TonyMac
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Posts posted by TonyMac
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Watch out for the frankest interview ever given by Michael Lee in issue 10 of Backtrack (copies to be mailed out to subscribers next Tuesday)...
In a whopping 10-page exclusive, Lee talks candidly about his dramatic fall from grace . . . his descent into drugs...use of cocaine...three prison terms (the last for 18 months)...the people he blames for his speedway problems...falling out with his dad (and making up again)...what he's up to in his garden...and how he says finding true love has changed him...and much, much more from 'Mike the Bike'.
Also featured in the next issue...
EGON MULLER - brand new 4-page exclusive with the multi-talented '83 World Champ who complains that he never got the respect he deserved for winning at Norden, and why he liked 'dressing up' in women's clothes!
ARNIE HALEY - a great Yorkshire character who, before his sad death, admitted he probably stayed too long at Sheffield.
PIP LAMB - the former Oxford youngster on why he feels the hospital was to blame for his disability sustained in 1979.
HACKNEY REUNION - 4 page special from the recent bash at Paradise Park, inc plenty of pics and mini interviews with Thommo, Thomsen, Plech, Lovaas, Jansson, McNeil, Dave Mort, Petersen.
MALCOLM BROWN - former Leicester favourite talking on his recent visit.
JOHN BERRY'S PICK - JB chooses his track-by-track 'No.1s' from the Backtrack era of 1970-90. See how many you agree with...
SIMON WIGG - news of a great, new book on the former World No.2, who sadly died five years ago. Endorsed and encouraged by Simon's family, it contains Wiggy's own words from a previously unpublished interview, plus stacks of personal tributes from those who knew him best - including heart-rending accounts from close family and friends - and more than 200 photos of Wiggy throughout his illustrious career. This will be published by ourselves at Retro Speedway, very reasonably priced at £14.99, and in the same successful and value-for-money format as our Confessions of a Speedway Promoter book by JB. Details of how to order can be found in the new issue.
GARY FRANKUM – the 'world's most popular junior', who rode for a number of tracks between 1987 and '91, reveals his battle to beat the illness, ME.
READING 38, SWINDON 40 - We review this stormy encounter from Smallmead in 1980, when Steve Gresham and Barry Briggs came to blows.
Plus honourable mentions (and new pics of) Tiger Beech (Rayleigh) and Rob Jackson (Crewe).
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Have you subscribed yet? It costs only £16 a year (6 issues) in the UK and with rain again playing havoc with the fixtures, be sure not to miss a copy by having it mailed direct to your door...
Just visit: http://www.retro-speedway.com
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There is a nice feature on Arnie in the next issue of Backtrack...
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Thanks for your contributions, all very interesting, and I don't want to sound an ungrateful so and so...but can we please return to VSM's general time-frame and the thread sub-heading of PRE-70s!!!!
VSM = PRE-70s (apart from the little bits about the early 70s!)
BACKTRACK = 1970-1989 inclusive!
Sorry if this sounds patronising, but it's pre-70s heroes I'm really looking for here!!!! Anyone offering up post-70s name is obviously far too young to get involved!
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You bet, Dave!
We'll be running a three or four-page feature on the reunion, including quotes from the star names, along with many pics from Friday and those I also took at Rye on Sunday.
Issue 10 will be on sale Aug 29.
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John Berry, Backtrack Magazine's top columnist, has entered the ongoing Nicki Pedersen debate in typical forthright style.
Never one to duck any issue, Berry will undoubtedly spark more reaction from fans and other observers with his comments in the latest issue.
In a general talking point piece titled 'Where Are Today's Enforcers?', he writes: "In my time riders like Nicki Pedersen would have been given a serious word in the ear early on in their careers."
Referring to the incident where Pedersen brought down namesake, Bjare Pedersen, in the Swedish GP earlier this season, Berry goes on to say: "Can you imagine Charlie Monk, or Olle Nygren, or Colin Gooddy, or Arthur Browning, or Billy Sanders allowing a rider to get away with what happened in that final?"
Berry also wonders whether the advent of the air fence has caused Pedersen (and others) to adopt a more aggressive style?
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Having interviewed Ivan at great length to cover his words in both issues 8 & 9 of Backtrack Magazine, I can confirm that he has full respect for Tony Rickardsson.
Indeed, in challenging BSI's right to call the SGP a genuine 'World Championship' (he regards it as an invitational event and therefore not a legitimate WORLD Championship), Ivan impressed upon me after the microphone was switched off that he didn't want to be seen to in any way underestimate or disrespect TR's skills and achievements in any way. He was clearly being very diplomatic but his regard for TR is genuine.
