Swindon Speedway. Your classic memories.

[*JJ 512]

I went there in ?1982, when the Brummies had three national champions and a world champion. The Swindon track was like a ploughed field, which really put the home team off!

[steve roberts 9,246]

16 minutes ago, *JJ said:

I went there in ?1982, when the Brummies had three national champions and a world champion. The Swindon track was like a ploughed field, which really put the home team off!

Yes the track did leave a lot to be desired on occasions during that period I recall. Shame because it was beautiful shape and when prepared properly the racing was superb.

[auntie doris 2,342]

It's ironic they spent 50k. to alter the track, which produced some great racing not seen at Blunsdon for a while. Seemed to win more titles when not wearing the traditional red, but purple and then orange! At the end of the day when they weren't riding well the crowds were poor. I can remember the time when the sponsors saved the club by paying the riders wages. Many years ago 3000 was considered a low attendance. It became overpriced for what it was. A hard-core fantastic fanatical fanbase those Robins fans. But crowds are falling at most tracks.

Edited October 4, 2022 by auntie doris

[thecoombdog 2,367]

On 10/1/2022 at 3:10 PM, EnglishRoundabout said:

I remember the excitement created by the signing of Jan Andersson. His first meeting was at Blunsdon, riding at number 4. He flew from the tapes and won his first race in such style. I think we all knew we had a potential superstar on our hands. 

Exeter Falcons visiting with the imperious Ivan Mauger leading the team. Bob Kilby made a fantastic start against Mauger in heat 11. Mauger subsequently chased him down but forced Kilby into the bend four fence. Not sure I’ve ever seen such a furious crowd. There were several people attempting to get to Mauger at the pit gate. 

Edgar Stangeland and Norman Hunter riding in the 1975 Robins team , with Geoff Bouchard riding at reserve  Hope of a decent team forming? Sumner McKnight riding at number two....great leathers, great style, but plenty of last places   

Martin Ashby representing the Robins in the British final at Coventry in 75. A run off with Ray Wilson to decide who would qualify for the world final at Wembley in September. Probably the best match race I’ve ever seen. Ashby missed the start and hunted Wilson to 3 laps, before just edging in front going into the final two bends. However, Ashby allowed just enough room for Wilson to squeeze past him and around the outside for a width of a fronti wheel win. Gutted for Martin. 

Numerous trips on the speedway coach to Hackney, Wimbledon, Sheffield, Halifax, Ipswich, and Kings Lynn during the 70’s. Always received a hammering! Can’t ever remember seeing the Robins win at any of those tracks!

Visiting the fantastic Shay track at Halifax in around 75/76. Geoff Bouchard scoring an amazing 16 points. Mike Keen thumping into the iron fence on bend one, resulting in a serious back injury. The coach broke down on the M6 on the way home. Arriving back in Swindon at 7.30 am. 

The 2007 play off final at Coventry. The coach I was on arrived late due to the traffic around Brandon. A mate rings me to say Sebastian Ullamek has crashed during the warm up......but then wins heat one by a mile! His last contribution of that meeting unfortunately. Arriving at the stadium just in time for heat two....through the main stand. I look across at bends one and two and can honestly say , the biggest away following I’ve seen in speedway. A sea of red and white. BUT, what a let down the evening was, with only Leigh Adams on form. Coventry were really on it and deservedly won. 

The 2007 was unreal in terms of away support and we all thought we would do it after the 1-5 in heat 1!!! We were back on the road to Swindon by heat 11 though but had to move a few cars out of the way in the car park with the help of fellow Swindon fans making a similar early exit!!

[steve roberts 9,246]

11 minutes ago, thecoombdog said:

The 2007 was unreal in terms of away support and we all thought we would do it after the 1-5 in heat 1!!! We were back on the road to Swindon by heat 11 though but had to move a few cars out of the way in the car park with the help of fellow Swindon fans making a similar early exit!!

...reminds me at Coventry when we did the same after the League Cup Final Second Leg in 1985 (we were humbled!) when all we wanted to do was to get out of there as quickly as possible!

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

On 10/1/2022 at 3:10 PM, EnglishRoundabout said:

 

Martin Ashby representing the Robins in the British final at Coventry in 75. A run off with Ray Wilson to decide who would qualify for the world final at Wembley in September. Probably the best match race I’ve ever seen. Ashby missed the start and hunted Wilson to 3 laps, before just edging in front going into the final two bends. However, Ashby allowed just enough room for Wilson to squeeze past him and around the outside for a width of a fronti wheel win. Gutted for Martin. 

