norbold

No.11 is Dave Jessup

Yes, you could be right about 1972. It was the one year, Ole topped Ivan in the averages too. OK, I'll give you that one!

No. 60 again... If Brian Leonard is in red, the other West Ham rider must be Ted Ede and the Poole riders are: White - Ronnie Genz; Y&B - Pete Munday. (and it's Heat 8 of the West Ham v. Poole match on 27 July) If Brian Leonard is in blue then the other Hammer is Sverre Harrfeldt. I'll save the Poole riders until you tell me if Brian is in red.... How am I doing, Gem?

Stop sitting on the fence, TTF. Why can't you just say who you want to win.

61 looks like Peter Craven Damn! You just beat me to it Grachan!

Just some preliminary thoughts.... I agree with Grachan about 1980. I think Michael Lee would have won. 1983-1988 almost impossible to say which of the two, Nielsen and Gundersen, would have won each year. Pot luck! I know I shall incur the wrath of many on here, but I don't think Kenny Carter would have won in 1982 either. I'd go for Bruce Penhall. 1972 I'd go for Mauger over Olsen - more consistent. Olsen had his moments, but over a whole Grand Prix season can't see him beating Mauger. Just to go back a bit in time: 1960 Ove Fundin (Ove Fundin) 1961 Ove Fundin (Ove Fundin) 1962 Ove Fundin (Peter Craven) 1963 Ove Fundin (Ove Fundin) 1964 Barry Briggs (Barry Briggs) 1965 Igor Plechanov (Bjorn Knutsson) 1966 Barry Briggs (Barry Briggs) 1967 Barry Briggs (Ove Fundin) 1968 Ivan Mauger (Ivan Mauger) 1969 Ivan Mauger (Ivan Mauger)

It can't be Ray Wickett because he's in third place! Don't forget Dave Wills, killed on 22 June. Anyway, the point of this posting is to say, I agree, CHK, it does look a lot like Stan's style. Wait till I get home and look up my programmes. 1965, what a year for the Hammers!

Ian Perkin already has a web site devoted to the history of the Dons, which I believe is also now on the official Wimbledon Web Site. However, I am quite happy to e-mail you copies of photographs I have. It could take some time.....

It is correct, but I don't think he has any for sale any more. You just have to keep a look out on eBay, dealers' lists, etc.

That's very sad, TTF, that you should take sport so seriously....

Thanks for that, keith, an interesting snippet. But what about Crasher Coxhead?

Oh god! Norbold don't I actually am the proud owner of his record "Speedway" So you're the person who bought it. I often wondered who it was... ;-)

Reg was one of my favourites too (him and Jimmy Gooch). He was also my favourite at West Ham. I was very upset when he was swapped for Olle Nygren. A great character with a great singing voice (!) if I remember correctly...

I'm with you there Star Lady! Jason Crump for this year though.

OK, I know we've done this before (nicknames), but I was reading an article on 1929 by Denys Jones in the latest article of Vintage Speedway Magazine and I was struck by the colourful names employed in the early days of the sport. These are just some of the names of riders who appeared in the Northern League (English League) in 1929: Dusty Haigh Buster Breaks Skid Knock Slider Shuttleworth Nobby Kendrick Sprouts Griffiths Skid Pelvin Crasher Coxhead Smoky Stratton Bronco Dixon Yank Harrison Skid Skinner Speed Formby Bunny Wilcox Riskit Riley Smoke Robinson Skid Hanley I wonder what Crasher Coxhead did to earn his nickname? And as for Smoke Robinson, didn't he later go on to be a singer..... Where are they now??? Sigh!!!

A crash at Natestved in Denmark mid way through the 1954 season left Ronnie Moore with a leg in plaster and his knee broken in five places. After two months out of action Ronnie managed to qualify for his fifth World Final despite the handicap of a still mending leg. On World Final night itself he was wearing a metal brace to support his broken knee.

Ronnie Moore WON the World Final with a broken leg.

As I said on another thread if Crumpy hadn't run out of fuel in the Slovenian Grand Prix he would now be at least 13 points in front. I just hope he wins as he deserves it.

I now have a very rich Polish work colleague!

Should be fascinating, DavyH. Do you have a name for this rider?

Better to have Wimbledon in the Conference League than no Wimbledon at all. Let's just take our time on this one, eh and let the crowds build round the success of the Dons in the Conference arena?

Damn! You've spotted my weakness....

There isn't much in the way of general statistics. There are a few year books by Peter Oakes - 1991, 1993 and 1999. Other than that there are more specific histories like the "Speedway in ..." Tempus series and Robert Bamford's World Championship History. Hope that helps.

I think the Pride of the East started in 1957 at Norwich. The first few winners were: 1957: Ove Fundin 1958: Peter Craven 1959: Peter Craven 1960: Bjorn Knutsson 1961: Peter Craven 1962: Bjorn Knutsson Now you can dazzle them with your knowledge at King's Lynn!! ;-)

Thanks for the info, sm. I have a colleague at work who is Polish and a speedway fanatic. He has just put £20 on Gollob because he says the track is being prepared specially for him (Gollob that is, not my colleague). What a surprise, eh?