

BEARS TRIUMPH OVER RIVALS DIAMONDS
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Friday 31st August 2007
TROPHY-CHASING Redcar Bears gave one of their best displays of the season last night to take the shine off closest rivals Newcastle Diamonds. The Bears gave a commanding performance to see off their North-east neighbours 53-40 on a thrilling night of speedway action. What’s more it boosted their hopes of finishing as one of the top four Young Shield qualifiers, which would give them a choice of first round opponents in the end-of-season knockout competition. The visitors lost No 1 Christian Henry after he crashed in his second ride and aggravated an old knee injury - a knock which Diamonds manager George English admitted may well have ended his season. But the Bears were forced to use rider replacement to cover for Mat Tresarrieu who injured a leg while practising for this weekend’s international longtrack at Marmande.

And skipper Gary Havelock was plagued by problems with his electrics which slowed him in his early rides and forced him out of his final race, leaving him with an uncharacteristically low total of five points. James Grieves was a worthy winner of the Bill Lloyd Memorial Trophy for man-of-the- match. He dropped just one point, blasting round Josef Franc for his fourth win in heat 12 of a meeting that proved what a great race track South Tees Motorsports can be. Chris Kerr, Josh Auty and Dan Giffard all had a memorable night too.

If there had been an award for the most exciting rider, Giffard would surely have been plonking it on his mantelpiece today. Looking determined, focussed and stylish, he gave a performance that was a joy to watch. Having pipped Sean Stoddart on the line to win heat two, he powered round Carl Wilkinson to take the chequered flag in heat six and was at it again in 14, diving inside to pass Paul Clews with a gutsy last gasp effort.

Kerr and Auty were full value too - the latter swapping places twice with Jonas Raun on the last lap of heat eight before pipping the Dane on the line. Auty also crossed the line first in the nominated riders’ race - an honour that earned him the Jake Brudnell Memorial Trophy. “Josh is an inspiration,” said manager Brian Havelock. “I knew that neither he nor James would have another meeting like they did against the Isle of Wight, and they were both at their best again.” Tactical double Carl Wilkinson inspired an 8-1 to the visitors in heat 13 to cut the deficit, but it was one of only two Diamonds’ heat advantages all night and failed to attract from the home side’s dominance.

BEARS:
James Grieves 14, Josh Auty 12, Chris Kerr 11+2, Dan Giffard 9, Gary Havelock 5, Jack Hargreaves 2, Mat Tresarrieu R/R.
DIAMONDS:
Sean Stoddart 12+2, Josef Franc 9+1, Carl Wilkinson 9, Jonas Raun 5+1, Christian Henry 2, Paul Clews 2, Sam Dore 1+1.
 

STAR VIEW With JULIE LEWIS
By Keith McGhie of ‘Speedway Star’ ~ Thursday 30th August 2007
Two vital cogs of the machinery that produces speedway racing every Thursday (and on a few Saturdays) return to the South Tees Motorsports Park tonight after injury and illness enforced absences. Glyn Taylor, who first crafted the superb Redcar track out of barren wasteland over 18 months ago now, should be back in his role as circuit curator, while less visible but equally missed by everyone on the staff and many supporters is Julie Lewis in the office, adjacent to the starting gate. Both have had spells in hospital recently – Glyn for a potentially worrying back injury and Julie for an equally nasty chest infection that has prevented her from attending meetings here for almost a month. But whereas the former rider turned engine tuner and track builder is a comparative newcomer on Teesside, the Bears office manageress is virtually part of the furniture. Julie has been part of the speedway scene in Middlesbrough for almost 40 years – and is still waiting for her long-service medal!

“I used to joke about not even getting a gold watch after all that time,” she says with a wry smile. “But I’ve had some great times and the best thing is the many wonderful friends, both riders and supporters and from all over the world (even Newcastle?!), whom I’ve met since I started in 1968 (the inaugural season of the old British league Division Two). It all started because my brother James used to help as mechanic for former Middlesbrough rider Clive Hitch. I’d never been interested but Clive would often come back to our mum’s for tea and he persuaded me to give it a try.”

When the Teesside outfit needed someone to get on top of the administrative side of things shortly afterwards, Julie – working in retail management – was a shoe-in for the job and the rest, as they say, is history. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and seen it through thick and thin,” she recalls. “I suppose one of the great memories was when we won the league title in 1980. At the opposite end of the scale was the closure of Cleveland Park at the end of 1996. That was very, very sad and needn’t have happened as we could have had two or three more seasons there. But the greyhound promoters never liked us and only tolerated us because we brought in revenue.”

The dust settled and several tentative attempts to revive the sport in the area failed until Chris van Straaten appeared out of the gloom like a knight in shining armour. “Chris has done a good job here and revived mine and many others enthusiasm for speedway.” And speedway, not just here but at so many venues around the country and probably the globe, often only survives through the enthusiasm and dedication of people like Julie Lewis. I’m sure I’m not the only one who will chip in generously for the “watch” whenever they do decide to award you one Julie! Nice to have you back.
 

BEARS AIMING FOR DERBY DELIGHT AGAINST DIAMONDS By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Thursday 30th August 2007
FIRED-UP boss Brian Havelock has told his Redcar Bears to forget about their drubbing by the Isle of Wight and concentrate on winning the derby honours tonight. Newcastle Diamonds visit South Tees Motorsports Park this evening (7.30pm start) as the Bears come to the tapes for the first time since their 20-point home defeat by the Islanders a fortnight ago. And Havelock has stressed the importance of looking forwards instead of back as his side go in search of not only a Premier League win but the aggregate point too. The Bears triumphed 55-38 on Tyneside earlier this month, but the Diamonds have already won at STMP in the Premier Trophy this year and their manager George English insisted: “I am confident we can do very well, especially having witnessed the Bears being thumped by the Isle of Wight.”

Havelock, however, is eager to ensure the local bragging rights stay down here. “I know George is cock-a-hoop about his chances,” he said, “but I’ll be gutted if we don’t win tonight. The Isle of Wight match is in the past now. As I said at the time, they gave us a lesson in gating, but a lot of our lads are young and they’re not able to stop their heads going down when we go behind. James Grieves doesn’t fall into that category but he had a terrible night - and you won’t see him have a night like that at home again. We’ve had a break now, however, so we should all be nice and refreshed. I’ll be having a chat with the lads and telling them to put the Isle of Wight match behind them. It’s important that every rider goes to the tapes wanting to win and believing they can do it.”

Jonas Raun was away on international duty when the Bears racked up their biggest ever away win at Newcastle Stadium, but he’s back in the Diamonds team tonight. The Danish teenager has a clear liking for the STMP track and dropped just one point from five rides on his last visit. However it will not have gone unnoticed that he has not been anywhere near that form since. With hopes of reaching the championship play-offs wrecked by an horrendous run of injuries, the Bears are now gearing up for a tilt at the Young Shield instead. The teams finishing fifth to 12th in the PL table go into a knockout tournament, with the top four qualifiers given their choice of opponent. Redcar are currently 10th in the table, a point below tonight’s visitors, and three points behind Glasgow in eighth position.

