Visitors to the British Motor Museum will be able to redeem a £25 voucher on admission this autumn thanks to its participation in a new National Lottery Days Out campaign with VisitBritain, the national tourism agency. National Lottery players who purchase a Lotto ticket from this October, will be able to redeem a £25 voucher against entry tickets to hundreds of tourist attractions and experiences across the UK including the British Motor Museum.

The voucher code can be redeemed through the VisitBritain Shop at NationalLotteryDaysOut.com and is a great way to explore the Museum’s 300 cars this autumn at a fraction of the price. The £25 vouchers can be redeemed for a one off entry ticket to the Museum, a family of four would receive £25 off the family ticket price of £40, so it would cost just £15 for a day out, whereas two adults would pay just £4! Please note that there is no change or cash value to the vouchers and this offer does not include Museum membership or annual passes.

There are special family fun activities running during half term from 23 – 31 October.  The Mad Scientists will be shining a light on headlamps and the science behind them. There will be illuminating hands-on sessions that reflect on the science of lights with the amazing Lucas Collection, one of the world’s largest collections of historic lamps and for the younger visitor there will be a black cat trial. Search around the Museum for the hidden black cats and, with a torch, discover the colour of each cat's eyes! Just pick up a trail sheet as you arrive and remember to return for your sticker!

Jeff Coope, Managing Director at the British Motor Museum said “We are delighted to be involved with this campaign. The Museum has benefited greatly from Heritage Lottery funding in the past including funding towards our Collections Centre which stores around 250 vehicles from our reserve collections. Funding has also been used for positions for trainees and apprentices. Cat Griffin, our Curator, started as an Arts Council funded graduate trainee in 2015 and is now a permanent member of the team. We are very grateful for the support we have received in the past so it’s great to be able to help and participate in this fun campaign”.

For more information about the Museum please visit the website www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk  or call 01926 641188.

• First of its kind study finds a broad range of benefits when riding e-scooters on one’s mental wellbeing

• Riders de-stressed (74%) and relaxed (85%), with two-thirds (67%) agreeing that riding an e-scooter helps clear their mind of negative thoughts and feelings

• Two-thirds (67%) feel more socially connected as it allows them to make personal relations and socialise with friends and family

London, October 8, 2021 – This World Mental Health Day (10th October), new survey data* released by Spin, the micromobility unit of Ford Motor Company, reveals how e-scooter hire schemes have a wide range of benefits on one’s mental wellbeing. The majority (70%) of respondents believe riding an e-scooter rented via a hire scheme helps improve their mental health.

The first of its kind study explored how nearly 1,000 users felt better as a direct result of riding an e-scooter that’s part of the UK Department for Transport’s public hire trials. The results show that e-scooters help provoke positive moods and alleviate negative feelings such stress. Key findings revealed that when riding a hired e-scooter:

• 87% feel an increased sense of freedom
• 85% feel relaxed
• 78% feel mindful as they are able to focus on their immediate surroundings
• 74% feel less stressed after riding than before their trip
• 67% agree that it helps clear their mind of negative thoughts and feelings
• 63% agree that it feels like a digital detox as they are unable to look at their device

People have highly positive associations with how they feel when they ride a hired e-scooter. Almost half (46%) feel adventurous and four out of ten feel joyful (41%), free (41%) and positive (40%). “Exhilarated and like a soaring eagle” and “back to my childhood” were just some of the emotions spontaneously mentioned by riders when asked how they feel while riding an e-scooter. 

The research underpins how riders experience “flow[1]”, a concept in positive psychology that refers to the state of mind in which a person becomes fully immersed in an activity and which consequently contributes to a better mental wellbeing. This is aligned with riders feeling joyfulness, an emotion triggered by a chemical reaction in the brain and endorphin[2] release. Renowned media psychologist Emma Kenny supports these results, agreeing that using a public hire e-scooter is a fantastic way for people to not only reduce their carbon footprint but also feel free and embrace a nostalgic, childlike experience in the fresh air:

“It’s fantastic to see research that gives insight into how small pleasures can make a big difference in our everyday lives,'' comments Emma. “Positively managing our mental health is key to living a happier and healthier life and that’s why it’s so important to take part in activities that are fun and thrilling, and that benefit our lives in a multitude of ways. E-scooters, that are part of the public hire schemes offer the perfect medium to be more environmentally friendly, whilst letting our inner child run free. Whether you’re dashing to a board meeting, or heading for a University lecture, e-scooters offer a great alternative solution to your travel needs. Aside from the accessibility and ease of this kind of transport, you’ll also benefit from the feeling of freedom that comes when travelling from A to B this way. The benefits you receive from fresh air and the great outdoors is a form of informal mindful practice, meaning that you fully appreciate the here and now and experience the present as a gift.”

Steve Pyer, UK & Ireland Country Manager at Spin said, “At a time when mental wellbeing is in the spotlight more than ever, it is incredibly rewarding to see that e-scooters that are part of the national trials are not only beneficial for the environment but for our rider’s mental health too. E-scooter hire schemes provide the freedom and flexibility for exploration and fresh air does wonders to relieve stress and anxiety, leaving you happier and more relaxed at the end of your journey or commute!”

Go back a few decades and many towns up and down the UK had thriving speedway teams. Sadly though, over the years, those teams have slowly folded for one reason or another. The Bradford Dukes, the Crew Kings, the Ellesmere Port Gunners, the Hull Vikings, and the Newport Wasps are just some of the dozens of names that have been lost in the last few decades.  

