Mr. Clemens

Too true he should be banned from the rest of the meeting for dangerous riding well spotted

I have quest on my freeview and if you fetch the tv guide screen up and move it along till next Thursday you will see it is advertised

I couldn't possibly say which stadium it is, but what I can say is Florence is freelance and when she is 'high' can be in many places at the same time. I wouldn't want to narrow it down as it would lessen the tension, as the Unit, move in for the 'kill'. No doubt it will be every bit as exciting as watching a GP when you think about it. That's if you do think about it, that is

I was going to put sandwich bar attendant, but I thought toilet cleaning lady would be, you know, more controversial, hard hitting, things like that.

It will be Florence the stadium toilet cleaning lady

I think you hit the nail on the head there, once Blatter got the call from the BSPA !!!!!!

Halifax Dukes - never heard of em I will consult Uncle Sepp right after the meeting of the five families, to elect the FIFA Boss of Bosses, in Geneva tomorrow He will have a word with the BSPA and make them an offer they can't refuse!!!!! Word is one of Uncle Sepp's underlings is already at the stables grooming one of the horses

There is always a mystical bond between him and those of us who knew him then, the strength of which has not diminished since and never will. He was and is the embodiment of the 'Once and future King'.

Hope the FIM report on the Warsaw GP is as comprehensive as this one on Darcy Bored (sorry Ward)

For whom the bell tolls. A day of shame and chaos. A flagship sailing too close to the wind. All of it is as plain as the nose on your face. Before making any comment, on the meeting in Warsaw 18/04/2015, I waited to read what was said in the Speedway Star. All the questions expected to be asked were asked. It is said the PZM is contemplating legal action, therefore it needs to be made plain the reasons why, if they do so. It also needs to be made plain the reasons why if they decide not to do so. It is said the FIM have launched a major investigation into the Warsaw travesty (or tragedy). It needs to be made plain what this investigation involves on every level. It needs to be made plain when the investigation begins, who is involved in it, what are the speedway qualifications of those investigating and when the results will be published. All the details involved in the investigation need to be made plain so that justice can be done and the paying public can plainly see that justice has been done. It also needs to be made plain to the FIM that anything less than the truth of the matter would be deemed unsatisfactory and detrimental to speedway in general. It is suggested that people involved with the meeting didn’t do their job properly, the FIM therefore has no excuse if they don’t do their job properly. Jim Easter of Travel Plus Tours ‘wants assurances’ before committing to taking customers to anymore GPs held on temporary tracks. This piece suggested that Mr Easter can’t afford to ruin the reputation of his business when inviting people to an event that is expected to take place in the expected manner. Mr Easter saId his customers ‘were lovely on Saturday, they were understanding and very kind to my hard working team’. Therefore if needs to be made plain to Mr Easter and all of his customers and his potential customers that this won’t happen again. The piece entitled ‘Silence wasn’t golden’ concerned the reaction of the riders to all that was happening on and off the track. One of the questions asked, by Tony Hoare, was why didn’t the riders explain to the audience the reasons for their final decision not to ride, on the night? One answer is a possible ‘media blackout’. Therefore the riders either as individuals or as a group, at some point soon, need to make plain, and in depth, to those in attendance at the arena and to the speedway GP followers in general, their reasons why they refused to continue riding. Individual riders making seperate individual comments in other words ‘a little bit of this and a little bit of that’ does not constitute the plain truth The writer also classed the statement on the Speedway GB website as a ‘dismissive gesture’. He points out that no one from the FIM or BSI ‘was prepared to front up and answer questions on what had gone on and why. The 53000 deserved more respect than that.’ Recently Tony Blair made a comment stating why there should not be a referendum regarding the UK staying in the EU or not. He indicated that the British voter did not have the common sense to make the right decision. Perhaps the FIM and BSI have much the same regard for speedway fans as Blair does for the British electorate. Perhaps they believe speedway fans don’t have the common sense to understand the plain truth of what went on Saturday night. Some people may think politicians get angry, when put on the spot, if they are asked to give an honest straight yes or no to a specific question when, in their opinion, it is not possible for them to do so. Perhaps politicians don’t get angry because they are put on the spot about a particular issue, they get angry because as far as they are concerned it’s got toss all to do with us. Tony Hoare calls into question the lack of a response by FIM and BSI. Mr Hoare is it possible that neither party made a statement regarding the meeting to the 53000 because it had toss all to do with them, (the 53000 that is)? In the piece entitled ‘Humiliating’ the write describes the state of the track and the remedial efforts made to rectify the situation. The article also goes on to cite’ the Gelsenkirchen debacle of 2008 and the near chaos of Cardiff 2013’. The ‘FIM Probe article refers to ‘that pantomime night in Gothenburg’ and ‘who can forget the farce of the Latvian round last year which was called off and the meeting transported 140 miles from capital Riga to Daugavpils because of what were termed safety reasons- is scandalous and unforgivable’. The real point of all these articles in the Speedway Star is the damage done to the reputation of speedway and how to rectify it as soon as possible to everyones satisfaction. I read all the articles a number of times. Paying special attention to all those ‘hairy moments’ where other meetings were in danger of being called off, but for last minute remedial action. In the end, the article that stuck in my mind was that by Tony Hoare. He said ‘the people who emerged with dignity (regarding the whole business) were those fans, most of them Polish’ He also said, ‘When I covered GPs regularly for the Speedway Star in the 1990’s there would have been fears of a riot. In the stadium on Saturday , there was a hostile atmosphere, but it never turned nasty. The fans dropped their heads and walked out.’ On the Speedway Star letters page the first post is from someone who attended the meeting. Towards the end of the post they write, ‘ The first we knew it was off was when a photographer was making gestures to the crowd on the home straight that we should make for the exits.What other professional body with a responsibility for the organisation of such an event and the safety of the crowd, would leave matters to leak out in such a haphazard way? It was lucky that the crowd leaving the stadium proved to be as compliant as they were and lucky too, that the reported calling of the police to the stadium weren’t needed to marshal the fans or take control of what could have been a very incendiary situation.’ So again it can be said the real point of all these articles in the Speedway Star is the damage done to the reputation of speedway and how to rectify it as soon as possible to everyones satisfaction. Therefore it is not unreasonable to ask for the plain truth to be told regarding all the questions everyone is asking. While the FIM, BSI and all the other bodies involved in the organisation and running of the meeting that took place on Saturday are contemplating revealing the plain truth to the speedway supporting public, here is something else for them to contemplate. Speedway is a ‘family sport’ meaning men women and children attend who belong to the same family, that is one of speedways ‘main selling points’. Something for all the family to attend.The words ‘pantomime’ and ‘farce’ have been used to describe other disrupted meetings that were called off . Something to be ‘pissed off about’ when it is happening, but something ‘I can laugh about now’, years down the line. But think on this, the FIM, BSI and all the other bodies involved in the organisation and running of the meeting, while contemplating the plain truth. What if there had have been a riot? What if a photographer had been indicating to the crowd (the meeting was off and they might as well) leave the stadium and it turned out the meeting wasn’t off after all and people started returning to their seats against the rush of those trying to get out of the stadium? What if there had have been a riot and the police had been called to the stadium in force, to take control of what could have been ‘a very incendiary situation?’ Think on this, the FIM, BSI and all the other bodies involved in the organisation and running of the meeting, while contemplating the plain truth. There could have been a disaster unfold like the ones at Heysel, Hillsborough, Bradford and Ibrox. A disaster where people were killed or injured. What then the reputation of speedway? Overstating the issue? Look at the headlines used, ‘FIM probe, ‘Humiliating’, Fans must come first’, Silence wasn’t golden’ and ‘Black Day’. Look at the comments ‘a day of shame and chaos’, ‘Warsaw Travesty’ etc. If a disaster did unfold then perhaps the headline might read ‘Oh what a price we paid (speedway) for loving you’. If a disaster of that nature did occur what then of the plain truth? What would the FIM, BSI and all the other bodies involved in the organisation and running of the meeting have to say? That question brings to mind the old rhyme, ‘Who killed Cock Robin? Not I said the...........................’