BEARS:
1 Gary Havelock, 2 Josh Auty, 3 James Grieves, 4 Chris Kerr, 5 Mat Tresarrieu, 6 Dan Giffard, 7 Jack Hargreaves.
DIAMONDS:
1 Christian Henry, 2 Jonas Raun, 3 Josef Franc, 4 Paul Clews, 5 Carl Wilkinson, 6 Sam Dore, 7 Sean Stoddart.

TWO trophies awarded in memory of dedicated Teesside fans will be presented tonight. The Jake Brudnell Memorial Trophy will be handed over to the winner of heat 15 while the nominated man of the match will receive the Bill Lloyd Memorial Trophy. Jake, a personal friend of office administrator Julie Lewis and Cleveland Bays manager Jason Pipe, was actively involved in organising Boro Bears’ away travel up until Cleveland Park’s closure, while Bill was a dedicated Bears, Teessiders and Tigers fan from the early 1960s. The respective 2006 recipients were Gary Havelock and Dan Giffard.
 

DIAMONDS SEEK REVENGE OVER THE BEARS
WE HAVE THE FIREPOWER SAYS DIAMONDS BOSS:
By Redcar Speedway ~ Monday 27th August 2007
Newcastle Diamonds boss George English is on a mission for revenge when the Redcar Bears face their North-East rivals in Premier League action at the South Tees Motorsport Park this Thursday evening at 7.30pm. The Bears won at Brough Park, Newcastle on the evening of Sunday 12th August by 55 points to 38 - the largest away victory in the club's history. However, on that occasion the Diamonds' Danish star Jonas Raun was absent on international duty and Paul Clews was making a racing comeback not having ridden since October 2006.

'We are back to full strength as Paul is getting match fit and Jonas really revels at the Redcar track. So I am confident we can do very well especially having witnessed the Bears being thumped by the Isle of Wight Islanders.' said a confident English. Bears team manager Brian Havelock retorts; 'I told the boys after the match against the Islanders that we had just seen the potential league champions but that we had to get that one out of the system. We'll have dusted ourselves down and be ready for the Diamonds don't you worry. The lads know how much this fixture means to the Bears' fans and motivation will not be an issue.'

After a season riddled by injuries to the bulk of the squad Brian will be pleased to track a full strength septet so an evenly balanced and competitive match is in store.

REDCAR BEARS:
1. Gary Havelock (C), 2. Josh Auty, 3. James Grieves, 4. Chris Kerr, 5. Mathieu Tresarrieu, 6. Daniel Giffard, 7. Jack Hargreaves
NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS:
1. Christian Henry (C), 2. Jonas Raun, 3. Josef Franc, 4. Paul Clews, 5. Carl Wilkinson, 6. Sam Dore, 7. Sean Stoddart

Thursday's fixture also witnesses the awarding of the Jake Brudenall Memorial Trophy for the winner of the nominated heat 15 and the Bill Lloyd Memorial Trophy for the 'Man of the Match'. Jake, a personal friend of office administrator Julie Lewis and junior team manager Jason Pipe, was actively involved in the supporters' away travel club in the days that the sport was staged at the defunct Cleveland Park Stadium while Bill was a dedicated Bears, Teessiders and Tigers fan from the early 1960s. The respective 2006 recipients were Gary Havelock and Daniel Giffard.
 

RISING STAR'S CRASH AGONY
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Sunday 26th August 2007
RISING star David Wallinger broke his wrist in seven places as Cleveland Bays were held to a 45-45 Conference League draw by Sittingbourne at South Tees Motorsports Park. The 24-year-old prospect, in his first season of speedway, fell heavily on the first bend in heat 11. He was taken to James Cook University Hospital and was due to have an operation on the injury today. The crash was typical of the appalling luck which has dogged both the Bays and their big brothers the Redcar Bears this year - and particularly tough on Wallinger who has just started to make his mark and was due to ride in yesterday’s Lincolnshire Poacher long track meeting.

The Bays’ bad luck didn’t end there either. Ashley Johnson fell and was caught by team-mate Rusty Hodgson in the re-run and was withdrawn from the meeting as a result. That left the Bays with just five riders and reserve Hodgson was forced to ride in five races on the trot. Despite having lost at home to the Bays earlier in the season, the Crusaders made it difficult for their hosts all day and even had their noses in front towards the end. The Bays went into the final race 43-41 up but, having trailed Mark Burrows for three laps, Mark Baseby got past to complete a 15-point maximum and partner Dean Felton to a 4-2 which clinched them a draw.

BAYS:
Mark Burrows 13, Rusty Hodgson 7+2, Gary Beaton 7+1, Steven Jones 6, David Wallinger 5, Martin Emerson 4+2, Ashley Johnson 3+1.
CRUSADERS:
Mark Baseby 15, Dean Felton 10, Jerran Hart 9, Harland Cook 4+1, Aaron Baseby 3+2, James Theobald 3, Joe Reynolds 1.
 

DAVID ON THE RIGHT TRACK
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Saturday 25th August 2007
AS a young lad, rising star David Wallinger was a massive fan of Simon Wigg. An accomplished all-round track star, Wigg was a major star in grass track and long track racing as well as on the shale. He had captained the England speedway team and was a multi World Finalist and had won five world long track crowns as well as numerous grass track titles before his death from a brain tumour at the age of just 40 in 2000. Now Wallinger, whose dad John rode for Middlesbrough’s Scottish Junior League side in the late 1970s, is hoping to follow in Wigg’s illustrious tyretreads. He has already beaten some of the far more established and experienced names on the grass and his speedway career is on the up and up too. Drafted into the Cleveland Bays Conference side earlier this summer, he soon found his feet. The 24-year-old rookie roared to a 12 (paid 14) total in the Bays’ 50-41 win over Buxton earlier this month and also top scored in their heavy defeat at Oxford six days later.

“When I was a young lad I used to follow Simon Wigg,” explained Wallinger. “He was my hero and, when he passed away, I thought I might try to follow on from him. He was a legend in the sport and that’s where I’ve got all my inspiration from. The way he had his bikes, the way he rode and the way he was - he was my main man.”

Older fans on Teesside will remember a young Wallinger as the Boro Bears mascot when he would ride tentatively round the Cleveland Park track before meetings on a mini-bike. He’d already begun his schoolboy grass track career by then, although he gave up racing for a while and only gave speedway a stab this year - and then it was only because South Tees Motorsports Park had opened just half an hour from his Ampleforth home.

“The only reason I got into speedway is because this opened,” he said looking out of the pits around the STMP complex, “and it was too good to be true! On the opening night against Sheffield the track wasn’t that good, but I still wanted to get out there and have a go.”

Have a go he did and now he’s an important member of the Cleveland Bays squad. “I’m getting used to it a bit now and getting my confidence built up,” said Wallinger whose Conference League debut was as recent as July. “I’m picking up speed all the time as well and I’m feeling a lot smoother - I just have to stick at it. I know I can ride a bike. I did schoolboy racing and you don’t lose that. I struggled a bit at Oxford but I got a few points. It’s coming and I know I’ll get there, although maybe I need to get some slightly better machinery.”

