Thanks to Bryn for this latest update. Ed
Indeed there’s more excellent news this week for both the Wightlink Warriors club as a whole, their existing fans and any potential new fans be they Isle of Wight residents or passengers travelling by foot, intending to be at our home meetings once the season gets underway in six weeks time on 7th April.
Following another weekend just gone of hard work being carried out at Smallbrook by a willing band of helpers to ensure that it’s in tip top condition for the start of the season, comes the revelation that it most definitely promises to be really hot stuff on and off the track at Smallbrook throughout 2016.
Bloody Hell Hot Sauce
That is certainly assured off track with the news that Isle of Wight based company Bloody Hell Hot Sauce are 
the latest backers of the Wightlink Warriors track return.
The sauce that’s produced locally on the Island and contains ingredients including Mango, habanero and chipotle jalapeno peppers, will be available to buy from the club on race nights and also to add a little spice to fans supper trackside purchased from the totally renovated and now sparkling Pitstop food outlet.
BHHS boss Bobby Powers said,
“We at Bloody Hell Hot Sauce are excited to help support the club and both the Wightlink Warriors team and fans. Not only is attending speedway matches at Smallbrook an action packed exciting way to spend an evening, it is also a great way to spend time with the family doing something edgy and out of the ordinary!
“With children admitted for free with the Warriors this season, we encourage everyone on the Isle of Wight, as well as the mainland to come out for some great family fun, we’ll see you there, and very much intend to add some spice and extra heat to the speedway racing!”
The Warriors Express
And to further add to the club’s efforts to encourage still further both old and new fans to attend our home meetings comes the revelation that the club have launched, in association with Seaview Services, the Warriors Express coach service for fans who find it difficult to get to Smallbrook Stadium and/or those who wish to enjoy themselves in the stadium’s Premier Lounge bar.
The raceday service is expected to stop at Newport (Coppins Bridge), Shanklin (bus station), Sandown (Library), Brading (Bull Rink) and Ryde (Bus Station) and a return ticket on the Warrior Express will cost just £4 for Adults, £2 for Children and a family of 4 for just £10.
Phil Robinson, chairman of Seaview Services said,
“The return of speedway in Ryde will bring more tourism revenue to the whole of the Island. It’s true, we need new attractions on the Island and this one will be good for tourism jobs and the youngsters all over the Isle of Wight. With the excitement that currently surrounds the Warriors, let hope for lots of success.”
Full details of Seaview Services are available on the Website.
A delighted Barry Bishop added,
“The Warrior Express will enable fans to travel from across the Island for their weekly speedway at a very reasonable cost. Martin and I are delighted that Phil and Seaview Services have seen the potential in speedway’s return to the Isle of Wight and has helped to support It. The Warrior Express will pick up from several locations across the Island arriving in good time for the speedway and then taking everyone safely home again hopefully discussing another great meeting along the way.
“I feel this service will be a huge boost for fans who do not have car transport or those who would like to use the bar facilities we have at Smallbrook and futher demonstrates our drive to ensure that both Island residents, and foot passengers from the mainland, can get to Smallbrook for home meetings. However there is a cost to the Warriors to put on this service and we hope that fans will take advantage of the service from the start to ensure its continued running whilst details on how to book the Warrior Express will come soon but anyone interested in the service should meanwhile, contact [email protected] whilst Seaview Services website can be viewed on the Website.”
Fixture list expanded by addition of three further dates
The Wightlink Warriors have accepted invitations to take on challenge matches against the Somerset Rebels and the Exeter Falcons. The Rebels, who race in the Premier League at the Oak Tree Arena, Bristol Road, Edithmead near Highbridge, have invited the Warriors to meet them head to head there on Friday, April 8th twenty-four hours after we stage our opening night Vince Mapley memorial meeting at Smallbrook making it a busy start to the season for our riders
Additionally we will race home and away matches with the Exeter Falcons, who are hoping 
to follow our example and return to league racing as early as next year if they can find a suitable site in Devon to build a new stadium, with the winners on aggregate over the two clashes claiming the Solent Trophy. The Falcons, who currently stage home meetings at Somerset, provided excellent opposition last season and this year will be no different. The dates for your diary for the two Solent Trophy matches are away on May 27th and Exeter coming to us for the return on July 28th.
Wightlink Warriors Team Manager Neil Vatcher said of these additional fixtures,
“This is great news for both the Warriors riders and supporters alike as for us as a club to be invited to go to places like Somerset is all credit to the work that Barry (Bishop) and Martin (Widman) have already put in place by putting the club out there and hopefully making us an attractive club to be racing against. Also I believe this shows that not only National League, but also Premier League clubs, can see the work that all of us here are trying to achieve to make 2016 a successful season both on and off the track.
“As team manager the most important part of a successful team is to try and keep the boys on track as much as we can, and for us to have three extra fixtures is a great bonus, and as the saying goes, the only way to keep winning is to keep riding! Ellis Perks is the only current Wightlink Warrior that is currently riding in more than one league, so for us to be able to offer the rest of the team any extra fixtures is something we are keen to do and again shows the Speedway world that this club has ambition. We would like to thank both the Somerset and Exeter promotions for giving us the opportunity of extra fixtures.”
There’s still time to buy season tickets
2016 Wightlink Warriors Season tickets are still available and offer fans further reductions on our already great prices for 20 matches this season.
Purchasing one will lead to adults paying just £9.25 for each of those meetings and Seniors a mere £7 per meeting and includes a free Matchday programme too.
Anyone wishing to take advantage of these offers should either email: [email protected] or visit Smallbrook stadium to obtain an application form.
2016 Season Tickets costs, including a free matchday programme, are Adults £185, Seniors £140
