Spectacular Night for Shield Final

Sparkling cup final speedway at Arlington Stadium on Saturday (September 14) comes with plenty of extras for supporters.

The Fineprint Eagles take on the Leicester Lions in the first leg of the Championship Shield in what the club hopes will be a massive, partisan crowd that will effectively be “an extra man” when the racing starts.

“Riders and opponents have commented all season about the wall of noise that can be created at Arlington, and under the floodlights on a dry crisp September evening we want the atmosphere to positively crackle, said director Ian Jordan. 

“Our visitors from Leicester have been wonderful opponents already and also bring with them a large and very friendly group of supporters and on such occasions, the main winner is the sport of Speedway.”

Lewi Kerr in action against the Lions

Here’s a taste of what to expect:

  • 15 heats of high octane speedway as the Eagles face one of the league’s best teams;
  • Joint meeting sponsors Sykes Harley-Davidson will help with the pre-meeting and post-meeting parades;
  • Sykes Harley-Davidson will have an exhibition of some superb bikes for fans to walk round and enjoy;
  • Vouchers for first 1,000 supporters through the turnstiles from joint meeting sponsor, the Holly Blue pub and carvery;
  • A £100 programme prize sponsored by the Holly Blue;
  • The September team builder draw with a first prize of £750;
  • The September sizzler ticket offer with a prize draw for next year’s season tickets; and
  • Some surprise guests.

Ian Jordan said the aim was to create a brilliant atmosphere.

“We look forwards to seeing a packed, vibrant, noisy and ultimately happy Arlington on Saturday night.

“Please bring a friend to hold on to. “The weather looks set fair, there is no Speedway GP or football on the TV, so come and cheer the Pride of Sussex,” he said.

“The team have performed fantastically well to get to this final. 

“We beat one of the ‘powerhouse’ clubs in Somerset to top our qualifying group and then delivered probably our best two back-to-back performances of the season to beat Glasgow on aggregate at the beginning of August. 

“I could not be prouder than to work with these guys in our first season back in higher level Speedway and my first season as a Director of the club.

Sykes Harley-Davidson and The Holly Blue

The Eastbourne v Leicester, Championship Shield Final, first leg, meeting is sponsored by both Sykes Harley-Davidson, based at nearby Holmes Hill, and also our great friends from the Marstons Holly Blue at Stone Cross.

Sykes Harley-Davidson is coming with around 20 bikes ,including a few very rare and special ones and an American Style Pick-Up Truck. 

As well as being part of the pre and post meeting presentations, there will be a static display in the courtyard behind the pits and adjacent to the club bar for all supporters to walk around and enjoy prior to racing once the turnstiles open at 5.45pm. 

We would like to thank everyone at The Sykes Dealership, Dealer Principal, Steve Willis, Craig Moir and Richard and the local Harley-Davidson Group for organising this in conjunction with our excellent community project manager, David Rollison.

The Holly Blue at Stone Cross have been wonderful sponsors to us in 2019 and many of our supporters are now regulars at the pub and carvery, where we staged a sell-out fans’ forum and plan more events in the winter. 

Free meal and drinks vouchers have been very much appreciated all season but on this occasion Leigh Capon and his team have frankly exceeded all expectations with a stupendous offer. 

The first 1,000 supporters through the turnstiles on Saturday will receive a FREE VOUCHER of various descriptions to use at The Holly blue over the next few months. 

As usual The Holly Blue will also sponsor the £100 programme prize and for just a £3 outlay – for what has been voted the BEST PROGRAMME in UK Speedway twice in the past three seasons – you could win £100 presented on the night and also get to chose and present a Bottle of Bubbly to your “Rider of The Night”.

More Giveaways for the Fans

The giveaways DON’T stop there.

Two major Draws will take place LIVE on the centre green during the evening.

The recently introduced TEAMBUILDER has its September draw with a guaranteed first prize of £750 and two other substantial cash prizes.

The “September Sizzler” Ticket Offer Competition also comes to a conclusion and anyone coming on Saturday with the required three Tickets for the recent matches v Redcar (League) / Sheffield (League) and Redcar (KOC) will not only one again get in for reduced admission but when handing over the three tickets already stored will be entered in to a PRIZE DRAW to win one of three FREE 2020 Season Tickets (or cash equivalent subject to the draw conditions).   

The Eagles

Securing the Eagles’ future

Ian Jordan summed up:

“We have always believed that 2019 was all about building a base and a foundation for the future not only for the current promotion, but for those who will follow us in the future. 

“The security and safeguarding of this fantastic club in its 90th year was our only priority and we would like to thank everyone, riders, sponsors, stadium management and workers, and our fantastic supporters for their fantastic and much appreciated support.

“We feel that reaching the latter stages of the KO Cup and the Final of the Championship Shield are the icing on the cake of a momentous and long season.

“With a foundation built, we hope that Saturday will be a glimpse of the future, an opportunity to see a major final and an opportunity to see the type of enhanced presentation and show that may be possible in the future and which we aspire to delivering for you all.” 

The final home meeting to wrap up the 2019 season is against Birmingham (September 28), when we hope to have some silverware to parade and will also have the usual rider farewells and also an auction of pit boards and other unique memorabilia from the 2019 season in the club house after the racing is over.

Further details will be issued after this weekend.

To learn more about Sykes Harley Davidson – click here

To learn more about The Holly Blue pub – click here

90th Anniversary Meeting:

We have reluctantly decided to delay the planned 90th Anniversary Meeting until 2020.

Our focus in 2019 has been rebuilding the Speedway Team under a new Promotion, in a Higher League and to also allow Martin and Jon time to stabilise and develop plans for Arlington Stadium as new Leaseholders.

A one-off Event of this type takes a lot of planning and hard work to be the “world class” spectacle we want it to be; so it will be scheduled in to 2020 Speedway Calendar as our prime Speedway Event with a World Class field and numerous added attractions.

Image Credits: Tiffani Graveling & Mike Hinves