Anyone who witnessed his performance against Buxton would have struggled to believe he was so inexperienced. But he pointed out: “When I got that paid 14, it was only my fifth meeting. I only started riding a speedway bike at the end of last year. I really struggled to start with but a lot of that was to do with my fitness but I’ve got myself fit and it’s a lot easier to do.”

With Greg Blair having already emerged as a major Conference League force and made his Redcar Bears debut this season, Wallinger’s progress is another feather in the Bays’ cap. “Jason Pipe (the Bays team manager) gave me my chance,” he said, “and I think I’ve taken it. I’ve tried to do my best and get some experience so I can go out and give it a proper go next season. So Wallinger’s aim now is to continue his progress - and maybe take another leaf out of the late, great Wiggy’s book too. “I’d like to get into have a crack at long track too,” he revealed, “maybe in the next couple of years. “I’d like to go abroad and try some of those big tracks over there - that would be pretty good.”
 

HAVELOCK AND KERR MISS OUT ON SEMIS
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Friday 24th August 2007
REDCAR Bears pair Gary Havelock and Chris Kerr both failed to reach the knockout stages of last night’s Garry Stead Grand Prix in Sheffield. The pair both began well in the big meeting to raise funds for popular ex-rider Stead who was left confined to a wheelchair after a track crash earlier this year, but were unable to progress into semi-finals. At least Havelock had something to celebrate though - he spent time on the track before the grand final advising shock winner Lee Complin of Stoke. The experienced Havvy was more than happy to help the young star who has made a sensational return to the sport this season. And his advice clearly worked, for Complin thrilled a bumper crowd of around 4,000 by squeezing through a gap that didn’t even look to be there on the last lap to pass Freddie Lindgren of Wolves and secure a stunning win. Home favourite Andre Compton was third with Jason Lyons of Birmingham fourth.

Earlier Havelock had won his first race before looking down on power in his second, being forced out by engine problems in his third and then getting excluded from his fourth ride for touching the tapes. USA international Kerr started and finished well, with a fall and a last sandwiched between a pair of seconds. The South Tees Motorsports Park favourite starred in one of the best races of the night in heat 15, soaring from third to first on the back straight before being caught and passed by Lyons.

The meeting was shortened from 20 heats to 16 after a series of delays caused by crashes. The most worrying came as early as heat three when Richard Hall, axed this week by reigning Elite League champions Peterborough, slammed into the fence coming out of the second turn. Hall, from Bedale, was on the track for some time before being taken to hospital.

Former Boro Bear Alan Mogridge must have wished he hadn’t made a comeback to ride in veterans’ demonstration races after clipping Sam Ermolenko’s machine and going down heavily just yards from where Hall had fallen. He walked away, however, as did Ben Barker who smashed into the fence on the pit turn in heat 11 of the main event.

Assisting referee Craig Ackroyd for the night was Paul Williams of Stockton who won the right to be in the box on an ebay auction, with the money raised going to the Garry Stead Fund.

CLEVELAND Bays have almost a full team to choose from when they attempt to complete their first ever Conference League ‘double’ tomorrow. The Bays won 54-38 at Sittingbourne early in the season - their only away victory to date - and look to repeat the feat against the Crusaders at South Tees Motorsports Park tomorrow (3pm start). Martin Emerson makes his first appearance since damaging knee ligaments at Boston in early July.

BAYS: 1 Mark Burrows, 2 Martin Emerson, 3 Steven Jones, 4 Gary Beaton, 5 Ashley Johnson, 6 David Wallinger, 7 Rusty Hodgson.
CRUSADERS: 1 Dean Felton, 2 Joe Reynolds, 3 Mark Baseby, 4 Harland Cook, 5 James Theobald, 6 Aarron Baseby 7 Jerran Hart.
 

STARS RALLY ROUND GARRY
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Thursday 23rd August 2007
FORMER world champion Gary Havelock and American international Chris Kerr fly the Redcar Bears flag in tonight’s Garry Stead Grand Prix at Sheffield. The popular Stead, 35, was left confined to a wheelchair after crashing while in action for Stoke at Somerset’s Oak Tree Arena earlier this season. Now Havelock and Kerr are to join a host of other stars - past and present - in what promises to be a fitting benefit night at Owlerton.

Havvy was Stead’s captain, but the two go back longer than that. “I’ve known Garry for years,” he said. “He was riding grass track along with me and the likes of Sean Wilson, Carl Stonehewer and Paul Bentley. We were all coming through at the same time, although Garry is a little bit younger than me. It’s a difficult time for him - he’s got a long life ahead of him, so I was happy to help.”

Havelock and Kerr line up in a quality field which also includes Elite League stars Freddie Lindgren (Wolves), Simon Stead (Belle Vue) and Steve Johnston (Coventry) while Somerset’s Magnus Zetterstrom - who won the Premier League Riders’ Championship at Owlerton last year - and home star Andre Compton head a host of PL stars.

“I like Sheffield and I usually go very well there,” said Havvy, “so I’ll be going there looking to win. But this meeting is not about me or Andre Compton or anyone else who might win - it’s about Garry Stead.”

The meeting will be run over a 20-heat Grand Prix format with two semi-finals and a grand final. In addition there will be five demonstration races featuring former riders including one-time Boro Bear Alan Mogridge, Les Collins and Peter Carr. The 1980 world champion Michael Lee and his former England team-mate Chris Morton also climb back onto a bike for a best-of-three match race challenge.

There is no action at South Tees Motorsports Park tonight to give Redcar Bears fans and riders alike the chance to be at Owlerton.
 

STAR INTERVIEW with BRIAN HAVELOCK
By Keith McGhie of ‘Speedway Star’ ~ Sunday 19th August 2007
It’s been a tough year for the man in charge of team matters at the South Tees Motorsports Park but Brian Havelock is beginning to see light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel. Half of the season has been sent with a good proportion is Havvy Snr’s first choice septet in hospital wards or on physiotherapists tables. Only James Grieves from the riders that have featured in the battered Bears’ named 1-7 has escaped the injury jinx as Brian’s son Gary, Josh Auty, Chris Kerr, Mat Tresarrieu, Dan Giffard, Rusty Hodgson and Jamie Courtney have all spent varying amounts of time on the sidelines. Even recently returned Jack Hargreaves had a few week’s out, albeit for different reasons.

“It’s been a nightmare,” admits Brian who, along with the rest of us, had such high hopes for 2007 after what, in comparison, was a dream first season of racing back on his beloved Teesside. But everything goes in cycles and just like the success of 2006 degenerated into the ‘carnage’ of this year, so the pendulum seems to be swinging again with a hard-fought win over Mildenhall last week and that totally unexpected but still rather satisfying thumping of a previously unbeaten-at-home Newcastle on Sunday.

Few gained more satisfaction from the 55-38 success over our nearest and fiercest rivals the Diamonds and Brian, who was part of the all-conquering Newcastle side of the mid-seventies during his 11-year riding career, admitted: “It’s always nice to go up there and turn them over. I thought we might edge it because they were a little bit weak on the night – being without Jonas Raun and with Paul Clews having his first match back - but to win by so many points was just great for everybody. Nobody let us down – it was an all round team performance and we now have to keep the momentum going.”

