Speedway superstar Barry Briggs heading to Armadale

Mar 11 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

SPEEDWAY legend Barry Briggs is heading for Armadale after the Scotwaste Monarchs revealed the four-time World champion has accepted an invitation to ride in the Keyline Scottish Open Championship.

The Championship is the Monarchs’ season opener and is taking place in West Lothian at the Armadale Stadium on Friday, March 19.

The long-retired track legend won’t actually compete in the event, of course, but Briggs, now 76 years old, is still very much an action man, and is undertaking to ride all over Britain this summer.

His starting point is John O’Groats early next week and his first port of call is Armadale on Friday for the Scottish Open — a meeting he won at Old Meadowbank in 1967.

Briggs is riding for Sport Relief and for the Speedway Riders’ Benevolent Fund, and rode last week at Wembley during the England against Egypt football international.

Specifically, he wants to raise a huge amount of money for the ex-speedway riders who now find themselves wheelchair-bound.

Monarchs have given permission for a collection to be held to assist this during the Scottish Open.

He will be visiting as many Speedway tracks as he can during “the ride”, as he is calling it, and finishes up at the British Grand Prix at Cardiff on July 10.

Briggs will also be joining the Scotwaste Monarchs on their stand at the Scottish Motorcycle show over the weekend March 20-21.

The Monarchs would like to say thank you to Hilton Edinburgh Airport, which is sponsoring Brigg’s accommodation for the weekend.

The Hilton will also be the home of Monarchs’ end of season dance in November.