Backtrack Magazine issue 2

[TonyMac 720]

Backtrack is the new retro speedway magazine, 40 A4 pages packed with exclusive interviews and features on the 70s & 80s...

 

Issue 2 includes:

 

Kenny Carter, the most controversial rider of the early 80s, is our 'main man'. We talk exclusively to the man who knew him best, Eric Boothroyd, the former Halifax and Bradford promoter who gave the ill fated KC his first speedway rides as a 16-year-old in 1978.

Eric talks candidly, like never before, about how he came to regard Carter almost as a son and recounts in depth about his relationship with his former number one rider . . . what Kenny was like to deal with on and off the track; how, as a teenage boy, he had to cope with the tragic deaths of both his elder brother and mother; his battle to overcome a succession of serious injuries; his relentless pursuit of business success away from the track; and, ultimately, the shock and sadness he felt on hearing news of the deaths of Kenny and Pam Carter in 1986.

 

John Berry, who managed Kenny Carter as England boss, also gives his typically forthright views of the rider who dubbed himself England's number one. Regular Backtrack columnist JB explains why he decided not to award Carter the captaincy and recalls Kenny's reaction after being escorted from the Ipswich track by security guards.

 

Peter Collins v Anders Michanek ­ was their KO Cup match race decider in 1973 the greatest race ever seen at the old Belle Vue? Dick Bott, who was at Hyde Road as a radio commentator on that epic night, says he has never seen better than THAT titanic battle between the respective number ones of Belle Vue and Reading.

 

Happiness is 40-38 . . . .our classic meeting this time features a memorable Midlands derby between Coventry and Cradley Heath from 1983, when the Bees managed to inflict a rare defeat on the Heathens as they romped towards the BL title.

 

Denmark dominated the sport in the second half of the 80s and we look back at their finest achievement in that period - their 1985 World Team Cup final victory in California, where they had to overcome their American hosts on and off the track.

 

If the Danes were on the rampage internationally, domestic racing in England was dominated in the mid-80s by Hans Nielsen-led Oxford Cheetahs. Former co-promoter Bernard Crapper gives us the lowdown on the BL team that was unstoppable in both 1985 and 1986.

 

Frank Ebdon was undoubtedly the most talked about, controversial referee in speedway in the 80s. We visited big Frank's Essex home to find out what he is really like away from the track. How did he build up his £1million business empire...

 

Ivan Mauger stunned speedway when he moved from Belle Vue to unfashionable Exeter in 1973. We look back at the momentous day when the six times World Champion drew 10,000 fans to the County Ground to see his debut for the Falcons v Poole.

 

Another Kiwi legend, Ronnie Moore, also talks exclusively about his enduring passion for the sport at the age of 71 and how he is slowly regaining his memory after the 1975 track smash that almost killed the former Wimbledon idol.

 

Arena Essex have now been operating for 20 years, so we talk to the former promoter and team manager Peter Thorogood about the early days at the track with no safety fence.

 

Hackney, Weymouth and Sunderland followers will be keen to read our personal tribute to the late Vic Harding, who died in a track crash 25 years ago. A memorial meeting will be held in his honour at Weymouth on June 11.

 

From East Anglia, we've got a profile on former King's Lynn favourite Terry Betts, we recall the 70s style and professionalism of Rye House and Mildenhall and ask: who was the first-ever foreigner to ride for Ipswich?

 

Fans from the North-East will enjoy a profile of Berwick cult hero Rob Grant and memories of speedway at Middlesbrough's defunct Cleveland Park circuit.

 

While Scottish folk will doubtless enjoy Colin Caffrey recalling his early days as a young rider trying to break into the sport.

 

Fans of Polish riders will enjoy a journey back in time as our two-page picture spread captures images of former BL-based Poles like Zenon Plech, Edward Jancarz, Andrzej Huszcza, Bolek Proch, Marek Cieslak and more...

 

With John Berry answering questions from readers in his own unique style, there is so much for everyone to enjoy in issue 2 of Backtrack Magazine.

 

http:www.retro-speedway.com

[Grachan 7,314]

Hackney, Weymouth and Sunderland followers will be keen to read our personal tribute to the late Vic Harding, who died in a track crash 25 years ago. A memorial meeting will be held in his honour at Weymouth on June 11.

I have to say, my eyes welled up reading this article. I'm fortunate never to have seen a fatal accident, and it's always been hard to imagine. Normally you get all the cold, factual details, but seeing it through the eyes of a 13-year-old boy really brought the whole thing home. The image of poor Vic being wheeled off the track, face down, with his helmet still on has lingered in my imagination ever since reading it.

 

Well done for really giving Vic Harding the personal tribute he deserved. I'm sure the attendance at his meeting will rise as a result.

[miro 9]

Theres a Russian proverb: 'to lie like an eye-witness', meaning everybody sees the same thing in a diferent way, and I'm always surprised at the way people take away memories and how those memories change.

 

I haven't read the article yet but in my memory Vic Harding was carried away from the track to the pits on his back with his helmet off, in my mind I can see his face the colour of cement and thinking 'Oh my God...'

 

Steve Weatherly should always be mentioned in the same breath as Vic Harding, a terrible thing it was, good at least that honour is still being done with a memorial meeting, lets hope all the others aren't forgotten.

 

 

I must say this is an excellent magazine on the evidence of the first one.

[shazzybird 10]

For all of those that take the mickey out of me re-living the "Old days" when "Speedway was Good" they should take a little peek at this magazine and experience what we loved all those years ago.

