steve roberts

Remember viewing the images...was it really ten years ago that Kelly died? Recall his two years at Arlington very well. I was never a great fan of Penhall but one can't dispute his success at Wembley in 1981. I was there and remember it well. His 1982 win will be debated for as long as speedway exists...not sure if he was such a worthy champion on that occasion and he had blighted his copybook at White City just prior to that. Whether he had continued to dominate is open to conjecture. Personally I don't think so as I think that he would have run into problems with the fast rising Danes who began to dominate the eighties.

The old memory and all that!

I always thought that Mark Carlson showed some potential but didn't get the breaks.

I seem to recall that James Easter (one-time Aussie Manager) commenting on the feud in an interview in "Backtrack"? If you don't subscribe to the magazine I would fully recommend it (that's a pint you owe me Tony Mac!)

As did Sweden's Jan Andersson apparently.

Personally I think that Billy was better on the World stage and Phil at league level....just my opinion. I think that the rift first took hold during an Australian Final when the two clashed on track and Phil was excluded. However Phil was most upset when Billy took his own life and had regrets from an interview I recall.

Yes I have that magazine...must check it out again.

Was that at Leicester (Granby Hall?)? I visited that site when I attended an entomological show during the nineties before it was demolished.

Yes I went to the first two Wembley events plus the Birmingham Event and were nothing more than novelty meetings and a chance to meet up with fans during the Winter season. I never went to Telford but what I saw on TV didn't do anything for me.

I believe that Bobby Beaton's brother, Jimmy, had a similar arrangement?

Apparently during the winter of 1975/76 the NL (British League Division Two) applied to be able to use EEC riders but were turned down by the British League Management Committee.

When I had a go at speedway I found it very difficult as It went against all my instincts having ridden road bikes. I tentatively included scrambling as a discipline because John Louis has often been quoted on how it helped him cope on rough tracks and didn't see it as a hindrance altough one couldn't class that form of motorcycling as oval based in the true sense.

Some great titles there...must also mention the Ivan Mauger book and the one written by Bob Kilby's son, Lee, both great reads as well as Johnnie Hoskins book "Walkabout".

I tried to narrow it down, John, to disciplines that most speedway followers would be best familiar with. Of course there are many other motorcycle disciplines and Barry Sheene was a champion at circuit racing (he had a go at speedway I recall) but I attempted to link it with our own particulat sport and off-shoots. ...and, of course, I was forgetting Don Godden.

By that I mean the three main discipines - Speedway, Grasstrack and Longtrack (although one could throw in Motorcross - or scrambling as it was once called) Top of my list would be Simon Wigg (who won World Championships and National titles at all levels) although Kelvin Tatum would run him close. Add the likes of Jeremy Doncaster, Peter Collins and Malcolm Simmons (although I don't think that Malc took part in the Longtrack scene?), Michael Lee (who I'm not sure if he was really into Grasstrack?) and Mark Loram. When one adds scrambling there's the likes of John Louis, Tom Leadbitter and who could forget Arthur Browning? There's a host of others that rode in all or some of those disciplines....too many to list. Sadly the Grasstrack scene appears to be a thing of the past but it produced so many talented riders who moved over to speedway.

Agree with most if not all of that Rob!

Berwick Speedway holds pleasant memories for me when holidaying in the area. Even took the trouble in locating the old track...miles from anywhere I seem to recall.

I used to be a Safety Rep at both my Department and here in York and I found the whole incident and circumstances unacceptable.

That's true but at least it gave one of my favourites 'Razzer' a team slot...someone who I always thought got a rough deal due to the points limit.

Great stylist just unfortunate that he let off track issues influence him. Wasted talent in my view.

Have just received the latest edition of "Backtrack" and the list of riders who averaged over nine points is a real "Who's Who" of riders back then during speedway's last 'Golden Era'. Michanek, Mauger, Olsen, E.Boocock, Simmons, Lovaas, Boulger, C.Pusey, M.Ashby, Louis, Betts, Lofqvist, Eide, Valentine, T.Jansson, Ray Wilson, Jessup, Cole, Persson, S.Sjosten and McMillan. Again interesting reading Martin Rogers' comments regarding the Old Anglia and Central Junior Leagues quoting "...worthwhile proving ground for young riders on the rise" and "...It should also be noted their presence on the back-end of the programme was a popular value-added component of the night." I always find Martin's observations very pertinent having been General Manager/Promoter/Announcer/Journalist during that era and although I have taken issue with him in the past (which he answered honestly) I find his input very refreshing!

I was there...great day! Razzer was one of my favourites!

Thanks for the clarification. Prior to the 2003 season I helped Colin on a couple of occasions getting the Cowley circuit ready for the new season after it was left unattended for most of the winter. The track, I remember, was in a right state with bumps all over the place and this showed in the first few meetings of the season.

I thought that Colin Meredith held a similar position some years ago or am I wrong in assuming that?

I know that there was an article in a back edition of "Backtrack" some years ago now.