Tim Stone resurrected speedway in Newport in 1997, by building a purpose built venue himself called Hayley Stadium on an open field adjoining an industrial site. He leased the site on a long lease from the Welsh Development Agency. Stone even had the foresight to ‘rescue’ the seating from the stands at Somerton Park Stadium before it, the original home of Newport speedway, was demolished.
The opening meeting was held on 4 May 1997 staging a Premier League match between the Newport team still called the Wasps and the team from Exeter, regrettably ‘rain stopped play’ after heat 7 with the home team in the lead.
Newport had previously run a speedway team at Somerton Park from 1964 to 1976 when they were forced out by the town’s football club. Stone was an ardent fan. To bring the sport was an incredible achievement and to begin with it was a great commercial success. Newport were in a small minority, owning their own facility and ran successful training schools through the winter, a Winter Classic festive meeting and even an open meeting to coincide with new venue (Cardiff) for the British Grand Prix. The new stadium and all that went with was Tim’s gift to the people of Newport. Many young riders had their first outings at Newport and several Scandinavian and Australian riders including Grand Prix star Neils Kristian Iversen,were given their break by Stone.
Tim gave his thoughts on running Newport Speedway in “Showered in Shale” by Jeff Scott, “my motivation is running Newport speedway, it’s my business, I don’t go anywhere else except when we visit other clubs”. His strong, but thoughtful opinions go hand in hand with this undiminished enthusiasm. He echoes the overriding but universal theme at this club, and many other speedway clubs, that it’s “labour of love”, throughout the season and “in the close season”. Tim often goes to bed at the end of the week after he’s “done 70 hours’ work”, which breaks the EU working time directive and is definitely a huge regular commitment on its own. However, since he spent “five years to find the land” he won’t stint on the effort required to maintain the club successfully, particularly since it’s “our buildings and everything”. The winter months provide no real respite from his speedway commitments. He intends to continue to maximise the use of the Hayley Stadium and its facilities; not only with his famous “only outdoor close season Winter speedway meeting” on the first Sunday of each New Year, but also the training schools as well as all the usual maintenance and repairs.”
Unfortunately he died suddenly at the age of 55 after suffering a heart attack on the way to the Royal Gwent in 2008 to visit his beloved mum, seriously ill in hospital. She died a day afterwards aged 84 from bronchial pneumonia. A remarkable double funeral was held in their honour at St Julian’s Baptist Church on Beaufort Road.
Newport postponed their participation in the league in 2008 but resumed in 2009. A few years later his dream of speedway in Newport died with the Malletts in early 2012 and it has seemingly gone forever. The site is now used for road haulage.