World Speedway Grand Prix, Western Springs THIS SATURDAY

World Speedway Grand Prix, Western Springs THIS SATURDAY
World’s Best Speedway Riders
Descend On Nz
Tickets still available from Ticketmaster
ACTION STARTS AT 4PM at Western Springs

-- 15 of the world’s best riders
-- 0-60mph in just two seconds -- quicker than Formula One
-- No brakes. No gears. No fear!

15 of the world’s best speedway riders will descend on New Zealand today in readiness for the first round of the 2013 FIM Speedway Grand Prix series at Western Springs on Saturday.

Riders representing Australia, Denmark, the USA, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Great Britain and New Zealand will compete on Saturday for vital points in this 12-round world championship series.
Tickets for the much-anticipated season-opening Buckley Systems New Zealand FIM Speedway Grand Prix at Auckland’s picturesque Western Springs stadium are available from Ticketmaster.

World champion Chris Holder (Australia) will launch his title defence in New Zealand, where he is expected to be roared on by a partisan Kiwi crowd, backed up by the army of Aussies who are expected to make the trip across the Tasman. Darcy Ward from Queensland also makes his full-time SGP debut in the meeting after being awarded a permanent World Championship berth for the 2013 season.

But the pair face some stiff competition to top the rostrum from last year’s NZ SGP winner Greg Hancock. The American legend has won the only two Grand Prix rounds staged outside of Europe in Sydney in 2002 and Auckland last March. The likes of triple world champion Nicki Pedersen (Denmark), who was third last year at Western Springs, and 2010 world champion Tomasz Gollob (Poland) will also fancy their chances of starting the season in style in the Southern Hemisphere.

The event is a simple one and yet it’s the most daring, dangerous and dynamic motorcycle racing event in the world. Four riders keep turning left over four laps of an oval track and each race is over in less than a minute. Easy! but not for the riders. They race 500cc single-geared machines with no brakes.

They can go from 0-60mph in just two seconds -- quicker than Formula One!

The engines are single cylinder, fixed gear power units, fitted into the chassis of the bike frame horizontally and fuelled by methanol. The engine makes up the major weight of the bike as there are few other parts to the machine. They are not allowed to weigh less than 77 kilogrammes.

Tickets are priced at $60 for adults and $30 for children and grandstand seats cost $120.

BSI Speedway managing director Paul Bellamy is determined to build on the success of last year’s inaugural New Zealand SGP and cannot wait to see the sport’s biggest stars back in Auckland.
He said: “Taking the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series outside of Europe again was a huge goal for us and we are delighted to have achieved it with the help of Bill Buckley and his team at Western Springs this year.

“The response was fantastic with fans flocking in from all over the country and overseas to witness the action.

“We’re hopeful of attracting an even bigger crowd this year, and especially with Chris Holder launching his title defense just across the water from Australia.

“We will also be installing new and improved grandstands for 2013, which will ensure everyone gets the best possible view of what I’m sure will be a great night of racing.”
Springs Promotions principal Bill Buckley said he is thrilled to have the Speedway Grand Prix returning to New Zealand after such a spectacular inaugural event.

“The FIM Speedway Grand Prix has reignited our passion for this exciting sport, invented by a Kiwi! We cannot wait to welcome riders and fans back to Auckland in March.”

Tickets available from ticketmaster.co.nz or speedwaygp.com or by calling: 0800 111 999

2013 Buckley Systems New Zealand FIM Speedway Grand Prix Rider line-up:

BSI Speedway
BSI Speedway is an IMG company and rights holders of the FIM Speedway World Championships
FIM Speedway Grand Prix (SGP) and FIM Speedway World Cup (SWC).

About IMG
IMG Worldwide is a global sports, entertainment and media business, with nearly 3,000 employees operating in 30 countries around the globe. IMG's areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging: IMG College; IMG's Joint Ventures in China, Brazil and India; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academies; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing. More information is available at www.imgworld.com.

ENDS

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