Speedway has excited fans of everything two wheels for around 100 years, with the first races taking place in Australia before spreading to the UK in early 1928. Throughout the 20th century, especially during its second half, interest in the sport grew and grew.  

It is believed that around 30,000 people turned up to watch the first British speedway meeting at High Beech, a figure that would put it on par with a lower-table Premier League football club today.  

Through the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, people would cram into local stadiums to watch their team battle it out on track against a visiting opponent. Today, however, many fans have to travel long distances just to go and watch a match. For example, fans of the former Ellesmere Port Gunners team now have to choose between the Belle Vue Aces in Manchester or the Stoke Potters as their home team, both of which are an hour’s drive away.  

But as the general populace lost interest in motorcycles, speedway fell into decline. 

What Makes Speedway Different? 

Any lover of bikes will know there are plenty of two-wheeled motorsports in the world. Here on the British Isles, we’re treated to the Isle of Man TT each year, as well as a round of MotoGP, and our own domestic circuit and dirt racing competitions.  

Speedway is different. A speedway bike has no brakes and no gears. A meeting is made up of a couple of dozen four-lap heats that are quick sprints around an oval where riders get within millimetres of each other as they slide their machines through shale-covered corners.  

Anyone that’s been to a speedway meeting will know the unique smell that comes from the methanol-fueled engines. For fans, that smell brings back memories of exciting races that only speedway can offer.  

Unlike categories like MotoGP, speedway (at least at a domestic level) is a team sport. Each heat is all about getting the most points possible for your team, with different riders coming out each time to make their contribution to the tally.  

Speedway in the UK vs Abroad 

While speedway still chugs along in the UK, it is a million miles from the sport in continental Europe. Eastern and northern European countries like Poland, Czechia, and Sweden have well-funded leagues and teams, bigger audiences, and larger stadiums to accommodate them.  

In fact, in Poland, speedway is often in the top-three national sports, whereas it is very much an “also-ran” in the UK’s list.  

What Holds Speedway Back in Britain? 

There is no single reason why speedway doesn’t have the same following that it does elsewhere. Interest in bikes is relatively low among the general population in the UK. In fact, money spent on motorcycles declined sharply between 2011 and 2016, with purchases by the booming motorcycle courier sector responsible for the rise in the years since.  

The cost of partaking in any motorsport is incredibly high, and it can become prohibitively expensive if you’re funding it yourself. Stories of talented riders like Lukas Hlavac that are unable to compete due to financial issues are common. The former motocross rider ran out of cash to fund his championship campaign during his first season, forcing him to drop out while leading his division, though he has since gone on to enjoy success in the world of professional poker instead. It’s the same in car racing, the Formula 2 driver David Beckmann had to bow before the end of the 2021 season due to financial pressures.  

Speedway is not immune to these pressures, but the sport doesn’t have the huge crowds delivering millions in revenue from ticket sales or the huge sponsorship deals that can be seen in other competitions. It’s also why talented speedway riders like Craig Cook have to find innovative ways to raise the funds they need to compete at the levels their skills allow.  

There is a chicken and egg problem here. The funds won’t come without the crowds, but the crowds can’t be attracted without marketing and promotion, and that costs money.  

Sadly, this means potentially millions of Brits are missing out on the unrivalled excitement that comes from watching speedway, and could, ultimately, lead to its extinction in the UK.  

article supplied

Suzuki has revived the Phantom name with a new special edition GSX-R1000R, available with an RRP of £17,499.

Like the iconic GSX-R1000 K6 Phantom from 2006, the new GSX-R1000R Phantom is completed with a Yoshimura exhaust – this time an R11 silencer and heatshield finished in black metal magic with a carbon cap – and a smattering of genuine Suzuki accessories, including track-focussed brake and clutch lever guards, a tank pad and fuel cap trim, and a smoked double bubble screen.

A single seat cowl matches the matt black livery, which is complemented by gloss black decals. Standing out against the stealthy black colour scheme are gold wheels and gold Showa Balance Free front forks.

The GSX-R1000R produces 202PS from its inline-four cylinder engine, which uses the same variable valve timing system as the MotoGP world championship-winning GSX-RR. A full suite of electronics features a bi-directional quickshifter, lean angle-sensitive, 10-mode traction control and ABS, launch control, and three power modes.

• Christian Iddon on the podium in all three races at Donington Park
• Josh Brookes no longer in the fight for the 2021 British Superbike title
• Tommy Bridewell re-signs with the Oxford Products Racing Ducati team for 2022

Race 1
Christian Iddon rode a great race at Donington Park on Saturday in cold, wet, and windy conditions. He had a poor grid position back in 17th after crashing his VisionTrack Ducati during qualifying. But a brave ride saw him climb though the field, and aided by fallers, he was up to second place by Lap 12 behind race leader Gino Rea (Buildbase Suzuki), with Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) battling him and Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) just behind and ready to pounce. 

Meanwhile the treacherous conditions had ended in disaster for both Josh Brookes and Tommy Bridewell, after they both crashed out in separate incidents on Lap 5. 

Brookes, who was running in second, ended up on the grass after saving a moment on his bike, but was unable to keep his VisionTrack Ducati upright. And just seconds later Bridewell, who was behind Brookes on track and momentarily promoted to up to second, crashed his Oxford Products Racing Ducati under braking in the poor conditions.

The Ducati duo of Brookes and Bridewell were just a couple of many riders that fell victim to the atrocious conditions, with Title Fighters Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing), Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad) and Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) all crashing out.

Rea went on to win the race, with Ryde second and Iddon, the sole Ducati rider, finishing the race as the top Championship contender in third.

Read more here