SPEEDWAY: Ipswich Evening Star Witches are about to embark on a bright new era and the Sky Sports Elite League speedway club, in conjunction with the Evening Star, is looking for a new partner."We think it is a great business opportunity for a small to medium local company," said Witches promoter John Louis today.

IPSWICH Evening Star Witches are about to embark on a bright new era and the Sky Sports Elite League speedway club, in conjunction with the Evening Star, is looking for a new partner

"We think it is a great business opportunity for a small to medium local company," said Witches promoter John Louis today.

The Witches, who finished fourth in the league last season and ride their opening 2002 meeting at Foxhall Stadium on Saturday March 16, have been well served by Suffolk landowner Tim Woodward for the last six years.

He died suddenly on January 25 last year after completing his sponsorship formalities for the 2001 campaign.

There is no doubt that the Witches will miss his presence, with Louis confirming that there is no truth in rumours that the club has been well catered for in Woodward's will.

"This is certainly not the case," said Louis. "We are about to enter a new era and are seeking a partner who will expand along with us.

"We are the second most popular sport in Ipswich, and as successful as the football club in our own category. Our attendances were up overall last year and there are a number of reasons to be optimistic about the future.

"We have put together what we feel is a talented side who are perfectly capable of competing for the Elite League championship

"The Evening Star are staying onboard for a fourth successive year and in conjunction with them we are looking to expand."

The Foxhall opener will feature the Billy Sanders Memorial meeting plus a second half rider of the night in memory of Tim Woodward.

The Witches Press and practice days take place in the week ending March 16 with the league programme beginning the following week. Witches riders are set to use moto-cross style racing jackets this year.

Following the hundreds of replies to the survey published in the Evening Star at the end of last season, the Witches will be staging second half junior racers in 2002.

The club is going to run home meetings during all Grand Prix weeks this year, and one big date for the diary is the Motor Mania meeting celebrating the Queen's Jubilee. It will feature moto cross and sidecars and be similar to last season's highly successful Witches 50th anniversary meeting.

Former Ipswich riders, who proved a big hit last year, have already declared an interest in coming back for another glittering night.

As well as having the company name in the club's official title and mentioned hundreds of times over the course of the next 12 months other benefits for a potential new club sponsor include:

Use of local sporting stars like Scott Nicholls, Chris Louis, Jeremy Doncaster and Leigh Lanham for promotional events, at least five live television meetings - three expected at Foxhall - programme and stadium advertising and the use of the Tim Woodward lounge at Foxhall stadium for corporate use on at least two occasions.

Potential club sponsors should in the first place get in touch with me at elvin.king@ecng.co.uk, telephone Ipswich 282343 (direct line) or write to Ipswich Speedway c/o Elvin King, Ipswich Evening Star, 30, Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 IAN.