21ST JULY 2012
BELLE VUE
S P E E D W A Y
ISSUE 15
AC E S ♣ NEWS
ABOVE: DAVID GORDON TALKS
ABOUT THE NEW STADIUM
LEFT: RORY SAYS IT FOR
EVERYONE
Another meeting lost to the weather….
The Aces tried everything to run promised, the rain dried up
their meeting against
during the afternoon and it was
away at Poole on Wednesday,
They pushed the Pirates hard but
Peterborough on Monday, but in
the end the weather won the
battle and the meeting had to be
postponed.
eventually lost 49-41. Scores
from that match are on page 2.
A favourable weather forecast
set for a dry evening.
Unfortunately before the start of
the meeting the forecast changed
and the rain returned leaving the
referee no option but to call the
had been obtained from the live
weather service and, as
meeting off. The Aces finally
managed to get a meeting in,
Lynch gives more team news.
AWAY MEETING NEWS - PAGE 2
TEAM NEWS - PAGE 5
Also in this issue we have part
two of Richards Frosts interview
with David Gordon and Jim
OTHER NEWS - PAGE 5
The Aces traveled to Poole on
Wednesday where they pushed the
Pirates hard and were never more than
6 points behind throughout the
meeting. In the end though the Pirates
took the win 49-41.
The Aces were operating rider
replacement for Charlie Gjedde who
had rushed home to Denmark due to
the imminent arrival of his second
child, Charlie's double-up partner, Mark
Lemon was unavailable due to injury.
18th July
Elite League
Poole Pirates 49
V
POOLE
Monday 23rd July - 7-30pm
Belle Vue Aces 41
Poole:
1. Darcy Ward EF 3 3 3 2’ = 11+1
2. Ricky Kling 2 1 0 1 = 4
3. Chris Holder 3 3 3 3 3 = 15
Pole Artur Mroczka had to withdraw
from the meeting after feeling the
effects of a heat 7 crash with Poole's
Sam Masters. Masters also withdrew
from the meeting with a suspected
broken wrist. Artur took his place in
the re-run of the heat, but then took no
further part in the meeting,
4. Dennis Andersson 2’ 0 1 2 = 5+1
The Aces went into the final heat just 4
points behind, a 5-1 would have seen
them draw the meeting, but it was
Poole's top pairing of Holder and Ward
who gave Poole a 5-1 advantage and
secure the win for the Pirates.
1. Rory Schlein 1 2 3 0 1 = 7
Chris Morton said "The team rode very
well and gave Poole some concerns
needing a 5-1 in heat 15 to get the full
3 points."
AC E S
5. Krzysztof Kasprzak 1’ 3 2 2’ = 8+2
6. Sam Masters 3 FX withdrawn = 3
7. Todd Kurtz 0 2 1 0 0 0 = 3
Belle Vue
2. Ales Dryml 3 1’ 2 2’ 1 0 = 9+2
3. Patrick Hougaard 1 2 0 0 1’ = 4+1
4. Artur Mroczka 0 1’ withdrawn = 1+1
5. Charlie Gjedde R/R
6. Adam Roynon 2 R 0 2 1 3 = 8
7. Craig Cook 1’ 3 3 2 2 1 = 12+1
The full scoresheet is available on our website
B EL L E Vu e a re read y t o
ta c kl e wh a t t ea m bo s s Ji m
Ly n c h c al l s a ‘ c ol ossal
te st ’ w h en E l i te L e ag u e
ti t le favou r i tes Po ol e v i s i t
on Monday (7-30pm).
Th e p ower f u l so ut h c o a st
side , spearheaded by
A us si e Wo r ld C up m e n
Ch r is H o ld er an d D arc y
Ward, have strengthened
even fur ther by bringing
i n a n o t h e r Wo r l d C u p
m an , Pol a nd’s K rz y s z to f
Kasprzak.
B ut Ly n c h i s det e rmi n e d
th a t th e A u to ga te A c e s
te a m w i l l be read y fo r th e
c ha l l en ge .
He s ai d: “T he re’s no po i nt
i n p re t e n d i n g t h i s i s
anything but a colossal
te st b u t we ’re l ook i n g
fo r w a rd t o i t .
“Speedway riders like a
c ha l l en ge and thi s i s a
c ha l l en ge . B ut we a re a
mu c h s t ro n g e r s i d e s i n c e
we b ro u g h t i n A l e s
D r ym l , A r tu r M ro c zk a ,
Re n at G a fu rov an d C r ai g
Co o k so we’ve go t a s id e
w h o w i l l re a l ly b e go i n g
fo r eve r y p o i n t . We ’ l l b e
re ad y fo r t he m.”
Craig Cook was the Aces top scorer.
Richard Frost talks to David Gordon, Part 2
DAVID GORDON, Belle Vue’s Managing stadium will be there for our speedway
Director, talks to Press Officer
club for another 84 years. So, in that
Richard Frost in the second of a twopart Question and Answer session.
context, what’s another two or three
months. It’s a major £6m project
This 2nd part was published in the
programme from the rained-off Aces v
Peterborough meeting on Monday.
which will give Manchester a National
Speedway Stadium and iconic status
wherever in the world the sport is
held. We are still working towards the
day when construction will start, not if
it will start.
Q: There’s a lot of talk about
getting the best use out of new
stadia with the Olympics
coming along. Is that the
situation with our stadium?
A: Absolutely and that’s something
which is taking up so much of our
Q: What will it involve?
A: It will give young riders proper
training and, most importantly, track
time. That’s something which is so
scarce in Britain and explains why
countries like Poland, Denmark and
Sweden are so far ahead of us. Kids
there can practise all the time. It’s my
firm belief that the next British World
champion will come through our
academy and it will also produce the
next team to bring the World Cup to
these shores. And that can only be good
for Belle Vue. How many riders have
we lost in recent years because we
haven’t been able to provide the
facilities they need?
time. The new stadium has to be
sustainable and speedway won’t be
enough to do that on its own. We will
be involving other sports and sporting
occasions, various events, corporate
functions and things like concerts. Like
Q: Here comes that question
any stadium, it has to be kept busy to
again. What is the new stadium pay its way and this is all part and parcel
Q: Are we talking to stadium
situation?
of what Chris Morton and I have been
constructors?
A: Let me say two things to start with.
working towards for the last five years.
First I can understand the frustration of Speedway alone won’t do it.
A:Yes, we have held many discussions
and we are well up to speed with this.
supporters that things are moving more
Again I cannot give any details at the
slowly than we had hoped. Secondly it’s
not a question of IF we have a new
Q: Are FIM meetings are the
moment but Chris and I have visited a
icing on the cake as far as
number of newly built stadia and we
stadium but WHEN we have it.
speedway is concerned?
have learned a considerable amount
that can be applied to our new
A: The simple answer here is yes – but
Q: So what’s happening?
stadium. There is so much pre-planning
it’s not that simple actually. That’s
to do before construction can start.
A: We are continuing to push as hard as because it will be the National
we can. But there are so many
Speedway Stadium which will work
procedures to go through and we are
with the FIM and BSI who own the
Q: I guess it’s matter of getting
going through them. There’s no
Grand Prix and World Cup rights.
all your ducks in a row so, when
denying that the project has slipped
But, of course, it will be the home of
building does start, everything
back from our original targets and that, the Belle Vue Aces with all that means
will be in place?
at times, we have had to bite our
to our supporters and, also, it will be
A:Yes it is and it’s not only to do with
tongues. But Belle Vue has been running the Speedway Academy with all which
the building and equipping of the
for 84 years and, once it’s finished, this
that will involve.
stadium. We have been in discussions
with vendor partners who will come in
to provide good food and beverages in
a welcoming atmosphere. These are big
deals and will give us revenue streams
we’ve never had before. We have to get
them right and attract extra younger
people. We’ve got to make the place
exciting.
The City Council have been 100 per
cent behind us on this project right
from the word go. Some of the
processes are very sensitive, as well as
confidential. I can understand fans
getting frustrated but we must accept
that. It’s a 365 days a year project but
will deliver what the fans want – and
deserve.
