Grand Central

Looking back through a load of Stars from late 1971 it is obvious that there were just a few riders using Classic Monkey Masks that season. The majority were using a variety of chin/nose masks, possibly a lot homemade, along with the old fashioned 'gas goggles'. Going forward It is clear that the use of Monkey Masks increased exponentially through the early 1972 season. By August 1972 the great majority of action photos shows the guys using them. That was the turning point. Interestingly in early 72 there is a half page advert in some editions for Lewis Leathers that shows, alongside their traditional suits, a Monkey mask available for £2.99, although it is not called that by name, the photo is clear. I don't think they produced them but were stockists so I assume others started selling them at that time as well - and in big numbers it would seem.

Let's hope racing is top notch. It's going to be a hard slog with the rest ... Thicko bimbo babbling trackside and Thicko Roscoe babbling in the studio. Why ?

Last year the inside gates, particularly red, had an advantage across the whole night. BUT the first four races were won off yellow AND so was the Final. it's not all about the red gate every time.

Kolodzeij £200 MORE

Where's that flag Marshall from Eastbourne when we need him. Tai went almost an entire lap at top speed with red lights on and red flags out. Is there a Dugard in the house ?

A statement that should have stopped after two paragraphs.

I got a massive boost from Kolodziej ... He just seemed so cheap at 4-6 when I was watching practice .. Being put down as the absolute joint worst in the meeting just didn't seem right ... But never expected +10 though ... Amazing !

You are completely correct.

Yes. Well done to Zagar to be so open and honest about the incident. AND being so calm whilst explaining it in words of one syllable to someone who is under qualified for manning the burger stall.

Janusz Kolodziej £200 MORE with SS

I assume that the early summer stagings of previous Cardiff GPs means that a clash with the football like this has never happened before, has it ? Will the extra 18k+ folk (locals and those from Boro) in the town for it affect the plans for the GP festivities this year at all ?

True, but actually this point by Col may be even MORE of a reason to attend.

No Torben put that spin on it as if it were BSI's choice. It wasnt. But if Tai is back by then it will be sold as a masterstroke to hold it late.

Difficult not to get emotional seeing the great man like that ... and with his youngest grandson. Great to see him getting the sort of reception he deserves.

I think we know that. But that does not excuse them creating such a crap competition with a crap name, using the crappiest format and rules possible, on probably the crappiest track and with the crappiest referee they could find. And they running it over two days so that the really crappy nature of it could be drawn out for the longest time possible. They all had a duty to do better once they had made the decision to replace the SWC.

I notice such a conciliatory tone that you adopt whenever this comes up. Very shy to criticise the international forces at work in creating this hybrid abhorrence of a competition. Such a contrast to your approach to Brexit on another thread. I'd leave the SON without a deal like a shot. Shouting sod off Armando.

So they got rid of the SWC for this. The idea of Poland winning by miles year after year was so bad that it had to be stopped. And in its place they give us THIS. In just about every respect. Utter crap.

Much, I mean really MUCH, has been made of the new Great Britain Team management and structure. Being facetious I would say that they have improved the lads skipping technique no end. Though I am sure it goes much further than that. Behind the scenes. But up front, on show, with what matters on the Speedway side. Very little is different. Both last year's SON with nativity on tactics and this year's uninspiring team selection shows that they haven't advanced the actual speedway thinking one iota. Alun's personal stylist does get a ten out of ten for effort though. Must be the hardest job of the lot.

Yes we all know that. But that is not what he was saying

Idiot Tatum. Harris cannot take the rides of Cook.

Yes I agree about recent history. But I don't think he can get away with 'spinning' his past as being 'too aggressive', that does not wash. He was often nasty, dirty and deliberately intent on taken riders out. That went way beyond what we can accept as being just youthful aggression. Good that the referee saw it correctly last night.

Yes that view made it clear that it was Bellego's accident not due to illegal the riding of Pedersen. Reality is Pedersen has gained himself such a 'reputation' that most people cannot objectively see beyond. And he can only blame himself for that as he was such a dirty git way too often in the past.

Yes ... But that really does rely on the strong team affiliation to drive such success. Not sure if that is of any useful value in relation to streaming last night's type of event.

That is the real dilemma of this. It will be almost impossible to get That pricing right to achieve the outcome we want. Especially, it would seem, with Speedway fans. £5 is so cheap that some locals would not attend and yet £10 would probably be considered by most of us to be too much to spend on a live feed of such a meeting. Let's not forget this is a meeting that if not being held in this country very few folk would have cared about at all. And no one would have paid £5 to havevitt being cast from Poland or Czecho at all. Not sure that BSI would get any real take up on a live stream of GPs at £5 a time either, come to that. We may love our speedway but we don't really like paying much for it. We d all look for a hooky pirate stream instead.

I really do appreciate all that you say. And I am glad that you are enjoying the Star in 2019. Hopefully there are plenty more like you to keep it going. It must be me. More than anything. But I just dont like it and am not enjoying it at all this year. Main problem is probably the Lanning-ising of the articles now. Didnt like it in 1993 in the Mail and dont like it now. But I'll move along and allow others to get their fix as I did for 30 + years.