Thanks to Bryn for this latest news from the Isle of Wight Speedway team. Ed
A week can easily be an ultra-busy length of time for any organisation and last week was both that and somewhat astonishing in terms of the intended return of league speedway to the Isle of Wight next year.
News flowed daily from the dynamic duo comprising of ex-IOW rider Barry Bishop and Martin Widman who are the driving forces behind, and working very hard indeed towards, ensuring the success of their bid to see bikes racing round the Smallbrook circuit once again for fans to enjoy.
The Wight Warriors
The major news item released is undoubtedly that the team itself will line up at the start line next year as The Wight Warriors, previous sides having raced at Smallbrook both as Wizards and Islanders.
This major news broke via Island Speedway’s Facebook page on social networks last Thursday and the Wight Warriors will be THE team aiming for league success from their Smallbrook stadium base in 2016 provided the ongoing track renovations, including the installation of an airfence, pass a Speedway Control Bureau inspection and the two new bosses are accepted by the British Speedway Promoters Association with no problems envisaged on either those scores.
A bright new future
It all points to a bright new future for the club with their Operations Director Widman saying,
“Our new team name, blue and gold colours and logo gives us a fresh new look and optimises what we are trying to achieve as we look to attract both new and existing fans to Smallbrook. We cannot wait to get started.”
Egyptian sponsorship
A brand new image for the club launched then and Commercial Director and ex-Wight Wizard Barry Bishop has been hard at work even when on a family holiday abroad firstly proudly announcing that, in what may well be a UK speedway first, Island Speedway have received programme sponsorship from Egypt!
Hassan Mohammed Hassan is a premier excursion coordinator from Sharm, specialising in all forms of waterborne activities such as sailing and diving, but also desert trips into the Sinai Desert and said of his unique backing for the Wight Warriors,
“Having watched speedway on You Tube with Barry during his vacation out here in Sharm El Sheik, I was amazed at the sports brilliance and excitement and I wanted to participate in this speedway first. I look forward to seeing our team on the track and receiving my team photo!”
Bishop added,
“I have been coming to Sharm for years and enjoy the diving here very much. Hassan has always taken an interest in our family’s enjoyment here and I highly recommend him and the offers he will make available exclusively to speedway and Wight Warrior fans.”
SD Timmo car sales
Closer to home Bishop also revealed that fellow ex-rider Spencer Timmo, owner of SD Timmo car sales, has joined the fast-growing list of sponsors of Island Speedway.
The car dealership company has three different sales centres that are located in and around Oxford with over 200 vehicles in stock.
Spencer, who was a real crowd pleaser during his riding days, said,
“It’s great to see Island Speedway coming back and although I already help some National League riders, I wanted to extend my support once I learnt of plans to bring speedway back to the Isle of Wight. My sponsorship will be helping the team directly and it’s great that Barry and Martin have taken this type of innovative idea to support their team. We wish them all the best for the coming season.”
New hospitality manager
Further news from this very much forward-thinking duo of Bishop and Widman is that joining 
the Wight Warriors in the role of Sponsor and Hospitality manager will be Angie Cooper, who herself hails from the Island and was introduced to the sport by her husband Ryan, who is a well known figure behind the scenes at the club.
And with the fast approaching launch of Island Speedway’s media channel via Andy at Speedway Portal, Ken Burnett of T2TV has stepped forward by offering fans access to some of Island Speedway’s best meetings filmed by him in past seasons via the portal prompting Andy to gratefully say,
“I would like to thank Ken at T2TV Media UK for going out of his way to provide the Island Channel with some past IOW speedway footage.”
Tremendous support
Barry Bishop rounded up a very hectic week by stating,
“The support we are receiving is tremendous and as we built up to the launch of our team name, to be followed imminently by our website and media channel, all the new sponsorship is fantastic and Ken’s support of the media channel is really important to us.”
Track Warriors needed
Meanwhile Martin Widman and his band of helpers, quickly dubbed as track Warriors, will press on with their efforts to get the track itself, safety fence etc. up to the best possible standard, but could certainly do with further manpower.
So if you have got some time to spare contact Martin by sending a private message using Facebook to him via the newly re-named Island Speedway’s Wight Warriors page – he’d be grateful to hear from you.
