Mildenhall To Open With The 40th Anniversary Palmer Trophy Meeting 29th March

[PhilK 150]

Mildenhall Speedway to open 40th Anniversary Season with the return of ‘The Palmer Trophy’

The Fen Tigers will open their 40th Anniversary season with a look back into their past whilst simultaneously looking ahead to the future. After 34 years the Suffolk based club are delighted to announce the return of the Palmer Trophy which will be held on Sunday 29th March at 3.30pm!

In the early days of the Fen Tigers history both Derek and Brian Palmer were great friends and supporters of Mildenhall Speedway sponsoring the first ever ‘Suffolk Open’ meeting in 1976. This meeting that drew the very best of a powerful National League to West Row became ‘The Palmer Trophy’ in 1978 and ran through to 1981. Previous winners are Mildenhall legends Bob Coles, Ray Bales and twice victorious Melvyn Taylor, along with Newcastle great Tom Owen and Rye House Rocket and 1975 Fen Tiger Cub Bob Garrad.

This year’s staging will feature current and ex-Fen Tigers along with some of the best the National League has to offer. As well as the main event, the club will also hold a four heat ‘Bernie Klatt Memorial Trophy’ which will be raced for by 2015 Fen Tigers Liam Rumsey, Tom Bacon, Luke Ruddick and Connor King. Supporters will be treated to a total of 24 heats of racing, with the Palmer Trophy being a straight fight for the trophy over 20 heats.

 

Over the next three weeks riders will be announced along with ex-riders who will be in attendance to help celebrate the start of the clubs anniversary season - I will update on here as they are announced

 

Riders -

Connor Mountain - Mildenhall
Danny Halsey - Mildenhall
Connor Coles - Mildenhall
Jack Kingston - Mildenhall
Stefan Nielsen - Ipswich (Ex-Fen Tiger)
Brendan Johnson - Currently Unattached (Ex-Fen Tiger)
Aaron Baseby - Kent (Ex-Fen Tiger)

Ben Morley - Kent
Marc Owen - Eastbourne
Danny Ayres - Kent
Simon Lambert - Peterborough

James Cockle - Kings Lynn (Ex-Fen Tiger)

Tom Stokes - Kings Lynn
Luke Chessell - Rye House
Dan Greenwood - Coventry

Cameron Heeps - Ipswich (Ex-Fen Tiger)

Ex-Riders in attendance - Bob Coles, Fred Mills, John Gibbons, Andy Warne, Carl Baldwin, Colin Barber, Trevor Jones, Carl Blackbird, Richard Green, Mark Bilner, Mark Thompson, Shaun Tacey, Andy Hines, Mark Baldwin, Paul Clipstone, Kelvin Mullarkey, Eric Monaghan, Michael Coles

 

1979 League Championship team - Robert Henry, Mick Bates, Ray Bales, Mick Hines, Mel Taylor, Richard Knight, Mike Spink & Ron Bagley

 

PLUS EX-World Champions - MICHAEL LEE & MARK LORAM

 

East Anglian Speedway Legends - Tony 'Shrimp' Davey, John 'Tiger' Louis, Ted Howgego, Colin Cook & Trevor Hedge



Entry to the meeting will be £12.00 with a special souvenir brochure 20 page programme being produced

Edited March 11, 2015 by PhilK

[PhilK 150]

First three riders, all ex-Fen Tigers announced plus first five guests including Mildenhall legend Bob Coles who is flying in from Spain to attend

[PhilK 150]

Three more riders and further guests announced

[Banani 5]

Can't wait for this meeting wonder if Lewis Blackbird will be able to ride in this meeting?

[PhilK 150]

Return of the Magnificent Seven for 40th Anniversary Palmer Trophy

Sunday 4th November 1979 is a day that remains etched in many Fen Tigers supporters memory, especially the 2,500 plus that travelled to Scunthorpe either by car or in the convoy of seven coaches that headed to Ashby Ville to witness the events unfold.

