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martinmauger

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Posts posted by martinmauger


  1. They just concentrated / showed those who argued, Paul Bowen was very much in the background.  I also know of folk who were in the audience on filmed TV shows & the stuff transmitted wasn't how they remembered it.  Always bear in mind a lot of what you see on TV, unless live, is manipulated or at least edited to create 'good TV' or in other words drama, whether real or otherwise, is encouraged.  Think for yourself & take much TV, unless live, with a pinch of salt....


  2. 21 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

    The end of the DT500 was the reduction of the carb size to 34mm, they were thirsty engines and worked well with bigger size carbs 

    You will obv know better than most, but didn't the ever quieter silencers brought in over the years also cause the DT500 JAWA 4v to overheat, think Olsen complained unsucesfully to the (then) BSPA & SCB about that. (Sorry to hi-jack thread it's about respecting Graham Drury)....


  3. Quite possiibly an ex-Briggo bike.  I know Graham had some leathers off Briggo which he wore in 1977, red with yellow sleeves poss from Briggo's time at Wimbledon.  Graham favoured the 4v JAWAs over Weslakes, as did Ivan & Olsen of course til late in their careers, apparently they were 'swines' to set up but despite being a tad top heavy, they flew once you got one going right.  Graham was 'on fire' riding it in 1977, posting a 9pt ave, til it went 'bang' & his form never really recovered that year.  He was one of what I called the 'Fab 4' at Hull, along wth Bobby Beaton, Joe Owen & Frank Auffret, all spending 5 or 6 years together at the Boulevard....


  4. 4 hours ago, phillwhitewasmad said:

    Morning Martin every time we have raced in Poland it is as you describe 

    And a good afternoon  to you too:D.  Apparently most things were available FOC to riders taking part; in addition to the fuel, a tyre each, oil if required, tear offs, the odd spark plug + plenty of other help like pushers, or to lend hand with bike issues.  They weren't 100% sponsored 'seshes' as such only for riders contracted to the team, but things were on hand to remove potential small hassles so riders could concentrate on their bikes & the actual riding bit.   Prob one of many reasons why Poland is 'the place to be' in world speedway these days....


  5. Spoke to an NL level rider, took part in training sessions in Poland (forget which track) said all riders were given generic numbered body colours, to keep, & there was a large central fuel supply in the pits, riders just filled their tanks as required, FOC....


  6. Prob helps that locals said they'd prefer keeping the stadium rather than 120+ houses, or whatever the figure is. Coventry Speedway is of course in the village of Brandon, I have relatives living in Gilberdyke, also a village 26miles west of Hull, out of interest I asked them & their neighbour; would you rather have an extra 120+ houses or the existing stadium with weekly speedway & monthly stox, though you probably won't hear much noise ?   All said they'd prefer keeping the stadium.

    So good news, a 'battle' won, but not yet the 'war', but still a way to go.  Gone too far & too much effort  to give up now, (as if) keep at it :D....

     


  7. Just to clarify, the 'Star is delivered in an envelope of sorts, it's a largish sheet of paper folded over & stuck down along the side edges then the front flap stuck down so I guess technically it IS an envelope.  But couldn't complain if it arrived reasonably on time most weeks & if it saves the publisher's on the cost of delivery & postage, which small business owning friends tell me is rapidly becomming one of their biggest expenses.  My copy arrived Saturday this week, tho to be fair we are getting any post only 2 or 3 times a week....


  8. This ^^.  My Speedway Star was delivered reliable as when posted in a brown envelope, delays only started when they changed to clear wrappers, so many went missing, and often continues now they use the white wrap around.  I appreciate such changes were implemented to reduce costs though calls to Dave Fairbrother always result in a replacement, in a bown envelope, appearing the next day, lost issues remain lost....