What Ivan did say, and which cannot be disputed, is that there were far more world title contenders for him to fend off in his day than the relatively weak opposition Rickardsson faces now. Which, in a way, is a little unfair on Tony because he can only beat those he comes up against - it's obviously not his fault that there are few real challengers to his supremacy and no-one at all this season.
Ivan says in Backtrack that both he and Fundin would have won at least 10 individual world titles had the GP system been in place then, and, again, I can't argue with that view.
Incidentally, many thanks for the many kind comments about our Mauger interview and Backtrack in general.
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Issue 50 – Volume 13 No.2 – Summer 2005
Mike Broadbank – the Red Devil who cheated death
Yes, that’s definitely Broadbank without the ‘s’, as Mike confirms. Our main five-page interview covers Broady’s splendid racing career with Wembley, Swindon, Stoke, Hackney and Crayford. Mike looks back on good times and bad, including a badly broken thigh and, in the early 60s, a near brush with death when he was hospitalised with pneumonia.
Max Grosskreutz
Part two of our fascinating interview with the former Australian Test captain, who reflects on his days as promoter at Norwich as well as another track comeback and the crash that ultimately brought about his retirement.
Bill Longley and Ray Harris
Special tribute to two old favourites who passed away recently. Diminutive Bill Longley, who made a big impression at New Cross, and Ray Harris, a Provincial League star with Stoke.
Local Derbies
Top columnist Dave Lanning laments the demise of the local derby and recalls one particularly pulsating London cup clash between Wimbledon and West Ham in 1965.
Your Hero
VSM readers name their own all-time favourites – and why. There are some familiar names among them, including Ove Fundin, Peter Craven, Graham Warren and Ken McKinlay, plus Clive Featherby and Ernie Rawlins. This is a new, regular feature, so why not tell us about your hero?
Exeter – Ivan Mauger fighting!
Part two of our look back at events at the County Ground, including a crazy night when Ivan Mauger visited with Provincial League Newcastle and ended up fighting with fans on the terraces! Plus Falcons’ wild men, Chris Blewitt and Chris Julian.
‘Pedlar’ Palmer
Maintaining a link with speedway’s post-war glory days, Ernest ‘Pedlar’ Palmer, who starred for Long Eaton, is still enjoying the sport as a supporter at Sheffield.
England’s 1955 Test winners
An evocative centre spread picture of the ’55 Test team prior to their second Test against Australasia at Wembley. Freddie Williams made home track knowledge count to score 17 points.
Mike Tams
Profiling the man who rode for Southampton in the early 50s and who did so much to establish speedway in Canada.
Collectors’ World
Nick Barber is back with his regular column for memorabilia connoisseurs, including tips about items from the 1930s period.
Chequered Flag
Includes a tribute to the late Buddy Fuller.
Plus…Ian Hoskins, Eric Linden, your letters and the new VSM Book Club, where you can order a wide range of books about vintage speedway direct from VSM…
Enjoy!
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It costs only £11.20 per year (4 issues) to subscribe in the UK. You can sign up online at http://www.retro-speedway.com
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Look what’s in issue 9…
Main Man – Ivan Mauger
Part two of our exclusive interview with the greatest speedway rider ever. Mighty Mauger talks candidly about his relationship with Kenny Carter and Hans Nielsen – and spells out why he believes the outspoken former England star threw away the chance to win the 1982 World Final to Bruce Penhall. Also, why Nielsen paid the price for ignoring his advice…and what he needed to break his World Final jinx.
And for the first time, the legendary Kiwi speaks out about the Speedway Grand Prix, explaining why it should not be compared to the traditional World Championship of his day. What he thinks of Tony Rickardsson and Jason Crump…why British speedway is struggling to attract big crowds and where the BSPA went wrong…how Exeter pulled off an audacious masterstroke to give him one last season in the British League…looking back at his key World Finals and revealing why losing the 1973 run-off to Jerzy Szczakiel was not the worst thing to happen to him on speedway’s biggest occasion…who were the most gifted riders who wasted their talent?…the controversial and hard-hitting Mauger tells all – only in Backtrack Magazine.
