Northampton Foxes will host their first home speedway fixture against Ipswich Witches on Thursday at 19:30 BST. This marks the return of speedway racing to Northamptonshire after seven decades.
Key points
Northampton Foxes host first home speedway fixture
Match against Ipswich Witches at 19:30 BST
Return of speedway racing to Northamptonshire after seven decades
Event aims to attract new supporters to the sport
Mentioned in this story
Northampton International Shaleway
Northampton FoxesIpswich WitchesSpeedway Great Britain Premiership
A man with a short beard riding a speedway motorcycle. He is dressed in a blue Kings Lynn Stars race suit and a baseball cap.
Northampton captain Nicolai Klindt rode for King's Lynn last season [Getty Images]
A newly-formed British Speedway team will host its first home fixture on Thursday.
Northampton Foxes meet Ipswich Witches - the reigning Speedway Great Britain Premiership champions - at Northampton International Shaleway at 19:30 BST.
The meeting will see speedway racing return to Northamptonshire for the first time in seven decades, with organisers hoping to attract new supporters from the county to the sport.
What is speedway?
Motorcycle speedway, often referred to simply as speedway, sees competitors race around an oval circuit of about 300m (984 ft) in length.
Each rider rides a 500cc motorcycle with no brakes and fixed gearing. The bikes run on methanol for fuel, with each bike's tank holding enough fuel for one race.
The bikes can reach speeds of up to 80mph (128.8km/h) and can go from 0mph to 60mph (96.6km/h) in about three seconds.
Dan Bewley of Belle Vue Aces in red leads Jason Doyle of Ipswich Witches in white during their 2025 Rowe Motor Oil Premiership Play Off Semi Final
Northampton will join the Belle Vue Aces and Ipswich Witches (pictured) for the 2026 British Speedway season [Getty Images]
Most events see two teams - each with seven riders - racing against each other. In British Speedway 15 heats take place with two riders from each team in each.
If a rider wins their race they earn their team three points. The second placed rider earns two points, third placed one point and the no points for the rider in last place.
Q&A
What time does the Northampton Foxes vs Ipswich Witches speedway match start?
The match starts at 19:30 BST.
When was the last time speedway racing took place in Northamptonshire?
Speedway racing has not taken place in Northamptonshire for seven decades.
Who are the reigning champions in British Speedway?
The reigning champions are the Ipswich Witches.
Where is the Northampton Foxes' home fixture being held?
The home fixture is being held at Northampton International Shaleway.
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The points each rider scores are counted towards their team's total at the end of the meeting. If scores are level, a further heat will be used to determine the winner of the meeting.
Who are the Northampton Foxes?
The newly-formed Foxes are taking part in British Speedway's Premiership for the first time.
The team will compete home fixtures at Northampton International Shaleway, near Brafield-on-the-Green, which has been adapted for speedway action.
The Foxes' nickname is a reference to a former Northampton speedway team, known as the Flying Foxes, who competed briefly at Brafield Speedway in the 1950s.
The inclusion of Northampton brought the league up to six teams for 2026, after both Birmingham and Oxford left after last season.
British Speedway said Northampton had a "limited speedway history", with racing being staged at Brafield briefly in the mid-1950s.
The team have already raced twice so far this season, but both matches have been on the road while work continued to get their home venue ready to host speedway.
Who are the Foxes riders?
Team affairs are being handled by Chris Adams, who joins the Foxes after spending the last two seasons as part of the management team at Birmingham.
The Foxes have also announced their roster of riders, which includes Australian Jaimon Lidsey, the former world under-21 champion.
Northampton captain Nicolai Klindt rode for King's Lynn last season.
Internal view of Northampton Shaleway, showing the track and rows of seating on a bright but cloudy day.
Ipswich Witches will be Northampton's opponents in their opening home fixture [British Speedway]
Ahead of Thursday's meeting with Ipswich, Klindt expressed excitement at being involved with the Foxes.
"The amount of work that has been put in behind the scenes is incredible," he said.
"What has been achieved over the last eight weeks [to get the team ready] is absolutely remarkable.
"It's very early days for us as a team but the two away matches so far have been very encouraging."
What are the arrangements for Thursday's meeting?
Northampton Foxes said it offered "ample free parking" at Northampton International Shaleway, with gates for the Ipswich fixture to open from 18:00 BST.
Tickets can be purchased in advance, or on the gate with adults priced at £25 and reduced pricing for concessions and children.
Spectators are permitted to bring chairs, or access the stadium's 750-seat grandstand for an additional price.
A parade of the riders will commence at 19:30 with the first heat starting soon afterwards.
The club said it planned to stream future fixtures, but would not be able to do so in time for Thursday's meeting.
External view of Northampton Shaleway, showing the back of a stand, car park and signage.
The Northampton team's fixtures will be held at Northampton International Shaleway, near Brafield-on-the-Green [British Speedway]
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