Manchester’s Belle Vue stadium will be shown to a global audience as it prepares to host one of the world’s biggest motorcycle speedway events.
The £8m racing arena already hosts elite national and international speedway events but this weekend will mark a first for the stadium as it presents the 2025 FIM World Speedway Championship.
Sixteen riders will compete in 46 races on the track, getting up to speeds of 75 and 80mph for rounds four and five of the ATPI FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain.
Jason Crump, three-time speedway champion, said Belle Vue was regarded as “one of the best speedway racing tracks in the world”.
He said: “It is quite amazing the transformation that has happened to Belle Vue because this stadium is 10 years old and already hosting a speedway grand prix.
“It seems like a long time but it is also not that of a long time so see it here, probably one of the best speedway racing tracks in the world, it’s a bit of a surprise and really exciting and I’m looking forward to seeing the action get under way.”
Motorcycle speedway involves four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit.
Dan Bewley, of the Manchester based motorcycle racing team, Belle Vue Aces and 2024 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain winner, will be competing in the events along with Aces captain Brady Kurtz.
Both riders have already finished on the podium this season, each with a second place in the first two rounds.
Other riders competing include former Ace Stockport’s Charles Wright along with former Ace and former British Champion Chris ‘Bomber’ Harris.
Mark Lemon, chief executive of Belle Vue Speedway, said: “We have a 97 consecutive year record of running speedway here in Manchester at Belle Vue and to implement that by giving everyone the grand prix, the highest status, justifies the great job that is being put in behind the scenes.”