  9. Concensus in our wee group was "Poole blown it shouda never picked Scunny, who after drawing at Poole will likely win by 5-6 and so make final", but thought Poole deserved to win.  As already said baffling Scunny TM deployed Ablitt (who scored 0 at that point) for Palm Tree in ht11 and not put PT off 15m: "you can do this at least beat Thompson, maybe chase down Lawson but try to take Kemp through also", maybe a 3-3 or 2-4, instead 1-5 to Poole.  Maybe Palm Toft wasn't up for it, but he's a full race tryer who wouldn't have given given up, thought Thompson rode well all nite anyway, not like the rider who'd struggled at Scunny earlier in the season.  Overall, not my teams so not overly-fussed on the result, but it's speedway, saw some good racing and so I still enjoyed it.  Shame about Havvy's mum...

    • Like 1

  10. 5 hours ago, Ben91 said:

    Will go down as one of the best to never win the world title. No shame in that, the club is full of exceptional talent. There will always be a big what if over his earlier hiatus from the series when he was arguably at the peak of his powers. Now it is Zmarzlik’s world and everyone else just lives in it. 

    I think there’s an awful lot wrong with British Speedway but having Emil here has been a breath of fresh air.

    I’d love to see him back in the GP series but can’t see Russian riders getting a wild card even though Emil and Artem Laguta should absolutely be in the series. The clock is ticking time wise for Emil on that score but hopefully we see him in the UK again next season. 

    Yes indeed.  Watched Emil's form in 2023 with great interest, possibly surprising he joined Ipswich, not necessarily every rider's favourite track, he mighta bin expected to sign for, say, Belle Vue, Sheffield, or Peterborough but he's ridden Foxhall from day one like he was born there.  Devastating from all year, and away from home too, be interesting to compare his winning times with  Doyle, another excellent rider & also King who has ridden Ipswich for years.  Reported to be a nice guy off track too, would be an asset to the SGP series & just love his cool Imperial Stormtrooper-style crash helmet....

    • Like 1

  11. On 9/20/2023 at 6:24 PM, cinderfella said:

    He isn't the first son to have failed. Kym Mauger, Tony Briggs, Aiden and Chris Collins come to mind. 

    George Stancl and the late Lee Richardson were two  exceptions that come to mind. 

    Tony Briggs stacked it big style at Coventry & broke his neck, think he went on to ride a bit of grass / longtrack but was never the same, 'invented' air fence, now has a role within SGP series. Think Kym Mauger made a bit of progress with Newcastle then Glasgow but suffered bad leg break, also returned & rode bit of longtrack in NZ then drifted away, now works in film industry.  Super tough following a sucessful father with a famous surname, extra kudos to those who manage it....

    • Like 1

  12. Sad news. Dennis had a Hull connection riding for the Vikings in 1972 & 1973, though he didn't move up into the British League with Hull in 1974, had a few matches for Sunderland, retired from riding then went on to be the team manger at Halifax.  RIP Dennis....

    • Like 1

  13. On 7/28/2023 at 8:48 AM, steve roberts said:

    I would agree but just raised it for debate...can't recall when they were used and the initiative lasted only a couple of years (?). Personally I used to rather enjoy all the kidology with riders trying to psych each other out when lining up at the start kicking up the dirt and digging their heels and toes although there were some who took it to an extreme.

    Agree with above, prob a bit rich given my user name ;).  Personally don't have an issue with 'preparing' the starts, before the start of the actual meeting.  The track is obv the same for all 4 riders, they are professionals so on the track walk should be able to decide "ok the starting area & track is slick / grippy / whatever, so I need to ride 'like this' & set up the bike 'like that' ".  The more experienced rides advise the lesser experienced ones & team captain make sure everyone is happy, then keep an eye on track prep, how the track is riding, etc.   So much of the 'set up' can be changed in the pits; ignition timing, carburation jetting, gear ratio, length of bike (adjust rear wheel within frame) & prob a few more I've forgotten, only the compression ratio cannot really be altered once at the track as a paritial engine strip is required.  And surely all riders carry a little black book' with favourite set info.  Not suggesting any rider is called Shirley :D. Like I said the track is the same for all 4 riders, I do have slight issue when gate postions can be indiviually prepped before each heat favouring home riders, though it could be argued it's also part of the kidology & fun.  Speedway, eh?...

    • Like 1
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