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Speedway Bikes have no brakes, just one gear, a clutch and 500cc engines which run on methanol fuel and can accelerate to 60 mph, faster than a Formula 1 car!
They race around oval circuits of around 300 metres in length in an anti-clockwise direction. To get around the tight corners at high speed the riders actually have to accelerate to bring the rear wheel out and initiate a "skid"!
Speedway meetings can be run as individual events although what you will usually see week in and week out, at most tracks around the country, are 2 teams racing against each other. The 2 teams have 7 riders each and they race over 15 heats with 2 riders from each team in every heat. If a rider wins a race he will earn his team 3 points, if he comes second he will earn them 2 points, 3rd and they will only earn 1 point and if he comes last the they won't get anything!
Monarchs Speedway Academy is a brand new initiative aiming to introduce youngsters from the age of 5 and up into the sport of speedway.
A mini-track was introduced to Armadale Stadium ahead of the 2021 season to offer an appropriately sized circuit for young riders to try out speedway on 50cc and 150cc bikes.
FROM CRADLE TO WORLD CHAMPION
The goal of the Monarchs Speedway Academy is to guide budding speedway riders as they progress from the smallest bikes, to the Armadale Devils development team, then on to the Monarchs senior team and beyond. One day there could be a Scottish champion at the top of the sport!
West Lothian Wildcats and Armadale Angels
There are now 2 youth teams competing in the Northern Junior League with the well established West Lothian Wildcats and Newly Formed Armadale Angels.
If you want to get involved with speedway then please follow the link below to get in touch with one of our clubs that support speedway activities: