Coventry Cycle Speedway star Myke Grimes has this week been named in the Great Britain Test match squad against Australia – raising hopes that Coventry will have a home rider on parade in the clubs biggest ever match.
Grimes has been included in the 17 man Great Britain squad by Exeter based national boss Dave Murphy for the three match Ashes series. The matches take place in Newport (Wales) and Oxford before concluding with the third and final Test at Hearsall Common.
The Coventry hosted Test match – the biggest ever match in the history of the sport in the city – will go-ahead on Thursday 6th August. The event is expected to attract a crowd of over a thousand people and will be shown on Sky Sports TV and in 32 countries worldwide.
The inclusion of Grimes is a richly deserved honour for the Coventry born speedster. Aged 30, he took up the sport in his father’s Les` tyre prints in 2001 and soon made rapid progress by breaking into the Coventry first team.
He retired from the sport in 2004 to attend University but returned to join the magnificent revival of the Coventry club in 2011. His commitment was such he qualified for the 2012 British Final – the first Coventry rider to do so since 1983.
Grimes, who lives with partner Becky and two young children in Wyken, has also been a driving force of the Coventry club off-track. He has become the club coach, inspiring a
whole new generation of Coventry `skid-kids` like Josh Marsh, Mason Phillips, Ollie Morris and Jack Reynolds.
The Caludon Castle IT worker is thrilled to receive his international call-up. He said: “All my effort, commitment and long hours of training has paid-off. I just hope now I can make the final eight man team, particularly for the last Test at Coventry.
“My club Coventry are acknowledged as the best promotors of the sport for major events and I know the club are going to put on a terrific show on Thursday 6th August for the sport, local Coventry spectators and the watching global TV audience.
“It will be my proudest sporting moment ever to wear, if picked, the Great Britain shirt in front of all my family and friends, and all my club members who have helped and supported me in my racing”.
Coventry club spokesman Andy Drewett said: “Sport in Coventry is full of committed participants and volunteers, who do truly heroic work in not only representing our city on a national scale but also in encouraging young people to progress in sport.
“There is no greater example of this than Myke Grimes. He is a true inspiration to all our many young riders. His international call-up is warmly welcomed by all riders, officials and fans at Hearsall Common”.
Coventry stage their next home fixture at Hearsall Common this Tuesday evening (9th June), with Birmingham providing the opposition in the Midlands League division two. Racing commences at 7.15pm.
Newly formed Brandon Bees are next in home action on Tuesday evening 16th June, when they also tackle Birmingham in the Midland League division 2 at Brandon Road Playing Fields.
For more information on Brandon Bees Cycle Speedway club, please ring: 07400 993999.
For more information on Coventry Cycle Speedway Club, including on how to get involved, you can visit www.coventrycyclespeedway.co.uk or follow the club on Twitter using @CoventryCSC.