BONANZA COMING UP FOR THE BEN FUND

NEWS Friday 8th March 2013, 4:52pm

by Toby LeRone

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The speedway season opens in the north on Saturday evening with another prestigious staging at Berwick when they stage the Ben Fund Bonanza. It’s the most northerly staging of the event in the events history and its staging at Shielfield Park is well deserved as the annual track collection for the Speedway Riders’ Benevolent Fund has been consistently the highest in the country at Berwick for a number of years now.

It looks like the weather will be kind for the event which starts at 6.30pm. It features twenty riders each taking four rides each to produce a twenty heat qualifying event with the top scorers moving into the Semi-final and Final.

Theo Pijper will be there representing the Scotwaste Monarchs and he’ll be riding for the first time the new equipment he has prepared for the 2013 season. Theo has had some good performances round Shielfield in the past.

Last year’s winner, Ben Barker is back to defend his crown and he will start as one of the favourites again. He is joined by a field of top Elite and Premier League riders with Chris Harris, Danny King and Hans Andersen being the most likely to challenge Barker for his crown.

The full field is Ben Barker(Birmingham/Ipswich), Richie Worrall(Newcastle), Ricky Ashworth)Berwick), Chris Harris(Birmingham), Josh Grajczonek(Somerset), Richard Hall(Sheffield), Mads Korneliussen(King’s Lynn), Danny King(Birmingham), Cameron Woodward(Eastbourne), Claus Vissing(unattached), Joe Haines(Sheffield), Theo Pijper(Scotwaste Monarchs), Mark Lemon(Plymouth), Ludvig Lindgren(Newcastle), Hans Andersen(Swindon), Kozza Smith(Berwick), Steve Worrall(Newcastle), Morten Risager(Ipswich), James Wright(Glasgow) aand Kyle Howarth(Workington).

Anyone wishing to make a day of it can enjoy Scottish Third Division football action between Berwick Rangers and Montrose which kicks off at 2.00pm. Those who don’t wish to make a day of it are asked not to arrive at the stadium until 4.30pm to allow the football traffic to disperse. Stadium gates open at 5.00pm and admission is £16 for Adults, £12 for Seniors/Concessions and under 16 year old children £5.