Next two for the Bonanza
Latest News Wednesday 22nd January 2025, 2:31pm
Tom Brennan and Erik Riss have been added to the field for the 15th staging of the Ben Fund Bonanza at Oxford on Sunday 23rd March.
Brennan has ridden twice in the event and scored 12 points on each occasion, finishing third in 2023. He was in the lineup again for the early season staging at Workington last season but like several of the original field he was unavailable to return for the restaging on 14th July.
He's currently in Australia and was enjoying an evening meal with Justin Sedgmen when he said "I will always be keen to do the Bonanza. It's important to me to try to repay what they've done for me, a no-brainer really.
"Unfortunately I had to miss out on the restaging last year but I will be at Oxford in March."
Tom will just be doing the Premiership with Ipswich in the new season and he is happy to be there. "Ipswich feels like a club I've always wanted to join, I've seen it as a very professional setup there."
Erik Riss is making his Bonanza debut though like Tom, he would have been in the Workington meeting last year had it not been postponed. He was quite clear about why he is so keen to take part.
"I hadn't really expected to get the assistance I did when I had problems with illness in 2023. They contacted me and they were a great help to me."
Prior to the 2023 event he had added "The Ben Fund must be the only organisation of its kind in world speedway and I know that as a foreign rider in this country still being able to get help when things like what happened to me last year happen was incredible, and I hope by being in the meeting I can help them raise what they need so that other riders that need it can get support."
The thoughtful German will be a home rider at the event as he lines up for the Oxford Spires this year as well as having another season (his fourth in total) at Redcar where he is part of a very strong heat leader trio.
"Yes it's looking promising," he said, "I think the Championship is a very competitive league this year and we will be a competitive team in it!"
Six strong names have been declared for the Bonanza now with more to come. Anyone wish to take up any of the sponsorships available for the Bonanza for Riders, Tyres, Fuel and mascot opportunities plus adverts in the programme should contact Stephanie Babb on benfundbonanza@yahoo.com.
It's always good for anyone to have their efforts recognised and that's true for the Ben Fund organisers as much as anyone else. They were happy to have seen a heartfelt post by Berwick's Bastian Borke who said ""I just wanted to take a moment to express how grateful I am for the incredible support I've received from the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund. Their help has made a huge difference during a tough time, and I can't thank them enough."
