manchesterpaul 447 Posted August 5, 2013 Are you sure? Just beause the section says "page 3 of 3" it doesn't mean that further pages will not be automatically created on this site as further messages are posted. Pretty sure there used to be many more than three. 'Dutch Grasstrack' couldn't find his 2013 thread as he hadn't posted in it for a while, which is how i noticed the three page thing when searching. Also other threads of note are no longer there. Like i say the contributors to this section provide great information so i am aware of threads missing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchGrasstrack 806 Posted September 15, 2013 (edited) For what it's worth: the planned second race for the Dutch Speedway League in Blijham has sadly been called off because there weren't enough riders. Which was not true: the best riders weren't available and therefore the club decided not to race. BUT the league race in Veenoord a few weeks ago was a very positive 'new start' for Dutch speedway and I'm sure we'll see more of it in 2014. Speedway in The Netherlands continues today with an International 4 country race at Lelystad speedway. Teams will feature riders from The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Poland. Live updates will be available here: http://live.baanspor...n-lelystad.html The race day starts with three support classes, they will have there races at 12:00. The team event will start at 15:00 (local time). Edited September 15, 2013 by DutchGrasstrack Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted September 15, 2013 I have always had a soft spot for Dutch speedway. "My heroes" of 40 years or more ago were Jan Bosman, Henk Stemen, Gerrit Kops, Henny Kroeze, Cor van Corcum, Nico van Corcum and Hans van der Sluis. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchGrasstrack 806 Posted September 15, 2013 Henny Kroeze was riding today in the 'oldies' support class on a very old bike. I'll get some pics up later Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchGrasstrack 806 Posted September 16, 2013 Report (in Dutch) and photo's can be found here: http://www.baansportfansite.nl/nieuws/267/vier-landen-speedway-in-lelystad.html Sadly the crowd was realy bad, but this is and will be a problem at Lelystad speedway. There is not much interest in that area of NL. Next Dutch meeting: 28 september - the traditional Golden Helmet meeting in Veenoord! More info to follow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manchesterpaul 447 Posted September 16, 2013 (edited) For what it's worth..... Any news of overseas speedway is much appreciated and definitely worth interest. Report (in Dutch) and photo's can be found here: http://www.baansport...n-lelystad.html Sadly the crowd was realy bad, but this is and will be a problem at Lelystad speedway. There is not much interest in that area of NL. Next Dutch meeting: 28 september - the traditional Golden Helmet meeting in Veenoord! More info to follow. Ouch sad news indeed regards the lack of a crowd, especially when a fair amount of effort goes into staging a meeting. What sort of attendance does the Veenoord meeting get these days and how does it compare to say the 70's or 80's? I presume like most speedway there was a boom with massive crowds in decades earlier than that? On the whole are speedway meetings run in the Netherlands on a amateur/love of the sport basis or is it intended as a business with promoters wanting to make money! ? Edited September 16, 2013 by manchesterpaul Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchGrasstrack 806 Posted September 27, 2013 Sorry for the late reply, missed your comment for some reason. YES speedway was very popular in the early days of our sport. There were speedway meetings all around the country. Sadly things have changed and Veenoord usualy get's around 1000 spectators for a national race (Dutch open or league) and 2000 for their traditional Golden Helmet meeting. Speaking of wich: this years Golden Helmet will be staged tomorrow! There are two British riders competing in a 16 rider lineup, Kyle Newman and the very talented Robert Lambert. Both younsters will compete against riders from Denmark, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary and of course The Netherlands. More information about tomorrow's meeting can be found here: http://www.baansportfansite.nl/nieuws/270/gouden-helm-speedway-in-veenoord.html (in Dutch obviously, but Google Translate will help). In The Netherlands there are no promotors like in other countries. Usually there are a bunch of people who run the club and they try to make the meetings affordable which is a very hard task. In Blijham for example they have car speedway which brings in the money and because of that they can do a bit of motor speedway too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manchesterpaul 447 Posted September 