Move forward over 35 years and the West Row based club are delighted to announce that the seven riders that won the National League Championship on that late autumn Sunday will be in attendance at the clubs 40th Anniversary Palmer Trophy meeting on Sunday 29th March along with their Team Manager and guide Ron Bagley.

Current Team Manager and Captain of the 1979 League Champions Robert Henry will be joined by team mates Ray Bales, Mike Spink, Melvyn Taylor, Richard Knight, Mick Hines and Mick Bates. With a guest list that already includes many Mildenhall greats and more still promised this news will be the icing on the cake for Fen Tiger Fans.

Promoter Kevin Jolly said -

‘This is something very special, to get all these lads back together at Mildenhall for our 40th Anniversary meeting is wonderful news for the club and our fans. Everyone I spoke to was so happy to be invited and their presence will add to what is a looking like being a memorable day for the club.
We are looking to set up a ‘meet and greet’ where supporters can chat with Ron (Bagley) and the team, get autographs and have photos taken. These boys love the sport and love to talk speedway and I am sure there will be many stories to tell and laughs to be had as they share their memories of that great season.

I am confident that we will have in the region of 50 plus ex-Fen Tigers as guests on the 29th March ranging from 1975 through to the present day and will be announcing further names next week. We should also be in a position to finalise the full line-up of the Palmer Trophy as well’.

[Haza 1,774]

From what I hear the state of the West Row track after recent Stock car meeting there is a lot of work to do to to get the track anywhere near in a fit state for speedway .

Edited March 10, 2015 by Haza

[PhilK 150]

A working party was at the track all day Sunday, and everything is taking shape trackwise

[PhilK 150]

Full Line-Up announced

[Nikko 181]

Hope everyone has a great day.

 

Still have one of every Fen Tigers race jackets up to 2011 and Ray Bales leathers and Armo's kevlars from PL era.

 

When a few of us kept the club alive some years ago when it was dead and buried having closed mid season it seemed this day may never happen but glad my club since I was a lad survived and has flourished

[Banani 5]

pity we couldnt have more of the 2012 grand slam team but great to see heeps is riding

[PhilK 150]

PRESS RELEASE FROM MILDENHALL SPEEDWAY -

THE PALMER TROPHY - SUNDAY 29TH MARCH 2015

The Mildenhall Fen Tigers are ready to roar into action this coming Sunday (29th March) when they host a very special afternoon at the Mildenhall Stadium.
To celebrate the start of their 40th Anniversary the club are delighted to be holding the first ‘Palmer Trophy’ since 1981 and also to see the return of the ‘Bernie Klatt Memorial Trophy’.
The line-up and riding order has now been announced for the ‘Palmer Trophy’ with plenty of local interest for fans!

1. Tom Stokes (Kings Lynn), 2. Brendan Johnson (Unattached), 3. Connor Mountain (Mildenhall), 4. Cameron Heeps (Ipswich), 5. Danny Halsey (Mildenhall), 6. Marc Owen (Eastbourne), 7. Connor Coles (Mildenhall), 8. Luke Chessell (Rye House), 9. James Cockle (Kings Lynn), 10. Aaron Baseby (Kent), 11. Ben Morley (Kent), 12. Jack Kingston (Mildenhall), 13. Stefan Nielsen (Ipswich), 14. Simon Lambert (Peterborough), 15. Danny Ayres (Kent) and 16. Dan Greenwood (Coventry).

With Premier League riders from local teams Ipswich and Peterborough plus NL rivals Kings Lynn, Rye House and Kent represented, a bumper crowd is expected for this special day.
With nine current or ex-Fen Tigers in the field there is a nostalgic feel to the event, but that is just the beginning! Over 50 ex Fen Tigers and local Speedway luminaries have also been invited to share the day with supporters. The complete Championship winning side from 1979 will be in attendance, led by current Team Manager and then Team Captain Robert Henry plus Ray Bales, Mick Hines, Melvyn Taylor, Mike Spink, Mick Bates, Richard Knight and Team Manager Ron Bagley. From the very early days current promoter Kevin Jolly (a 1975 Fen Tiger himself) will welcome old team mates Bob ‘The Rock’ Coles, Paul Clipstone, Fred Mills, John Gibbons plus original co-promoter’s Colin Barber and Terry Waters. Add to that World Champions Michael Lee and Mark Loram, Ipswich legends John Louis, Tony ‘Shrimp’ Davey and Ted Howgego plus many more Fen Tigers from across the 40 years and supporters won’t know which way to look!

