norbold

Yes, I agree. I think Tommy Price was a better rider and more worthy World Champion (twice if you include the 1946 Riders' Championship) than he is generally given credit for. The fact he and Freddie Williams were both Wembley riders and therefore riding at home always seems to mark them down a bit. The "missing years", 1939-1945, are, of course, a field of endless speculation. There are a number of riders who are often touted as losing out on multiple world championships. Tommy, as you mention, but also Vic Duggan, Jack Parker, Cordy Milne, Arthur Atkinson, Eric Chitty, Eric Langton and Aub Lawson in particular. But there were many others who would have been contenders - Lionel Van Praag, Ron Johnson, Bill Kitchen, Jack Milne, Wilbur Lamoreaux....and on and on!

Not easy to come by. In 1992, Money for Speed was included in the BFI's Missing Believed Lost project, a list of 100 lost British feature films that it was hoped could somehow be recovered. Two prints were later found, one dubbed into French and the other with German subtitles. Don't know how you can get to see them though.

Great piece of work, Robbie. Such an important addition to speedway history. And thank you for your acknowledgement.

Missed that! Yes, 1961.

I saw both the qualifying round at New Cross and the final at Harringay. I have to say I am not sure why Harringay was chosen. Harringay had closed in 1954, so it was a bit of curious choice. The only other meeting held there that year was the Provincial League Riders' Championship final. And they were the last two meetings ever held at Harringay. The qualifying round at New Cross did give us the chance to seeing foreign riders we might not otherwise have seen. I remember seeing the Finnish rider, Timo Laine, for example.

If you wish to find out more about Clem Beckett, I can highly recommend the book, Clem Beckett Motorcycle Hero and War Legend, by Rob Hargreaves, published by Pen and Sword Military in 2022.

1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1981.

1963 for me. Ove's fourth win.

Talking of end of season fireworks reminds me that the main attraction at any end of season meeting where Johnnie Hoskins was promoter was burning his hat!

Doug Wyer is the first one younger than me. I feel like quite a youngster now compared to you and Split!

Thanks, E.I. I was at both of those meetings.

Thanks, BL. Do you know how many attended West Ham's opening meeting in 1964?

I said "like that", not exactly the same as that! For example, North v. Midlands would be "like that".

I did enjoy PL meetings. It was all speedway! I suppose the only thing I missed about the NL in 63 was seeing the big names like Ove Fundin, Barry Briggs and, for me, Split Waterman. I have no idea how Hackney gates compared. I never went to Norwich and, during 1963&4, only once to Wimbledon (to see a London v. Midlands match - why don't we have meetings like that any more!?). New Cross's gates were very poor in 1963 and led to them folding up during the season. It has been said that the crowds didn't come because they had been used to seeing the top riders.

Incidentally, BOBBATH, as far as the PL was concerned, as well as going to Hackney every week in 1963&4 (see my comment above) I did also, of course, support New Cross in their 1963 PL days and went there every week as well, so it wouldn't really be true to say I wasn't "into the PL".

No High Beech or New Cross?

The 1960 final was at Cradley Heath. The 1961 final was at Harringay. In 1963 and 1964, when Hackney was in the Provincial League, I lived in walking distance of the stadium (about 20 minutes across Hackney Marshes) and went there every week!

Yes, Reg would have been second. Redmond and Reeves were the best two riders on the night and going into their last heat (Heat 17), they were both unbeaten. Redmond shot off into the lead and opened up a big gap on Reeves. As he entered the last bend on the fourth lap it looked all over - Redmond was clearly the dominant rider of the night. Into the last turn and the title was a formality, but then, disaster - entering 4/4, his primary chain broke. The loss of power tossed him off his bike. Somehow he managed to hold on to the bike and remount, but went straight into the fence. It was all over for him and he finished last. It was just such bad luck - if the chain had snapped coming out of the bend, it is likely he would still have been able to coast to victory, such was his lead. Which is why I said above that it was the greatest injustice I have seen to this day. Redmond was so clearly - and by far - the best rider there on the night. He finished on 12 points, the same as Maury Mattingley, who he easily beat in the run-off for second place. And yes, Redmond won in 1960.

Yes, I was there, though it was 1961, not 1960. Even to this day, 62 years later, it still ranks as the greatest injustice I ever saw on a speedway track!

Finishing 6th=, 4th=, 9th=, 8th= and 7th

There were a number of other good PL riders around at the time especially Trevor Redmond and Ivan Mauger. Ivor made the final every year, but never made it to the podium.

How does that prove the point!? As I showed above, the word speedway was in use right from the beginning in 1928 in England. I could give dozens of examples of its use in 1928 if really needed!

l-r, Back Row: Eric Boothroyd, Marian Kaiser, Charlie Barsby, Guy Allott, Ivor Brown, Jack Geran, Alf Hagon. Front Row: Bryan Elliott, Ken McKinlay (on bike), Dave Hankins

Different to the U.K. then.