martinmauger

Think the above is the main future issue. Social distancing is certainly doable in outdoor speedway stadia, possibly not the more enclosed arenas like Cardiff, but think medical cover will be very difficult to secure....

Really hope the Speedway Star gets many more subscriptions and is able to continue for 2020 season and beyond. I'm still pleased I 'Sub the Star', and 99/100 the mag arrives crisp, dry and sharp (no biffed corners) each and every Thursday. A great read and something I very much look forward to each week, especially in these difficult times. Keep up the good work Phil Rising & Co ....

(Non) fun fact: pretty sure Stoney's blue & pink kevlars were stolen. Anyone know what Ian Thomas is pointing at on and finds amusing Stoney's neck ? ....

Same here, sadly almost word for word, especialy hi-lited emboldened part, + a much younger family member hospitalised with full-on Covid-19 symptoms. You could also add staff wandering from department to department and and / or standing around in huddles gossiping - all without the sometimes 'fashion item regarded' PPE gear that some bleat on they so desperately need. There are of course many very caring, dedicated and hard-working NHS staff too. I'll stop in order to calm down and before I say something I may later regret, except s*** got real....

Yeah, brilliant issue of the Speedway Star this week, including part 1 of a UK track anorak's paradise . I do love reading rider's opinions of the tracks, 'Subscribe To The Star'; you know it makes sense....

Ah that's a shame, I enjoyed reading his speedway articles (and agreed with a lot of what he said). RIP....

Me too, as I spend mot of my work hours staring at a screen. I often read at work where peeps will sometimes ask "did you see last nite's match, wasn't it great" I deliberately reply "Oh you mean Belle Vue v Swindon (or whoever) when Fricke came from nowhere to win , brilliant!" . They often reply "no, Man U v Liverpool or (whoever)" . But whatever works for you, great read either way....

It is indeed a VERY goord read, highly reccomended as is the follow-up 'More Confessions'. Tony ain't paying me either ....

Think he said he'd rather folk bin his book after reading, rather than donate to a charity shop . Seriously though, it's a good book and I still have my (signed) copy....

There used be a range of Raleigh bicycles, not quite BMX but today we would call semi-mountain bikes, one was a Grifter (the one I wanted) and a smaller model called a Striker or Strika; tag line, along the lines of "aimed at the young speedway rider". Thiing is, it really didn't look much like a speedway bike, anymore than the rest....

That's it, it's why we are all here, flippin' brilliant sport . When the conditions are right ........

That's what my mum does, TBH she started doing it accidentally, my dad just puts the phone down sometimes telling such callers to "do one". Me, despite not giving my phone no. to anyone for years, being ex-directory and having a 'block' on my number I still receive quite a few, if it's a number I don't recognise I just don't answer, if it's important (it next to never is) they will text or write to me....

Would have been nice if Ivan had won in 1973 as he was riding a long-stroke, longtrack JAWA engine and was pretty much passing for fun that day, though it has to be said the starts were, interesting. I only got to to see the meeting years afterward but imagine the tension if it shown on live TV (don't think it was) : a winner take all run-off between the current World Champion (Ivan) v local rider in the form of his life (Szczakiel), just as Ivan is about to make his move they clash, and we all know the rest....

I believe so too, not sure why that was exactly so won't comment. I do love my books and I've prob listed only 1/4 of my speedway section, but I read widely on many subjects and likely own many 100's of titles, probably 'training' from my student years....

Got the Wiggy book too, also books on Swindon Speedweay, Sam Ermolenko & Jason Crump, Chris Morton's When the Can Ran Out, not got brother Dave's book or John Louis' book yet.. The Moran Brothers, Kelly Moran - Hell Of A Life (to say the least), both by Brian Burford, Ivan Mauger - The Man Behind the Myth by John Chaplin. 'Slight' Hull bias in my collection but i like all speedway books...

Was that due to flying in general or because you flew in a Comet ?! I saw cut-away sections of a Comet at an air museum and all of the, not sure of the phrase, but the 'corrosion' or 'air bubble casting faults' within the alloy / alluminium components were frightning. Though in it's Nimrod form, the Comet became a well-sorted aeroplane. Shame they were all broken up, now replaced with Boeing 737 'Poseidon' aircraft. Yeah, I enjoyed the Splish Splash Show 1977 World Final too, and 1972, 1973, 1976 & 1979 were also good ones....

