Fears over future of Cradley Heathens speedway club
A Black Country speedway club could fold after their next two races overs fears of finding a new stadium.
Bosses at Cradley Heathens have hinted their time could be up as issues have arisen with the two clubs they share stadiums with.
The Heathens, who compete in the National League, currently have no stadium of their own.
They returned to racing in 2010 after closing 15 years earlier and currently hold races in Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
But with new owners taking over Birmingham Brummies and more races set for Wolverhampton Wolves, the future of Heathens has been cast into doubt.
Thousands of fans have flocked to support the reborn Heathens. However with no immediate prospect of a track to call their own next year, track sharing is once again the only option.
Gary Patchett, who is the club's joint boss, said: “They were difficult this year, but we pulled a rabbit out of the hat with the double-headers, which have been reasonably successful.
“But running at Birmingham isn't much fun for the supporters. We are grateful for the fact that we were able to race there, but it's hard.
“And with the likelihood of new owners at Birmingham, then they could be running two teams there.
“We may be putting two and two together and coming up with five, but it may be that Perry Barr is not an option.
“Then we have the AGM to come and from what I'm hearing, and with Lakeside looking to return to the Premiership, they may come up with a 10-team league and four more home fixtures for Wolves.
“That's four more Mondays we can't have. We might be scuppered.”
Club director Nigel Pearson has hinted he could leave the club in winter after eight years in charge. Meanwhile, with the uncertainty over their stadium sharing, Patchett said next season's plans could be out of their hands.
Their next two meetings could be their final ones, the first a race at Wolverine's Monmore stadium against Eastbourne on October 16 and the club's FAST Golden Hammer competition event a week later.
Cradley Heathens was founded in Dudley in 1947 and competed at the top level of British speedway until 1995 when the team closed.
But the team was revived in 2010 as Dudley Heathens and compete in the National League. In 2013 the club's name changed to Cradley Heathens.
