Spectacular Speedway: ‘Come and you’ll fall in love’

Speedway has been a staple of motorcycle sport since its beginnings in Australia in 1923.

But it didn’t boom in the UK until 1928 with the inaugural race at Epping Forest proving vastly more popular than envisaged… During the first event, race-goers clung to trees and piled into the centre of the track to get a glimpse of the action. But despite its deep roots and lengthy history, the bikes, stars, and legacies aren’t the household names they deserve to be.

In fact, the WSRA National Speedway Museum only exists because the owner of Paradise Wildlife Park, Peter Sampson, was previously a speedway rider. For that reason, it sits within the grounds of a zoo! Inside the museum, you see the beginnings of speedway through to the modern day, as well as spin-off sports including ice speedway.

WSRA (World Speedway Riders Association) Chairman and former international rider Bert Harkins says: “It’s the only one in the country. You might see a speedway bike in another museum, but this is the only one that’s all speedway.”