MARK PLUMMER catches up with the owner of the best nickname in speedway (and a testimonial man) in his latest ’Friday Feature’ . . .
BREAD and butter; fish and chips; roast beef and Yorkshire pudding; Rye House and LUKE BOWEN. They all go together perfectly.
Local boy Luke - the man known as the 'Bowen 747' - is a unique species in speedway. One of the most likeable and loyal servants to the sport has spent his entire career in Rye House colours.
And on British Grand Prix weekend, he has a big meeting of his own as the Hoddesdon Raceway stages the ’10 Year Take-Off’. Let’s be honest, where else could Sunday’s bash really be?
“Having a testimonial at 28 is making me feel old,” jokes Bowen – a second generation racer who followed in the wheeltracks of father Kevin, also a Rye House rider. “But I hope I’ve still got a lot of years of racing in front of me.
“I’m keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well on the day. It would be great to see a good turn-out and hopefully the weather will be kind.
“Last time I checked the forecast it said there is a prospect of showers from 1pm on Sunday. We could do with that being wrong.”
Bowen’s testimonial is a milestone moment in a journey began all the way back in 2002 as a 16 year-old.
In all truth, he could easily have had second thoughts about being a speedway rider on the night of his very first meeting.
His debut for the Rye House Raiders at Conference League level came complete with a first heat win, but things quickly stopped going to plan as he was knocked off during the second half and left nursing a broken wrist.
A back injury followed later that season and unfortunately set the tone for a career often interrupted by bad knocks.
Bowen missed the entire 2013 season after a broken thigh suffered at Somerset the previous summer left him with a metal rod in his leg, but the good times still outweigh the bad for a man to twice sample Premier League title glory.
Bowen made a series of guest appearances to help the Rockets rule in 2005 and he played a much more significant role two years later when a team featuring a teenage Tai Woffinden stormed to glory.
And Bowen has no hesitation in the reigning world champion Woffinden as the best rider he’s raced alongside during his lengthy career.
“What Tai has done speaks for itself,” continued Bowen. “His late father, Rob, and my dad were close.
“Dad always reminds me that at Berwick one night during the 2007 season he told Rob he had a world champion on his hands. Berwick were really strong at home and Tai got an 18-point maximum up there.
“I’ve been lucky to ride with a lot of really good guys and be part of teams that have done so well.
“I just had a few guests bookings towards the end of the 2005 season, but it was 2007 that was the really special one for me.”
Bowen admits he did briefly ponder retiring from the saddle after his bad break at Somerset, but more than 18 months later he was ready for another dose of the speedway drug.
“I’ve never known pain like I had that night at Somerset,” continued Bowen. “Packing up did go through my mind while I was laying on the track.
“But your mind heals just as your injuries do and you soon get bitten by the speedway bug again.
“I could probably have gone further in the sport if I hadn’t suffered so many injuries.
“It has felt as though I’ve ended up in hospital every time I’ve started to hit form, but we all know the risks involved in speedway.
“I’m very proud to be a one-club man and ridden all of my career under one promoter. Hopefully those things won’t ever need to change.
“I grew up in Harlow but I live in Hoddesdon now. I’m not even a mile from the track and I could easily walk to home meetings.
“A lot of fans have become personal friends and maybe the fact I cost him so little travel is why Len Silver likes to use me!
“If there was ever a situation when Rye House couldn’t fit me in, I would think about going elsewhere. But I will always be happy at Rye House as long as I’m wanted there.”
A Pairs event will provide the main Sunday speedway course in Hertfordshire as Bowen has assembled a field featuring plenty of his nearest and dearest from more than a decade in the sport.
He will form his own ‘High Flyers Tandem’ with big pal Steve Boxall to take on competition featuring the likes of Oliver Allen, Edward Kennett and Great Britain squad member Richard Lawson.
Bowen’s bash will include action from both ends of the age spectrum.
Ten year-old twins Dan & Joe Thompson will be putting in laps aboard their 125cc machines while Ian Barney is the oldest of four riders taking part in ‘Blast From The Past’ races at the age of 53.