Q: Would it be right to say that
not having the new stadium is
not an option?
Q: The current stadium
operates on a pretty tight staff.
Will this be expanded?
A:Yes, it will have to be because there
will be so much more to be done. The
staffing situation is being addressed and
we know how many people we will
need to employ as well as how the
stadium is going to operate. We have
visited many different places in the last
few years and we have gained the
knowledge which enables to think of
things which other people don’t. I’ve
called them the hard yards and that’s
A:Yes. The project is essential. The
future of Belle Vue speedway without it
is not an option. It’s as simple as that.
That’s why we have focussed so much
resource, time and money on the new
stadium. If you can’t afford something
you can’t have it but all our planning is
A: In a word, yes. We have been very
fortunate indeed to have worked
with people who have the experience
of bringing things like the
Commonwealth Games, the Velodrome
and now the Manchester City soccer
stadium development here. All of them
have been out and out successes.
space awareness and courage – to
progress from BMX racing at the
Velodrome to speedway at the
Academy. We will be able to give them
all the laps they want to do under
proper tuition. A huge percentage of
Elite and Premier League riders are not
British and it’s a statistic we want to
change. We want to lift the bar for the
whole of British speedway, not just for
Belle Vue. It’s all part of a vision Chris
and I had even before we took over
Belle Vue.
for the new stadium to take the
speedway into a new financial era in a
new environment. We want a night at
the speedway to be an event, something
special. We are re-thinking Belle Vue to
create something new with a real buzz
about it.
Q: Are educational classroom
facilities also planned for
would-be speedway riders?
A:Yes, We’ve held several discussions
with Manchester City College about
running courses on bike maintenance
and health and safety. It helps to
understand how a bike works.
what they are.
Q: I guess it’s right to say
Manchester City Council have
been terrifically supportive
since all this began?
there. The facilities are world class and
we want to provide a conduit for kids
with the three essential skills – balance,
Q: I know you have close links
with the Velodrome. Are you
impressed with the buzz they
have there?
A:Yes and we see close links between
ourselves and the Velodrome. I was
there recently for a meeting and there
was so much going on. It really did have
the buzz we want. We are very
interested in the BMX track they have
Q: So there’s a lot happening?
A: Absolutely. Things haven’t gone how
we’d hoped this season and we can’t
stop some fans voting with their feet.
But I have just one word to those who
have shown their patience while we go
through this period of major change.
Thanks.
AC E S G A L L E RY
Above: Josh Grajczonek, back in
the Aces team
Right: Rory Schlein & Charlie
Gjedde in discussion after a rain
shower on Monday.
Other news and upcoming events....
UPCOMING
MEETINGS
RD AT BELLE VUE 1. JULY 23
ACES V POOLE (EL)
TH
2. JULY 26
AT BIRMINGHAM -
BIRMINGHAM V ACES (EL)
RD
3. AUGUST 3 AT LAKESIDE LAKESIDE V ACES (EL)
TH
4. AUGUST 6 AT BELLE VUE
- ACES V BIRMINGHAM (EL)
TH AT BELLE VUE
5. AUGUST 13
- ACES V LAKESIDE (EL)
Josh is an Ace
again
collarbone riding for his Premier
BELLE Vue have re-signed Aussie
Aces’ team manager Jim Lynch said:
Josh Grajczonek just a week after
“The obvious move was to ask Josh
releasing him.
to come back. He had been stoic
He was released from his job
sharing role with Craig Cook when
Dane Claus Vissing returned to
action after suffering a punctured
lung.
But the unlucky Vissing had not
ridden for the Autogate Aces before
he was injured again, breaking a
League club, Somerset, at Ipswich on
Tuesday.
when we let him go because he
understood the reasons why we did
it.
“But he was very professional about
the situation when I asked him to
come back to us and I thank him for
it. It means he will be sharing a
double up role with Craig Cook.”
web: www.bellevueaces.co ♣ facebook: www.facebook.com/bellevuespeedway ♣ twitter: @TheAces