Neil Evitts
"Some people might think I’m arrogant or ignorant, but I didn’t set out to be popular."…Neil Evitts has never been afraid to tell it like it is and in this candid exclusive the 1986 British Champion talks openly about all his conflicts with officialdom, including when he defied the rules to race as an under-aged 14-year-old before going on to ride legally for Stoke, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Halifax, Bradford, Sheffield and Wolves again. The no-nonsense Black Country man got to know Kenny Carter better than any other rider when they were team-mates at Halifax and Bradford, and here Neil reflects on the impact KC had on him and what he recalls of their final days together…
Carl Glover
The 1974 Second Division Riders’ Champion reveals how he is lucky to be alive after suffering a near fatal heart attack earlier this year. Carl also reflects on his racing days as Boston No.1, plus why riding for home-town club, Sheffield, was a mistake which led to him returning east to King’s Lynn.
After his riding career ended early at 26, Carl went on to fulfil his dream job when he was appointed England manager in 1984 . . . but at times it became a nightmare. We get Carl’s fascinating insight into what it was like to deal with Kenny Carter and why he had to strip him of the captaincy…the problems with Michael Lee and why his England team were beaten before they faced the Danes in the World Team Cup final.
Ray Glover
The father of Carl takes over in the second half of our Glover family dynasty double interview. He explains what drove him to have a stab at promoting at Sheffield – the club he supported from boyhood – in 1980 and why he decided to sell up just four years later after a series of setbacks and problems with riders who let him down.
Ray – and Carl – also reveal their thoughts on former Sheffield superstar Shawn Moran – what he was like to deal with and why they say he lost his way in the sport. Also, they examine the effect Kelly Moran had on his younger brother…
Steve Weatherley
The second in our regular, new series where we catch up with a rider left disabled by speedway racing. This time we visit former Eastbourne and White City star Steve Weatherley, who talks for the first time about the fatal crash that claimed the life of Hackney’s Vic Harding and left him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. In this uplifting story, brave Steve enthuses about his enjoyment of family life and how he is even winning races again!
Mick Bell
We talk to the man who holds the record for winning three senior league championships as both rider AND team manager, with Reading and Coventry. Modest Mick tells about what it was like on both sides of the fence and the differences between world superstars Ole Olsen and Anders Michanek.
Where Are Today’s Enforcers?
Our lead columnist John Berry asks the question after seeing current Grand Prix star Nicki Pedersen dishing it out again. JB says: "In my time riders like Pedersen would have been given a serious word in the ear early on in their careers."
Berry
Mort in print
We publish an extract from Chris Morton’s new hardback, Until The Can Ran Out, in which he admits how ‘track rage’ got the better of him and he deliberately set out to ‘attack’ a rival during his early days with Belle Vue.
Americans in Pictures
A treat for fans of those colourful Californians…nostalgic pictures from the 70s and 80s, featuring Bruce Penhall, Bobby Schwartz, Kelly and Shawn Moran, Dennis Sigalos, Scott Autrey, Rick Miller, Sam Ermolenko, Ronnie Correy, Lance King, Steve and Jim Gresham, Mike Curoso, Sumner McKnight and Rick Woods.
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Subscribers copies mailed out today (Thursday, June 30)
Enjoy!
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Shazz,
We at Retro Speedway won't be producing any magazine or book 'special' for sale on the night of the reunion, as I'm told the organisers are publishing a souvenir prog/brochure themselves.
I was wondering if we should offer for sale old black & white pics (action & portrait) of the ex-Hackney riders who will be there on the night (with a donation to the Vic Harding fund), but maybe there won't be much response to that? I know you'd buy 10 pics of Ted, but who else will want to know?????
But we will definitely be covering the event, in words and pics, for our following issue of Backtrack, as well as pin down a few of the former Hawks present for interviews that can be held over to a later date...
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Napolean - Following your comments about Mike Broadbank, you should enjoy the next issue (50) of VSM...which includes a very good exclusive interview with the 'Red Devil' himself.
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More additions to the Issue 9 'cast'...
STEVE WEATHERLEY...talking about life after THAT crash. What an inspirational fellow this man is. He's still racing today.
MICK BELL...6 times a British League title winner, with Reading & Coventry as both rider and team manager.
Many thanks for the (disappointingly) few bits of feedback to the earlier content mentions.
NEIL EVITTS was typically forthright and he can still argue with the best of 'em. He tells us that he even managed to get himself fined £500 immediately after winning the British Championship! Now that takes some doing! Morose? Never. Just misunderstood and very difficult to get to know, but I think we've got a lot closer than most. He certainly knew Kenny Carter better than any other rider.
CARL & RAY GLOVER - Very, very honest stuff about the Morans, the lack of team spirit at Sheffield (pre-Ray) and how the Wayne Brown saga hit the management badly. Oh, and how Carl recently had a brush with death but thankfully recovered in hospital.
IVAN (Part 2)...where do we begin? Carter, Lee, Morans, Nielsen...all those World Final wins (was PC REALLY lucky in '76?) and why he has lost interest in the GP. And then some...
