Belle Vue Aces

The Belle Vue Aces are the oldest speedway club in the world. They’ve been racing since 1928 – before the Premier League existed, before the World Cup, before television. That continuity matters. Speedway in Manchester isn’t a novelty or a trend. It’s part of the city’s sporting DNA in a way that most people under 40 have completely forgotten about.

They race at the National Speedway Stadium, a purpose-built venue in the Sportcity complex that opened in 2016. The old Belle Vue stadium – the one with the zoo and the funfair attached – is long gone, but the new track is a proper facility. Four riders, four laps, no brakes, no gears, on bikes that slide sideways through the corners at 70mph on a dirt track. If that description doesn’t get your attention, nothing will.

Race nights are typically Mondays during the season, which runs roughly from March to October. A full meeting takes about two hours – fifteen heats of four riders each, building towards the final. The format is simple enough that you can pick it up within the first couple of races. The noise is significant – speedway bikes have no silencers – and the smell of methanol fuel hangs in the air. It’s a full sensory experience.

The stadium holds around 6,000 and while it doesn’t always fill, the crowd that turns up is knowledgeable and committed. There’s a bar, food stalls, and a programme seller. The vibe is more working men’s club than corporate entertainment, and that’s entirely the point. Tickets are cheap – well under twenty quid for adults, less for kids. A family night at the speedway costs about the same as a pizza delivery.

The National Speedway Stadium is on Stuart Street in the Sportcity area. Buses from the city centre, or a short drive with parking on site.

Speedway is the sport Manchester keeps forgetting it has. Go on a Monday night and remember.