SPEEDWAY - Bees legend Chris Harris to lead club in challenge match against Brummies - The Coventry Observer

SPEEDWAY - Bees legend Chris Harris to lead club in challenge match against Brummies

Coventry Editorial 22nd Mar, 2022   0

COVENTRY legend Chris Harris will be back to lead the club in their special challenge match at Birmingham on Wednesday, March 30.

Harris, who won three Elite League titles with the Bees and added subsequent Premiership crowns with Poole in 2018 and Peterborough last year, is one of the most popular riders to ever have raced at Brandon.

Ironically he is also a former Birmingham rider, having raced for the Brummies in the top-flight in 2013 and in the Championship last year.

Joining Harris as heat-leaders for the Bees Select at Perry Barr are Ben Barker – another member of the 2010 title-winners – and Lewis Kerr, who will appear for the club five years later than planned.




Kerr had been signed up to join the Bees for the 2017 season before the club were withdrawn from the league a month before the start, due to the stadium having been closed by developers Brandon Estates with no feasible alternatives in place.

The Select side has been built with the intention of matching the Birmingham line-up and providing a competitive meeting, and the second-string berths will be filled by James Sarjeant and Adam Roynon.


Sarjeant, who rode for the Bees in 2014-16 and was a long-time club asset, is returning from injury this year with Edinburgh whilst Roynon, who had several spells with Coventry and was particularly successful in 2012, has a Championship team place with Redcar.

At reserve, Bees will be represented by former mascot Joe Thompson and former Coventry Storm captain Luke Crang, who made an impressive return to the sport last year. The team manager will be named later this week.

Birmingham, meanwhile, include three former Coventry riders themselves in their 2022 side – Josh Auty, Stefan Nielsen and James Shanes.

Save Coventry Speedway and Stox spokesman Jeff Davies said: “We’d like to thank Birmingham once again for putting this meeting on, and I know there’s been a lot of interest from Coventry supporters.

“It should prove to be two evenly matched sides and our thanks to all those who are taking part, especially as there are riders involved in Bjarne Pedersen’s Farewell meeting at Poole on the same night.

“Naturally we’d urge Coventry fans to make the trip and to do so in the club’s colours if they can, and I’m sure there will be several who will be keen to meet up again after such a long time.”

Tickets for the meeting are available online at: https://www.trybooking.co.uk/BNCE and can also be purchased at Perry Barr on the night.

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