27, 2013 Sorry for the late reply, missed your comment for some reason....More information about tomorrow's meeting can be found here: http://www.baansport...n-veenoord.html (in Dutch obviously, but Google Translate will help). No problem, many thanks for the detailed reply. Attendances not quite as bad as i feared. Not sure if regular fortnightly or monthly meetings would dilute the crowd further or build up interest. However i'm sure you'd need some sort of genuine league competition consisting of other tracks! Maybe a competition with clubs from the other countries where there are only one or two tracks in existence would be an intriguing idea and be relatively attractive. Yeah the website is an excellent one which i already have bookmarked and i am well versed in the 'Google Translate' quirks to be able to make sense of any language Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchGrasstrack 806 Posted September 28, 2013 I heard that the Belgium club from Heusden-Zolder is probably joining the Dutch team championships / league next year, would be great if this would happen because we will then have 4 teams / tracks. Live updates from tonights Golden Helmet meeting in Veenoord can be found here: http://live.baansportfansite.nl/event/28/gouden-helm-speedway-in-veenoord.html . Racing starts at 7PM local time (6PM in the UK). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchGrasstrack 806 Posted September 28, 2013 Robert Lambert won tonight's Golden Helmet at Veenoord speedway! Second was 18 year old Ukranian Stanislav Melnichuk and the third place went suprisingly to Dutch rider Nick Lourens. Kyle Newman did score enough points for the two Finals but he crashed out in his last heat and decided not to race the final heats. Full results: http://live.baansportfansite.nl/event/28/gouden-helm-speedway-in-veenoord.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchGrasstrack 806 Posted October 15, 2013 The Dutch Championship race in Lelystad which was scheduled for last sunday has been called off due to a problem between the club and the federation. Therefore there will be no 2013 Dutch speedway champion ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 15, 2013 The Dutch Championship race in Lelystad which was scheduled for last sunday has been called off due to a problem between the club and the federation. Therefore there will be no 2013 Dutch speedway champion ... Speedway Digest 1963 shows the Dutch Championship was first staged in 1938 when it was won by Rotterdam-based Gerrit Kops. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bavarian 769 Posted October 15, 2013 Sorry gustix, the 1963 Speedway Digest list of national championship winners is not reliable. It contains many, many mistakes. For example, the first time that the Netherlands (K.N.M.V.) staged a national championship for motorcycle track racing was in 1935, not 1938. This inaugural Dutch National Championship was held at Rotterdam, and, as in later years, the championships of the Netherlands were split into two classes, the senior 500cc title and the senior 350cc title. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 15, 2013 (edited) Sorry gustix, the 1963 Speedway Digest list of national championship winners is not reliable. It contains many, many mistakes. For example, the first time that the Netherlands (K.N.M.V.) staged a national championship for motorcycle track racing was in 1935, not 1938. This inaugural Dutch National Championship was held at Rotterdam, and, as in later years, the championships of the Netherlands were split into two classes, the senior 500cc title and the senior 350cc title. But I do know that Gerrit Kops won a Dutch championship in 1938. I saw the trophy (dated) and a photo when I visited his home in 1956. It was this success that led to Bluey Wilkinson offering Kops a trial at Sheffield to start in 1939 - but it never took place because of the outbreak of WW2.Ten years later Kops nearly got his first ride at Sheffield in a 1949 world championship qualifier. Sadly, in his first start his bike's engine failed on the starting grid and Kops withdrew from the meeting. Edited October 28, 2013 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bavarian 769 Posted October 16, 2013 Yes, it is indeed true that Gerrit Kops won a Dutch Championship in 1938. In that year the titles (350cc and 500cc) were decided in a meeting on a 650m track at Utrecht. But there have definitely been earlier championships prior to this 1938 event, and possibly even before 1935. I know of the 1935 championship, because it was staged at promoter Jimmy Baxter's track at Rotterdam, and this was the first time that the Dutch Championship was run on a cinder track (on a sintelbaan, as the Dutch call it). In other years It was contested on sand- or grass-tracks of various lengths. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
