Dhr Testimonial, Eddie Wright Raceway 24th March

[DHR Testimonial]

The DHR Testimonial will be at Scunthorpe speedway at 15.00 on sunday 24th of march and the first rider to be announced is Simon Stead.

 

Simon and David had had a rivalry in the British under-21 championship that has surely never been match, that is why David made Simon the first rider he asked to ride in his testimonial and why Simon had no hesitation in agreeing.

"David asked me i think in December and i said yes i'd do it, no problem"

 

The under-21 saga ran for six years between their first joint appearance in 1998 and their last in 2003. Simon finished with three victories to David's one but along the way there was drama and controversy aplenty.

 

Simon said "i guess the under-21s over these years just showed how much determination we both had to win it, and i think it affected our friendship during that stage of our careers, it was something we both wanted so badly."

 

"But we've moved on since and i am delighted to be involved in his big meeting"

 

Simon recalls " They were great days and to win three times in a row was really special, and something which hasn't been matched since. But David was always hot on my heels, we were both going for it. There's never an inch given in those sort of meeting, and David of course won one himself."

 

"We've both had our fair share of achievements in our careers although we've probably both not achieved what people thought we could."

 

"There's different reasons for that, injuries play a part, but David's won the under-21 final, he's been on the rostrum in a British final, he's had a Cardiff experience, so his has been a long suuccessful career andfully deserving of a testimonial and i hope he gets a good crowd."

[JulieR]

There are a few sponsorship opportunities available to help David put this meeting together.

 

Please send me a PM if you are in a position to offer help.

[DHR Testimonial]

more riders signed up, so far added are Mads Korneliussen (Kings Lynn), Kevin Doolan (Leicester) and Kauko Nieminen (Leicester)

[neb]

me and the mrs are big magnus karlsson fans since he signed for leicester and we and i think many others would love to see him ride again in the uk,i know you both rode together at wolves and scunny do you have any plans to include him in your meeting?

[DHR Testimonial]

More riders added to line up, three Scunthorpe riders Josh Auty, Ashley Birks and Michael Palm Toft

[DHR Testimonial]

Cam Woodward, Leigh lanham, Richard hall and Ricky ashworth added to the line up

 

If there is anybody who would like to experience a meeting from the referees view, we are offering the chance to shadow the referree during the meeting. If you want to try this it can be won on eBay item number 360608913785

[Bandit59]

Would just like to wish David all the best for his testimonial and the rest of the season was a great guest for us a couple of seasons ago and gave 100 per cent fully deserved

[lucifer sam]

This meeting is Scunny's normal PL admission prices... so you'll get 22 heats for £14

 

All the best

Rob

[DHR Testimonial]

The DHR testimonial is still going ahead as planned. Scunthorpe area has been very luck with the weather and have had no snow and with a more favourable forecast Saturday and a good forecast for sunday everything is full steam ahead as planned. Further update can be found at twitter @dhrtestimonial or Facebook David Howe testimonial.

There will of course be update on here

David

[lucifer sam]

DAVID’S BIG DAY

 

THE big day at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway is nearly here! On Sunday, the David Howe testimonial starts the ninth successive season of racing at the North Lincolnshire circuit (3pm).

 

Howe joined the Scorpions at the start of the 2009 season and is a club legend. He is both the clubs’ all-time top points scorer and also its current captain.

 

31-year-old Howe is in the prime of his professional career, which began in the old Amateur League (now the National League) in 1997 with the Peterborough Thundercats when he was just 15.

 

Uniquely he won three successive league titles with Peterborough at three different levels – Amateur League in 1997, Premier League in 1998 and Elite League in 1999.

 

He joined the Wolverhampton in 2002 and spent six of the next seven seasons at Monmore Green, the exception being 2006 when he was loaned to Oxford.

 

A former British Under-21 Champion, David also knows what it's like to race at the highest level as he has made three Speedway Grand Prix appearances – in the British GP twice (2003 and 2007) and the Slovenian GP (2003).

 

As well as riding for Scunthorpe this season (his fifth successive season with the Scorpions), he is also aiming to make a mark on the 2013 World Longtrack Championship. He missed the majority of 2012 due to injury and will be looking to bounce back from that.