CHRIS MORTON...we'll be running a 3-page extract from his new book.
AMERICANS...I suppose not everyone will be dancing through hoops at our two-page spread, but they didn't half bring some colour and spectacle to the British scene, didn't they? And we could do with a few more like 'em round today, eh?
And JOHN BERRY having a 'Slightly Sideways' pop at Nicki Pedersen and the lack of modern 'enforcers' to 'sort him out'. Trust JB to stick his oar in...!
Better crack on and get this one finished...it will be out first week of July...promise!
Btw, We've already lined up Michael Lee as the 'main man' for issue 10. Should be very interesting...
What, you haven't subscribed yet?
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Nice one, Old Saint...it's good to remember one of the unsung heroes and if this doesn't squeeze into our next issue, it will make it into the one after.
There must be lots more riders, not leading points scorers but good, solid characters who gave their all and provided entertainment, worthy of a mention, so come on and get thinking/writing...
Shazzybird...Like me, you are clearly too young to take part in any pre-70s debate, but thanks for the (inevitable!) mention of Ted! (though I'm not sure he'd appreciate being mentioned in a pre-70s feature...!
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In the next issue of VSM (No.50) we will be including more input from our readers, including a new feature called 'MY HERO'.
We're asking you to tell us the name of your all-time favourite rider (must be pre-70s) and why they were so special to you.
Perhaps a great performance in a particular race or meeting stands out in your memory; or maybe you actually met and exchanged words with your hero; or there was another reason that made them No.1 in your eyes?
The best, most interesting comments may well appear in the next VSM, so please get posting!.....
So far we've received comments from a number of readers who put forward the obvious names of Fundin, Craven, Moore, McKinlay. Fair enough. But what about the 'lesser lights' who were favourites not just for their points scoring feats but also for their personality and other attributes?
Cheers,
Tony Mac
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One of the most pleasing things about producing Backtrack (and VSM now) is the number of speedway people who see the mag and then get in touch with us.
We've recently received a phone call from former Sheffield promoter Ray Glover and we will be carrying out an interview with both him and his eldest son, Carl, in the next couple of weeks.
Please tell us your memories of the Glovers - either in their respective roles at Sheffield in the 70s/80s, or (in Carl's case) his earlier brilliance for Boston in the old second division. Maybe you have a question you'd like us to put to Ray or Carl?
Former British Champion Neil Evitts has also called and we will also be interviewing this hard-riding Midlander, who always gave everything for clubs like Bradford, Halifax, Birmingham, Wolves, etc. Again, let's have your thoughts on Neil and the best questions we will put to him...
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Many thanks to all those subscribers to VSM who have returned the Readers' Questionnaire inserted in all subscribers' copies of the latest issue.
A great cross-sections of views that will be take onboard and which will hopefully make VSM an even better read in the future...
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Wizard - if you give us a call on 01708 734 502, we will check out the problem for you and try to resolve it. If you are a paid-up subscriber, you should have received issue 8 by now
Why not give Susie a call and she'll check it out...
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Issue 8 out now - look what’s inside…
Main Man – Ivan Mauger
Part one of our exclusive 7-page interview with the world’s greatest-ever rider. Ivan talks candidly about his rivals, how he became one of the fastest starters and why he would have still been among the fastest gaters under any rules.
Ivan reflects on his time with Newcastle, Belle Vue, Exeter and Hull. He reveals why he turned down the chance to buy Belle Vue before Stuart Bamforth took over at Hyde Road; why the daunting County Ground track at Exeter was unfairly criticised; and his bitter disappointment that he didn’t quite win another league title with the Vikings.
With characteristic confidence in his own ability, Ivan believes that he would have won the world title at least 10 times had the GP formula applied in his day.
Our top columnist John Berry provides his own insightful profile on the mighty Mauger.
Jeremy Doncaster
Interview with the former England, Ipswich and Reading favourite ahead of his farewell meeting. Was he too laid-back for his own good?
Wally Mawdsley
Reveals his personal struggle to overcome the severe financial blow of losing his battle to keep Canterbury alive. The former BSPA chairman also looks back at his days promoting at Romford, Exeter and Bristol and, also, what he describes as the worst decision ever taken in speedway.
Martin Ashby
The former England star names his all-time seven from the team-mates he rode with at Swindon, Exeter and Reading, and what he thinks of each of them.
Reg Wilson
The former Sheffield Tiger on his loyalty to his beloved Yorkshire club and why he perhaps regrets not making a move to Wolves that would have furthered his career.
