The tenth Ben Fund Bonanza opens the 92nd British Speedway season this Sunday at the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena, Leicester, start time 2pm. A good crowd is expected with fans hungry for action, and it is needed since the last Bonanza was two years ago now.
The need for funds to assist the injured riders never stops as SRBF Chairman Paul Ackroyd stresses in his editorial for the meeting programme, reflecting on the fact that both attempted stagings last season were cancelled. “During 2018 we were able to assist 46 current Riders who needed various degrees of support during the times when they were injured. Additionally, as always, 13 permanently disabled ex-riders received ongoing support. It is our intention that none of these boys are ever forgotten.
“Our expenditure to do all this was in excess of £100,000. Before last Season had even started, we were committed to spending £21,000 on specialist needs and equipment. Due to the first cancellation we had no income until Track Collections started to trickle in during late Summer, when we had already spent over £50K.”
Although it is clear that some riders still don’t appreciate the importance of the part they can play personally in helping the Bonanza and their fellow riders, a very good field has been put together to kick the season off in style. There is one late change as Steve Worrall has withdrawn, his replacement being Scunthorpe’s new Aussie Jedd List who will certainly be watched with interest by the Scunthorpe fans.
Seven of our paraplegic riders will be attending as guests of honour for what is obviously a highlight of their speedway season: Steve Weatherley, Graham Miles, Joe Owen, Lawrence Hare, Neil Hewitt, Garry Stead and Ricky Ashworth, the latter of course being in action on the day on his tandem.
Gates open at 12 noon and there will be plenty on prior to the meeting proper including the under-age racers and the Blast from the Past guys.
