Boyce salutes fans for 'fitting' finale (From Bournemouth Echo)

Boyce salutes fans for 'fitting' finale

7:00am Thursday 26th June 2008 in

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CRAIG Boyce bowed out of speedway racing after a scintillating 20-year career by heralding the Pirates fans as "awesome".

More than 3,000 packed into Poole Stadium last night to pay tribute to the club's all-time leading points scorer in his farewell meeting.

They saw the 40-year-old Australian, who retired at the end of 2007, ride for the last time in a series of legends' match races against fellow former Pirates Alun Rossiter and Sam Ermolenko.

Then, after Bournemouth Bedding Centre had completed convincing victory in a four-team tournament, Boyce did two final laps by himself to finally bring the curtain down on his racing career.

Pulling up at the starting gate, Boyce received one last standing ovation from the Dorset club's fans, who have been supporting him since he first lined up for the club in 1988.

An emotional Boyce took the centre green mic, then told the crowd: "Tonight has been absolutely awesome.

"It's really been a fitting tribute for 20 years. What more can I say?

"I enjoyed myself so much tonight. I've had the time of my life.

"I was so petrified for a week thinking about getting on a bike again, and I admit I had a sneaky practice this afternoon.

"It was brilliant to ride again and I want to thank all the fans who turned up."

Later, Boyce added: "I'm here with my mates and the fans. How many mates can one person have except thousands of Poole supporters?

"I've ridden in the best club for the last 20 years on and off, supported through sponsorship, the promoters and people here.

"All my best friends are here, I'm very thankful and lucky for that. It's been awesome.

"Racing Rosco and Sam, who was my idol when I started, was fantastic. Rosco hadn't ridden for five years and Sam for two, so I couldn't go full gas.

"But we all enjoyed it. It gave me a big buzz."

After the pre-meeting parade, Boyce had gone round on a slow lap with his mentor Neil Street.

Boyce said: "Riding next to Neil, the most influential person in my career, you should have seen the smile on his face.

"He was laughing the whole way round and to think he rode round for me.

"I fought for years to get him on a bike again. It means a lot to me that he enjoyed it so much.

"Steve Schofield was here from Australia, as well as Mick Poole and Rod Dagostino, plus my English mechanic Neil Vatcher.

"It was an honour to have them all here. I didn't know my first Poole promoter Mervyn Stewkesbury was going to come.

"He's been playing tricks on us since I've been here. It was great to have him here as well."