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Redcar Bears

{{for|the former Middlesbrough speedway team|Middlesbrough Bears}}

{{Short description|British motorcycle speedway team}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}

{{Infobox motorcycle speedway team

|clubname = Redcar Bears

|image = File:Redcarbearslogo.jpg

|track = Ecco Arena
Dormor Way
Southbank Road
Middlesbrough
TS6 6XH

|country = England

|founded = 2006

|closed =

|promoter = Jade Mudgway & Jamie Swales

|manager = Gavin Parr

|captain =

|league = SGB Championship
National Development League

|website = {{URL|http://www.redcar-speedway.com/}}

|colours = Red, White, Black and Grey

|tracksize = {{convert|271{{cite web | url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/club-info/ | title=Club Info }}|m|yd}}

|track record time= 52.2 seconds

|track record date= 28 October 2022, Teesside Silver Pan

|track record holder= Lewis Kerr

|rider1 = {{flagicon|ENG}} Charles Wright (capt)

|rider1cma =

|rider2 = {{flagicon|ENG}} Jason Edwards

|rider2cma =

|rider3 = {{flagicon|GER}} Erik Riss

|rider3cma =

|rider4 = {{flagicon|SCO}} Ace Pijper

|rider4cma =

|rider5 = {{flagicon|ENG}} Danny King

|rider5cma =

|rider6 = {{flagicon|ENG}} Jake Mulford

|rider6cma =

|rider7 = {{flagicon|ENG}} Tom Spencer

|rider7cma =

|totalcma=

|rider1j = {{flagicon|ENG}} Jamie Halder

|rider1jcma =

|rider2j = {{flagicon|ENG}} Danny Phillips

|rider2jcma =

|rider3j = {{flagicon|SCO}} Ace Pijper

|rider3jcma =

|rider4j = {{flagicon|SCO}} Stene Pijper

|rider4jcma =

|rider5j = {{flagicon|ENG}} Ben Rathbone

|rider5jcma =

|rider6j = {{flagicon|ENG}} Tom Spencer

|rider6jcma =

|rider7j = {{flagicon|ENG}} Kai Ward

|rider7jcma =

|totaljcma=

|honour1 = SGB Championship KO Cup

|year1 = 2019

|honour2 = Young Shield Winners

|year2 = 2007

|honour3 = Pairs

|year3 = 2022, 2024, 2025

}}

The Redcar Bears are a British motorcycle speedway team who compete in the SGB Championship (second tier of the British speedway leagues). The club was founded in 2006 and their major team honour to date is the SGB Championship Knockout Cup win in 2019. The team have also run a junior side called the Middlesbrough Tigers (which is not to be confused with the former Middlesbrough club).

History

= Origins and 2000s =

Speedway in Middlesbrough began at the Cleveland Park Stadium and with a Middlesbrough team (later the Bears) that first competed in the 1929 Speedway English Dirt Track League. The racing took place from 1929 until 1996, when the Cleveland Park Stadium was demolished.{{cite news |title=Tee-d off |work=Western Evening Herald |date=19 September 1996 |access-date=2 May 2024|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003596/19960919/047/0047 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

It was not until 2006 that speedway returned to Middlesbrough, with a new team name by the name of Redcar Bears, racing at the purpose built South Tees Motorsports Park (a former quad bike practice area). The team were promoted by Chris Van Straaten and Gareth Rogers, managed by Brian Havelock and captained by his son Gary Havelock (the 1992 world champion){{cite web |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7161291.speedway-fans-flock-region-new-track-opens/|title=Speedway fans flock to the region as new track opens|website=The Northern Echo|access-date=2 May 2024}} and entered the 2006 Premier League speedway season, the Premier League was division 2 at the time.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/history/leaguetables1991-present|title=BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - MODERN ERA (1991-PRESENT)|website=Official British Speedway website|access-date=2 September 2021}} The Bears raced their first home fixture on 13 april 2006 against Sheffield Tigers and finished the season in a solid sixth place.{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/2006fixtures.pdf |title=2006 fixtures |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=2 May 2024}}

In 2007, the Bears won the Premier League consolation tournament known as the Young Shield,{{cite web|url=http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/speedway/shield-winning-redcar-bears-now-go-3740028|title=Shield-winning Redcar Bears now go for double|first=Martin|last=Neal|date=29 October 2007|website=Gazettelive.co.uk}} beating the Birmingham Brummies.

