The White Knight

R.I.P + Eddie. My condolences to his friends and Family.

My point exactly norbold - but - I wasn't able to Post it. I did try - unsuccessfully.

My Son informs me that Aaron Summers is asking, on Twitter, if anyone needs a full time Mechanic as he isn't sure he will get a Team this year. It will be a downright shame if he doesn't get a Track, he is a very good Rider in my opinion and definitely does not deserve to be left on the shelf. Good luck to you Aaron - you deserve better.

The old Boldon Stadium, Sunderland still stands mick. In great condition, quite palatial in fact, and it is probably the premier Dog Track in the North East. Sadly it is now Forty One years since Speedway graced the Stadium.

It is a very difficult question to answer CHR. I suppose it depends on what Promoter you get. We, at Sunderland, started off in 1964 with Parker and Bridgett their main Teams (Newcastle and Wolverhampton) were not doing well o they closed Sunderland after NINE Meetings giving the reason of bad weather and poor Crowds despite there being 8,000 at the penultimate Meeting (Source:- Sunderland Echo). In 1971 to 1974 we did OK under Allied Promotions we were then sold on and ended up with some Promoters who didn't have much idea of how to run a Track- the result we lost ALL of our first ten or so Home Meetings - you can't expect to do that and keep the Crowds we lost loads of Supporters and closed down. Speedway has never been seen in Sunderland since.

To absolutely nobodies surprise I totally agree with your 'rant' CHR. I am anti the GPs and BSI as well.

"Stone Cold says so"!!! :)

We must agree to differ BW.

No I haven't - at times Speedway, for some reason does go in to decline. However there is no way you can say that the GPs have slowed or reversed the decline. What they have done is to be, to a large extent, responsible for the really TOP Riders not racing here in Great Britain any more. As the top Riders have left, so crowds have dropped - it isn't rocket science. Now we are down to the hard core older demographic Supporters, like myself, who will continue to support the Sport until they 'die off'. With very few young Supporters coming along - Speedway will eventually do the same in this Country. So there you are - you are working from a false premise.

80,000 plus at Wembley. Same thing happened in the Fifties and early Sixties. What does that prove.

That's true actually - but crucially - BSI/GP Series certainly sped things up.

Probably not. once you have lost Supporters and Sponsors it is very, very difficult to get them back. But there is no way that the so called modernization of Speedway can be hailed as a success, sadly, because the regression continues Season on Season. Also - at least British Speedway picked up some revenue (badly needed nowadays) from the old World Final - as far as I understand it gets bugger all from BSI for the GPs. That is, at least in part, where the rot started.

Are they Horses?? 'Snicker'............................................. :rofl: :rofl:

Me too. Puzzled. Sunderland.

Very sad News. R.I.P. + Danny.

Now that sounds more like it.

I absolutely agree 100% with those comments. Well said.

Freeloaders have been a big gripe of mine for years. I simply can't understand why they are allowed to get away with it.

'Farmer' Grant the Father of Rob Grant (senior) and Grandfather of Rob Grant (Junior) only had one eye.

Have you seen it like?................................. :shock: :D

Very good point.

You can only ride where the Event is held. Fortunately for Freddie it was on his own Track. To me that doesn't lessen his achievements one little bit. A great World Champion and he was a great man too.

I would probably have to say Ivan Mauger, to answer the question as best, and as honestly, I can. However, my favourite World Champion would definitely be 'Briggo'.

But I thought all of this rubbish, including the GPs was meant to make Speedway more popular. That worked well - didn't it? Those things are largely responsible for increasing COSTS and driving even more people away from Speedway.

No they didn't. OR - the argument could be put from the other viewpoint. Crowds started dropping when a lot of this newfangled rubbish came in to the Sport. Think about it!!