martinmauger

As did mine (and a mate's across town), good on you Pinegen 😉....

I get the above but apart from preferring hard printed copies of any magazine, digital versions aren't an option for me. Internet speeds are so random in these parts: I've watched live content of podcasts & such from Aussie, USA, Russia no probs at all, other times can take 5 or even 10 hours for an email to cross town. Likely cos while fibre optic is slowly being rolled out half the network connections are still copper cable, means BSN isn't an option either....

My Star w / e 20th Dec arrived today, think I'm up to date now so all is well 😉. I also feel for Pinegen, always feel a bit guilty asking for replacements (copies missing after 3 days never turn up) but they are ok about it, apologise & send duplicates straight away. I've sometimes bought another copy from likes of Asda / Tesco / TJ Jones / whoever but often there are none on the shelves, usually at the same time as my '3 days late & gon foreva' copies. Hmmm....

I received a totally unprecedented 2 Speedway Stars on Friday: w / 6 Dec at 8:00am then w / e 13 Dec at 2pm, so HA ! 😁 Just awaiting current issue, w / e 20th Dec....

Same ^^ , tho my Star arrived today - w/e 6th December, Josh Pickering cover (!), also bought additional copy in supermarkets / newsagents tho often not on shelves. Curiously a big no.4 was written on the white wrapping: no. of batches it will be delivered, issues I'm owed. Actually I'm owed 3. Shame but I'm also looking at cancelling my subscription....

Wot, no other 'track anoraks' ? Had it in mind the capacity could be circa 12,000, certainly waaay back in 1979 when Hull won the British League Div 1 4's (one seriously sweet day) there were 8 teams racing 2 semi finals, top 2 from each into the final. 3 full meetings witnessed by large crowd, those were he days....

A thought occured to me, with 2 GPs at Belle Vue once more in 2026, Glasgow looking at staging one in the future & available (to speedway stadia) in the UK not sufficient in size for one GP meeting: anyone know what is the capacity of Owlerton with the turns 2 & 3 / back straight terracing being open ? Like I said, just a thought....

Same, Had 7-day date sensitive documents turn up - after 20 days, fortunately I anticipated this & had already acted on them, not the point though. I picked last Star in newsagent on Staurday, as a subscriber last issue I received was w/e 29th November. Still, prob means I'll have plenty to read over Christmas after they (hopefully) all arrive at once....

Lucky you, still waiting for my copy. Don't tell Pinegen, sshh, but when it's Iate I've often bought a copy from newsagents & passed it on when my original arrived, though it sometimes isn't on any shop shelves. Online vers not for me, despite using (apparently) 'super fast' fibre optic broadband, the reliability & variations in speed have to be experienced to be beleived. E.g. I've watched live events from all over the world with perfect picture & in-sync sound. At other times can take a 'mere' 5 hours for an email to arrive at the other side of Hull, quicker to walk, say what I need to say, then walk back. I too prefer the hard copy vers, spending as I am much of my work days staring into a screen. That said, internet services outside the city aren't just fast, but connect pretty much instantly, no wee scrolling blue circle. So sadly the likes of BSN aren't for me, I have watched Prem matches, SGPs & SON's on TNT at a friend's house, they being Netflix & Sky subscribers. Saturday update: stil no Star, none in Asda, Tesco nor TJ Jones (formally WH Smith) neither. Sigh....

Not just you, same here and with pal t'other side of Hull. All postal deliveries here are gradually getting worse. Sigh....

Thomas confirmed in his excellent book Wheels & Deals that he used his 'speedway special' tape measure when the track inspection at Hull, Boulevard, was conducted by SCB official ex-rider Bill Kitchen in 1971. Ian held the, apparently, short end & Kitchen the other saying "well Ian, you've just made it", track width wise. Thomas reckoned the back straight measured 24 feet, the minimum being 25ft in those days, but anyone who visited the Boulevard will confirm it appeared even a tad more narrow than that. I met Ian just after his book was published, showed him my many photos from the Boulevard he said "we really didn't have a lot of room there, did we ?". After having my book signed to me I thanked him for "providing me with 7 years of entertainment (my entry point was 1974) & stimulating my interest in the sport ", which obviously continues to this day. I showed the same photos & repeated my thanks to Ivan Mauger, I also gave Ivan dozens of pics I took of him....

And Hull, tho we almost completed the following season (2005) with 2 home matches outstanding and we had a lot of sponsorship: team naming with race-bib logo + plenty programme ads inc all 3 armed forces. Thre needs to be some kind of 'wage cap'-type financial solution (loads points & huge wins make loads outgoings), it's ridiculous for any team to win the league then close down. That said the likes of Glasgow & Poole somehow manage not doing it....

In the Haynes Motor Museum in Somerset, named after the guy who started the famous maintenace manuals, there used to be a 'speedway room', packed with speeedway exhibits. This would have been around 10 years or so back, infuriatingly I can't find my pics right now, but there were race bibs, bikes, pictures, a looping history video, etc. Don't appear to be there anymore on the website the website you need to download the map to view but it was situated in area named 'Motorcycle Mezzanine'. Yes, pretty much right at the back. https://www.haynesmuseum.org/the-museum/ Time was short so sadly we coudn't hang around, but the girl on reception was amazed when I asked "where the speedway was at ?" as, I didn't have a lot of time. Her eyes almost popped out of her head when I walked past 20mins later saying "that's all I came to see, must dash". I mean who wants to spend hours viewing IOM TT bikes, F1 cars, rally cars, a room full of Ferraris, etc after speedway anyway 😉. Well, I did actually, but oh well.....