 

That haunted me for years. There is footage of this match race but I have never seen it. It’s not on YouTube. I still remember it clearly though. Wilson gated and rode wide, Ashby rode the inside and got up the inside of Wilson down the back straight of lap 4. Today a rider would have not allowed Wilson around the outside but Martin was a gent and gave racing room which Wilson exploited. At Wembley Wilson was crap and Ashby didn’t get a ride. Wilson went through the tapes and the full Wembley bend were chanting Ashby’s name, only for Gordeevvto come out. 

Another early Ashby memory for me was a the Abbey, against Sheffield. He was left at the start, think his fuel wasn’t turned on. He got going passed the two number two’s and started his chase of Bob Valentine down. He was a straight behind but he got Valentine off the final bend to bring the house down.

Ashby in his prime was rarely beaten with a 10.24 average. The occasional defeat at the Abbey by Collins, Olsen and Mauger. 

[steve roberts 9,246]

48 minutes ago, Steve Shovlar said:

That haunted me for years. There is footage of this match race but I have never seen it. It’s not on YouTube. I still remember it clearly though. Wilson gated and rode wide, Ashby rode the inside and got up the inside of Wilson down the back straight of lap 4. Today a rider would have not allowed Wilson around the outside but Martin was a gent and gave racing room which Wilson exploited. At Wembley Wilson was crap and Ashby didn’t get a ride. Wilson went through the tapes and the full Wembley bend were chanting Ashby’s name, only for Gordeevvto come out. 

Another early Ashby memory for me was a the Abbey, against Sheffield. He was left at the start, think his fuel wasn’t turned on. He got going passed the two number two’s and started his chase of Bob Valentine down. He was a straight behind but he got Valentine off the final bend to bring the house down.

Ashby in his prime was rarely beaten with a 10.24 average. The occasional defeat at the Abbey by Collins, Olsen and Mauger. 

Martin was very under-rated but was up there with the best Britain could offer during those glorious years of the sixties and seventies speedway's last "Golden Era".

[Grachan 7,362]

59 minutes ago, Steve Shovlar said:

That haunted me for years. There is footage of this match race but I have never seen it. It’s not on YouTube. I still remember it clearly though. Wilson gated and rode wide, Ashby rode the inside and got up the inside of Wilson down the back straight of lap 4. Today a rider would have not allowed Wilson around the outside but Martin was a gent and gave racing room which Wilson exploited. At Wembley Wilson was crap and Ashby didn’t get a ride. Wilson went through the tapes and the full Wembley bend were chanting Ashby’s name, only for Gordeevvto come out. 

Another early Ashby memory for me was a the Abbey, against Sheffield. He was left at the start, think his fuel wasn’t turned on. He got going passed the two number two’s and started his chase of Bob Valentine down. He was a straight behind but he got Valentine off the final bend to bring the house down.

Ashby in his prime was rarely beaten with a 10.24 average. The occasional defeat at the Abbey by Collins, Olsen and Mauger. 

The first race I ever saw at Swindon Ashby beat Olsen and broke the track record. I also remember a dead-heat between them - probably the following year.

[frigbo 518]

Ashby was brilliant at his best. He scored a 12-point maximum in the first 6 meetings i went to.

[steve roberts 9,246]

Remember Garry Middleton ("Rebel" skipper in 1972) would often have the beating of "Briggo" but appeared to have difficulties getting the better of "Crash".

[auntie doris 2,342]

As Briggo once said of Crashby " Was the best rider in the world at one time but didn't realise it". Visited the Marlborough Flyer at his workshop in the town about 7 years ago, probably retired now. Such a modest, quietly spoken guy.

[hagonshocker 1,956]

So many....one day I will list them but don't really feel like it at the moment, trying to fight for the sport without getting involved with the sham group who are pretending to....but will mention one thing and that's meeting my mate Mark through speedway and enjoying plenty Of times up there with him. 

[Tric trac 53]

My memories from early 70s until closing...

 

Collecting hubby bubbly bottles for a penny each.

Winning at white city at a Saturday afternoon meeting in the mid 70s.

Going on the coach to Bradford to witness their biggest away defeat at the time...kenny carter was in his last season..

Watching hans nielsen winning by nearly half a lap for oxford

My favourite swindon rider in the 80s was bo petersen...really thought they would win something with crump, nilsen and simmons

The smell of the bikes and fried onions from the burger van.

Watching swindon getting a 5-1 in the last heat to win at coventry

Standing on a cold bank in the dark watching a tractor going around..

Some good, some bad..

 

 

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

2 hours ago, Tric trac said:

Winning at white city at a Saturday afternoon meeting in the mid 70s.

 

 

Pretty sure I was at that meeting. Went on the coach to an Oxford meeting in the morning and then onto White City. Two meetings in one day. Had a running race around the white City track if I recall.

[orion 7,615]

2007 final  ..just so many fans people parking in all  kinds of places ...