 

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “Every club needs a guy people can relate to and when you say David Howe now, straight away you think ‘Scunthorpe Speedway.’ He says he wants to be at Scunthorpe for the rest of his racing career and we want him to stay.

 

“It’s his fifth season with us and in that time, he’s not only become a good servant to Scunthorpe, he’s become a good friend too.

 

“I sincerely hope his meeting is a huge success, and we get a great crowd in for him.”

 

Prices for Sunday’s meeting will be at the usual Premier League admission prices for the Eddie Wright Raceway. There will be 22 races in the main meeting on Sunday (20 heats plus a semi-final and final), plus support races, so it is excellent value for money.

 

It’s a top quality field including both Elite and Premier League stars.

 

Five of the 2013 Scorpions are included in the line-up, and all five could be contenders on Sunday afternoon.

 

Other leading contenders will be King’s Lynn Elite League rider Mads Korneliussen, the winner of the recent Ben Fund Bonanza at Berwick; Simon Stead, the No 1 for local rivals Sheffield and a team-mate of David’s way back in 1997; and Elite League stars Patrick Hougaard, Ty Proctor and Cameron Woodward.

 

Full line-up:

 

David Howe, Josh Auty, Thomas Jorgensen, Michael Palm Toft & Ashley Birks (all Scunthorpe), Simon Stead (Sheffield & King’s Lynn), Mads Korneliussen (King’s Lynn), Kevin Doolan & Kauko Nieminen (Leicester), Cameron Woodward (Eastbourne), Ricky Ashworth (Berwick), Richard Hall (Sheffield), Leigh Lanham (Ipswich), Simon Lambert (Rye House), Ty Proctor (Plymouth & Wolverhampton), and Patrick Hougaard (Peterborough). Reserves: Ryan Douglas & Josh Bates (Scunthorpe).

 

Admission Prices:

 

ADULT £14

STUDENT/OAP £12

CHILD (10-16) £5

CHILD (0-9) free (accompanied by a paying adult)

FAMILY TICKET £33 (2 adults and 2 children 10-16)

 

There will be a bumper 36 page, colour souvenir programme available on the day priced at £3 with quite a few embarrassing photos of David inside.

 

Other information:

 

• Gates open at 1.30pm

• Bar and cafe will be open as usual.

• Raffle tickets and programmes available from usual place but also raffle tickets will be available by the disabled stand between turns 3-4 before the meeting and available on the souvenir table. Raffle will be drawn in the interval, 1st prize tickets to Cardiff GP.

• There will be 125cc class racing on the day, which includes Kieran Douglas, Jordan Jenkins, Kyle Bickley and Macauley Leek.

• Also a 250cc class including Lewis Whitmore, Dan Miles, Luke Woodhull and Ben Woodhull.

• After the meeting there will be an auction of goodies in the bar, all welcome to come along for a drink, warm and chat!

 

The winner of the meeting will receive the Kenny Smith Memorial Trophy for 12 months.

 

KENNY SMITH 1954-2009

A legend of Scunthorpe Speedway

 

Kenny Smith died in 2009, after a brave battle against throat cancer. He was both co-promoter and team manager of the Scorpions. Just two days before he was passed away, he was taken around the Scunthorpe track on the back of David Howe’s bike for two emotional laps of honour.

 

Kenny’s grandfather was one of the pioneer riders in the sport’s early days back in the 1920s. Kenny began his own racing career in grasstrack, before taking up speedway in the late sixties at Doncaster.

 

However, he is best remembered for his involvement on the other side of the speedway fence. After being involved at Middlesbrough, he switched to Newcastle when the Teesside club’s Cleveland Park track closed. Newcastle boss George English, soon made him Assistant Team Manager and Kenny took responsibility for the Newcastle Gems when they entered a side in the Conference League.

 

With speedway returned to Scunthorpe to 2005 after a twenty-year absence, Kenny offered his services, as the Gems had withdrawn from the Conference League following the 2004 season. He was taken on board as Scorpions’ team manager, and was delighted when the Scorpions carried all before then to sweep to successive Conference League titles in 2006 and 2007.

 

Kenny’s unswerving passion for the sport and the Scunthorpe club was rewarded in 2007 when he became a co-promoter and the club could have never wished for a greater ambassador.

Edited March 23, 2013 by lucifer sam