Motor racing: Top riders sure to keep speedway fans on edge of seats

Kiwi Grant Tregoning has worked hard to make it back as a reserve rider after a horrific crash two years ago.

Sixteen of the best solo speedway riders will compete at the opening round of the World Championship series at Western Springs on April 5. Defending world champion Brit Tai Woffinden will be joined by four former world champions - 2012 winner Chris Holder from Australia, three-time title holder Nicki Pedersen from Denmark, Pole Tomasz Gollob and two-time world champion American Greg Hancock who also won the inaugural New Zealand FIM Speedway Grand Prix at Western Springs in 2012.

The night's action is guaranteed to keep fans on the edge of their seats with riders reaching speeds over 110km/h on bikes with no brakes contesting for points over 23 heats. There will be thrills and spills aplenty to keep the action moving along.

Kiwis Andrew Aldridge and Grant Tregoning have been named as track reserves for the meeting. The Christchurch-based pair earned their spots at the opening round of the world championship FIM Speedway Grand Prix series (SGP) after reaching the last four in the New Zealand Championship Final at Invercargill's Oreti Park, February 8.

Tregoning, who wears the No 18 race jacket, led NZSGP wild card Jason Bunyan (who has been the Kiwi representative in the 16-rider field the last two years) until the last bend of the final, before Bunyan stormed around the outside to equal Larry Ross' record of nine New Zealand titles.

Racing domestically for the Southland Outlaws on the South Island, Tregoning is a 2011 New Zealand champion and boasts European experience having competed in Britain for Buxton and Newport.

The 26-year-old signwriter was one of the two reserve riders at the 2012 NZSGP in Auckland and he is relishing taking up the position for a second time. "It's pretty amazing to be called up as a reserve rider, especially after the accident of two years ago," said Tregoning.

"Last year I felt a little cautious in racing, which may have been because of the crash, but this year I feel as if I'm ... racing really well. Should the opportunity arise to compete at the Grand Prix, I believe I will be ready.

"It was mind-blowing to be around the world's best riders in 2012 and I can't wait for the experience again. It was definitely a goal of mine to make a reserve rider spot."

Tregoning has been working hard on his fitness over the past few months with gruelling mountain biking sessions. He is joined by No 17 Aldridge, who finished fourth behind Sean Mason at Oreti Park and is the triple NZ under-21 champion who rides for the Canterbury Comets.

Aldridge was scheduled to race in the 2012 New Zealand SGP, but was ruled out after breaking his neck in a horrific crash at Auckland's Rosebank Circuit a month earlier.

The 27-year-old apprentice engineer came within a millimetre of paralysis in the spill, but was back on track within 10 months and will be determined to make up for his missed opportunity this year.

Like Tregoning, he also has European experience, having raced for Rye House and Bournemouth in the British National League.

There have been international times of late, but New Zealand has one of the best world solo speedway championship records. Since solo speedway became an International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) world championship in 1936, three New Zealand riders have won 12 world titles between them - Ivan Mauger, Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs.

Nine Kiwis in all have made it to the world finals and while New Zealand hasn't produced a winning rider in a long time, the following in New Zealand is still strong. The last time world championship solo speedway visited the Southern Hemisphere before 2012 was in 2002 in Australia.

The driving force behind New Zealand being able to host a round of the world champs is Bill Buckley, of the internationally renowned Buckley Systems Ltd.

Without his passion for the dirt and his involvement with Western Springs, fans here and in Australia would not be able to see some of the most exciting two-wheel action live.

The top eight riders automatically get a berth for the world championship in any given year. Of the next seven, the series organisers pick three riders, and then there are various qualification events in England for the remaining four places.

While the top eight are pretty consistent the qualifying procedure to the bottom places allows for emerging talent to have a go at making it as part of the travelling 15 riders who contest the 12 Grand Prix races.

The 16th place is normally reserved for a local wildcard - if he's good enough.