Tommy Jansson
Could he really have stopped Peter Collins winning the world title in 1976, had fate not intervened? A reader puts the case of the hugely popular Swede.
John Simmons-wheelchair bound
The heart-rending story of the former Ipswich junior who was so badly injured at Peterborough in 1972 that he will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. John describes his battle to cope with his disability, physically and financially, and why he owes so much to his caring mum. First of a series on those we must not forget.
Mark Fiora
What became of the former Middlesbrough, Edinburgh and Long Eaton star, who returned home to Australia?
Reg Trott
Title-winning rider who turned referee, the former Eastbourne veteran recalls his part in helping the fledgling Eagles soar to the top of Division Two.
Rider Control
John Berry offers a possible solution to the age-old team equalisation debate.
When is it time to go?
Knowing when to quit is a tough choice facing both riders and promoters. Martin Rogers offers some advice.
Swedes in Pictures
A two-page picture spread to delight fans of former Swedish stars in the British League, including Michanek, Lofqvist, Sjosten, Jansson, Holmqvist, Johansson, Hellsen, Persson, Nygren and co.
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Have you subscribed yet? It costs just £16 a year in the UK and subscribers will receive their copies FIRST!
www.retro-speedway.com
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Henka certainly was one of the most entertaining to watch - but he's not exactly an 'old boy' and is really too recent to fit into our 70s-80s timescale.
Maybe in 10 years' time he will be ripe for an in-depth piece...
Tony Mac
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Thanks for your suggestions.
Simmo is obviously right up there as a prime candidate for the Backtrack front cover, 'main man' treatment. When we spoke at the recent Lynn reunion, he said he enjoyed the magazine and was very much up for an interview, so hopefully that will happen before long...
...Mike Lee is another who says he would welcome an in-depth interview.
In the meantime, the main man for issue 8 is going to be the one and only...Ivan Mauger, who gave us a typically candid and revealing four-hour interview that will probably have to run over two issues.
Tony Mac
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Spotted munching on a bag of chips outside West Ham's ground yesterday...former Crusader and Canterbury junior, Alan Diprose!
Seems Alan has been a season ticket holder at the Hammers for the past 15 years, so he's suffered a lot, obviously!
Mentioned the Canterbury reunion to him and he seems very interested. I've asked him to email me and when I have all his contact details I'll forward them on...
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It's good to see that Backtrack has helped to rebuild bridges between John Louis and John Berry.
It's not as if they've not been on speaking terms anyway, because the hatchet was buried long ago. But...
...At the same time as issue 7 came out, in which Tiger John expressed his honest dismay at the way he was 'dropped' by the Ipswich management in 1981, Berry reacted to those comments by immediately going on record in the local paper as saying that letting Louis go to Halifax was his biggest regret as a promoter.
The look on Tiger's face, as he took possession of a copy of the Evening Star's back page just before the home meeting on Good Friday, was a picture! He clearly took a lot of satisfaction in seeing his former boss make such an honest admission, albeit 24 years on!
In fairness to JB, his new signings, Sigalos and Cook, proved successful replacements for Louis and Billy Sanders, and the club went on to win more honours in the next few years.
And, at the end of the day, the moves worked out well for all concerned, because Louis had two very good seasons with the Dukes, before doing even better for King's Lynn.
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Thanks Bryn and all...
I've just got my breath back from blowing out the candles. Still, I only feel 44!
Joanne. Me, a former rider? I did once ride pillion on Barry Thomas' bike at Iwade circa 1973!
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Just had to apologise for the 'deliberate mistake' in our latest issue, in the small piece about the reunion. The date should, of course, read JULY 22, NOT June (must have had brain meltdown at that point!)
Se you all then...on JULY 22. That's JULY, OK?
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We will be putting our weight behind the campaign to raise funds for the building of the museum, with blanket coverage in the next issues of both Backtrack and Vintage Speedway Magazine. Part of this will be an interview with George Barclay, but we also already have an interview with the great Ivan Mauger, who is all in favour of the museum.
It is an absolute must that speedway has its own 'home' to preserve its rich history now and for many years to come...
Issue 10
in Backtrack Magazine
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Good point, and of course apologies to all Kestrels followers. I was never a fan of NL racing at Waterden Road, though I respect the efforts and achievements of the management and riders who kept speedway at Waterden Road alive after Len Silver pulled out.
What I meant to say was that, after the Hawks folded and Wimbledon had closed, London no longer had a SENIOR LEAGUE venue by 1985.
That is until Hackney rejoined the BL in 1987 and speedway returned to Plough Lane.