AJ

Your Grandad was a legend Ben. Len was involved helping the promotion in 2000 when they had the temporary track to lay every week. He took on the stadium lease the same year but didn't take on sole promotion until 2001.....I think. Others would now better than me.

Not sure if it's been mentioned on the forum but I came across a 5 part Free Speedway Podcast on Audible by Jennie Gow. An interesting listen about how speedway started her love of motor racing and about the sports heyday in the UK to where we are at now. Interesting hearing what Barry Hearn thinks in contrast to Buster Chapman's all is rosy view. Well worth a listen. It's interesting that they say about people drift out from the sport often due to starting families and work progression and then coming back to the sport at a later point. This is where I am. Since 2009 I drifted away from Rye House attending sporadically but back in 2018 with the kids older showing more interest we tried to attend but the midweek meetings put a stop to that with school and their after school commitments. Since the Rockets disappeared I've been itching to get back to speedway. Over the past year I have bumped into many old faces from Rye at some very random places none of them at speedway. In the years I was a regular week in week out I had an amazing time with some great people travelling up and down the country. It's sad how many tracks I had visited are no more in a relatively short space of time. Fingers crossed the Rockets get back on track and if it's a weekend race night/afternoon then me and my Johnson clan will be there.

Funnily enough Ben the way I found out the Rockets were back in 2000 was by a couple of big signs stuck on the roundabout at the Tesco A414/A1 interchange in Hatfield and then a few weeks later there was a display outside the Howard Centre in Welwyn Garden City. Can't remember which riders were there but guessing Russell Paine being local at the time, may have been there. After the 2000 season I never saw anything round my area (Welwyn/Hatfield) again.

And the story that the club itself is still owed money still seems to be rumbling on.

Both sites are owned by BMR with the Kart side being leased to Motorsport World.

Worth keeping an eye out for a change of use with the council as the area is a designated motorsports site. Remember back in the early 00's with the clubs resurrection the locals in the flats and houses opposite, which were built after the Rockets 90's closure put complaints about the noise. The complaints were thrown out because the residents should have been aware they were moving next to a designated motorsports site.

You can now order the Champions Chase DVD online here at Stuart's Merchandise Shop

Ken has a new website on the way! To order the DVD you can send a cheque payable to: S. ROBSON 23 EASTBOURNE ROAD, WESTHAM, PEVENSEY, EAST SUSSEX, BN24 5NE A link will also be placed on Stuarts merchadise page so you can buy online within the next day. I just need to check on the price first.

Should be but you can always come and see me and I'll sort you out with a copy.

I see where you're coming from but the guy on the gate wasn't like that at all, the fact was he was running the gate for the first time yesterday as a favour to Stuart and the second rider they signed in, Paul gave him verbal. Totally out of order especially knowing that he is a very good friend of Stuarts I thought it was bang out of order. If he thinks he's that much of 'star' that everyone knows who he is then I think he needs a reality check.

Just let you all know gates open at 5pm. See you all there!

This week we will be getting 'Robbo' T shirts which are exclusive to online & mail orders only!

Also getting jackets in stock. You can order anything at Official Merchandise Shop

The event itself will feature 32 riders, competing in an elimination format, until the final four meet in the winner-takes-all final, with that race winner collecting a cool £2000, very kindly donated by Elmside Transport, plus a skiing holiday courtesy by Silver Ski Holidays. Race sponsorship opportunities still remain for the meeting, at a cost of £200 per heat. Sponsorship is open to individuals, groups of individuals and business support, and payment can be made in instalments. Meeting tyre sponsorships are also available, and will entitle the sponsor's children to meet the riders pre-meeting in the pits and feature in the parade truck lap. For further details, please contact Hazal on 01992 440400. Riders confimed so: Reigning World Champion Jason Crump World No.2 Greg Hancock (very much dependent on final acceptance due to his current withdrawal from British racing) British Champion and Cardiff Grand Prix winner Chris "Bomber" Harris 4-time British titlist and fellow GP star Scotty Nicholls 2006 GP star and World Cup Champion Niels Kristian Iversen 2005 Rocket and double World U-21 Finalist Danny King Long-time Coventry Bee and 2004 SRA American National Champion Billy "The Kid" Janniro Former Rocket, and current British U-21 Champion and World Finalist, Edward Kennett The 2007 Rockets team www.robboschampionschase.com

Details of the meeting are available and will be regularly updated on http://www.robboschampionschase.com