It’s no co-incidence that the turn in fortunes has come at the same time that the Bears returned to being able to pick their first choice team for the first time since that fateful afternoon when Havvy Jnr and Mat Tresarrieu crashed and were hurt at Glasgow in mid-April. The question now is – are there enough matches in the league season left to still stake a claim for the championship, this year to be decided by a top four shoot-out? “Getting into the top four will still be a big ask – we are riding as a team again but we there are a couple of Sunday’s coming up where we might not have Josh Auty – when we go to Newport and Glasgow there is a good chance his Conference League side Scunthorpe (who have preference but allowed 16-year old to race at Newcastle) will want to use him. Josh is so important to us - if he gets eight points then that’s also eight points the opposition don’t get!”

Hope comes in the form of the aforementioned and all-conquering Scorpions, who are set to join Redcar in the Premier League next season, still chalking up a mammoth 61 points against Rye House Raiders in the lower division last Sunday, WITHOUT Josh and their other outstanding rider Tai Woffinden (who rather ironically was racing to a 21-point haul FOR Rye Houses first team!). Brian re-iterates the message from everyone involved with the Bears – “We won’t give up until a top four place is mathematically impossible.”
 

BEARS ARE UP FOUR THE CUP - KERR
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Saturday 18th August 2007
Tonight's Northern Fours meet at Workington has been called off.
REDCAR Bears bid to erase memories of Thursday’s crushing home defeat by the Isle of Wight when they line up in the Northern Fours at Workington this evening. Sheffield, Newcastle and the host club join the Bears in the line-up as they attempt to regroup after this week’s shock 55-35 home reverse. The Bears were controversially denied a place in the Premier League Fours earlier this summer, so the meeting represents a good chance to show off their top end strength.

American World Cup star Chris Kerr made a flying start to the season but his flow was interupted by a crash which left him with facial injuries and a succession of mechanical problems. But Kerr is in a rich vein of form again - he provided one of the few bright spots against the Islanders - and is looking forward to visiting Derwent Park again, just three weeks after the Bears’ league match there. “I enjoy the track,” said Kerr. “It’s a big track and I really like its shape and size. Last time we were there I was struggling a bit with the engines but, for the most part, it went well (he scored a win and a paid win), so I think we’ve got a good chance of doing well. I’m starting to feel better about the engines now so I know I just need to keep plugging away.”

PATCHED-UP Cleveland Bays crashed to their heaviest ever defeat last night. David Wallinger again top scored - this time with six points - as they suffered a 70-18 Conference League drubbing at Oxford. The Cheetahs, who would have been tough opponents even with a full-strength team, won every race and Lee Smethills - who did a useful job for the Bears at the tail end of last season - was one of three home riders to record a paid maximum.

CHEETAHS: Lee Smethills 17+1, Danny Betson 17+1, Sam Martin 12+3, Brendan Johnson 8+2, Kyle Hughes 11+2, Matt Bates 5+2, Matt Davis (No 8) DNR, R/R for Jordan Frampton.
BAYS: David Wallinger 6, Mark Burrows 5, Paul Burnett 4, Rusty Hodgson 3, Ben Reade 0, Ben Hannon 0, Chris Baldwin (No 8) 0, R/R for Greg Blair.

RUSTY HODGSON rides in tonight’s Short Track UK meeting at South Tees Motorsports Park (6.30pm start). The event features machines ranging from 250cc to 1,000cc and there will also be quad and youth classes. Admission is £8 for adults, £6 concessions, £3 for juniors (12-15), while under-11s get in free.
 

ISLANDERS PUT BRAKE ON REDCAR BEARS' RUN
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Friday 17th August 2007
REDCAR Bears’ rollercoaster season took another dive last night as they crashed to their heaviest ever home defeat. After what skipper Gary Havelock described as their “best team performance for a long time” against Mildenhall last Thursday, they roared to a 55-38 derby win over Newcastle on Sunday and arrived at South Tees Motorsports Park full of confidence. But they were given a lesson in gating by the high-flying Isle of Wight Islanders and had no answer to their all-round strength as they went down 55-35. Chris Holder and Cory Gathercole found a particular liking for the STMP track and they each went unbeaten by an opponent until Havelock split them in the final race.

Only guest reserve Ashley Johnson was not at least paid for a win as the visitors took control from the moment Holder and Gathercole led home Havelock and Josh Auty for a 5-1 in the opening race. It wouldn’t have been enough to reverse the result, but the Bears had more bad luck to contend with too. James Grieves went out as a tactical double for heat nine and was leading the way and on course to spearhead an 8-1 with Chris Kerr when he was forced out by a carburettor problem.

And, after winning his first two races in style, Mat Tresarrieu was left without power just before the start of heat 11 due to a plug problem. He jumped on Grieves’s machine in time to beat the two-minute warning and had to finish the meeting on his spare bike which was spinning far too much and had less power. It would be easy to be totally negative after such a heavy home defeat - but it must be said that Tresarrieu was flying before his mechanical misfortunes while Kerr too is getting back to top form and Dan Giffard’s return of paid seven from four rides should not be underplayed.

“We were given a lesson in gating,” reflected disappointed manager Brian Havelock. “They were determined from the word go and those two Aussies (Holder and Gathercole) were unbelievably quick. It was such a shame because we were as high as a kite when we started but then we got so deflated. If we had got that 8-1 in heat nine it would have narrowed the gap and maybe given our lads a bit more determination.”

BEARS: Gary Havelock 9+1, Chris Kerr 9, Mat Tresarrieu 8, Dan Giffard 5+2, Josh Auty 2, James Grieves 2, Jack Hargreaves 0.
ISLANDERS: Chris Holder 14+1, Cory Gathercole 11+2, Jason Bunyan 9, Krystof Stojanowski 8, Glen Phillips 6+3, Chris Johnson 5+2, Ashley Johnson 2+2.

CLEVELAND Bays make the long trip to Oxford tonight with an unfamiliar look to their side. With a long list of injuries and unavailabilities, Rusty Hodgson will make his return a week earlier than he’d planned after taking a break from the sport. Mark Burrows, Paul Burnett and hero of Saturday’s win over Buxton David Wallinger are included - but boss Jason Pipe is forced to track two grade one riders at reserve.

CHEETAHS: 1 Lee Smethills, 2 Kyle Hughes, 3 R/R for Jordan Frampton, 4 Sam Martin, 5 Danny Betson, 6 Matt Bates, 7 Brendan Johnson, 8 George Piper.
BAYS: 1 Mark Burrows, 2 Paul Burnett, 3 R/R for Greg Blair, 4 Rusty Hodgson, 5 David Wallinger, 6 Ben Reade, 7 Ben Hannon.
 

REDCAR BEARS HOPES RIDE ON IN-FORM FRENCH STAR
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Thursday 16th August 2007
BEAMING boss Brian Havelock has hailed the return to top form made by flying Frenchman Mat Tresarrieu as his side prepare to take on Premier League surprise package Isle of Wight tonight. The Islanders, who visit South Tees Motorsports Park this evening (7.30pm start), have already won the PL Pairs and Fours crowns this season and stand a lofty fourth in the league table. Havelock recognises they will be a tough nut to crack, but believes his side will be full of confidence after seeing off Mildenhall last Thursday and then racking up an emphatic 55-38 victory at Newcastle on Sunday.

