Two Champs sign up for Bonanza
Latest News Wednesday 8th January 2025, 8:00am
Preparations are well under way now for the fifteenth staging of the Ben Fund Bonanza at Oxford on 23rd March (6pm start) and the organisers are making a strong start with the first two names announced for the event – former World Champion Jason Doyle and former British Champion Charles Wright.
Jason Doyle feels he is back to full fitness after substantial injuries that ruled him out of all racing from the end of May. He has had a break back home in Australia and is now shivering with everyone else in the UK.
It will be his first appearance in the Bonanza, although he had been in the field for the meeting in 2018 when he was reigning World Champion, only for it to be postponed.
He said "I owe the Ben Fund for what they did for me last season when I was injured. Previously it's been difficult due to the early season Polish fixtures but no matter what there is this season I will be riding, everyone has to understand what a great thing the Ben Fund is for the riders.
"I didn't expect as much support as they gave me, it would have been a tough time. I had to return money in Poland due to crashing elsewhere, I had no income and there were costs to the treatment, so the support was absolutely vital.
"All my injuries are pretty much OK now and I am back to normal. It's been a long couple of months completing the recovery."
Jason won't be quite as busy as in previous seasons but feels comfortable with what he has got. "Overseas I'll just be doing Denmark, travel to Sweden now is a bit of a nightmare. It was a no-brainer to go back to Ipswich of course, it's the club I want to be at and I want to enjoy my racing for the rest of my career. I'm not as busy as some of the young ones."
He still has the GP of course, with a richly-deserved wildcard after only managing the first two meetings last year before the injuries. "I think I was tied for the lead, but in the last meeting I had a blown engine prior to the final – not a great way to end. I wouldn't be back in this year unless I believed I can compete with the best."
He has nothing but praise for the Ben Fund organisers. "Paul and Steph, they put in a great deal of effort. Riders will find that when they do need help they will get it, and I certainly appreciated it."
Charles Wright is a big supporter of the Ben Fund and this will be his fourth Bonanza, with double figure scores on each of his three appearances. He also of course famously auctioned his Grand Prix race suit from Cardiff 2019.
The Redcar and Oxford man said "The Bonanza is usually the first meeting of the season and it's a good test for a good cause. The Ben Fund have helped me in the past and it's good to give something back.
"I had no injuries last season but I had problems at the end of the previous season with back and rib injuries and a punctured lung. I worked really hard to get ready for 2024 and it proved to be a great season for me.
