Warriors planning a speedway showdown in September

While the team's attention is on Thursday’s important home National League meeting against Eastbourne and an away trip to Buxton next weekend, arrangements are taking shape for the last event of the season at Ryde's Smallbrook Stadium next week, on Thursday, September 6.

The evening's programme will include 13-team, retro-style event, Martin's Warriors v Barry's Warriors, which will feature the first five riders taking four rides and the two reserve riders taking three.

The event will also fetaure the Kev's Wizards v Sid's Wizards challenge, a Southern Development League-style (SDL) meeting held over six heats — integrated into the main meeting, as successfully tested three weeks ago.

There will also be the Reserve Challenge, in which four reserve riders and four leading SDL riders meet in two heats, with the top two going on to the Grande Final. 

The top four point scorers in the main event will come together in the final for what promises to be a blockbuster last race to round off the season.

Invitations have been sent out to a number of speedway favourites on the Island, with line-ups published shortly.

As always, the mascots will be out for demonstration rides on the night, with the last kids' running and cycle race of the season bound to be hotly-contested, alongside one or two surprises for the crowd.

Warriors co-promoter Barry Bishop said: “We want to round off our speedway racing year with something a little different — something that could accommodate the Warriors and Wizards and reflect well on the club as a whole.

"The format we plan to use will achieve that and will also lend itself to some other surprises we hope the fans will enjoy — and remember — as we go off for the winter break.

"It will be a really fun night, but don’t forget Eastbourne are here first on Thursday, so I hope we will be well supported for both meetings.”