britmet

. What a coincidence that 10 years later, with Pat Clarke retired and gone, the 2nd and 3rd, Trevor Redmond and Ken Middleditch, moved up to be winner and second at the 1960 equivalent competition, the Provincial Lge. RC at Cradley Heath. Between times they had though both performed at senior level, the former with Wembley. Middleditch had won the Div.3 and Div.2 titles in 1951 and 1954 resp'ly. before becoming part of Swindon's Nat'l Lge winning team of '57 as well as in Poole's stints in the senior league prior to 1960.

. If you turn to the 'League Riders Championships' page of 'Speedway Champions' website you'll see the event listed there, along with a copy of the Walthamstow programme of the Oct. 23rd. http://www.speedwaychampions.com/league-riders-chmpshps.php

. We've had plenty in the past, . . .but no idea about today..

. Half of those are not real tracks; - Czestochowa 402yds, Rybnik 390yds, Wroclaw 423yds, Grudziadz414yds. . . . .. .

.. No, we wish our tracks were like a speedway should be,. . used to be be, - , not more and more like a cycle speedway circuit. Then our riders could mix it with the rest of Europe. - Belle Vue 415yds, Exeter 433yds, Norwich 425yds, Ipswich 410yds, Crewe 470/430yds, . . I could go on.

. I make it the first Czech (home) winner in over 20 years, - Topinka in 1996. Quite a dearth since Jiri Štancl's 5 GH wins of the 1970s. See them all listed HERE

. How long have you been following speedway? . . . and still haven't got it ! - ? A slow learner, obviously !

Do We Still Need The Play-offs ? . NO ! The league champions should be the team that's at the top of the table at the end of the season. If a couple of eliminator-style matches are needed in Sept / October, that okay, but call it what it is, a Knock-Out Cup/Shield/ Rose bowl, . . anything you like, but lets not rewrite the English language, - a league is a league, a KOC is KOC.

. First won by Eric Langton on Sept. 28th, - Whitfield was the last holder of the 1928 season, - Nov. 9th. Full details on Speedway Champions.com http://www.speedwaychampions.com/spplt-3-uk-local-helmets.php .

. First French World Champ was Fernand Meynier, Speedway ("Dirt Track") World Champion of 1933, in the Buffalo Stadium, Paris. Runner-up was Bluey Wilkinson, 3rd was Billy Lamont. Fuller details HERE . Though not an official FICM-recognised meeting, Meynier's success in a field that included Bluey and Lamont testifies to the status of his win. No other Frenchman has taken a World title.

. 1st, Robin Aspegren SW 2nd, Anders Mellgren SW .

. You don't have to have been a Mauger fan to acknowledge that he has been the most successful speedway rider ever, and to give him the credit it deserves to have been that rider. As a Cradley supporter it was always going to be Ivor not Ivan we shouted for, - everyone will know the "Man I Hated" saga from Triple Crown Plus - , (unwarranted but good press ! ) You don't have to have been the most exciting rider to watch to have been the most successful, - in fact the opposite is true. Many of the most exciting are/were the riders who struggled but didn't give in, trying to pass for 4 laps without success. Ivan wasn't one of those !

. YES ! Its one of the main reason I don't attend now, when a team has no more than 4 recognizable members on the track.

. Its agreeing what's 'good' that's the problem. Different folk have different views. Does anyone think he set about building Leicester so that it wouldn't be good ? Yes, it clearly is difficult !

. And he was the rider that a Mastermind contestant failed to get in his specialist subject.. .

South Africa's greatest ever rider, Henry Long, is 90 today, July 26th. http://www.speedway-sa.com/the-henry-long.php After a stroke in 2014 Henry relocated from Johannesburg to Franschhoek, near Cape Town, just a few streets away from his daughter, who tells me he's doing reasonably for his age, and is well looked after by dedicated staff. Anyone wishing to send him birthday greeting can do so here or can PM me and I'll forward them on..

. Odsal, - there was a stadium ! Built with a 120,000 capacity, set a 102,000 record (for Rugby in 1954) and its speedway record of 47,000 in 1947. I remember driving spirally down the bowl to the pits in the 1970 period.

. Well I didn't know about belts, I'm old school, as my question implies. And I've noticed that chain user don't put the split link on the inside today. Not surprised to hear of belts, as we've a Harley dealer in town and I've noticed they're driven by a rubber band. Doesn't sound high-tech advanced technology, does it. (but then H-Ds are dynosaural.)

Do riders still boil their chains in oil in a meat tray in the kitchen oven ? . . - or are chains now just another disposable item that pushes up costs ?

. Indeed, - There's different thread on Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, - http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=84506

Aggregate scores after 3 rounds, with the Final round to be staged at Belle Vue on Oct. 14th. Mark Cossar has a clear lead from Mick Cave, loosing his only points from an e/f at Somerset. RIDER & PASSENGER. AGGR. Mark Cossar & Carl Blyth 45, Mick Cave & Bradley Steer 39, Paul Whitelam & Terry Saunters 27, Tris Winterburn & Billy Winterburn 26, Will Penfold & Ricky Pay 23, Matt Fumarola & Gaz Williams 22, Mick Stace & Kizz Ivy 20, Richard Moore & Carl Pugh 18, Tom Cossar & Ryan Barker/W.Richards 15, Will Offen & Sam Black 13, Simon Beaney & Gareth Bemister/S.Fum. 10, Paul Johnson & Jason Farwell 9, Rod Winterburn & Ryan Watern 8, Andy Cossar & Mike Chittenden/J.Fum 7, Phil Wynn & Adam Cowper-Smith/S.Fum. 7, Stef Blyth & Sam Fumarola 7, Joe Mogg & Jake Cutler 6, Gareth Winterburn & Liam Brown 3, Neville Penfold & Kev Jones 2, Kevin Lapham & Jake Fumarola 1, Shaun Harvey & Dan Hogg 1,

Results

. Irene Pritchard was the long serving Secretary of the Cradley Heath Supporter Club, from the clubs initial days in the late 40s, having started as the Blackheath district secretary, until approx. 1972, when she was barred from the track by the promotion after they tried to insist she hand over Supporters Club funds. She did amazing work organising supporters coach trips to regular away meetings such as the biggies like the PLRC, Wembley, Belle Vue BLRC, when the Heathens numbered as many as 10 - 12 coach-fulls, carefully grouped so that drop-offs in the early morning hours were made as near to homes as possible. But the annual highlights of every Cradley season were the closed season Dinner & Dances at Old Hill Civic Hall that she and her mother organised, invites to which were greatly sort after by riders from both leagues. . She always credited the generous and helpful advise that was given to her early on in her tenure by the Wembley Supporters secretary. Below she is seen greeting the Polish ROW Rybnik team to Dudley Wood in 1965. Irene Pritchard passed away in about 2007.

. Okay, I'll have a go at ranking them :- Peter Prinsloo Mike Ferreria Denzil Kent Deon Prinsloo James Hadhow .