= 2010s =

From 2010 to 2016, the team continued to compete in the Premier League but experienced season of mediocrity. In 2017, the team joined the SGB Championship (the new name for division 2) and finished in 5th place. The Bears were awarded the 2017 Championship Track of the Year by the Speedway Control Board, an award voted for throughout the season based on referee's match reports.{{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2018/03/01/bears-win-an-award/|title=Bears win an award!|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=4 August 2022 }}

In 2019, Jitendra Duffill became co-promoter replacing Kevin Keay, with Jade Mudgway continuing as the team manager and co-promoter.{{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2019/02/27/new-promoter-for-bears/|title=New Promoter for Bears|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=5 September 2018 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2018/11/20/duffill-steps-up/|title=Duffill steps up|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=20 June 2017 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2018/11/23/1848/|title=Mudgway and Terry the Track return|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=15 January 2020 }} Gary Havelock also re-joined the club as the rider's coach.http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/966103820?-17473:2778:most_read_top#out {{dead link|date=June 2019}} Race nights switched to Friday from Thursday and the club were branded as the Redcar Agilia Bears after London based company Agilia Infrastructure Partners Limited became the club's main sponsor.{{cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.35816.3|title=BEARS MOVE TO FRIDAYS - British Speedway Official Website|website=Speedwaygb.co.uk|date=3 March 2017 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2019/03/08/agilia-infrastructure-partners-ltd-the-bears-main-backers-in-2019/|title=Agilia Infrastructure Partners Ltd the Bears main backers in 2019!|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=26 April 2018 }} During the 2019 season, the Bears long-awaited search for major silverware ended when they beat Newcastle Diamonds in the Championship Knockout Cup final.{{Cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2019/09/07/bears-through-to-ko-cup-final/|title = Bears through to KO Cup Final!| date=14 September 2017 }} Additionally Bears' rider Charles Wright became the 2019 British Speedway Champion after winning the final at the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester{{Cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.37074|title=Wright crowned British champion - British Speedway Official Website|website=www.speedwaygb.co.uk}} and Erik Riss won his first Championship Riders' title at Sheffield.{{Cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2019/09/01/erik-riss-wins-championship-riders-title/|title = Erik Riss wins Championship Riders title!| date=11 September 2019 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.speedwaystar.net/news.php?extend.1390|title = Riss makes Redcar history - Speedway Star : Weekly Speedway Magazine and Xtra}}

= 2020s =

For the 2020 season the Bears retained five of the previous years team but the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19.{{Cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2019/12/14/bears-complete-side/|title = Bears complete side!| date=17 May 2018 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.38162|title=OFFICIAL STATEMENT - British Speedway Official Website}}

The 2021 season saw the Bears lose their reign as Knockout Cup holders in preliminary round defeat to the Birmingham Brummies and despite qualifying for the end of season play-offs, were beaten in the quarter-finals by the Edinburgh Monarchs. In 2022, the South Tees Motorsports Park became the ECCO Arena, after long-time sponsor ECCO Finishing Supplies took up the opportunity to take over the stadium naming rights.{{cite web | url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2022/02/23/welcome-to-the-ecco-arena/ | title=Welcome to the ECCO Arena! | date=4 June 2021 }}

The first silverware of the SGB Championship 2022 went to the Redcar pairing of Charles Wright and Lewis Kerr, who lifted the SGB Championship 2022 Pairs Championship held at Oxford on 12 August.{{cite web | url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/major-events/bears-are-pairs-champions/ | title=Bears Are Pairs Champions | date=13 August 2022 }} Also in August, Katie Gordon who rode for the Redcar Cubs, won the inaugural NORA Women's British Championship.{{cite web | url=https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2022-08-17/the-teenage-champion-on-a-mission-to-get-more-women-into-speedway | title=The teenage champion on a mission to get more women into Speedway | date=17 August 2022 }} The following year in 2023, Charles Wright won the Riders' Championship at the Ecco Arena.{{cite web |url=https://cumbriacrack.com/2023/08/28/charles-wrights-thrilling-battle-to-be-champion/ |title=Charles Wright's thrilling battle to be champion |website=Cumbria Crack |access-date=31 August 2023}}

In 2024, the Bears won the Pairs Championship with Charles Wright and Danny King{{cite web |url=https://cumbriacrack.com/2024/07/06/charles-wright-helps-redcar-bears-pull-off-incredible-comeback/ |title=Charles Wright helps Redcar Bears pull off incredible comeback |website=Cumbria Crack |access-date=22 August 2024}} and the following season repeated the success, with Wright and Erik Riss.{{cite web |url=https://cumbriacrack.com/2025/04/07/redcar-bears-scoop-championship-pairs-title/ |title=Redcar Bears scoop Championship Pairs title |website=Cumbria Crack | date=7 April 2025 |access-date=15 April 2025}}

