ASSOCIATION OF SPEEDWAY REFEREES

NEWS FROM THE BOX

U21 FINAL & BRITISH SEMI FINAL

June signals the beginning of the trail towards the 2026 British Championships, with two key meetings setting the tone for the season ahead.

The action begins on Sunday 7 June, as Redcar hosts the British U21 Final, getting underway at 17:00. Rising stars from across the country will battle for national honours, with Wayne Jarvis taking charge of refereeing duties for this event.

Later in the month, attention turns to qualification for the 2026 British Final. Sixteen riders will compete for eight qualifying places at Leicester on Sunday 21 June, with tapes up at 3pm. This crucial British Semi Final will be overseen by referee Chris Gay.

June promises high‑stakes racing, emerging talent, and the first major steps toward crowning the next British Champions.

Tickets can be purchased online for the Under 21 Final at Redcar by clicking here (Under 16s are free with a paying adult).
Tickets for the British Semi Final will be available from the Leicester ticket website nearer the date.

June 2026

LOUIS HONOURED WITH PRESTIGIOUS GEOFF DALBY TROPHY

The Association of Speedway Referees (ASR) has announced Chris Louis as the 2026 recipient of the esteemed Geoff Dalby Trophy, an annual award recognising individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the sport of speedway.

The award commemorates Geoff Dalby, a highly respected Midlands‑based speedway referee who officiated more than 1,200 meetings between 1967 and 1993. Geoff’s family, alongside the ASR, established the trophy to recognise outstanding contribution to the sport and to proudly ensure that Geoff’s name and legacy continue to be honoured. Previous recipients have included clerks of the course, timekeepers, announcers, team managers, medics and promoters.

This year, ASR members selected Chris Louis in recognition of his exceptional impact across multiple roles within the sport. Louis’s distinguished career includes becoming World Under‑21 Champion, a two‑time British Champion, and was one of the riders who took part in the first Speedway Grand Prix series in 1995, where he finished 7th overall. After retiring from racing, he continued to influence the sport as a team manager, TV commentator and, most recently, as promoter of the 2025 Premiership Champions, Ipswich Witches.

The presentation took place at the May Bank Holiday clash between Ipswich and King’s Lynn at Foxhall Heath Stadium, where meeting referee Chris Gay and ASR Committee Member Paul Carrington handed Chris the Geoff Dalby Trophy on behalf of the Association of Speedway Referees.

The ASR stated that Louis’s “commitment, leadership and lifelong passion for the sport embody the very values the Geoff Dalby Trophy was created to celebrate.”

May 2026

Chris Gay (left) and Paul Carrington (right) present the 2026 Geoff Dalby award to Chris Louis (centre)

ICE GLADIATORS - INZELL

Christina Turnbull starts her season early as she officiates the first two rounds of the 2026 FIM Ice Speedway World Championship in Inzell, Germany on the weekend of 14 and 15 March.

The stadium, located in Bavaria, is typically known as a long track speed-skating arena. However, once a year the artificial ice is met with the roar of ice speedway machines. This year, the first two rounds of the championship will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

March 2026

FIRST ALLOCATION OF THE YEAR

The first allocation of the season has been made. The 2026 Ben Fund meeting is due to take place at Glasgow on Saturday 28th March at 18:00. There is a reserve date of the afternoon of Sunday 29th March in the event of a rain off.

Whilst the rider line up is yet to be announced, we can confirm that Willie Dishington will be the referee at Ashfield for the season's early big event.

Ticket details and rider line ups will be announced in due course on the British Speedway website and details of the Ben Fund, including how to donate, can be found on the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund (SRBF) website.

January 2026

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The ASR would like to wish everyone connected with the sport a very Happy New Year.

We look forward to seeing you all at a track somewhere in the UK later in the year!

January 2026

THE ASSOCIATION OF

SPEEDWAY REFEREES

Last updated: 1st June 2026
Member area last update: 6th June 2026