PAUL Hurry will ride in the last-ever Telford Ice Speedway by special request!

Former Great Britain international Hurry won the British Open title back in 1999 after a run-off with Czech Republic showman Mario Jirout and was automatically placed on the guest list for the February 26 event as a past winner.

All previous winners have been invited and so far nine have confirmed their attendance including former Exeter and Belle Vue man Andy Campbell, who won the event three years in succession from 1989-91.

Telford promoter Graham Drury has revealed how the call to Hurry was a simple one and he was staggered when the Kent based rider said he wanted to race.

He said: “Paul is still a fit lad and when I asked him to come along as a past winner he said yes straight away.

“But he was also quick to say how he would love to be the last ever winner of the title too. He’s going to be preparing properly for it and what a story it would be if he could win the 2012 title.

“Anything can happen in this sport as we saw in the Grand Prix with Greg Hancock bridging a 14-year gap between his world titles, so don’t rule Hurry out of winning at Telford.

“We’ve had a fantastic response from the past winners and already confirmed are Paul, Andy Campbell, Graham Jones, Wayne Broadhurst, Ronnie Correy, Mario Jirout, Jan Staechmann, Martin Smolinski and Tony Atkin.

“I’ve spoken to Jan Andersson and Hans Nielsen and I’m waiting for them to get back to me but I’m hopeful they will be able to attend. I’m also aiming to get in touch with Per Jonsson to see whether he would be able to travel across as our guest.”

Drury has also moved to clarify the position of Ben Barker, who was quoted last week as saying he wouldn’t be fit until the start of the conventional season in mid-March.

Barker spent Christmas in hospital with a leg problem and Drury, who will be working with Barker at Birmingham this season, says the rider himself is determined to make Telford.

He said: “Ben’s target is February 26 at Telford Ice Rink. We’re staging the meeting a bit later than normal this year which will work in our favour because if it was the traditional mid-February staging it would probably be too soon for Ben.

“Ben has certainly not pulled out of Telford, far from it, in fact he is determined to make it and he’s obviously in regular contact with me.”

The event features both afternoon and evening sessions with England Select v Rest of the World at 3pm followed by the British Open at 7.30pm.

Ticket details are as follows: Standing: Adults £15.50, children £5.50. Reserved seating £17.50 adults, £10.50 children. Credit card hotline 0845 155 9966 ext 0.

Postal applications with cheques payable to Telford Ice: 27 Upper Chirk Bank, Chirk, Wrexham LL14 5EB – include a SAE.