 

Unfortunately for those that weren't there they can only imagine what it was like, being a part of "Way back then" was an experience there were good times there were bad times and that inc. Fatal Accidents Vic was one and Graham Banks during a grasstrack meeting in 1978 was another, both were team m8s and good friends of my Uncle Ted at some point during his career.

 

I was lucky enough to have met a lot of the riders from the 70's 80's mainly because of my family speedway connections and I am very grateful to the Editor of the "Backtrack" magazine for bringing all my childhood memories flooding back. xx Can't wait for the 3rd issue, I know my Dad is looking forward to the next one too

[Guest cheetahhawk]

Theres a Russian proverb: 'to lie like an eye-witness', meaning everybody sees the same thing in a diferent way, and I'm always surprised at the way people take away memories and how those memories change.

 

I haven't read the article yet but in my memory Vic Harding was carried away from the track to the pits on his back with his helmet off, in my mind I can see his face the colour of cement and thinking 'Oh my God...'

 

Steve Weatherly should always be mentioned in the same breath as Vic Harding, a terrible thing it was, good at least that honour is still being done with a memorial meeting, lets hope all the others aren't forgotten.

 

 

I must say this is an excellent magazine on the evidence of the first one.

Thanks for confirming that Vic's helmet wasn't on when they took him off the track.I was begining to think I had remembered it wrong.I have never seen anyone taken off the track so fast before or since.I only hope I never have to witness anymore fatal crashes,after seeing Vic's crash and Denny Pyatt and Paul Muchene.What a tragic waste of young lives.

[iris123 20,922]

Unfortunately for those that weren't there they can only imagine what it was like, being a part of "Way back then"

Unfortunately for some of us that were there we can only imagine what it was like as well I think alcohol has robbed me of most of my memory Just lucky i still have most of my programmes and some Speedway Stars.Think i`ll have to take a subsription out as well.If Shazzy recomends it,then its worth a look

[shazzybird 10]

Iris I've been fighting with my dad all weekend for my copies back!

[spin king 1,918]

Again, this magazine, and I recommend that anybody who has being going to speedway for over 25 years buys it because it reminds you of what speedway was like.

The articles are brill, and the tribute to Vic Harding was very touching, this issue there was also an excellent article about Kenny Carter, who was an controversial and tragic character, the nearest we have to him today is Nicki Pedersen who reminds me of him a little. He was a rider who was totally fearless, who was dogged by tragedy all his life right up until the end, but boy could he ride a speedway, and if they made a film about his life it would be a blockbuster.

To the editor of this magazine keep the memories coming, and I look forward to my next copy.

[Jez 4]

Kenny Carter, who was an controversial and tragic character, the nearest we have to him today is Nicki Pedersen who reminds me of him a little.

Dont even go there!!

 

Mr Pedersen is no where like the rider KC was. KC talked controversial (sp?) but never rode controversially (sp?). The only controversial talker in speedway now is Havvy, but there will only be one King Kenny.

[Gemini 4,894]

Brilliant magazine and very interesting reading.

It's great to read about things "behind the scenes" as the Speedway Star very rarely publishes anything remotely controversial.

In view of some of the opinions on the forum about wrapping the riders in cotton wool and don't dare criticise them, it was interesting to read Bernard Crapper's way of dealing with Simon Wigg. "Just tell someone else, in his earshot, that he was useless! That ploy worked a lot and he'd always go out and prove me wrong."

Can't wait for the next issue.

[shazzybird 10]

Kenny Carter, who was an controversial and tragic character, the nearest we have to him today is Nicki Pedersen who reminds me of him a little.

Dont even go there!!

 

there will only be one King Kenny.

Well said Jez I was trying to think of a polite reply so I'm glad you beat me to it

[salty 2,200]

Kenny Carter, who was an controversial and tragic character, the nearest we have to him today is Nicki Pedersen who reminds me of him a little.

Dont even go there!!

 

there will only be one King Kenny.

Couldn't have put it better. Carter might have been controversial in terms of his public pronouncements, but he wasn't what I would class a dirty rider. Pedersen is.

 

Issue 2 is another fascinating read, I thought the article on Vic Harding was excellent.

[spin king 1,918]

Kenny Carter, who was an controversial and tragic character, the nearest we have to him today is Nicki Pedersen who reminds me of him a little.

Dont even go there!!

 

there will only be one King Kenny.

Couldn't have put it better. Carter might have been controversial in terms of his public pronouncements, but he wasn't what I would class a dirty rider. Pedersen is.

 

Issue 2 is another fascinating read, I thought the article on Vic Harding was excellent.

I did not say that they were alike, but that the nearest we have to him that I could think of Mr Pedersen, they seem to have the same drive to win and not afraid to put there bodies on the line.

Kenny was a hard rider who feared nobody who had his admirers like myself grudgingly being a supporter of the old enemy, but I appreciate what everybody is saying.

[sandman 0]

all due respect,... Kenny was a hard rider with a big ego...sometimes he could back it up and sometimes not. i was a fan of his..

[spin king 1,918]

I am going to have one last say on the Carter/ Pedersen debate, as I don't think I explained what I actually mean't properly.

They both have the seem to have drive and determination to win, yes Pedersen uses dubious tactics and I am coming round to the idea now the guy is a bully, Kenny was just as determined but never did it by dubious tactics depending on which rider you supported at the time, Mr Penhall always reckon that Kenny used to go for him.

As for the World Final in LA it is my opinion that Penhall put Kenny into the fence, and the Referee bottled it, you can probably guess whose side I am on in the Penhall/ Carter debate.

The other way I compare Pedersen to Carter is there riding styles for me are very similar.