Hunters

I Don't understand where your coming from ruckerroo, I have analysed Warwick's results in his last year which was 2012 around the I O W. His scores were 12,10,7,12,10,12,11,2,12,15,6,13. That's 122 points in 12 matches,sometimes 4 rides sometimes 5 rides. I only found 1 Fall, 2 Exclusions,and 1 Engine Fail which was his worst night with 2 points and presumably he had ongoing Mechanical problems. In the process he got a 15 max against four FDR's Neilsen, Halsey, Jacobs & Morley and a 12 max against the USA with Gina Manzares. He also beat Kerr, Garrity, Sargeant & Bates. Away was obviously tougher with usually 5,6 or 7 but he also managed a 14 paid 15. Why do you say the IOW was not big enough for him to get round? If he performs like that next year he will be a popular chap at Arlington.

As a new team in this division they are in a difficult position with little asset base at this level. I think Connor Dugard has retired and never looked comfortable on the bike and Brandon Freemantle has done nothing the last 4 or 5 years since he was under 15 Champion despite chances at Rye House, Kent & I think I O W as reserve. This only leaves Kelsey Dugard who I think is a fine prospect and will surely be there. With at least a couple of new teams there will be a scramble for the top scorers and most teams wont let go of their top boys so the newcomers will have to settle for left overs. Pretty much like Leicester joining the Elite. They will not want to bring in all youngsters and do a Scunthorpe of this year. It makes sense to bring in someone like Warwick who is unattached and has a lot of experience as a starting point and I wont be surprised to see another like him join in to form the engine room of the team. Add on the best two they can get from the ' left overs' and another couple of youngsters and they could get a reasonably balanced and competitive team going forward.

That is probably not a problem to teams attached to senior tracks like Coventry, Kings Lynn, Scunthorpe & Cradley(Wolves), but how do the likes of Devon & Buxton survive when they have to cover Stadium Costs? It will certainly be a interesting year but I have a feeling the only one.

I have not followed NL much so am curious to know how they build teams. I have a feeling there is no 'points total' and no attempt to equalise the teams at the start of the season. This would account for Cradley being much too strong this year and Scunthorpe without a single point at the bottom. If Eastbourne are to rebuild the fan base this year they will have to be at least competitive, not always winning but competitive. I can't imagine any of us would have gone to see either of these teams this year. A succession of 5-1's with riders strung out over half a lap or more is not going to do the trick.

I guess that's the problem of recalling 66 years of detail without having reference books to check my memory but Ronnie Moore did win it or did he? You will have me doubting my own name.

Only just picked this thread up I didn't think anybody would remember Bell End. It was my introduction to Speedway. We lived in Peterborough and several Sunday Afternoons my Father took us to Bell End for what we thought was a group of local lads riding bikes round a dirt track with only a wire fence and some Railway sleepers for people to stand on. We went to Lunch at a Hotel next to the track and sat at a table next to one of the riders I had come to like best and I got my Father to get his autograph for me. Next year we heard that Leicester Hunters had started up and spent every Friday for many years going there. On the first visit I bought my first Speedway Magazine and there on the front page was a photo of my favourite from Bell End. He wasn't a local lad but the Wembley & England Captain Bill Kitchen. There were several full Speedway meetings at Bell End on Sundays and names that come to mind are 'Tiger' Hart , Oliver Hart, Geoff Pymer, Jack & Norman Parker, Eric Chitty in addition to Kitchen

First race not last? The little grey cells must be going quicker than I thought. now you have me doubting everything I remember.r

As one of those 'Old Gits' who started in the 40's let me put my oar in. We know its difficult to compare generations rather like trying to compare Fangio with Senna in F1 but I am sure that the best of the Pre War riders would hold their own if on levels terms. They certainly had the guts with the risks they took on that equipment and in those conditions, no wonder there were so many fatalities. I only saw some of the Pre War riders but from what people who did see them told me the general opinion was that Vic Huxley was No 1. In the 40's I seem to recall that Vic Duggan set what is possibly still a record 33 consecutive league heat wins at the top level. My personal top 10 that I have seen (8 is not enough) in no particular order are Duggan, Briggs, Fundin, Moore, Craven, Mauger,Gundersen, Neilsen, Rickardson,Crump. I leave out Collins,Lee & Penhall because for my thinking they were gone too soon and I cannot believe I have left out the brilliant Jack Young but again he was in and out so lacked a continuous run. Stats can also be misleading I remember watching Dave Jessup at Wembley on a 15 point maximum comfortably leading in his final race and only needing 2nd place for the World Title, suddenly on the last bend, of I think the third lap his chain comes off and that was the end of the dream for him. Ole Olsen watching from the pits could not have believed his luck as he was gifted his third title. There have been several similar instances over the years. In the famous old words there are Statistics, Statistics and Damned Lies My personal favourite with his red scarf flying behind him it was Ronnie Moore. If he had committed more to speedway instead of missing some seasons out to help his father he would have won more than two titles and Briggs and Fundin would have had less. How I still remember watching the Internationale at Harringay in 1961 when Moore beat Fundin, Briggs and Craven in style. His only failing was he never rode for my team ! Now you can all say it 'An Old Gits Nostalgia'

Hi Gemini I enjoyed the book and have passed it to the third Generation to educate him on the days when it really was a sport. You seem to have a better knowledge of music than me so can you tell me what the music was that the Hunters marched out to? Nearly 70 years on the tune is still buzzing around in my head. The only words I can put to it are ' You'll be far better off, far better off, in the end '. Which is probably all wrong.