Tresarrieu played a key role in both wins and has been back to his best form since ditching his Jawa engine in favour of a GM. “The change-around in Matty since he switched to a GM has been huge,” said Havelock. “He is such a talented rider and he’s showing us all exactly what he can do. “He’s had his engine done this week, so I’m hoping we’ll see another good performance from him this evening. I also think that now he’s getting the return from his equipment, he’s starting to look after it better.”

With a settled and fully fit side finally on the track, the Bears could yet force their way into the championship play-offs, although a berth in the end-of-season Young Shield competition for the clubs who finish fourth to eighth remains the most likely outcome. Either way, Havelock is eager to see his side end the year with a flourish and says they will have been buoyed by their recent results. “Sunday’s win at Newcastle was fantastic,” he purred. “We were never behind. It was a good all-round performance - even Jack Hargreaves scored paid four which is his average so he did all he needed to do away from home. It won’t be easy against the Isle of Wight, but our lads will be on a high after their performance at Newcastle.”

Leading the Islanders - who had the distinction of being the first-ever Premier League visitors to STMP last year - is Aussie teenager Chris Holder who is in the form of his life. He collected a bronze medal in the recent World Cup final in Poland and forms a potent spearhead with Jason Bunyan. However, the visitors will be without New Zealand champion Andrew Bargh who has an ankle injury and have drafted in Teessider Ashley Johnson as a guest reserve at No 6.

BEARS: 1 Gary Havelock, 2 Josh Auty, 3 James Grieves, 4 Chris Kerr, 5 Mat Tresarrieu, 6 Dan Giffard, 7 Jack Hargreaves.
ISLANDERS: 1 Chris Holder, 2 Cory Gathercole, 3 Jason Bunyan, 4 Glen Phillips, 5 Krystof Stojanowski, 6 Ashley Johnson, 7 Chris Johnson.

THERE is no meeting at STMP next Thursday to avoid clashing with the Garry Stead Grand Prix at Sheffield. Gary Havelock and Chris Kerr are both riding in the meeting - which also features a match race between Michael Lee and Chris Morton - to raise funds for popular ex-rider Stead who was left confined to a wheelchair after a crash while in action for Stoke at Somerset earlier this year. Bears team manager Brian Havelock and the Bears supporters’ group are both running a mini-bus to the event and bookings will be taken tonight. Further details are also available from Brian on 01642 888780 or supporters’ group chief Graham Porter on 07859 731172.
 

BAYS STRIDE TO VICTORY
By Steve Harland ~ Tuesday 14th August 2007
THE Cleveland Bays produced their finest team performance of the season last weekend – not only defeating Buxton by 9pts but also taking the aggregate bonus point in the final race of a pulsating match to clinch their third victory of the season. Bays’ rookie David Wallinger was the surprise of the night as he finished top scorer with captain Mark ‘Buzz’ Burrows on 12pts; two victories and two second places a feature of his six rides.

Following the serious accident to Greg Blair against Scunthorpe the week before Burnt Tree Bays team manager Jason Pipe had his riders motivated and prepared from race one. Minus three key riders, Blair, Martin Emerson (ankle ligaments) and Sean Stoddart (parent club refused permission) many thought the more experienced Buxton team would brush the Bays aside. A monumental team effort from all six fit riders – they had to use rider replacement for Blair, produced a positive result with every team member contributing.

Buxton’s Ben Taylor and Jack Roberts battled hard but the Bays’ team spirit and strength in depth eventually overwhelmed the visitors. With the match already won the destiny of the bonus point hinged on the final race. In his desperation to take victory Buxton’s Jack Roberts was excluded by the referee for taking out David Wallinger. In the rerun captain Mark Burrows accounted for Taylor with Wallinger picking up the third place it meant the Bays had won by 9pts (50-41) and snatched the bonus point on aggregate right at the death.
 

CHAMPION TEAM IN TOWN
By Redcar Speedway ~ Monday 13th August 2007
One of the Premier League teams consistently in the hunt for honours visit the South Tees Motorsport Park this Thursday evening at 7.30. For the Redcar Bears take on the Isle of Wight Islanders, who have already bagged the Premier League Pairs Championship and the Premier League Fours Championship this season. They are spearheaded by 19-year-old Australian Chris Holder who in addition to two gold medals in 2007 also represented his country in the World Team Cup Final in Poland recently. His partner in the Pairs triumph was club skipper Jason Bunyan who first rode for the Islanders in 1999 and is enjoying his best-ever season for the club.

The Isle of Wight management have a tradition of recruiting emerging talent and succeeded in securing the signature of another rising star from down under in the shape of 20-year-old Cory Gathercole. He is also regarded like Holder as a tip for the top. Polish rider Krystof Stojanowski was an instant success when he hopped across the Solent in August 2005 and gives the Ryde club a further solid scorer in their top four. The Islanders will be missing New Zealand Speedway Champion Andrew Bargh at number six because of an ankle injury and will call up a Conference League guest at reserve.

For Redcar - whose season has been previously affected by a series of injuries throughout the squad - the away thumping of derby rivals Newcastle on Sunday evening by 55 points to 38, on the first occasion for many months that the Bears have been at full strength, augurs well for a cracking match between two evenly balanced and competitive teams.
An interesting footnote to the fixture is that the Bears' Director of Operations Gareth Rogers was responsible for introducing speedway to the island at the Smallbrook Stadium, Ryde in 1996 and mirrored the feat by being one of the parties involved in the relaunch of the sport at the Motorpark off South Bank Road exactly ten years later.

REDCAR BEARS:
1. Gary Havelock (C), 2. Josh Auty, 3. James Grieves, 4. Chris Kerr, 5. Mathieu Tresarrieu, 6. Daniel Giffard, 7. Jack Hargreaves

ISLE OF WIGHT ISLANDERS:
1. Chris Holder, 2. Cory Gathercole, 3. Jason Bunyan (C), 4. Glen Phillips, 5. Krystof Stojanowski, 6. To be confirmed, 7. Chris Johnson

There will be no Premier League action at the Motorpark on Thursday August 23rd so as not to clash with the Garry Stead Grand Prix at Sheffield Speedway that evening. Both Gary Havelock and Chris Kerr are amongst the galaxy of stars now taking part. Garry Stead was paralysed riding for the Stoke Potters at Somerset Speedway earlier this season and receipts will assist setting up facilities for his future rehabilitation. Bears' Team Manager Brian Havelock is running a mini-bus to the event and further details are available from Brian on 01642 888780 whilst the Bears' supporters club are organising a coach with details from Graham Porter on 07859 731172. There will be speedway at the Motorpark that weekend when the Cleveland Bays take on the Sittingbourne Crusaders on Saturday August 25th at 3pm.
 

