Flashback....March 1999

Sky TV	Wesley

BSPA President Terry Russell announced that he had agreed a deal for Sky to televise live league Speedway. Twenty Elite League meetings, to be staged primarily on Wednesdays and Thursdays, were to be shown live.

Over 4000 fans welcomed Speedway back to Workington. The first meeting saw the Comets defeat Newcastle by 47 points to 41. The first race was won by Robert Eriksson of Newcastle. Carl Stonehewer suffered a machine problem in that first race but rode unbeaten thereafter.

King's Lynn signed 37 year old Martin Dixon to ride at reserve in their Elite League side. Dicko had not ridden in the top flight in well over a decade but was happy to get a team place.

Long serving Poole promoter Mervyn Stewkesbury sold out to Matt Ford and Mike Golding. The new pair promised to bring success to Wimborne Road. Their first action was to appoint Neil Middleditch as their new team manager.

Another promotional change sees Peter Waite take the helm at Berwick. The former rider immediately confirmed that his son Wesley would race for the Bandits.

Young Nicki Pedersen competed in his first match at Elite League level. He started well with ten from four riding for Wolves at Coventry.

Glasgow received planning permission to switch from Shawfield to Ashfield. Their tenancy of Shawfield was swiftly ended when stadium owner Billy King heard of tentative plans for a future switch to Ashfield. Ashfield had last staged Speedway all of 46 years previously, when the Giants were the the City of Glasgow's second side.

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