andout

Some great stuff in those clips...memories...aaahhh! I met Peter Craven, along with my parents as a young lad (about 10 or 11) in the Norwich Club House......what a hero he was of mine. I remember taking his picture with my Brownie Box camera (still have the photo somewhere) .....and he sat next to me while talking to my parents.....he never ignored me, asked me questions...what one's, I have no idea but those moments live with me to this day. I had seen him ride many times, mainly at New Cross, where he was almost invincible and then at Wimbledon......saw him ride a couple of times at the old Hyde Road and that was a sight to behold........Happy Days! Devastated when he was killed, very sad day for the sport.

Its so long since a real test match has taken place I'm not surprised you are confused.....When someone says first official test match it means "of that year"! For example, when test matches used to be every year (usually five of them) each year had a first official test match.......and a second, third, fourth and fifth official.

All those four number 7/8 rode in that meeting but I guess they were not part of the "team".....Hmmmm I know, probably being picky but to me they are part of the team and in some cases have won and lost test matches over the years.

Probably not younger......yes I realize there are six riders racing but there are two reserves and I guess they are not part of the team , the meeting you cite Kevin Smith and Sean Wilmot were the reserves but in this particular meeting they didn't ride, every other meeting the reserve (s) were used and for the USA series of the same year the reserves were top class reserves and used! .....Most, if not all of those programmes in the UK section on the International speedway website are from my own personal collection......shame the site is no longer active.

Not sure they have ever been 6 rider teams....7, 8 and even 10 rider teams in the early years but cannot recall a single one in the UK with 6. That is of course making a "Wild" assumption that this would be a real 18 heat International.....but that really is a wild assumption, probably 15.

Only the top four go through......where the other four come from, who knows!

When is Issue 41 going to made available on the retro speedway website so that I can buy a copy?

Too bad DeWayne Keeter just misses out (1969).....

Thought they had done something right for a change then immediately change their minds and throw it down the toilet!!!

Good-Bye Wimbledon....Thanks for the memories!

Interesting......I have that as "Champion of Champions".

1988-6-19 Ermolenko 1989-7-09 Ermolenko 1990-4-29 J. Pedersen 1991-4-28 G. Doyle At least that is what I have....

Might be wrong but I think the only time the West Ham Hawks rode at another track (Home meetings) was 1936 and that was at Southampton.

Try here and pick the document you want to look at..Seems everything you wanted to know is here..... http://pa1.swindon.gov.uk/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=P23E0APTKAM00

Trust me Bob....its contagious!!!!!!