martinmauger

The return of speedway to Birmingham was a tremendous achievement, with Brian Buck himself involved in no small way. Thing is, some, not all, local authorities & stadia owners just don't want speedway no way, no how, and refuse to even entertain the idea despite the sport bringing more people and therefore more spending into an area. Sad fact....

Thanks for 2022 rule update. Musta bin another year when a championship was decided by a coin toss, pretty sure it happened though; poss Tony Briggs / Dennis Sigalos / Ron Preston / (early) Tommy Knudsen & Erik Gundersen U21 era ?...

Nutshell: Not sure of the exact regs or rider opinions on then night but as the meeting didn't reach a satisfactory result to 'just let the previous winner keep the title' is a new rule on me. Obviously very disapponting to the riders well in the running, gotta feel for Harris & Brennan in particular, and surely once the meeting, pretty much any meeting, starts there is no holder of the title as it is effectively vacant and so up for grabs. Of the top of my head way back 1977 the then World Junior Final, now World U21, after 3 rides each (I think) the meeting was rained off with Joe Owen & Alf Busk, and maybe Les Collins, tied on 9 points so a coin toss decided the winner, which was Busk. Ok many moons ago and an FIM event, opposed to an SCB / BSPL meeting, but the coin toss was between the two 2 (or 3) leading riders at the time of the stoppage. (can't recall anymore as it's 2.49am & I'm v tired) TBF Ellis didn't look too happy at still being British Champion and securing the Cardiff GP Wild Card given the circumstances, but sadly the 2022 British Final had an unsatisfactory ending for everyone.....

Yeh I was there, but kinda wished I wasn't, terrible crash hope Kennedy is ok, a real 100% trier bringing entertainment and enjoyment in spades, wishing him all the very best ....

Cold, cold ?! I laugh in your general direction (cleaned up Monty Python quote) . At Hull's Craven Park it was ALWAYS cold, benefitting as it did from the 'cool freeshing breeze' directly off the River Humber . Tip for Monarchs promotion:- BEFORE you start digging for the new, planned Edinburgh West Lothian Comunity Stadium - hold a wetted finger in the air to check from where the wind blows, fans will thank you in the future. But seriously, best of luck with the new stadium; remember 'wetted finger in the air'...

Text editor issues, double post....

I was at Scunny on Sunday and can confirm Masters took one heck of a knock on1st bend of ht5, dunno about his track perferences but he easily won Ht1 after blasting from gate 4 like a scalded cat, winning by almost length of the straight....

All the very best to Dave, family & friends, hope he has a quick and complete recovery....

Track & set up looking good. Even better (?) are the raised viewing areas, speedway looks so much better when viewing the track from at least a bit of height....

Speaking as a neutral; some of the racing last nite was brilliant, the likes of Douglas, Allen, Worrall, Lawson & King (late on) gave terrific entertainment, loved it. A meeting where you could've dragged non-fans 'kicking & screaming' (!) to watch and they would've said "that was great, I can understand why you enjoy speedway". Good stuff ....

Jumping in late, don't always agree with Rob Godfrey but he did good by fans allowing re-admission tics for Leicester match to be used, I was due to attend that meet but couldn't last minute due to, reasons. So Scunny v Redcar, never really fan of afternoon meetings as tracks dry out and go slick, it happens, but the racing got better and main thing I enjoyed it and will defo return. (I'd have returned anayway as I love speedway). Oh, and I musta missed any announcement but is the ever-trying Connor Coles a permanent replacement for the desperately unlucky Joe Alcock ?......

And in days of yore people said the likes of Exeter, Hull (Boulevard), Newport (Somerton Park) & Newcastle (early 1960's) were a tad bumpy . Still, it was experience for the riders not used to such choppy comditions and hopefully the riders who spilled weren't too badly shook up. And new GP scoring takes a bit of getting used to, not 100% sold on it myself but it is what it and being speedway could well change at the end of the current season....

In echoing other posts I can fully reccomend a visit. The building is absolutely packed to the rafters from floor to ceiling with so much amazing speedway memorbilia: 'amazing' is such an over-used word these days but it definately applies here. For various reasons I was only able to spend 30-40 mins looking round when at the very least an hour needs to be put aside. Bikes (2 Mauger machines), race bibs - many framed (at least 1 Hull), leathers, kevlars, posters, the Wembley display, the late 'Simon Wigg Collection' etc, etc, so much to see, and fill in visual clues in the speedway memory bank of riders and teams of not only yesteryear but also current riders, there being some Jason Crump items also. I was shown round by a very pleasant chap, a Teeside Tigers fan - I forget his name, and he told me they have so many more items to display that they could change nearly the displays regularly if they so wished. Most of the current speedway books were on sale together with old Speedway Stars, programmes, model riders, greetings cards, model bikes and a few mugs I recall. The Paradise WIldlife Park is also to be reccomended with talks and animal ability displays and look out for the scale-corrected 'Animal Olympics' 100m video race between various creatures from insects to the cheetah; not telling who wins. It's almost worth it just for the animal race, LOL! Really a full day needs putting aside to visit the speedway museum, look at the animals then return to the museum for another look to pick up things you missed on your first lap, then visit Rye House Speedway which is literally just down the road. The museum is of course situated in the PWP which is clearly signposted off the A10 on the way to Rye House, entry is £16 with the museum effectively free. Ask about the speedway musuem on entering the park as it isn't open all of the time but they will happily open it up for you. A defo must see for any speedway fan....

