martinmauger

To clarify: Ian Thomas comfirmed in his excellent book Wheels And Deals that he cut foot off the end of his tape measure at track inspection time in 1971. John Berry used his own tape measure to confirm the width of Hull's track in 1977, confirmed in his equally excellent book Confessions Of A Speedway Promoter. Berry was the only promoter to call Thomas out on Hull's track width issues. And despite Neil McFarlane's 'up the sleeve tape measure illusion', Paisley were still forced to widen their circuit, there are pics of this unexpected pre-meeting track work in Speedway Express. Fun times. Yeah the sport needs more Ian Thomas, John Berry & Neil Mcfarlane type of promoters, proof: 40-odd years later we are still discussing sadly long closed circuits being a foot or under the required width. So, Glasgow 2019 onwards then - a club defo promoting themselves....

That, plus losing Kelly Moran to injury. Ivan was in sublime form, got the team really going and the league was ours to lose that year and we actually beat ourselves.. Sigh ...

I think Ian Thomas' own tape measure was used at the initial SCB track inspection at Hull, Boulevard in 1971 by Bill KIichen. The area of interest would have been the back straight which did appear a tad narrow by about a foot, apparently. When John Berry & his 'tape measure crew' went to work at Hull (v Ipswich) in 1977, which also included investigating the height of the tapes & safety fence, he may well have been helpfully provided with Thomas' own trusty tape measure. Further, it could be argued that Thomas' objections in regard to the Paisley circuit (v Newcastle) and alledged width issues were possibly a bit rich, all things considered, though somehow he managed to have the home promotion forced into immediately widening the track. During the actual meeting . No doubt St Mirren FC queried this unexpected narrowing of their pitch afterwards. Still, it was all good fun I'm sure ....

Allen Millyard is a very clever man, as is Sam Lovegrove. Without blowing my own family's trumpet (too much), my father had already built his own outboard motor using a Mobylette moped engine attached to a home-made shaft and gearbox. He then built a 100cc twin cylinder Mobylette engine (joined 2 50cc moped engines) for a more powerful outboard. I mostly lack such skills, my only claim to such mechanical engineering fame was converting a 125cc Yamaha (DT-E 125) from extremely troublesome 12v battery coil igntion to a more reliable 6v flywheel magneto set up using parts from a 100cc Yamaha (DT100) with totally different stroke, so the strator plate had to be altered and new slot cut in the flywheel to achieve the correct ognition timing. Total & utter faff but needs musted at the time. I also once rebuilt a motorcycle engine then a car gearbox in my bedroom, but that's another story....

I try to follow the Motorbike Show but often forget when it's on so not seen all the episodes. [putting on serious speedway anorak] I once recall someone in the Rovers mentioning that someone "used to ride speedway at Belle Vue and he was very good", I'm bored at work and speedway is off tonite (sigh). I saw a spectator during the IOM TT coverage wearing a Belle Vue Aces hoody, though it could easily have been an Ace Cafe garment....

As were we 3. Still, better that getting there then called off or only going a few heats....

Posters who've seen The Motorbike Show on ITV4 will know it mostly covers road going bikes but speedway had kinda 1 1/2 mentions last nite (Thursday 6th June). Presenter Henry Cole visited The Ace Cafe in London and the owner said "after the speedway had finshed at Wembley on Thursday nites, motorcyclists would pop in for a cup of tea then blast up and down the road on their bikes". He must have been referring to league speedway, but surprising that so many bikers apparently went to Wembley, so few road bikes are seen at the tracks. Henry also visited Lewis Leathers in London and as the camera panned across rack of old vintage leather jackets, one could be seen with Hackney Hawks painted on the back, not with the familiar logo but must have been the speedway team. The Motorbike Show is repeated, at least in the East Yorkshire area, ITV4 next Wednesday 12th June 12:00 midnite..

Says prices start at £22 for Top Fuel Funny Cars (cars with bodies, look a bit like regular cars but bigger) for adults, up to 3 children under 16 go free with each paying adult. Varying race events, seem to be every 2 weeks....

And back to the start, yesterday (Monday) I picked up a Santa Pod 2019 events leaflet....

Not trying to make the thread all about Hull / Ivan (honest), but you couldn't 'bounce' off an air fence or give it a clout, like at Exeter or Halifax, as it would prob pull you in. But Emil (& TRick at Cardiff) had his wheels tight along the bottom so it worked. But it really is 'small potatoes' . [pauses for effect] At Hull in 2004 Emiliano Sanchez at least once rode 2ft UP the fence . He went into turn 1 way too hot, realised he was unable to make it round turn 2 and made a 'split second speedway riders' decision' and rode up the fence 'wall of death style' and even maintained his position in the race. Like 'did he really just do that ?!' Obviously 'Poty' Sanchez probably didn't intend his move but Ivan, TRick & Emil certainly did....

Ok right, thanx for replies....

While my interest in speedway remains I don't study the minutiae (yes, had to look up the spelling) as much but why does it appear Jedd List is stuck on a 4pt CMA seemingly no matter what. Surely if he gets to ride a few matches, 3H & 3A or whatever, he will attain 'true' average. Apologies for calling anyone 'Shirley', hey it's a bank holiday....

I was being kind. A lot of people in the UK don't know what speedway is either; "speedway ? what's that" still gets asked, that and "speedway, is it still going?", like why shouldn't it still be in existance. But yeah, most Amercians presume 'a speedway' i.e. one of the bigger tarmac ovals, but speedway as we know it (Jim) is very much a small potatoes sport 'the states and sadly not hugely bigger over here anymore....

Ivan was known to deliberately give the Exeter steel fence a clout exiting the bends, sometimes bending his silencer, or when going into them for added speed. Vaclav Verner did the same at Hull, a loud 'thud' denoting his successful exit from the bend, accompanied by a cloud of shale thrown into the air....

^^ This, though they are vaguely aware of the sport of speedway but with very few tracks & riders it just ain't that big in 'the states' , a bit like baseball in this country I guess. Though some motorsports like Nascar, drag racing & especially drifting (high-speed powersliding) rule over there....