DERBY JOY AS BEARS POLISH OF DIAMONDS
By Martin Neal, Evening Gazette ~ Monday 13th August 2007
REDCAR Bears manager Brian Havelock and the team’s small army of fans made a joyous return down the A19 to Teesside following last night’s thumping 55-38 victory over Tyneside rivals Newcastle at Brough Park. It was the Bears’ biggest away success since speedway returned to Teesside in April last year and rekindles just a glimmer of hope that a Premier League top four play-off place might still be possible for a side whose hopes seemed to have been dashed by a crippling mid-term injury crisis. The back-to- full-strength Bears took the Diamonds apart, almost from the start, and secured both league points with two races to spare. The manager, himself a former Middlesbrough rider who was also part of the all-conquering Newcastle side of the mid-seventies, couldn’t hide his joy at coming away from his old stamping ground with such an emphatic win.

“I thought we might edge it because they were a little bit weak but to win by so many points was just great for everybody,” he said. “Nobody let us down - it was an all round team performance and we now have to keep the momentum going into Thursday’s match at home to the Isle of Wight. Getting into the top four will still be a big ask – we are riding as a team again but there are a couple of Sundays coming up when we might not have Josh Auty. When we go to Glasgow and Newport there is a good chance his Conference League side Scunthorpe (who have preference but allowed 16-year old to race at Newcastle) will want to use him.”

It was also a hugely satisfying return for James Grieves, who spent two mixed years with the Diamonds before joining Redcar over the winter. The in-form Scot dropped just one point – to Josef Franc in heat 12 – on the way to top scoring with 14 and received superb support from skipper Gary Havelock – Brian’s son – who was also only beaten once by an opponent, when finishing behind Christian Henry in the opener. Grieves set Redcar on the road to victory, partnering Chris Kerr to a 5-1 in heat three, and the Diamonds, without high-scoring Danish teenager Jonas Raun, who was on international duty, never got close to getting back on level terms.

Mat Tresarrieu and Auty kept the momentum going for the rampant Bears, each earning double-figured returns, while Kerr and Dan Giffard also chipped in with regular points. Even four wins from Newcastle’s impressive reserve Sean Stoddart brought a wry smile to some Teesside fans faces, as the 20-year old Scotsman is a recent addition to the South Tees Motorsports Park’s junior team – the Cleveland Bays.

Diamonds 38:
Sean Stoddart 16, Josef Franc 11, Christian Henry 8, Carl Wilkinson 3+1, Paul Clews 0, Sam Dore 0.
Bears 55:
James Grieves 14, Gary Havelock 12+2, Matt Tresarrieu 9+1, Josh Auty 8+2, Chris Kerr 5+2, Dan Giffard 5+1, Jack Hargreaves 2+2
 

STAR INTERVIEW With Gareth and Laurence Rogers
By Keith McGhie of ‘Speedway Star’ ~ Thursday 9th August 2007
Sibling rivalry could lead to spontaneous combustion on the centre green this evening (assuming the aforementioned former quagmire has finally dried out sufficiently during the recent break in rain to light anything!) Gareth Rogers is reputedly gunning for revenge in a family feud that is said to date back almost to the days when speedway was known as dirt-track racing!! Without putting exact dates on things Gareth and the manager of tonight’s visitors Mildenhall – his younger brother Laurence – began their association with the sport as young fans at Newport’s old Somerton Park home, both graduating to the announcers box in succession to one another. Since then their paths have crossed surprisingly few times in opposition but Gareth admits that Laurence might just be edging the ongoing battle for family bragging rights.

The Bears’ Director of Operation recalls: “The most famous occasion and one I’ll never forget was when he was team manager at Cradley Heath in 1980 and I was announcer at Hackney when they were vying for the league title with Reading. It was the last match of the season and Hackney had to beat Cradley to pip Reading for the championship. The Hawks hopes finally died when Bo Petersen crashed under the pit bend safety fence while chasing Bruce Penhall and I can remember announcing that “that was Laurence’s Christmas Card gone!”

More recently the Fen Tigers triumphed 47-45 in a controversial Premier League match with the Bears at West Row at the beginning of May, although Gareth wasn’t present that day. “It’s definitely my turn,” concludes the man in the Redcar jacket. The Mildenhall boss counters by claiming: “I remember Ronnie Corry (who was guesting for the Bears in place of injured Gary Havelock) was controversially excluded towards the end but we should have won by more really – there were a few incidents where we were hard done by. Having lost to Birmingham on Sunday we are very determined – our skipper Jason King had a nightmare with bike problems during that match and he has said we must now come to Redcar and win.”

The Tigers’ trump card could be our old friend – former Bears’ favourite Tomas Suchanek - AT NUMBER SEVEN?! Gareth feels the rider who was a formidable heat-leader whilst at the South Tees Motorsports Park is obviously missing the Dormer Way set-up, which is why, living in nearby Yarm, he is still a regular spectator here. “I first brought Tomas to England in 2003 when I was at King’s Lynn.” Laurence points out: “True he was down to a three-point rider when he came back to us at Mildenhall a couple of months ago but we’ve brought him back to form.” Fighting talk from both sides and it’s not only a spoken rivalry.

While Gareth has been burning the midnight oil, hammering away at a keyboard to lend the finishing touches to Rye House promoter ‘Leaping’ Len Silver’s forthcoming autobiography, Laurence has responded with the life story of Britain’s 1980 World Champion Michael Lee, plus a comprehensive UK track directory, complete with maps. We altered a few road signs en route to the Motorsports Park prior to today’s clash to test out the new publication but, assuming the Tigers’ has no problem getting here, we hope the book also shows the way to the nearest hostelry… as Gareth reckons the drinks are on the loser!
 

BAYS AIMING TO SHOOT DOWN THE HITMEN
By Steve Harland ~ Wednesday 8th August 2007
SPEEDWAY action moves to a new time this weekend when the Cleveland Bays host Derbyshire-based outfit Buxton Hitmen in a Conference League encounter at South Tees Motorsport Park. Due to Middlesbrough FC playing at 3pm the meeting has been put back to a 6pm start. There is however an aggregate bonus point at stake with the Bays facing an eight point deficit. Both teams have been hit by injuries to key riders so the rider replacement ruling, whereby a team mate replaces an injured rider, comes into place.

The Bays are severely weakened and are missing three key riders: Greg Blair, Martin Emerson and Sean Stoddart. Blair was involved in the worst crash witnessed at the venue since the sport returned in last week’s match against Scunthorpe Scorpions (see separate article further down), Emerson has an ankle injury and is out for at least another month and Newcastle won’t allow Stoddart to ride the day before they race Redcar Bears in a local derby at Brough Park. The same reason was given by Redcar promoter Chris Van Straaten for Jack Hargreaves who rejoined the club this week from Stoke. Hargreaves has been struggling for form and a spell in the Conference League would do his confidence no harm. 15-year old Kye Norton returns at reserve whilst David Wallinger drops down from the No.2 spot to partner Norton.

Buxton have Jack Roberts and Charles Wright both out. Roberts scored a seven ride 21pt maximum in the corresponding fixture last year, whilst Wright was injured recently whilst riding for his parent club Workington.

‘Burnt Tree’ Bays:
1 Mark Burrows; 2 Steve Jones; 3 Rider Replacement for Greg Blair; 4 Ashley Johnson; 5 Gary Beaton; 6 David Wallinger; 7 Kye Norton.
Buxton Hitmen:
1 Jonathan Bethell; 2 Danny Hodgson; 3 Scott James; 4 Ben Taylor; 5 Rider Replacement for Jack Roberts; 6 Lewis Dallaway; 7 Paul Starke.