Along with All The Young Dudes, despite his guitar being 'electric junk' following his Memphis trip. I'm not that old but I recently got into Mott The Hoople along with Uriah Heep, Nazareth & Jethro Tull. Anyway speedway then, still no firm news re: 2026 I take it....

Riders giving fans, esp children, a quick wave after a hard fought race would be nice. As a neutral, a few times at Scunny I've seen riders from [name redacted], but one of the teams you always meet at the business end of the season, battle through from the back for a heat win - then disappear back to the pits without waving to their travelling support, which included children. I've pondered out loud "Well, I'd think twice about travelling circa 250 - 300 miles to support riders who find it too much trouble to travel (circa) 250 - 300 metres & give their fans a quick wave". Actually, being 'speedway - mad' (for which there is no cure !) I'd still travel support a team of my own & that I identify with anyway, but I'm sure I've made my point here....

TBH I'm surprised more clubs haven't adopted & adapted 'the Oxford model" of operating 2 or more teams out of the one track. Like, keep essentially the same riders in each team, e.g. from Championship to Premiership level, swap out say a reserve / 2nd string & add GP level rider. So regular speedway each week, watching the same riders with no "he rides for your track one week, against you the next week in a different team"....

Replacement Star here, yay. Used to have it reserved at local newsagent as supermarkets & other newsagents often didn't carry it "Speedway What ?". I began subscribing as I lost patience with "oh it hasn't arrived yet" lies - "erm, isn't that the 'Star on that pile on the floor, hmmm ?". So I cancelled all our magazine & office sandwich orders so "I'd get them the same day as everyone else". That said, I've noticed if (when ?) my copy is late, all above menshed shops often have the mag on display shelves. So Glasgow / Poole went to a Super Heat after 30 regular heats, next up is Poole v Redcar BSN Final, Bears hold a 2pt lead from 1st leg, wonder how that went....

TBH it's late most weeks, sometimes very late. I asked the postwoman, was told they deliver 1st class letter post in my area every other day, alternate weeks i.e. "one week it's Monday, Wednesday & Friday, the next it's Tuesday, Thursday & maybe a Saturday". Nice of them to bother🤔. Used to be on time every Thursday, even during lockdown, delivery issues really started when they used clear plastic bags, been getting ever worse since....

Thanks for reply Deano kinda what I thought. Of course you have the riders who once the green light illuminates open the throttle fully & keep it pinned til the tapes rise and those who use the same method to 'warm a bike up' from cold (!), cringe, prepare to duck the flying shrapnel....

Too true, there is one just north of Hull & another half along the A180 towards Grimsby. This area is, of course, famous for regular long hot summers with many hours of sunshine all year round😉. Meant to ask you Deano, what RPMs are the rev limiters set to & what do the bikes asctually rev to ? Each time I tell bikers & mecahics "speedway engines: 500cc single cylinder 4-stroke, rev to circa 12 - 13,000 RPM, need a rebuild every 20 miles or so" eyes widen & jaws often drop.....

Speaking as a neutral with a somewhat 'helicopter view' of the sport (tho I cheered out loud when Dan won SGP rounds & GB won the SONs), I'm pleased for Chris Louis & all at Ipswich. They obv did a lot of promotion down Foxhall way going by the huge crowd, hearing rock music played on the PA (did anyone else notice Rock & Roll All Nite by Kiss ?)+ the flame pots on the centre green, the meeting looked an occasion where one would say "I wish I'da bin there". That's how it's done, good stuff....

Indeed he did. He also said "nothing teaches you like riding abroad & getting a hiding", GB guys rode as well as they could, got a good heat win in their last ride, will defo learn from the experience & so do better next time. Regarding Lambert apparently not recognising PC, Ivan once made an unannounced & unintroduced visit to the Hull pits, Craven Park era 2000 or so, after talking to all the riders one was heard to remark "who was that bloke & what does he know about speedway ?!". As it happens, Ivan knew quite a bit about speedway😉....

A good idea in the Premiership & Championship divisions would be for a trophy given to the team finishing in first place, call it 'League Winners Cup', then award another for the winner of the play offs, 'League Champions Trophy', keeps everyone happy....

Also 2 factors stock cars have in their favour are: don't think events are rained off (happy to be proven wrong) & almost guarranteed on-track entertainment, esp 'demolition derby'-style races. Never been to watch stox either, keep meaning to pop along to Scunny one time I'm told by those in the know I'd love it, but like with speedway much of this year, the trick is / was finding the time. Life does tend to get in the way of such things a wee bit....

I also noticed people I knew from Hull who I'd never seen at Scunny, or any track, before Friday, hope they enjoyed what they saw. Some good racing, one or two incedents to talk about and - pretty sure I've never seen a 5-0 to each side in the one match. You can ever really tell with speedway, not 100%, keeps the sport interesting....