Troy Pratt, Alan Mogridge and his 2007 title-winning Rockets team-mate Stefan Ekberg complete the line-up.
And there will also be a battle of two wheels and four as Bowen explains: “A friend of mine is bringing his Fiesta rally car along and we’ll have a race to give the fans something a little bit different.
“My bike should accelerate a lot quicker than the car, so I should be at the first corner in front.
“I just hope I don’t get too far in front and need to lap him. There might not be much room for that at Rye!”
BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL, Berwick 1 Dan Bewley (Belle Vue) 15 2 Leon Flint (Berwick/Armadale) 14 3 Anders Rowe (Swindon/Somerset) 13
Abandoned - Curfew - Result declared after heat 20
SATURDAY OCTOBER 17:
FIM MONSTER ENERGY SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS - FINAL, Lublin, Poland 1 RUSSIA 23 (Emil Sayfutdinov 15, Artem Laguta 8) 2 POLAND 23 (Barosz Zmarzlik 15, Szymon Wozniak 8) 3 DENMARK 19 (Leon Madsen 10, Marcus Birkemose 5, Anders Thomsen 4) 4 SWEDEN 19 (Fredrik Lindgren 14, Oilver Berntzon 5) 5 AUSTRALIA 17 (Max Fricke 12, Jason Doyle 5, Jaimon Lidsey 0) 6 GREAT BRITAIN 12 (Robert Lambert 6, Dan Bewley 6, Drew Kemp 0) 7 CZECH REPUBLIC 11 (Vacliv Milik 11, Eduard Krcmar 0, Petr Chlupac 0) Abandoned after 14 Heats - Result stands (Russia crowned 2020 FIM Speedway of Nations Champions)
FRIDAY OCTOBER 16:
FIM MONSTER ENERGY SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS - FINAL, 1st leg, Lublin, Poland OFF - Track Waterlogged The Final will now be a one-legged event (Saturday October 17)
SATURDAY OCTOBER 10:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 5, Belle Vue 500cc (a) 1 Dan Thompson 2 Harry McGurk 3 Jake Mulford 4 Elliot Kelly Dan Thompson is 500cc Champion
500cc (b - support class) 1 Danny Smith 2 Alex Goldsbrough 3 Sam Peters 4 Katie Gordon
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Cameron Taylor 4 Ashton Vale Luke Harrison is 250cc Champion
125cc (a) 1 Sonny Springer 2 Ace Pijper 3 William Cairns 4 Ben Trigger Sonny Springer is 125cc Champion
125cc (b - support class) 1 Stene Pijper 2 Oliver Bovingdon 3 Owen Booth 4 Caydin Martin
SATURDAY OCTOBER 3:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 8 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Torun 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Artem Laguta (Rus) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
FINAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 8 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 133 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 117 - after run-off 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 117 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 107 Bartosz Zmarzlik crowned 2020 World Champion
FRIDAY OCTOBER 2:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 7 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Torun 1 Max Fricke (Aus) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 16 4 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 7 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarslik (Pol) 113 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 105 3 Fredrik Lindgren 103 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 89
CALEDONIAN RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
1. William Lawson
2. Kyle Bickley
3. Leon Flint
4. Elliot Kelly
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 29:
NATIONAL LEAGUE CHALLENGE
Plymouth Select v Leicester Select - OFF
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28:
BRITISH FINAL, Belle Vue 1 Rory Schlein (Wolverhampton/Somerset) 2 Richard Lawson (Sheffield/Eastbourne) 3 Jason Crump (Ipswich) 4 Steve Worrall (Belle Vue/Poole)
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26:
BRITISH FINAL, Ipswich - OFF Re-staging date: Monday September 28 @ BELLE VUE
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24:
CHALLENGE
Belle Vue Select 49 – Dan Bewley 13+1
ATPI All Stars 41 – Rory Schlein 11+1
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 22:
CHALLENGE
Plymouth Select 51 – Henry Atkins 18
British Young Lions 39 – Dan Thompson 10
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21:
BRITISH UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP, Scunthorpe 1 Drew Kemp (Ipswich/Eastbourne) 15 2 Dan Gilkes (Kent) 14 3 Jordan Palin (Scunthorpe/Belle Vue) 10 (after run-off)
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 4, Edinburgh
500cc 1 Joe Thompson 2 Dan Thompson 3 Harry McGurk 4 Archie Freeman
250cc 1 Max James 2 Ashton Vale (Two riders only in Final)
125cc (a) 1 Max Perry 2 William Cairns 3 Sonny Springer 4 Ben Trigger