Admission to the meeting remains £10 for adults; £5 for OAPs/Students and free of charge for Under 16s.

• THE Cleveland Bays were dealt a savage blow in last week’s home defeat against reigning champions Scunthorpe. Greg Blair, who has been scoring double figures home and away, was flung like a rag doll into the safety fence at high speed and over into the spectator area. Greg and Scunthorpe’s Scott Richardson, who was on the inside off gate 1, appeared to clash into one another and this resulted in the worst crash seen at the venue. Medical staff rushed to the scene to treat the stricken Jedbergh youngster and there were real fears that major damage had been sustained. After a lengthy delay Greg was taken to James Cook Hospital where checks revealed later that he had badly broken his left elbow and sustained damage to the inside of his mouth. He was operated on Wednesday morning by the top surgeon at the hospital who is confident he can repair the injury. Any supporters wishing to contact Greg can do so at Ward 37.

• REIGNING champions Scunthorpe defeated the Cleveland Bays by 57-34pts last Thursday evening. Following Greg Blair’s crash in Heat 12 the heart went out of the Bays side, understandably in the circumstances, conceding two 5-1s and a 4-2 heat advantage in the last three heats. Up until then the Bays had debutant Sean Stoddart, Greg Blair, Ashley Johnson & David Wallinger all riding as competitive as any Scorpions rider. Tai Woffinden who has an eight point average in the Premier League with Rye House and Andrew Tully who has a five point average with Edinburgh were a class above. Their inclusion in the Scunthorpe team making a mockery of Conference League rules stating that no rider with a Premier League average of more than four is allowed to ride in the Conference League. 

‘Burnt Tree’ Bays: Sean Stoddart 12, Ashley Johnson 9+2, Greg Blair 8, David Wallinger 2, Mark Burrows, Steve Jones & Gary Beaton 1

• MIDDLESBROUGH-based Laminate Flooring Direct who specialise in supplying laminates for floors, ceilings and walls have provisionally agreed a record amount of sponsorship with the club. The company’s manager Peter Roath met the club’s community development officer Steve Harland last Thursday and the pair agreed a provisional arrangement which will see the Newport South Business Park-based company sponsor between 6/8 meetings next season for a substantial four figure sum. The company were guests of the club at Thursday’s Premier League fixture between Redcar and Mildenhall. Another company, Ceramic Tile Distributors of Stockton-on-Tees have agreed to sponsor the prestigous Silver Helmet individual meeting that was won by Bedale-based Elite League rider Richard Hall last season.
 

OLD BOYS RETURN
By Redcar Speedway ~ Tuesday 7th August 2007
The Redcar Bears face the Mildenhall Fen Tigers in Premier League action at the South Tees Motorsport Park at 7.30pm on Thursday. A lot of focus for fans will be on the respective number sevens as 2006 favourite Jack Hargreaves returns to the Bears camp whilst the East Anglian visitors track his former team partner Tomas Suchanek. 19-year-old Hargreaves started this season at parent club Stoke after they refused permission for the Redcar club to speak to the rider about a 2007 contract at the Motorpark. However when it became known that Jack was contemplating time out of the sport - club owner Chris Van Stratten stepped in with an initiative to sort the situation out for the young man and all parties concerned. As such Jack makes his 2007 'debut' at home for the Bears and is assured a warm welcome on parade especially as he brings stabiity to the reserve berth along with his pal Daniel Giffard.

Tomas Suchanek has had a similar path to Thursday's fixture. The Czech Republic international is resident on Teesside after his initial year with the Bears in 2006 but his parent club, Poole, allocated him to Somerset Speedway where they have an involvement. After an unhappy low scoring period he was released but snapped up by Mildenhall Manager Laurence Rogers who had first brought Tomas over to British Speedway when co-promoter at Kings Lynn in season 2003. The 22-year-old has blossomed since with a string of double-figure scores at home and away and his contribution will be crucial to the Fen Tiger's cause.There is also some family pride at stake with this fixture as Laurence Rogers is the younger brother of the Bears' Director of Operations Gareth Rogers.

REDCAR BEARS:
1. Gary Havelock (C), 2. Josh Auty (subject to late fitness test), 3. James Grieves, 4. Chris Kerr, 5. Mathieu Tresarrieu, 6. Daniel Giffard, 7. Jack Hargreaves
MILDENHALL FEN TIGERS:
1. Tom P.Madsen, 2. Shaun Tacey, 3. Kyle Legault, 4. Paul Fry, 5. Jason King, 6. Mark Baseby, 7. Tomas Suchanek

Special guests at the fixture will be John McGuiness and Dennis Hobbs of the Padgetts Honda Road Racing Team who will be appearing at the Croft Circuit for the British Superbikes weekend. They will be signing autographs and distributing promotional items from a special static display at the speedway arena. Also present will be author Jeff Scott who will be signing copies of 'SHALE BRITANNIA: A SIDEWAYS LOOK AT SPEEDWAY' which features the Bears' circuit. There is a further speedway meeting at the Motorpark on Saturday evening when the Cleveland Bays face the Buxton Hitmen in a Conference League fixture at 6pm.
 

BLAIR UPDATE
By Redcar Speedway ~ Tuesday 7th August 2007
Greg Blair is still detained in James Cook Hospital, Middlesbrough. He has now undergone three X-ray sessions to assess the damage to a broken elbow with surgery postponed at the time of making this statement. The nasty mouth wound Greg suffered and which caused a loss of blood is beginning to heal. Initial fears about internal injuries have been unfounded, we are very pleased to report.
 

CRASH ADDS TO BAYS' WOES
By Keith McGhie, with the Evening Gazette ~ Friday 3rd August 2007
AN horrific heat 12 accident involving rapidly rising teenager Greg Blair marred a battling performance by the Cleveland Bays, who eventually slid to 57-34 defeat at home to Conference League leaders Scunthorpe. The 16-year old Scot, whose regular high scores have been among the highlights of a difficult season for the second-from-bottom of the table Bays, was treated by medical staff at the circuit before being taken to Middlesbrough’s James Cook Hospital. He was put in a precautionary neck brace but later reported to have full movement, with most concern centring on injuries to his face, elbow and ribs. Blair’s sickening crash seemed to take the heart out of a Cleveland side that only trailed by 11 points going into the fateful 12th heat.

They had, with the help of a partially successful tactical substitution, been as close as seven points behind the unbeaten Scorpions after nine races. But with the Bays minus Blair and with skipper Mark Burrows again struggling, after blowing his second engine in as many weeks on the final bend in heat eight, the powerhouse visitors eased to victory by collecting 18 of a possible 20 points in the final four races. The beleaguered Teessiders had no answer to the league’s outstanding rider – another 16-year-old, Tai Woffinden – who rattled off an effortless six-ride paid maximum and shaved almost a second off the Motorsport Park’s Conference League track record.

