The Logbook

News & History

Fifty years of racing at West Row — speedway, greyhounds and stock cars — set down as a single timeline.

Reviewed June 2026

Empty floodlit terraced spectator steps and crash barrier at Mildenhall Stadium at dusk

Mildenhall Stadium has rarely stood still. In half a century it has grown from a strip of practice shale into a three-discipline venue, weathered closures, ownership changes, a heavy legal bill and a serious fire — and kept racing. This is the story in order.

From farmland to floodlights

The stadium's roots are in speedway. A practice track was scratched out on Terry Waters' farmland in 1971, moved to its current home in 1973, and turned into a league venue when the Mildenhall Fen Tigers joined the National League in 1975. Their first league title came in 1979, and the orange-and-black of the Fen Tigers has been part of the Fenland summer ever since.

The site became a true multi-sport venue with the arrival of greyhound racing in 1991 and a growing programme of stock car and banger racing. The first BriSCA F1 stock car meeting dates to 1987, and over the following decades the three disciplines settled into a shared calendar on two circuits — the shale oval and the greyhound sand track.

Recent years

The 2010s and 2020s tested the stadium. A £1.7m noise-nuisance bill in 2015 and the loss of greyhound racing in 2018 were followed by a sale to Spedeworth in 2016 that secured the venue's motorsport future, and by the return of the greyhounds as "Suffolk Downs" in 2022. Then came the fire of 30 July 2024, the most serious setback in the stadium's history — and the rapid rebuild that saw it reopen in March 2025. With the Arena Racing Company taking on the greyhound racing from 2026, the West Row site heads into its sixth decade still very much in business.

Timeline

  • 1971 A speedway practice track is laid out on Fenland farmland owned by Terry Waters, with former RAF Mildenhall chef Bernie Klatt a driving force.
  • 1973 The track is relocated to its present site, on the south side of the Hayland Drove and Cooks Drove junction, and run as a training school.
  • 1975 The Mildenhall Fen Tigers enter the New National League; the first home meeting is staged on 18 May against the Scunthorpe Saints.
  • 1979 The Fen Tigers win their first league championship, taking the second-tier title.
  • 1987 The first BriSCA F1 Stock Car meeting is recorded at Mildenhall; the Fen Tigers also win the Pairs and Fours.
  • 1991 Greyhound racing opens on 21 September. The first race, over 375 metres, is won by Coppacabana in 24.61 seconds.
  • 1992 A brief two-month closure; Denis Diffley takes over the management of the venue.
  • 2003–04 The Fen Tigers complete back-to-back league-and-cup doubles in the third tier.
  • 2008 Brothers Dave and Ron Coventry take over the stadium.
  • 2012 A landmark speedway season: the Fen Tigers win the league, Knockout Cup, Fours and Pairs.
  • 2015 The owners face a £1.7m noise-nuisance legal bill; promoter Carl Harris departs and racing is briefly suspended.
  • 2016 The stadium is sold by RDC Promotions to Spedeworth, led by Deane Wood, securing its motorsport future.
  • 2018 Greyhound racing ceases on 15 January as trainers move to other tracks; speedway and stock cars continue.
  • 2021 The Fen Tigers win another league championship.
  • 2022 Greyhound racing returns on 8 February under the "Suffolk Downs" name, run by promoter Kevin Boothby.
  • 2023 The Fen Tigers win the Knockout Cup in what proves their last competitive season before an enforced break.
  • 2024 A major fire on 30 July causes significant damage and closes the stadium; around £1m of rebuilding follows over the next eight months.
  • 2025 The venue reopens on 22 March with the National Bangers Unlimited Supreme Championship; the Fen Tigers mark a 50th-anniversary season of challenge meetings.
  • 2026 Greyhound racing is set to return under a new Arena Racing Company lease, with Spedeworth continuing the speedway and stock car racing.

Frequently Asked

How old is Mildenhall Stadium?

The site has hosted racing since 1971, when a speedway practice track was first laid out. The circuit moved to its present position in 1973, making West Row a racing venue for more than half a century.

What caused the 2024 fire?

The fire on 30 July 2024 began in a building used to store machinery and agricultural vehicles and spread to the bar and offices. Around 29 fire crews from Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire attended, assisted by an RAF Mildenhall water carrier. The cause was investigated but not publicly confirmed in initial reports.

When did the stadium reopen after the fire?

Mildenhall Stadium reopened on 22 March 2025 with the National Bangers Unlimited Supreme Championship, after roughly £1m of rebuilding including a new barn and steel-plated trackside fencing.

Has the stadium had many owners?

Yes. From founder-landowner Terry Waters, management has passed through figures including Denis Diffley, the Coventry brothers (2008) and, since 2016, Spedeworth under Deane Wood, who bought the venue from RDC Promotions.

Is the stadium still open?

Yes. It is an operating venue: Spedeworth runs the speedway and stock car racing, and greyhound racing returns under an Arena Racing Company lease in 2026.