
Sussex Eagles Motorcycle Club founded in 2023 is an organization that helps developing riders; mainly helping with equipment and training days, in 2023 the organization also held a few meetings at Iwade. Towards at the end of the 2024 season, SEMC was offered the opportunity to run out of Iwade in 2025 as the venue was vacant, the conversation became more appealing when League racing was an option especially when development of young riders was a goal which aligns with ours. After submitting an application to the Speedway authorities and getting accepted into the National Development Trophy we are delighted in taking up the challenge in 2025.
The team will be a mixture of experience and youth, all this will give young riders more track time with experienced riders. With only four home meetings we do have the option to have challenge matches under the SCB regulations, therefore Iwade will be able to offer more local racing for the general public. These meetings will be announced in due course via our Fixtures Page.
Along with the training schools, we feel this gives young riders an opportunity for league racing in the future.
SEMC is committed to Iwade and will continue to do so and will not put one track in deputy to go to another.
More than a few people have asked why the name Eagles is being used? Quite simply, the authorities informed us, that we could not use, 'Kings' and several other names, nor indeed were we permitted to adopt red and white as our team colours as they are already in use by Belle Vue. A somewhat strange stance it might seem to some as our two teams are not even in the same competition!
With Sussex Eagles motorcycle club in charge of the running of the sport here, the Eagles was perhaps the obvious choice. It is true that this has not been met with universal approval, but with a choice of this or no speedway in the South-East, it became something of a no brainer.
What we have sought to do is to build a team with a strong Kent connection, one that we can all unite behind, one we feel will give you the fans some thrilling racing with hopefully some silverware to look forward to at the end of the season.
It’s sad when you look back and see how many tracks have closed in the South and South East for one reason or another. Since 1969, we have lost Romford, Rayleigh and Arena Essex’ Lakeside from Essex, White City Wimbledon, Hackney, West Ham and Wembley from London, Crayford, Canterbury and Sittingbourne from Kent, Eastbourne from Sussex, Reading from Berkshire and Rye House from Hertfordshire, out of these probably only Lakeside have any chance of returning although the Arlington stadium is still there, the chances of the bikes ever returning are slim. The Sittingbourne stadium at Central park is still there, slowly falling to pieces, a sad situation as it was a fabulous stadium and a great race track, which could still match any other stadium in the country. So here we are at Iwade, which was built as a training track in the early 1970’s, and there has certainly been some great names that have ridden here and gone on to the highest level.
So what can be done? not a lot I guess as anywhere that has grass on it is suitable for houses these days. But here at Iwade, we can help, we can still bring on and develop new stars for the future and that is exactly what we are doing
We have a good platform, ok we are not as glamorous as Central Park, but what we do have is a track, and a band of people who are passionate about our sport and its future. But what is the future as when you make the grade here, the nearest track to race is about 130 miles away, With Ipswich, Oxford and Poole being the locals!
I remember Promoters moaning because only 3000 crowds were attending, in the1940’s and 50’s, there complained because it was only 10,000, Oh how we would love those days back! Now a days 1000 is good! The loss of Cardiff for GPs makes it perfectly clear the sport has a issue But what we are doing here is trying to keep the sport going, we won’t please everyone, but we will do our best to do so to please the majority. So we welcome any fans from those mentioned and any others that have been lost Mildenhall, Peterborough, Swindon etc
Whether you’re an Eagle, Crusader, Kestrel or a Rocket or just a fan of our great sport, Let’s all get behind the team whoever you support and be grateful we still have Iwade... As the old saying goes, “Use it or lose it”
Looking for our fixtures? Click here
Iwade Speedway, The Old Gun Site, Old Ferry Road, Sittingbourne ME9 8SP, UK
Kent Eagles part of Sussex Eagles Motorcycle Ltd
Director Michael Gray, Director David Graveling, Club Secretary Emily Humphrey
Company Number 16212860