Correct me if I'm wrong (or I didn't pay sufficient attenion) but don't think cameras showed the home stand last nite. My point being when the YTV Trophy was filmed at Hull, Boulevard 1974-81 often few fans stood on the terracing at either end, while both stands on the straights were packed, so would give the impression hardly anyone was there. Just sayin'....

Jumping in late: I watched the event live at a mate's house and then the hi-lites on Quest; it came across great and people watching may just think "wow that looks cool I'll check that out", hopefully they may do. Just a tiny critique, think the text graphics are still a bit too small. The hi-lites package 24 ish hours later on Quest came across good too, better if were shown at 10 or 11pm as opposed to midnite. But Discovery have produced an excellent TV slot for speedway....

This is true. As I stated before the facility at the Abbey was a recent convenience, a modern 'Toilette De Stade' if you like, built as it was in 1947 compared to the more tue historical 'back straight cess trenches' circa 1895 at the Boulevard in Hull , which I visited once - and only once. Ironic that Hull Angels, Hedon finished up at the Abbey in 1949. But historical interest (sarcasm ?) aside, as a self-confessed track anorak I watch the developments in Swindon with interest, the shortened and re-shaped track was great & better than I thought it would be if I'm being honest, just needs a stadium around it.....

Yeh I got the racing at Odsal / The Shay the wrong way around, s'what happens when you post when supposed to be working. i.e staring into, rather than at, the screen to check no-one is standing behind. Racing at the Shay prob looked more spectacular as you could get more than up close and personal, was my first permitted away trip as a youngster; "no Halifax isn't far, I won't be back late" (nor from Berwick, Coventry, King's Lynn, Reading, Swindon, etc, etc, LOL!). Would welcome speedway back at Odsal, you never know, always enjoyed my visits there....

Very shocking news, RIP NIgel....

And Hull. Gotta say, obv more hope for Swindon & Coventry as the venues still exist, well kinda in Coventry's case, but goes to show, tracks can and sometimes do return even at new locations. Very good news....

I visted both the Shay & Odsal, in days before & after Hull's 1995 return, and enjoyed both. As at Hull, Craven Park, the view from the main stand at Odsal was great but of the two I preferred The Shay though, reasons of smaller stadium so better atmos and in pre-2m safety barrier days (which must be said was defo needed at The Shay !) one could literally get more than up close and personal with the racing and great pits viewing too. Racing was mostly brilliant at the Shay, unless it was a hot, dry day and then it got pretty slick, otherwise it was great. Both sadly missed venues still, Odsal has a shale track once more so looking good for poss speedway return.....

When I was a kid I'd have been 'all over' this new speedway sticker album years ago I bought a similar WWF, now WWE, album and bought stickers of all the wrestlers, comentators, other characters, etc to complete it. Kids may like it (and may not, dunno sadly I'm no longer a kid) and it may inspire them to attend tracks & turn some into supporters. But here's the rub; my WWF album was sold in newsagents everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Obviously WWF / WWE was / is much bigger than is speedway, if the speedway sticker album is only sold at tracks, only kids who attend tracks will get the album unless it is also be on sale elsewhere....

It matters, especially in the above case if you happen to be a Thompson Twin and / or when it's your team. Relting a tale: I recall chatting to ref folowing a match at Hull, Craven Park wehere the ref's box was pretty much in line with the start (this is important) , he was quite friendly so a mate mentioned he'd got the result wrong in heat ?? in giving it to the Hull rider. The ref replied "oh yes I know the race you mean, well it was a close finish and I wasn't 100% sure who'd won so I gave it to the home rider to keep the crowd happy" . Words fail(ed) me, which I'm told doesn't happen often ....

Great read as always, obviously I love the Siggy article but also the Golden Helmet info. Good stuff....

At the risk of suggesting the obvious: I assume the Northside / Workington promotion have had a long chat with Rob Godfrey re; ending their vandalism problems. Scunny suffered similar issues a few years back but they were sorted out and no longer occur, as far as I know, sure hope not. Good luck to all at Northside / Workington....

Upgrade looks good just hope in time, or when season starts, the 'news' page becomes the first opening page. I prefer to initially glance at the news to see what is occuring and then read the rest of the info later on when I have more time....