steve roberts

Hi Sidney! Yes I'm a fan of bonus points. We know the reasons why it was introduced (I recall that payment of kind was removed at one time which caused some animosity amongst riders) Obviously the introduction of bonus points was to encourage a team ethic and not riders from the same team riding against each other. I was fortunate to watch Hans Nielsen who was, in my opinion, the best modern day rider when it came to team riding. Riders who unselfishly helped their partner to achieve the best possible result for the team putting personal gain to one side. Ronnie Moore, from a previous era, was a great exponent as was Ivan Mauger and a host of others I could name. One reason I was never a great fan of Tony Rickardsson was that I never saw him team ride, or even look for his partner, during a race. I recently watched a video of him when racing for Poole and was dismayed at his lack of awareness regarding his partner...especially around turns one and two. I recall Peter Collins commenting that the advent of lay-down motors made it more difficult for riders to team ride due to the unpredictability of the bikes but riders, if they so desired, could manipulate the first bend to good effect if not necessarily attempting to team ride for the duration of a race. As discussed on another thread I do feel that the advent of 'fixed gates' also makes team riding more difficult (it's difficult to dictate a race from the outside) but overall, certainly in my last years watching speedway, the art has been generally lost. Can't comment on racing today. Whether bonus points should be included in the average of a rider is a debatable question. Again I agree with their inclusion (for the same reason as above) but it was interesting that another great exponent of the art, Ole Olsen, was always keen to go over the finishing line first after team riding with his partner! Should bonus points attained during a meeting be added to the final score? Another argument entirely?

I actually admired the decision made by the BSPA, some years ago now, whereby riders acquired both home and away 'official' averages as well as an overall average. This system was put in place to make it fairer when teams chose a guest rider when replacing a missing one. The overall average of any particular rider often gives a false figure (based on the fact that most riders have a superior home average...unless you were Hans Nielsen!) and a guest can often strengthen the team he has been chosen to represent in an away fixture in particular. Unfortunately the concept proved difficult to grasp and was dropped after one (?) season. Just one example (picked entirely at random) Marvyn Cox, of Oxford, in 1985 achieved a home BL average of 7.24 and an away average of 5.69. However a guest could have been used based on his overall average of 6.44. I also remember a grading system that was once in operation but recall that it was fraught with problems. PS Not wishing to head hunt but one glaring example was Vaclav Verner's (Exeter) average in 1977 (although Exeter's track would always produce examples of extremes due to its size and shape). Home average 10.90. Away average 6.62. Overall average 8.87.

I know when I first starting going to speedway in the early seventies averages listed in some programmes generally used to be listed as per ride.

Just reading a White City programme dated 28th April 1976 (vs. Reading) stating that 'Hawkwind' would be appearing that very night!

Remember reading in John Berry's 'Confessions' book that Sandor and Olle Nygren often 'put themselves about' to protect the younger and more inexperienced members of the recently 'promoted' Ipswich team of 1972. I recall that during a meeting at Sheffield (1972) certain Sheffield riders were giving some of the 'Witches' a rough time and that Olle stepped in and rode in a rather 'boisterous fashion' thus allowing a rare Ipswich win at Sheffield.

Apparently John bought a supply of what he thought to be pure methanol but during the British Final it was found to contain an additive - propylene oxide. He was cleared but whilst warming up prior to the European Final the FIM over-turned the verdict and he was withdrawn from the meeting at the 11th hour! After the 1971 World Final the Russian rider, Vladimir Gordeev, had his points deducted (he managed to score 11) because, by then, nitro had been banned at FIM meetings and his fuel was found to contain the additive. Riders still continued to use nitro (highly volatile mixture) at domestic level and I recall that Garry Middleton once accused Ivan Mauger of using nitro at the 1972 (?) Will Internationale after it had been eventually banned. Referring back to Vladimir it became somewhat of a speedway mystery that when he was banned (12 months) his brother, Valeri, suddenly appeared on the international scene. Western observers became somewhat suspicious assuming that it was the same person as they never appeared in a meeting together at the same time...hence the suspicion. I think that it wasn't until 1974 when they eventually appeared together that observers realised that they were indeed not the same person!

Remember the days when riders added nitro to the fuel to enhance engine performance before it was banned.

I'm intrigued?

I recall reading an article that the late Rob Woffinden placed some Castrol R into his petrol driven lawn mower so as to enjoy the evocative fumes whilst cutting the grass!

Yes he certainly didn't come across as the most articulate of characters!

Would have enjoyed watching Sandor in his prime...only saw him towards the back end of his career but apparently was a real character!

I understand that but the comparison was made between a live, presumably, one-off concert and speedway. I'm the first to question whether speedway now offers true value for money. My local football team York City (who compete in Division Two) charges between £18 - & £21 for adults. Despite all the problems within speedway (well documented on other threads) it compares favourably with other sports. Depends where your interest lays?

Can't possibly compare speedway with a 'one-off' concert. Totally different scenario!

Thanks for the explanation!

Haven't a clue what you good people are talking about but, then again, could never understand what Steve Shovlar was commenting on in the good old days of the Oxford Speedway Forum!

...or Swedish club side Indianerna 'Indians!'

I'm using, as I type, my White City 'Rebels' coaster to place my early morning cup of coffee!

If I recall a conservation order was placed on the totalizer structure on the first /second bend. I can see this becoming quite a battle in trying to keep the stadium in a reasonable condition with a view of the council passing it on to prospective interested parties (if the compulsory purchase has indeed gone thru'?)

I agree entirely. Musical taste varies considerably and there's always a danger alienating a percentage of people if the music played is much of the same and from a certain era whether it be modern or past. Striking a balance is the important thing (easier said than done!)

Thanks that's them! My uncle is Keith Lawson (ex-Oxford Track Photographer) whose photos also appear on that link.

Unfortunately I no longer have my programmes so don't know the exact date except that it was in 1976!

Where did Ivan end up? I remember the whole family voting for him and I thought that he finished quite high up in the standings? Memories play funny tricks!!

I recall the same applied in 1972 whereby fans were encouraged to vote for Ivan Mauger. I think he came second or third?

I've tried to re-locate them myself only the other day! They are there somewhere...I posted them back in 2011 not long after I took them. If you have no luck I would be more than happy to send them to you privately?