125cc (b) – Support class 1 Stene Pijper 2 Owen Booth 3 Rebecca Weston 4 Harry Fletcher
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 6 CZECH REPUBLIC GRAND PRIX, Prague 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (POL) 20
2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18
3 Jason Doyle (Aus) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 6 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 99 2 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 92 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 89 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 71
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 5 CZECH REPUBLIC GRAND PRIX, Prague 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18 3 Martin Vaculik (Slk) 16 4 Emil Sayfutdinov (Rus) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 5 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 79 2 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 78 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 71 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 62
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 4 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Gorzow 1 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 20 2 Leon Madsen (Den) 18 3 Jason Doyle (Aus) 16 4 Emil Sayfutdnov (Rus) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 4 of 8) 1 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 66 2 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 59 3 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 57 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 53
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 3 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Gorzow 1 Bartosz Zamarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Jason Doyle (Aus) 18 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 16 4 Leon Madsen (Den) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 3 of 8) 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 48 2 Bartisz Zmarzlik (Pol) 47 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 46 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 43
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHALLENGE Leicester Select v Scunthorpe Select - OFF
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 8:
THREE TEAM TOURNAMENT, Plymouth
Eastbourne 31 – Tom Brennan 10, Jason Edwards 10
Isle of Wight 30 – Ben Morley 13
Plymouth 28- Alfie Bowtell 12
MONDAY AUGUST 31:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHALLENGE Scunthorpe Select 53 (Jordan Palin 14+1) Leicester Select 61 (Dan Thompson 13+1)
SUNDAY AUGUST 30:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 3, King’s Lynn 500cc 1 Joe Thompson 2 Harry McGurk 3 Elliot Kelly 4 Dan Thompson
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Ashton Vale 4 Jody Scott
125cc (a) 1 Sonny Springer 2 Billy Budd 3 Jamie Etherington 4 Jack Shimelt
125cc (b - support class) 1 Rico Joyce 2 Becky Weston 3 Caydin Martin
SATURDAY AUGUST 29:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Wroclaw 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 20 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18 3 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 2 of 8) 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 38 2 Artem Laguta (Rus) 32 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 32 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 30
FRIDAY AUGUST 28:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Wroclaw 1 Artem Laguta (Rus) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 16 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 14
SATURDAY AUGUST 22:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 2, Leicester 500cc 1 Dan Thompson 2 Joe Thompson 3 Elliot Kelly 4 Harry McGurk
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Ashton Vale 4 Cameron Taylor
125cc (a) 1 Max Perry 2 Sonny Springer 3 Ben Trigger 4 Ace Pijper
125cc (b) - support class 1 Charlie Wood 2 Caydin Martin 3 Rico Joyce 4 Owen Booth
SUNDAY AUGUST 9:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 1, Scunthorpe 500cc 1 Jordan Palin 2 Dan Thompson 3 Archie Freeman 4 Joe Thompson
250cc 1 Max James 2 Luke Harrison 3 Ashton Vale 4 William Hocaniuk
125cc (class A) 1 William Cairns 2 Sonny Springer 3 Ben Trigger 4 Max Perry
125cc (class B - support class) 1 Billy Budd 2 Stene Pijper 3 Jake Lee 4 Owen Booth
SUNDAY MARCH 15:
50TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING, Peterborough - OFF
SATURDAY MARCH 14:
BEN FUND BONANZA, Scunthorpe 1 Danny King (Ipswich/Poole) 2 Steve Worrall (Belle Vue/Poole) 3 Josh Auty (Scunthorpe) 4 Lewis Kerr (King’s Lynn/Eastbourne)