Only Blair (twice) and impressive new signing Sean Stoddart managed to take the chequered flag for the Bays, as Andrew Tully and former Cleveland favourite Joe Haines gave Woffinden plenty of backing for the defending champions. However, gutsy showings from Ashley Johnson, who scored in each of his six outings, and even Gary Beaton and David Wallinger, who were less productive but always in the mix, saved the Bays any embarrassment.

“Greg’s accident certainly deflated us while Buzz’s recent problems and consequent low scores are causing a little concern,” admitted Bays’ manager Jason Pipe after the meeting.
“The reports we’ve had coming back on Greg’s condition aren’t as bad as we initially feared but it’s still very nasty and a sickening blow for him at a time when he was going so well.”

BAYS:
Sean Stoddart 12, Ashley Johnson 8+2, Greg Blair 8, Steven Jones 3, David Wallinger 1+1, Mark Burrows 1, Gary Beaton 1.
SCORPIONS:
Tai Woffinden 17+1, Andrew Tully 14+1, Joe Haines 8+1, Richie Dennis 7+1, Byron Bekker 7+1, Scott Richardson 4+1.
 

STAR INTERVIEW WITH MARK 'BUZZ' BURROWS
By Keith McGhie of ‘Speedway Star’ ~ Thursday 2nd August 2007
Few who have witnessed the performances of Burnt Tree Bays’ skipper Mark Burrows this season can fail to be impressed with the unquenchable enthusiasm the evergreen Yorkshireman still displays for a sport he has graced for nearly a quarter of a century now. Never a superstar but always top of the popularity poles, the man affectionately known as Buzz has every reason to place tonight’s opponents Scunthorpe especially high among a list of clubs that he has represented which is now almost as long as the River Tees.

It was back in 1983 that Buzz, then with a ‘tad’ more hair, began his career in second halves at Scunny’s old Ashby Ville Stadium. He rode 23 meetings for the then ‘Stags’ in 1984, averaging just under four points a match, and continued with the club until they folded mid-way through the following season. By 1987 he had developed infinitely ‘better taste’ and started the first of two spells with Middlesbrough – returning between 1992 and 1994.

Edinburgh, Stoke, Sheffield, even Belle Vue, feature on his CV, as well as Wimbledon, where enjoyed three happy years in a similar Conference League capacity to that held here at the South Tees Motorsports Park. Buzz commented: “It’s some times nice to come up against tracks I’ve ridden for in the past and you do tend to see people you’ve not seen for a while. There’s no-one from the management or riders who was involved at Scunthorpe when I was there but I think a couple of the track-staff were and I recognise a few faces among the supporters.”

Burnt Tree Bays boss Jason Pipe rightly describes tonight’s task of taming Scunthorpe the reigning CL Champions as “a mountain to climb” but Buzz, the irrepressible optimist, insists: “If we are all on the ball, it’s not impossible to beat Scunthorpe and with the addition of Sean Stoddart we should be stronger,” while warning: “…but things don’t always go to plan!”

“I’ve enjoyed this season and the biggest problem has been keeping fit with a lack of regular meetings – I’m not 20 anymore (we understand pushing 22 now maybe???). Greg (Blair) has taken some of the pressure – the expectation – of me having to score points and Gary (Beaton) has proved very capable, especially at Middlesbrough (old habits die hard), and Sean should help more.”

Many folk have queried why Buzz, now actually 43 but still undoubtedly capable of mixing it successfully with many in the Premier League, wasn’t called upon to help the Redcar Bears out during this season’s on-going bottom end injury crisis. The answer is simply that the Bays’ rider coach is on a list of ‘experienced’ campaigners who aren’t allowed to double up – any involvement with a Premier League outfit would rule him out of Conference League competition.

“Edinburgh wanted to use me a few weeks ago and I told them that I wouldn’t mind doing it providing I didn’t have to stop riding for the Bays,” he explained. “The rules dictate that I can’t ride in both leagues which I think is wrong – but I’m bound to. Maybe a young lad who gets a chance because I can’t double up wouldn’t agree, so the rule is there to protect them but effectively kicks me out.”

While sorry that we couldn’t see you in a Bears’ race-jacket, I think I speak for all of us who have witnessed the Bays in action this season are undoubtedly glad that you chose to stick with a Cleveland side which, despite an lack of on-track success, seem to boast one of the best team spirits in lower league racing.
 

BAYS TO FACE UNBEATEN SCORPIONS
By Keigh McGhie, with the Evening Gazette ~ Thursday 2nd August 2007
“A MOUNTAIN to climb” is the way Cleveland Bays’ team manager Jason Pipe is describing his side’s task against Scunthorpe Scorpions at South Tees Motorsports Park tonight. The Premier League Redcar Bears have a rare Thursday off to prepare for a tough schedule of four matches in six days next week, enabling the very best of Conference League speedway to take centre stage at the Teesside arena (7.30pm). The all-conquering Scorpions have yet to lose a league match as defending champions this season and have already declared their intention to move up and join Redcar in the higher division next year.

Their powerhouse side is packed with Premier League experience. It includes sensational 16-year-old British finalist Tai Woffinden, who has been hitting big scores while doubling up for Rye House, Edinburgh regular Andy Tully and South African Byron Bekker, who lodged with Pipe in Coulby Newham when he first came to the UK and scored 4+1 as a guest for Redcar at Workington last Saturday. The Scorpions also include 2006 Cleveland starlet Joe Haines – the reigning British Under-15 Champion - who, sadly for the Bays, decided during the winter that his future would be better served at the Lincolnshire track.
 
“Scunthorpe really don’t have a weak link and all our boys will have to be at their best if we are going to challenge them,” admits Pipe, whose side have come repeatedly close but won just one of five home matches so far. The high-flying visitors might have been even stronger had Redcar track specialist Josh Auty, another who races in both divisions, not been sidelined with a broken wrist – sustained racing for the Bears a fortnight ago.

Bays are boosted by the addition of Sean Stoddart, who makes his debut after completing a switch that sees fellow Scot Adam McKinna depart the South Tees Motorsports Park for Boston. Stoddart, 20, is another with plenty of Premier League experience, having doubled up with Newcastle all season, and scored a memorable five-ride paid maximum against the Bears in an early-season challenge at Brough Park. Fast-improving teenager Greg Blair’s recent run of high scores means he now has to move away from the two reserve berths and into the main body of the Cleveland team, although Pipe has the consolation that his replacement in the tactically important number six race jacket – Ashley Johnson – is beginning to show his best form since joining the Bays.

Veteran skipper Mark ‘Buzz’ Burrows began his career with Scunthorpe in 1983 and rode for the-then nicknamed ‘Stags’ for two years before continuing a much travelled career that has now included three separate spells on Teesside. Admission tonight is reduced to £10 adults, £5 concessions, with children and match programme free.

BAYS:
1 Mark Burrows, 2 Steven Jones, 3 Greg Blair, 4 Gary Beaton, 5 Sean Stoddart, 6 Ashley Johnson, 7 David Wallinger.
SCORPIONS:
1 Tai Woffinden, 2 Rider replacement for injured Josh Auty, 3 Andrew Tully, 4 Byron Bekker, 5 Richie Dennis, 6 Scott Richardson, 7 Joe Haines.