The Rayleigh Rockets were a Speedway team which operated from 1949 until their closure in 1973 from the Rayleigh Weir Stadium in Rayleigh, Essex . The Rockets closed in 1958 but re-opened again in 1960 and entered the Provincial League and then the Metropolitan League in 1964. However that was the last league racing seen until 1968 when Len Silver took over as promoter. Many of the former Rayleigh fans now support the only Essex Speedway team remaining, the Lakeside Hammers, who race at the Arena Essex Raceway next to the Lakeside Shopping Centre.