raceleader

If I can intrude? Surely if the press cuttings were used as a reference for the Col Stewart book that is sufficient substantiation? In what way to you want them substantiated? Secondly, while the poster Jack Keen is criticised on here, is there an actual reference from him that he believes Johnny Hoskins started speedway at Maitland in December 1923? I have cycled through most of the messages in this debate and while he brings to light items written in support of Hoskins, he has so far as I can see not said that it is his opinion. My view is that all he has done is highlight alternatives to the views of those contra to"Hoskins started speedway at Maitland December 1923". Doubtless I will be told that I have lost the plot in this matter, and that's not difficult anyway because there is so much contradiction coming from each side in regard to what the other says it is starting to get very difficult to get a grip on what is actually under debate, Basically, is Keen a Hoskins disciple or just giving the alternative view to those who have a varied opinion on the start of speedway?

I did look out my wellies yesterday but in the end decided against making the journey. I looking on their website but there was nothing to indicate what was happening and equally the Ipswich club's site was uninformative about what was going on in regard to the periods of heavy rain possibly affecting the match.

I saw a London Old Masters Championship at East London about four or five years ago and wonder if the event still takes place? I confess to having not seen a cycle speedway meetings since then but was considering going to see this Sunday's match at East London when they are at home to Ipswich. But with all the bad weather over the past week I wonder if the match will take place? Does anyone know. I have just visited their site and there's no news of a postponement at the moment.

Proper TV coverage, if it comes off, will be a tremendous boost for cycle speedway.

I also read that the talks had been put back to a new date still to be arranged.

The "fors and againsts" still seem unable to even partially agree, but as the debate rages on I think this is the first sensible suggestion there has been so far. And the last sentence really gets to the basics of things.

How international is cycle speedway? I have seen mention of England, Poland and Australia. I believe there may be participation in Wales, Scotand, USA, Holland - not sure, Does anyone have a full list of countries where the sport takes place please?

This debate seems to have run its course and overall I don't think anything has been resolved either way.

For myself I would like to know what Johnnie Hoskins may have written about Maitland and what happened December 1923 in one of his books. But it appears that nobody has a book which they can quote. What were his early book titles anyway?

Not for the first time I am confused by what the poster strives for and also by reading the article by Johnnie Hoskins. What confused me was references to mid summer as I aligned that to mean around July and August rather than the first meeting at West Maitland in December 1923. Then it clicked home that Johnnie's mention of summer was in regard to the season in Australia which coincides with our winter, so I now can see he did mean the months we regard as winter which makes December mid-summer in Australia. I also see the poster grabbed on just one line as his focal point - Hoskins claim to the use of the word speedway. But overall it was a nice entertaining writing by Johnnie, which looks as though it may have been originally used in a Long Eaton programme at some time.

Is the Amateur League website active? I did try the contact given by MichaelCroucher but seemed to get a competition that mainly involved Long Eaton. I would appreciate any help more experienced site members can give me.

This shows cycle speedway action in Poland in the 2010 season. The initial battle for the lead is excellent racing. Or what about the sport indoors?

I think the estimate is that since its boom days of 1946 onwards there have been more than 2,500 cycle speedway teams. I am not sure how many there are these days.

The attendance for the New Zealand Grand Prix according to this week's 'Speedway Star' given by Phil Rising on page 35 was "Around 15,000". Not as many as we were originally being led to believe when 20,000 and 25,000 were being given but very good for what is essentially a non-speedway bike minded sporting public.

Is there a fixture list for the Anglia Junior League please?

What follow-up positives are there to rekindle interest in speedway following the success of the Grand Prix at Western Springs. It would appear a lot of hard work is needed as my research shows just one track regularly - sort of - staging speedway in the North Island (at Rosebank) and two in the South Island (at Oreti Park and at Moore Park) and these are not on a regular weekly basis.

What follow-up positives are there to rekindle interest in speedway following the success of the Grand Prix at Western Springs. It would appear a lot of hard work is needed as my research shows just one track regularly - sort of - staging speedway in the North Island (at Rosebank) and two in the South Island (at Oreti Park and at Moore Park) and these are not on a regular weekly basis.

Any idea if there was speedway at Crayford in 1938, possibly with Mick Mitchell the top rider?

I look forward to the announcement that the site is up and running.

Does anyone know if this publication is still available? Thanks. http://www.cyclespeedwayvets.org.uk/trackr_html/trackr_nov07p1.html

As a new arrival to this sort of discussion I find it intriguing and enlightening in regard to what all sides put across but my consensus at the moment is to favour what Ross Garrigan gives as it is relied upon records and newspaper researches whereas BigFatDave, kennylane and Jack Keen, although doubtless sincere in what they believe, have not provided enough solid evidence to contradict Ross. For my part, I am siding with his comments and findings on the matter that Johnnie Hoskins did not start speedway at West Maitland in December 1923. This is a good sector on the site and I do enjoy reading the various viewpoints that come forward.

Why is there so much belief that speedway started or evolved in Australia, possibly as some say on here at the Maitland track in December 1923, a possibility hotly in dispute going by all the messages. But might it not actually have started in the USA in the early 1920s as they seemed to provide many of the big names of the 1920s. I also remember reading that the first speedway meeting was at a track called Pietermaritzburg in the Union of South Africa in 1905. So while we are having much chat on the start of speedway in Australia where would South Africa and the USA fit in the start framework of speedway.

Here is some details about cycle speedway from the VCSRA site that may be of some interest: Cycle Speedway History Opened in April 2007 the National Speedway Museum located in The Paradise Wildlife Park at Broxbourne, Herts. has a corner devoted to the history and development of CYCLE SPEEDWAY. The Cycle Speedway display, sponsored and maintained by the VCSRA is a brief visual history illustrated with pictures and memorabilia of the sport from its birth in the ‘Skid Kid’ days of 1946 to the current, highly sophisticated short track cycle racing of today. For details of how to get to The Paradise Wildlife Park go tohttp://www.pwpark.com Cycle Speedway Today Cycle speedway is still flourishing in the UK although not as widespread as in the heady days of the 40's and 50's. Racing is held under the auspices of British Cycling and all details, fixtures, results etc. can be viewed on the British Cycling-Cycle Speedway web sitehttp://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/bc/cys/cs_latest_news.asp OR http://www.spokesman-online.co.uk

The Maitland 1923 rumpus about Johnnie Hoskins will probably continue. Can I move on? Was the first purpose-built speedway at Davies (or could be Davis) Park in Brisbane, Queensland, in the mid-20s? Or was it one of the British tracks in 1928?

Johnnie Hoskins maybe he didn't need to make a claim that he invented speedway but was recognised most probably by others for what he did to achieve this recognition. That's how I see it after reading all the pros and cons throughout so many messages on this interesting subject.