customhouseregular

I watched the 1972 World Final highlights on youtube last night. I was there that night but did not recall the blatant rolling and jumping starts. The ref that night was certainly keen to let the riders go. Starts like that today would been a lot of exclusions and restarts. Dave Lanning's commentary was a hoot.

Kenny Carter, Christer Lofqvist and Sverre Harrfeldt never reached the absolute pinnacle and Emil Sayfutdinov has yet to get there, but I can't think of four more exciting riders.

I thought so WK .

With our Antipodean friends riding for GB in WTC events the picture for GB was distorted.I was purely looking at the WC due to its almost 80 year history. In any case if I widen the scope GB might not come top . One can always add caveats .

If you took every British rider who never became World Champion, but finished 2nd. or 3rd. in the World Championship, you would have a pretty good field for a Grand Prix. I might go for John Louis to win that one .

How does one measure the above? In terms of World Championships won Sweden and Denmark lead the way with 14 each. In terms of most successful riders Sweden and New Zealand come top with Rickardsson and Mauger. My way is to look at the total number of individuals who have medaled in the World Championship. Because Sweden, Denmark and New Zealand have multiple champions/medalists they have fewer individuals on that list. Australia have more than Sweden and USA have more than Denmark, but way out in front with a massive 25 individuals are GREAT BRITAIN. Proof positive that GB are the World's most successful speedway nation e,+o.e. .

If you are referring to riders who came second in a World Final you can't really include Emil. But, you have to include the Hammers... Simmons, Wally Green and Harrfeldt. Nearly men is a loose description if we are going to include riders who finished lower than second. Unless I am mistaken, Leigh Adams never made the top 3 in a World Final, so he could not win a World Final of the nearly men . Sentiment says Sverre Harrfeldt would win but I suspect Igor Plechanov would take the honours.

Don't forget gustix that pre 1981 just about anyone who was anyone rode for British teams, so it was practically certain Wembley finals would be won by British based riders. Pre 1961 all finals were held at Wembley so riders could not win anywhere else. In the early years Wembley staged league speedway so home advantage played a big part. What we will never know of course is if the rotation system had been in place from 1936, would LVP, TP and FW still have won.

I'm only 67 and did not start watching speedway in London until 1964, though went to Rye House regularly from 1960

I know of it and thank you gustix. It's hard to believe given today's attendance levels that in 1946 West Ham averaged 50,000 for league meetings, and had 80,000 at the last meeting of the season. What would today's promoters give for 1/10th. of those figures?.

Are you sure this is not the British GP in disguise?.

My copy arrived today and I must say, for an old-timer like me who got his speedway thrills at West Ham, Hackney, Wimbledon, White city and Wembley, this book is pure magic. Any fan, old or new who wants to know about the great riders, great teams and tracks of yesteryear should get themselves a copy. I'm just waiting for my Tom Farndon book to arrive to make my week complete.

Thanks for that. There is a perception that the bikes are much faster now than in the past, but it would seem only if compared to 40/50 years ago. Pure conjecture I know, but I wonder what the West Ham track record would be today if Custom House was still running. From memory I think it was around 70 seconds in 1970 but I could have that wrong.

I count myself very lucky to have seen most of my speedway at West Ham. There is not a track like it in Britain today. Yes, if the riders were strung out the races could be boring, but when the racing was close there was nothing to match it.

Don't I just know it.

And that was a big stand, even then. Amazing to think the Custom House stadium originally had a capacity of 120,000. Not many speedway venues could boast that .

I remember going to Sheffield in 1970 when they were a top=flight team. I don't know if the track shape/length is still the same, but 60 seconds for 4 laps in a 2nd. division meeting seems much faster than the top boys back then.

Or Stan Stevens beating Briggo at West Ham. I can still remember it as clear as day .

You were commenting on my Wembley v Cardiff thread David and being disparaging. If you read my OP carefully you will see I was comparing one specific event against another in terms of thrill, anticipation, excitement and result. A subsequent post of mine in relation to the above made it clear I was not arguing for or against World finals per se. Therefore your criticism of same old, same old is invalid. Having loved my speedway for 55 years through good times and bad i feel i have earned the right to express an opinion. Thank you though for taking the trouble to post .

More so than Emil.

Well, pardon me for having an opinion .

Hancock long gone?. One might reasonably have expected him to hang up his leathers once he hit 40, but he has won 2 World titles since then.

Thank you.

Norbold to the rescue...many thanks