Season summary

{{collapse top}}

class="wikitable"
width=350|Year and league

!width=50|Position

!width=350|Notes

align=center

|align="left"| 2006 Premier League speedway season

6th
align=center

|align="left"| 2007 Premier League speedway season

9thYoung Shield
align=center

|align="left"| 2008 Premier League speedway season

7th
align=center

|align="left"| 2008 Speedway Conference League

3rdRedcar Cubs
align=center

|align="left"| 2009 Premier League speedway season

5th
align=center

|align="left"| 2010 Premier League speedway season

14th
align=center

|align="left"| 2011 Premier League speedway season

10th
align=center

|align="left"| 2012 Premier League speedway season

9th
align=center

|align="left"| 2013 Premier League speedway season

6th
align=center

|align="left"| 2014 Premier League speedway season

10th
align=center

|align="left"| 2015 Premier League speedway season

13th
align=center

|align="left"| 2016 Premier League speedway season

13th
align=center

|align="left"| SGB Championship 2017

5th
align=center

|align="left"| SGB Championship 2018

10th
align=center

|align="left"| SGB Championship 2019

3rdPlay offs
align=center

|align="left"| SGB Championship 2021

4th{{Cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.38557|title=BRITISH SPEEDWAY UPDATE - British Speedway Official Website}}
align=center

|align="left"| SGB Championship 2022

6thPlay offs, pairs winners
align=center

|align="left"| SGB Championship 2023

5thPlay offs
align=center

|align="left"| SGB Championship 2024

6thPairs winners

{{collapse bottom}}

Season summary (junior team)

{{collapse top}}

class="wikitable"
width=350|Year and league

!width=50|Position

!width=350|Notes

align=center

|align="left"| 2024 National Development League speedway season

6thMiddlesbrough Tigers

{{collapse bottom}}

Notable riders

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

}}

= Previous seasons =

{{collapse top}}

2006 Team

Also Rode:

2008 Team

Also Rode:

2009 Team

2010 Team=

2011 Team

2012 Team

2013 Team

2014 Team

Also Rode:

2015 Team

Also Rode:

2016 Team

Also Rode:

2017 Team

Also Rode:

Replaced Tobias Busch on a 28-day loan period.

Replaced by Danny Ayres 17 May 2017.

2017 Competitions & Results

2018 Team

Also rode:

  • {{player||NED|Theo Pijper}}{{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2018/05/28/bears-make-team-change/|title=Bears make team change|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=4 August 2019 }} - Replaced 31 May 2018 by Thomas Jørgensen {{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2018/05/30/team-news-update-7/|title=Team news update|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=27 May 2017 }}
  • {{player||CZE|Matěj Kůs}}{{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2018/06/03/bears-release-kus/|title=Bears release Kus|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=22 October 2020 }} - Replaced 3 June 2018 by Dimitri Bergé{{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2018/06/04/bears-bring-in-two/|title=Bears bring in two|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=20 August 2023 }}
  • {{player||ENG|Nathan Greaves}} - On a 28-day contract replacing Tobias Busch 3 June 2018 – 5 July 2018
  • {{player||GER|Tobias Busch}} - Replaced 9 August 2018 by Nike Lunna {{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2018/08/06/bears-swoop-for-lunna/|title=Bears swoop for Lunna|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=17 August 2017 }}

Jade Mudgway deputised for Team Manager Jitendra Duffill.{{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2018/07/03/duffill-steps-down-as-team-boss-for-now/|title=Duffill steps down as team boss for now|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=11 September 2019 }}

2018 Competitions & Results

2019 Team

Also Rode:

  • {{player||ENG}} Ben Barker{{cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2019/06/03/bears-release-barker/|title=Bears release Barker|website=Redcar-speedway.com|date=29 June 2017 }} replaced 4/6/19 by Ulrich Ostergaard {{cite web|url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/speedway/redcar-bears-move-quickly-appoint-16378466|title=Redcar Bears bring in Danish star to replace former skipper|first=Keith|last=McGhie|date=4 June 2019|website=Gazettelive}}
  • {{player||DEN}} Ulrich Ostergaard replaced by Erik Riss 3/7/19
  • {{player||ENG}} Tom Bacon replaced by Kasper Andersen 3/7/19
  • {{player||ENG}} Jack Smith replaced by Tom Woolley 3/7/19

3 July 2019 changes{{Cite web|url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2019/07/03/bears-make-three-changes/|title=Bears make three changes|date=7 July 2023 }}

2019 Competitions & Results

2020 Team

2021 Team

2022 Team

Also Rode:

Replaced by Kyle Bickley 4/7/22.{{cite web | url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2022/07/04/bickleys-a-bear/ | title=Bickley's a Bear | date=14 February 2019 }}

Replaced by Kyle Newman 11/8/22.{{cite web | url=http://www.redcar-speedway.com/2022/08/11/newman-for-the-bears/ | title=Newman for the Bears | date=15 February 2019 }}

{{collapse bottom}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{SGB Championship}}

{{Speedway National League}}

Category:Speedway Premier League teams

Category:SGB Championship teams

Category:Sport in Middlesbrough

Category:Redcar

Category:Sports clubs and teams established in 1994

Category:1994 establishments in England