Rimini 1966

[Beirao 202]

Anyone remember anything about Mike Parkers venture to the Italian Riviera.  Mainly Newcastle second halfers who were out for three or four weeks and had to grade the track, act as pushers and starting marshal and also drive his midget cars.  Around the time of the football World Cup in England so possibly not too many Brit holiday makers about at this time. Two tracks one at Rimini and the other at Casenaliga (?). Some suggestion of a further tour in September but dont think it happened. 

[BL65 657]

There are bits of information and photographs on the Defunct Speedway website at http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/misc page 2.htm

I remember that Mick Handley, a Wolverhampton junior/reserve rider at the time, was one of the group on the 'Italian job' that summer. Mick lived near to Dudley Wood and I believe had his first rides there, before also appearing at Wolverhampton, run by Mike Parker and Bill Bridgett. It was at Monmore Green where he was given his first team opportunities and the invitation to ride in Italy in 1966. Paul Sharples, son of Ken, was also on the trip to Italy. He had rides at Wolverhampton in 1964 (after Sunderland closed early) and 1965, including a handful of team appearances late in the season.

[chunky 6,108]

The meetings were at Cesenatico (18 June), and Rimini, the following day. Both meetings featured pairs from England (Maury Robinson, Paul Sharples), Australia (Graham Beattie, Alan Painter), New Zealand (Peter Harris, Brian Oliver), and a non-Scottish Scotland pair (Jack Winstanley, Milton Caisley).

At Rimini, England won with 21, with the Scots and Aussies on 14, and the Kiwis on 8. Not sure about the first meeting, but at Rimini, the 8 riders also competed in a number of midget car races.

Courtesy of Brian Collins' fabulous International Speedway website.

[Beirao 202]

1 hour ago, chunky said:

The meetings were at Cesenatico (18 June), and Rimini, the following day. Both meetings featured pairs from England (Maury Robinson, Paul Sharples), Australia (Graham Beattie, Alan Painter), New Zealand (Peter Harris, Brian Oliver), and a non-Scottish Scotland pair (Jack Winstanley, Milton Caisley).

At Rimini, England won with 21, with the Scots and Aussies on 14, and the Kiwis on 8. Not sure about the first meeting, but at Rimini, the 8 riders also competed in a number of midget car races.

Courtesy of Brian Collins' fabulous International Speedway website.

Thanks Chunky. I had the scorers for the meeting on June 19 but wasn't aware it was a pairs event. Interesting that my scorers show Sharples 13 and Robinson 8, suggesting they had five rides. Not sure what format was used .

I have scorers for further meetings on June 22 , 26 and 29 but I have no idea at which track and whether they were pairs or individual meetings. 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Beirao

[chunky 6,108]

3 hours ago, Beirao said:

Thanks Chunky. I had the scorers for the meeting on June 19 but wasn't aware it was a pairs event. Interesting that my scorers show Sharples 13 and Robinson 8, suggesting they had five rides. Not sure what format was used .

I have scorers for further meetings on June 22 , 26 and 29 but I have no idea at which track and whether they were pairs or individual meetings. 

Seeing as there is no mention of them on there, I would suspect that they may have been individual meetings - or at least, not classed as "international" (National Team) events.

The heat details for June 19 are:

1) Harris, Beattie, Winstanley, Robinson.
2) Paynter, Sharples, Caisley, Oliver.
3) Winstanley, Oliver, Robinson (N/F), Harris (N/F).
4) Sharples, Caisley, Paynter, Beattie.
5) Sharples, Winstanley, Beattie (F), Harris (N/F)
6) Paynter, Robinson, Harris, Oliver (E/F)
7) Robinson, Winstanley, Caisley, Oliver.
8) Beattie, Sharples, Paynter, Harris (F).
9) Robinson, Oliver, Paynter, Caisley.
10) Sharples, Winstanley, Caisley, Beattie.

ENGLAND
Maury Robinson   0  N  2  3  3  -  8
Paul Sharples        2  3  3  2  3  - 13
SCOTLAND
Jack WInstanley    1  3  2  2  2  - 10
Milton Caisley        1  2  1  0  1  -  5
AUSTRALIA
Graham Beattie      2  0  F  3  0  -  5
Alan Paynter           3  1  3  1  1  -  9
NEW ZEALAND
Peter Harris            3  N  E  1  F  -  4
Brian Oliver             0  2  E  0  2  -  4

It doesn't seem that there was any strict structure, with teams riding as pairs AND individuals, and note the discrepancy with Milton Caisley's points (posted as 4, but apparently, he scored 5).

Edited November 2, 2023 by chunky

[Beirao 202]

9 hours ago, chunky said:

Seeing as there is no mention of them on there, I would suspect that they may have been individual meetings - or at least, not classed as "international" (National Team) events.

The heat details for June 19 are:

1) Harris, Beattie, Winstanley, Robinson.
2) Paynter, Sharples, Caisley, Oliver.
3) Winstanley, Oliver, Robinson (N/F), Harris (N/F).
4) Sharples, Caisley, Paynter, Beattie.
5) Sharples, Winstanley, Beattie (F), Harris (N/F)
6) Paynter, Robinson, Harris, Oliver (E/F)
7) Robinson, Winstanley, Caisley, Oliver.
8) Beattie, Sharples, Paynter, Harris (F).
9) Robinson, Oliver, Paynter, Caisley.
10) Sharples, Winstanley, Caisley, Beattie.

ENGLAND
Maury Robinson   0  N  2  3  3  -  8
Paul Sharples        2  3  3  2  3  - 13
SCOTLAND
Jack WInstanley    1  3  2  2  2  - 10
Milton Caisley        1  2  1  0  1  -  5
AUSTRALIA
Graham Beattie      2  0  F  3  0  -  5
Alan Paynter           3  1  3  1  1  -  9
NEW ZEALAND
Peter Harris            3  N  E  1  F  -  4
Brian Oliver             0  2  E  0  2  -  4

It doesn't seem that there was any strict structure, with teams riding as pairs AND individuals, and note the discrepancy with Milton Caisley's points (posted as 4, but apparently, he scored 5).

Thanks again Chunky. When I managed to read the programme for the meeting which was on the link BL65 posted, it seems it was a 10 heat individual with all riders getting 5 starts and that the pairs totals were totted up at the end. 

Possibly all meetings were run on this basis.