Post by admin on Feb 26, 2012 8:17:45 GMT
THE BIG FINALE - PREVIEW
TELFORD Ice Rink will stage the end of a remarkable era this Sunday when the curtain falls on Indoor Ice Speedway racing after 25 years at the Shropshire rink.
Top motorbike riders from throughout europe will take to the ice over two sessions to entertain fans who have enjoyed the thrills and spills down the years.
And Telford organiser Graham Drury, who is also manager of the Birmingham Brummies Elite League Speedway team, insists he has no plans to take the show elsewhere after redevelopment plans at Telford ruled out the bikes on ice in future.
He said: "It's going to be a sad and very emotional occasion when we leave Telford for the final time on Sunday night. We have had some fun over the last 25 years.
"But I want people to come along and remember the event as an enjoyable one. We have put together a line-up of riders who specialise on the small track on ice and I'm sure it will be entertaining.
"It seems a natural way to end the project. I started with Ian Thomas 25 years ago and now sadly Ian is no longer with us, it's nice that the winner of the last ever British Open title on Sunday will win the Ian Thomas Memorial Trophy.
"When we started I was coming to the end of my racing career and I had no promotional experience, that's why Ian came on board and it's been a great partnership up until we lost Ian a year ago.
"With the end of an era at Telford and increasing health and safety issues around ice rinks in the UK it seems like the right time to stop and reflect on what a great time we've had.
"I'm looking forward to Sunday, 25 years is quite an achievement to be proud of, and I'm sure it will be a fitting end to an amazing story."
England take on Rest of the World in the afternoon session at 3pm with the Speedway Star Pairs Championship also taking place and the evening session at 7.30pm sees the British Open Championship for the Ian Thomas Memorial Trophy.
www.telfordice.co.uk/
TELFORD Ice Rink will stage the end of a remarkable era this Sunday when the curtain falls on Indoor Ice Speedway racing after 25 years at the Shropshire rink.
Top motorbike riders from throughout europe will take to the ice over two sessions to entertain fans who have enjoyed the thrills and spills down the years.
And Telford organiser Graham Drury, who is also manager of the Birmingham Brummies Elite League Speedway team, insists he has no plans to take the show elsewhere after redevelopment plans at Telford ruled out the bikes on ice in future.
He said: "It's going to be a sad and very emotional occasion when we leave Telford for the final time on Sunday night. We have had some fun over the last 25 years.
"But I want people to come along and remember the event as an enjoyable one. We have put together a line-up of riders who specialise on the small track on ice and I'm sure it will be entertaining.
"It seems a natural way to end the project. I started with Ian Thomas 25 years ago and now sadly Ian is no longer with us, it's nice that the winner of the last ever British Open title on Sunday will win the Ian Thomas Memorial Trophy.
"When we started I was coming to the end of my racing career and I had no promotional experience, that's why Ian came on board and it's been a great partnership up until we lost Ian a year ago.
"With the end of an era at Telford and increasing health and safety issues around ice rinks in the UK it seems like the right time to stop and reflect on what a great time we've had.
"I'm looking forward to Sunday, 25 years is quite an achievement to be proud of, and I'm sure it will be a fitting end to an amazing story."
England take on Rest of the World in the afternoon session at 3pm with the Speedway Star Pairs Championship also taking place and the evening session at 7.30pm sees the British Open Championship for the Ian Thomas Memorial Trophy.
www.telfordice.co.uk/