by BBC Blast reporter Paul Maughan

What is speedway? I had passed it when channel-hopping, but never really stopped to watch it, and my knowledge of it was restricted to knowing that it involved people going round a track on motorbikes. It would be fair to say I was hardly an expert.

So when I got the chance to go along and watch Newcastle Diamonds take on local rivals Redcar Bears, it was the perfect opportunity to learn more about a sport which is sometimes overlooked for more popular motorsports such as Formula One and Superbikes.

The Diamonds play at Brough Park in Byker, and on arrival at the ground I could see a healthy turn-out which was later confirmed to be 1300-strong, one of their biggest crowds of the season.

I quickly started learning about the sport, and found out that speedway sees two teams of seven riders compete over 15 heats. Each heat pits two racers from each side against each other with points up for grabs, and at the end of the match the side with the most points is awarded the victory.

King first rode in grasstrack racing at the age of six

Newcastle Diamonds currently compete in the British second tier, the Premier League, and after a tough season have seen big pre-season expectations replaced by hopes of a late charge up the table.

Despite the setbacks Alan Hedley, whose company Sapphire Engineering sponsor the Diamonds, believes that speedway as a sport is also on the rise, due to the match atmospheres.

He said: "Speedway isn't like football or rugby, one of the main sports, but when you get into it you find it's all about family and entertainment, and there's a great bunch of lads here.

"I go with my family to the away games too, and everyone there is really hospitable. You can stand with the away fans and there will be no trouble. Obviously everyone wants to see their side do well, but it's all about having a good time and seeing good speedway."

You have to try and push for sponsorship, but it's a bit hard for the British lads because it isn't that big of a sport here Newcastle Diamonds rider Jason King

Speedway isn't like other sports, where racers have all equipment provided to them. Each rider has to provide their own bike, which each have engines as powerful as Formula One cars but come without the breaks or the rear-suspension.

The obvious risks and costs associated with speedway mean that only those who truly love the sport compete and Diamonds racer Jason King falls into this category, having been racing from a very young age.

He said: "I started grasstrack racing when I was six, then moved onto speedway at 15 when you can compete in the league.

"The risks are there, but you just get on with it. The hard bit is the costs. You have to try and push for sponsorship, but it's a bit hard for the British lads because it isn't that big of a sport over here."

Unfortunately, the Diamonds lost their match against Redcar 48-42, although Jason was the top scorer, with 14 points continuing a recent run of good form.

As I watched the crowds flock away and Redcar celebrate their derby victory, I caught up with Diamonds team manager George English, who wasn't happy with his side but touched on the struggles involved with trying to change a losing side in speedway.

"Certain riders aren't producing the goods at certain times, but it's not like football where you can bring somebody in from outside your squad, but you can rest assured that we are not happy and we will be looking to change the side if at all possible."

For me, the match was great. Watching the bikes past the first corner, vying for first place, was a great thrill, and seeing how much the match meant to people really brought home how important speedway is to people.

While I am still no expert, my introduction to speedway certainly left a lasting impression, and I will definitely be going along again.