Double whammy opens exciting season!
TWO huge meetings will open a thrilling 2020 season of speedway action at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway.
The Ben Fund Bonanza – a fund raiser for injured riders including those with long-term serious injuries – has become speedway’s traditional curtain-raiser to the new season. It’s the second time the meeting will take place at Scunthorpe, following in the footsteps of a highly successful 2011 event at the EWR.
That meeting will take place on Saturday, March 14th at 2pm.
Just eight days later, the Josh Auty testimonial takes place at Scunthorpe, on Sunday, March 22nd at 3pm. The Yorkshireman is Scorpions’ highest-ever points scorer and the only rider to win three league championships with the club. He is a legend of Scunthorpe Speedway and an exciting line-up will be assembled for the meeting.
Scunthorpe Scorpions begin their league meetings in the SGB Championship on Friday, April 3rd, with the visit of Newcastle Diamonds.
All of Scorpions’ home meetings are scheduled for Fridays, except the two home meetings with fellow Friday-night track Edinburgh which both take place on Sundays at the start-time of 5.30pm.
Every Friday meeting will take place at 7.30pm, except the two Bank Holiday meetings. The big Good Friday (April 10th) clash against Redcar Bears starts at 6pm, while the VE Bank Holiday (May 8th) meeting against Leicester will start at 2pm – to allow fans to attend both that meeting and the first round of the Speedway Of Nations final at Belle Vue in the evening.
Meanwhile, Speedway giants Poole Pirates will first the Eddie Wright Raceway for the first-time ever on Friday, May 29th. Pirates have won the top-flight no fewer than ten times – and have never ridden against Scunthorpe in an official fixture… until now!
Scorpions have received a bye in the first round of the Knockout Cup and have been drawn against league newcomers Kent in the second round.
Promoter Rob Godfrey is really looking forward to the season ahead.
He said: “I think it’s going to be a great season of racing ahead – we couldn’t have a better opening couple of meetings than the Ben Fund Bonanza and Josh Auty’s hugely deserved testimonial meeting.
“Both will be huge occasions and will ensure that the sixteenth successive season of racing at the Eddie Wright Raceway will get off to a bang.
“But there’s so much to look forward to this season, including the first-ever visit of the mighty Poole Pirates to Scunthorpe Speedway, while Kent are also newcomers to our league and have never met our senior side.
“Every fixture looks an attractive one. I’ve said it every year for the last few years, but the Championship is such a competitive league and that’s going to be the case again.
“There is a bit more continuity to our fixtures as well – once the season clicks into top gear, we will be riding at the Eddie Wright Raceway most Fridays at 7.30pm.
“We’ve put together what we believe is an entertaining and exciting team to watch – we believe our team is rock solid and that’s our strength. I hope, like me, our supporters can’t wait for what promises to be a very special season to start.”
2020 FIXTURES:
MARCH
Saturday 14th (H) BEN FUND BONANZA 2pm
Sunday 22nd (H) JOSH AUTY TESTIMONIAL 3pm
Sunday 29th (H) RESERVED 3pm
APRIL
Friday 3rd (H) NEWCASTLE (League) 7.30pm
Good Friday 10th (H) REDCAR (League) 6pm
Sunday 12th (A) Redcar (League)
Friday 17th (H) BERWICK (League) 7.30pm
Saturday 18th (A) Berwick (League)
Friday 24th (A) Edinburgh (League)
Sunday 26th (H) EDINBURGH (League) 5.30pm
MAY
Sunday 3rd (A) Newcastle (League)
Bank Holiday Friday 8th (H) LEICESTER (League) 2pm
Friday 15th (H) GLASGOW (League) 7.30pm
Sunday 17th (A) Glasgow (League)
Wednesday 20th (A) Somerset (League)
Friday 29th (H) POOLE (League) 7.30pm
JUNE
Wednesday 10th (A) Kent (Cup)
Friday 12th (H) KENT (Cup) 7.30pm
Friday 19th (A) Edinburgh (League)
Saturday 20th (H) DIRT DIGGERS 3 – FLAT TRACK FESTIVAL 11.30am
Sunday 21st (H) EDINBURGH (League) 5.30pm
Friday 26th (H) BIRMINGHAM (League) 7.30pm
Saturday 27th (A) Eastbourne (League)
JULY
Friday 3rd (H) SOMERSET (League) 7.30pm
Friday 10th (H) KENT (League) 7.30pm
Friday 17th (A) Championship Pairs @Somerset
Saturday 18th (A) British Grand Prix @Cardiff
Sunday 19th (A) Championship Fours @Leicester
Friday 24th (H) EASTBOURNE (League) 7.30pm
Sunday 26th (A) Newcastle (League)
Wednesday 29th (A) Kent (League)
Friday 31st (H) BERWICK (League) 7.30pm
AUGUST
Saturday 1st (A) Leicester (League)
Wednesday 5th (A) Birmingham (League)
Friday 7th (H) RESERVED 7.30pm
Saturday 8th (A) Berwick (League)
Wednesday 12th (A) Poole (League)
Friday 14th (H) REDCAR (League) 7.30pm
Saturday 15th (A) Redcar (League)
Friday 21st (H) NEWCASTLE (League) 7.30pm
Friday 28th (H) GLASGOW (League) 7.30pm
Sunday 30th (A) Glasgow (League)
SEPTEMBER
Sunday 6th (A) Championship Riders Indiv @Sheffield
Fridays at the Eddie Wright Raceway throughout September and October are reserved for rained off league meetings, play-off meetings and for the later rounds of the Knock-Out Cup.
KEY: League = SGB Championship, Cup = Knockout Cup.