As Luck Would Have It by Len Silver, Raw Speed by Tai Woffinden & Peter Oakes, Tommy Jansson, Legend Who Died Young by Magnus Nystrom, Both Sides Of the Fence by Reg Fearman. My list goes on, books all about speedway obviously but also books to really get one's teeth into and really get into & behind the stories told. Though I don't reccomened actually eating any of the titles ....

Back From the Brink by Michael Lee, Tragedy - Kenny Carter by Tony McDonald, Light In the Darkness by Alan Carter, Tears And Glory - The Winged Wheel Story (Reading) by Arnie Gibbons. It coud be said I do like a good read, especially speedway (no, really).....

Sadly we likely won't be watching any live speedway for a while I'd encouage people to subsctibe to Speedway Star, and possibly also the excellent Retro Speedway publications of Classic Speedway and Backtrack. Think the Retro Speedway mags are subscription only anyway, happy to be proved wrong there, but the Star sales will be massively hit by lack of track sales and now at supermarkets. I began 'subbing The Star' by accident so sick was I of the mag 'being late' according to newagents and you know what, I wish I'd subscribed much earlier, it arrives crisp and early on Thursday mornrings and one saves on the cover price of £3.00, paying only £2.30 per issue, the price of some programmes. A 3-monthly 'Star subscription of 13 issues is £30, a yearly sub to Backtrack (6 issues) is £25; both roughly the price of 2 meetings we won't be seeing anyway. We are in self-lockdown and need something to occupy ourselves, are lacking in speedway so I reccomend helping out Phil Rising & Co at the Speedway Star and also Tony McDonald & his team at Retro Speedway, if only for the current difficult times til we can enjoy live speedway once more. Stating the obvious disclaimer: I set up & pay for my own magazine subscriptions and posted the above only to express my own opinion. So, cheques in the post then Phil & Tony ? ....

Think Boris measure were brought in earlier than planned partly as reaction to the idiots behaving like lemmings / locusts who rushed to the seaside and gleefully queued up for fish & chips & ice cream. Still, good to see Hull City Council workers are out and about today cutting the grass, 'essential services' obviously must continune in these difficult times . Stay clean & safe everyone...

From the top of my head: The Will To Win by Ivan Mauger & Martin Rogers, Wembley And Beyond - Barry Briggs, The History of Hull Speedway 1930-1981 & Hull Speedway: Craven Park The First 10 Years both by Roger Hulbert, Wheels & Deals by Ian Thomas, Booey - Around In Circles by Eric Boocock, Confessions Of A Speedway Promoter & More Confessions both by John Berry, Simmo - The Whole Truth by Malcolm Simmons....

Similar here, most weeks myself & 'the girlf' visit an elderly relative in a Hull care home. Well Thursday nite (12th) we were advised the building will be on lockdown for at least 2 weeks from Friday 13th. Not good obviously for anyone but I feel for the residents who won't understand why they haven't had any visitors....

Moving slightly sideways once more, which is what we do in speedway, had me a check up at the local hospital. I sat down & picked up a photography magazine, first page I opened was an article on sports photography, first picture I saw was the no.7 Peterborough rider from 2019 (forget who it was). The verdict, BTW, was: "I'm sorry Mr Martin M, there is no cure for your interest in speedway you will likely watch, read & talk about, and occasionally (try to) ride it, indefintely". Plus I was only waiting for 5 mins so a good result there....

Recall at Hull's Craven Park there were / are disabled parking bays literally behind the main stand and there was / is a lift inside the actual stand, just inside what was the turn 1 entrance, which took folk right up to the bar(s) then the seating area. It will be understood that I've had no reason to visit CP since 2005, though I've had the odd look-see since, not a trace of speedway left....

Oh but he has, he most certainly has. He's no doubt already contemplating his next battle and would likely blow a gasket if I told him about the disabled parking discussions regarding Peterborough, which I hope get sorted asap BTW....