As a matter of interest who was the 8th Coventry rider n that programme? I saw that team two or three times that year against the Hunters and the only name I can come up with is Johnnie 'Cream Bun Kid 'Reason.

Thank you guys for your advice . I think I will settle for going early.

Sorry to invade your thread but I am coming up to the Midlands in a few weeks time for my first visit to Beaumont Park. As an old Hunters fan from 1949 I am getting infirm and cannot stand for long. Do you have a seating area at BP or do I have to bring our own chairs.? I have been told the walk from the Car Park is rather long have you any tips?

You can add Eastbourne v Belle Vue to your schedule , but it should not have been. I am 5 miles from the track , we had no rain from Monday to Thursday and the Met forecast was heavy rain most of Friday and going through the night until Mid Morning Saturday. Fridays Deluge did not appear and when we had a shower at 4.30 I emptied the rain gauge out ready to see how much we would have overnight. After a couple of 20 minute showers it cleared up and at 4.00 the next morning I looked out and everywhere was dry . At 7.00 it was raining intermitently but not heavily until about 9.30 and then stopped. I checked the gauge and it was just under half an inch. I thought that if it did not rain again the meeting was certain to go on as Arlington drains very well and the amount was small anyway. However the Met Office still had it down for rain and made it worse by extending rain into the evening forecast. I then heard the meeting was postponed. Now some 30 hours later we still have not had one splash of rain. I dont blame the management they had to make an early decision or be criticised again by the usual suspects for making fans & riders travel if it had rained heavily but the Met Office let us down, I think it would have been a good meeting to start the season off

So sorry to hear of Freddie Williams death. I saw him on numerous occasions including his two World titles . What a fantastic rider he was and he stood almost alone at times against the mighty Australian Test Team of the day. I doubt that we will see his like again from Britain. Makes the current lot look even more feeble

Thank you Gemini, Much appreciated and I will give you the full £15 . Send an E Mail to robinnetta@talktalk.net and I will send you a cheque and my address. Maybe when the Lions & Eagles meet up in 2014 we will be able to get together.

Thank You Hurricanes and Fanmail for the information as regards Hunters Era. I was able to contact Alan Jones and have bought two of the three books. Unfortunately the missing one is the one I wanted Hunters Era which is out of print. If any old Hunters fan has read it from cover to cover and finished with it I would be happy to buy it. Here's keeping my fingers crossed.

Can anybody make an old man happy and tell me where I can get a copy of the book Leicester Speedway 'The Hunters Era' . I have so many memories of 1949 onwards but sometimes the detail escapes me. I do remember the match against Liverpool Chads when a sixteen year old 'midget' fell off every time. His name was Peter Craven . Any information would be appreciated. Sorry you guys were not allowed in the Elite League, I had already made arrangements to stay with old freinds in Birstal for the Eagles match but I guess thats on hold until 2014.

According to their website Eastbourne will be staging a round on July 8th at Arlington which will give us the opportunity to see some of this young talent.

The final standings of the 250cc Youth championships in 2011 were 1 Nathan Greaves 2 Reece Downes 3 Kelsey Dugard 4 Josh Bates I have read with interest the comments about Greaves and Bates and they look encouraging for the future although I have not seen them. I have however seen Kelsey Dugard and the way he enters turn three at speed and rounds the bend so smoothly is really impressive. A perfect style and I can't wait to see him on a 500cc and to think he is only 13. With his family backing and support plus all the track time he wants on both the Arlington tracks he must be one of our best prospects. Perhaps there is some light at the end of a pretty dismal tunnel?

As a newcomer to these forums I find reading these threads bringing back memories long forgotten. When I got a job and moved from Leicester to London in 1960 I soon made friends with a colleague who was an old West Ham supporter and spent hours chatting about the Hunters and Hammers in the 1940's & 50's. One day in either 1962 or 63 we saw an article in the local paper saying that Mike Parker was opening up at Hackney Wick and asking for volunteers to meet him and dear old Eddie Glennon. We thought this would be a laugh and went along thinking we might end up raking the track or pushing bikes. When Mike found out we were Accountants he said I've got just the job for you and we finished up doing the riders pay, expenses Etc. We also played (and supplied) the music in between races in the commentary box with Ted Sear. This carried on after the Len Silver take over until I moved Overseas in 1967 . Whilst Colin Pratt and Roy Trigg were top Hawks I will never forget a young 16 year old having his first ride sat bolt upright like he had a broom handle up his back and looking very ungainly. A few weeks later he made the team and went on to become a legend who still raced in 2002 at the age of 55. Of course I refer to Malcolm Simmons. When I returned to the UK 10 years later I heard the terrible news of Eddie Glennon but never lived in London again or visited Waterden Rd. At that first volounteers meeting we also met a man called Frank who got the job of Pits Marshall, the three wives got on well and we travelled to away meetings but lost touch when we moved abroad. I think his name was Chapman but I am not certain because the little grey cells are beginning to fail. I would think he might have stayed with the Hawks right through to the 80's. Does anybody know him?