The club are also pleased to welcome back the ‘Bernie Klatt Memorial Trophy’ as the club remember and recognise in their 40th season the massive impact Bernie had on the club in its formative years. The trophy will be ridden for over four heats and will feature three newcomers to the Fen Tigers ranks Tom Bacon, Luke Ruddick and Connor King, plus returning Liam Rumsey. Promoter Kevin Jolly felt this was a perfect way to remember Bernie – he said –

“Bernie was there from the very start, the training days before we even entered the league, and he always wanted to see new young riders coming through the training days and second halves into the Mildenhall line – up, I am sure he would have approved of the opportunities we are giving to Tom, Luke and Connor in particular and this will be a fine way of remembering him. I am very grateful to Barry and the Klatt family for putting forward a Trophy for today’s event, the Klatt family will always be synonymous with Mildenhall speedway and it will be great to see them on Sunday”

As well as 24 heats of Speedway to enjoy, there will be plenty of action off track, with Retro Speedway in attendance with many items from their excellent range of DVD’s, books and magazines available, Johnny Barber’s Track shop will be full of new Mildenhall items to buy, whilst in the Fenman bar local author Roy Brazier will be selling his books on Mildenhall Speedway and also in the bar area during the afternoon the 1979 Championship side will be present to chat with supporters and sign autographs and have photographs taken. Supporters arriving at the main entrance will have an opportunity to purchase sacks of potatoes in a throwback to the Palmer Trophy’s of the late seventies, and to bring things more up to date in the Speedway World, Grid Girls promotions will be supplying Start Line Girls for the event.

Club promoter Kevin Jolly is glad that the wait is nearly over – he said –

‘So much effort has gone into today from so many people, and now at last we are nearly ready to race! I am very grateful to Greg and Derek Palmer for firstly offering to be main sponsors of our 40th Anniversary meeting and secondly to Greg for his fine efforts introducing other new and returning sponsors to the club, Bussens & Parkin Limited, Thurlow Nunn Standen Ltd, G.B Marketing-UK Ltd, Ivan Smith, J&P Haylock Farms, The House & Property Company, HOFICE, Century Services (UK) Ltd, Freedom Recycling Ltd, Gascoynes Chartered Accountants, C&H Flooring Limited, Openfield, A B Electricals and Trendsetters Barbers & Hairdressers. A big thank you to all! Also to all the heat sponsors and supporters who have purchased race jackets, as always the Mildenhall fans have been incredibly supportive and generous.

This has been a fantastic winter for the club and this will be the icing on cake prior to the start of our league season. The lads are raring to go after a successful Press and Practice and are looking forward to showing supporters that they mean business this season. I feel we have put together a very competitive line-up featuring many faces that are very familiar around West Row and the racing will be fast and competitive. I will leave naming a winner to others! Mildenhall this Sunday is definitely the place to be and I look forward to seeing many faces, old and new, during the day”.

The gates will be open from 1.30pm, with Ex-Riders being announced to the crowd from 3pm, and the meeting due to start at 3.30pm. Please arrive early to avoid the crowds!
There is no increase in prices from last season and normal prices will apply on Sunday – Adults £12, Concessions (60+) & Students £11, Junior (15 and under accompanied by an adult) Free, Car Park Free. A Special 20 page 40th Anniversary Souvenir Programme has been produced for £2.50.

[Pob 545]

Weather for cast for this not looking too clever

[ZODIAK 304]

Meeting off.

[adz_mft 230]

Meeting called off due to the rain doing too much damage to the track.

Tomorrow was being looked at as a re-stage but the club thought it would be best to wait until the summer.

This way the weather will be better and the club can produce a decent track that the event deserves.

Cheers

Adz