PETERBOROUGH owner Keith Chapman has paid tribute to the club’s long-standing supporters club.
PPSSC – Peterborough Panthers Speedway Supporters Club – will once again be supporting the club throughout the 2020 season.
It’s a special year with the city club celebrating their 50th anniversary, starting with a celebratory meeting on opening date, Sunday March 15.
Said Chapman: “The Supporters Club is remarkable, their support for all things Peterborough Speedway never fails to impress me.
“Very much like King’s Lynn, a thriving and supportive organisation like this makes me feel proud to be involved with Peterborough Speedway.
“In addition to our commercial partners Crendon Timber and City Auction Group, it is important for people to value the work of the Supporters Club.”
During its existence the aims of the PPSSC have not changed in that they assist in the well being of Peterborough Speedway.
Over the past few years the present committee have fulfilled these aims with vigour and have had great success in being able to raise funds to support many aspects involved in the running of the speedway team and facilities at the track.
Funds are raised from the many events that the PPSSC organise and which take place during the year. These events include quiz nights, bingo nights, horse race nights amongst others and importantly both pre-season and an end of season presentation evening.
They have a 100 Club run by one of the supporters and each month the draw has three monetary prizes, whilst on race days there is 50/50 draw organised by PPSSC members and every draw results in half the money raised going to the lucky winner on the night. The other half goes into the PPSSC funds.
The funds raised as a club help towards assistance in the running of PPSSC events and for the promotion, which over the years has included the purchase of replacement air bags for the track, a VIP Portakabin and many hours of pit repairs and painting the facilities.
Members have always been very supportive and attend the regular events organised for them. Over the years, a band of volunteers have helped at the track after race meetings, in order to ensure the facilities for both the Panthers team and visiting riders, are of an excellent standard week after week.
It is hoped that the 50th anniversary year is a successful one for both the PPSSC and for Peterborough Panthers Speedway.
Panthers team boss and Co-promoter Carl Johnson said: “I have great admiration for all involved with the Supporters club and what they do for the Speedway club.
“The amount of money the Supporters club have raised over the last four seasons (to the tune of £50k) has just been outstanding. I’ve always said we have the best supporters and supporters club in the country and it just goes to show with the amounts they raise.
“Everyone’s efforts don’t go unnoticed, club owner Keith Chapman couldn’t believe how involved, financially and physically the Supporters club are within the club.
“I’ve spent many years working alongside the Supporters club and I couldn’t and wouldn’t ask for a better bunch to be involved with, they are the heart and soul of a fantastic club.”