Scunthorpe Amateur Speedway Meeting 01/03/2015 Slick or what ????? The call went out on 28/02/15, is anyone willing to wave a red flag at Scunthorpe, Sunday March 1st. ”Please Mr I will,” says I via facebook. ‘Wrap up warm a cold wind is blowing around these parts,” said Richard in reply, ‘We don’t want you to get your nether regions frozen or get blown through the air like Mary Poppins or Nanny Mcphee” A cold wind was blowing, it nearly blew me across the motorway at one point. The things we do for speedway eh!!!! Richard was also expecting rain, so he decided the meeting would begin at 11 am and finish by 3pm before the downpour began. Richard also wrote on facebook, ‘you probably haven't received your SCB 2015 license yet so you will need to fill in a day permit. Rules are rules I'm afraid.’ Well I didn’t know you had to be licensed to wave a red flag these days. But has paranoia rules the roost in speedway these days, I thought I’d best get there early and fill in the form. Otherwise I might have to undergo a FIM investigation and not be able to wave a red flag for mmmm at least 10 months, unjust or what eh, according of course, to your predilection!!! But when I arrived, all the red flag places had been taken, redundant or what eh??? So much for the SCB 2015 license!!! ‘Never mind Mr C”, said Richard, “someone will need a break at some point and then you will receive your flag of convenience”. Racing commenced 11 am, with four classes of riders, competing in 62 races. Looking through the listed riders on the racing sheet I noticed Greg Hancock was riding in the novices races. I thought Richard had done very well slipping Greg into the meeting without anyone noticing. I wondered if he needed a SCB 2015 license!!! While I was waiting my for my ‘flag of convenience’, in the pits area, I fell into conversation with a gentleman who said to me “ I notice Greg Hancock’s riding today”, I said it looks like it and probably Jason Crump and Nikki Pedersen will be there too, incognito. But it wasn’t Greg of course, it was Craig Hancock. “He will want to win a race, with a name like that”, said the gentleman. No doubt he would, thought I and I am sure he did. The racing began and the organisation was a sight to behold, the way riders lined up at the pit gate, ready to go out onto the track, while the previous race was still in motion. When the riders had taken the checkered flag, they rode round the back straight, were stopped at the pit gate, to let the next group of racers on the track. When those racers came on the previous group rode off into the pits. This was how it went from race one through to race sixty two, without pause, from start to finish. Slick or what eh!!! After hanging about for an hour or so, I was suffering red flag withdrawal symptoms and thought it about time I made my mark in speedway. Fortunately a red flag waver had to leave at that time so I ended up on the first bend with a worn out torn red flag that kept entangling itself round the end of the stick. But it is so much better to watch the racing from the centre green. You can see the racing close up and admire the technique, or lack of it, used by the riders in question. It’s interesting to see riders leave the tapes and power into the first bend. At that point they are all pursuing the line they want to take, meaning they come close together as they make the turn into the bend. Stood on the centre green you see this action close up. It’s impressive to see that even though they are travelling at high speed, how the riders are obviously aware of where they are on the track and where, those around them are also. You can also gauge the competence of a rider by observing this action and decide who is likely to come unstuck at some point during a race. Riders can misjudge the situation run wide or clip another rider as they try to find their position on the track. What is impressive is that for the most part the riders come out of the first bend in good order and proceed with the race, where you might expect them to collide and fall off far more than they do. This applies as much to the riders with experience and skill as it does to those with finding their feet in the sport. You have to be able to ‘mix it’ with the other riders if you want to make any headway in the sport. You also have to have confidence in the riders around you no matter what level you are riding at. I like to observe a riders technique throughout a race and it’s always better to see them ride close up on the centre green. The forty odd qualifying races proceeded, there were a number of riders coming off their bikes with one particular nasty looking fall involving two riders who had just passed through the first bend. Neither rider collided with each other, but the first ran into the fence, while the other fell behind him and a third rider also fell caught between deciding to lay his bike down or not. Fortunately all three got up, dusted themselves off and got on with it as speedway riders invariably do. After all qualifying races were over, which I didn’t realise at the time as the races went by so fast all the staff on the centre green suddenly disappeared. I thought, ‘is the meeting over already and I just don’t know it? Fancy leaving Mr. C all alone on his Jack Palance’!!!! Mentioning the name of the actor Jack Palance recalls an amusing anecdote from my attendance at the 1975 world final at Wembley. I was there with a group of friends, one of whom called Steve often used the phrase ‘on my Jack Palance’, when he was left on his own. Suddenly for reasons known only to himself, while we were sat in the stadium waiting for the meeting to begin, he suddenly announced loudly that Jack Palance was riding today. The rest of us chimed in saying ‘what you mean Jack Palance is actually riding”? “Yes,” said he “and a good job too, don’t you think” Suffice to say, we made a big and loud deal about this sudden unannounced additional rider in the meeting. People around us asked, “Who did you say was riding”? “Jack Palance”, said Steve, “top class American speedway rider of exceptional ability”. “Who’s he riding in place of”, they asked as this bit of ‘latest news’ gathered momentum around us? “Victor Trofimov”, said a very sharp Steve after a quick glance at the program. “Why, what’s wrong with him,” folk asked? “He couldn’t make it,” said the very quick Steve, “so they drafted Jack Palance in to take his place”. “Can they do that,” folk asked, something that would fill 300 pages on the BSF these days. “Well they must be able to do that,” said Steve feigning surprise at such a question, “otherwise he wouldn’t be riding would he”??? “Suppose not”, said folk who respected the fact that those who run speedway always know what they are doing. Steve strung this out for awhile till some bright spark suddenly said. “Jack Palance is an actor”!!!! “Doesn’t stop him riding in a speedway world final though,” said a laconic Steve, “if he wants to”. We finally told folk it was a joke just to pass the time with and being Halifax supporters we had to find something to laugh about!!!! So I am there all alone on the centre green wondering how long the break would be. But the treat of the day arrived at that very moment. Two little lads came out for a ride around. As the very young riders often do, for safety reasons, one went round to the tapes and the other went to the opposite side of the track and both set off to ride. They rode round in this manner for a number of laps realised they still had time on the track and did the same again. There came a point when it appeared they had had enough of riding in this manner and both of them came to the tapes side by side. It was obvious they’d decided to have a proper race instead of riding round as they had been. You could imagine the one saying to the other, “you be Emil Whereshefrom and I’ll be Darcey Laughitov the Siberian speedway sliders surfing round sunny Scunny on a blustery day.” Off they went side by side full tilt doing their thing racing as proper riders do and they did it so well, without any trace of uncertainty in what they were doing and no one was watching. The one passed the other a very smooth over take. The one overtaken didn’t lose his control but went off in pursuit, he didn’t catch him but he wasn’t far behind. They enjoyed it so much they did it all again and it was a treat to watch. Then it was all action again, the pits gate opened and it was ‘come on you two you’ve had your five minutes, get off the track, it’s time for finals”!!!! But they were, for me, the highlight of the day. The finals came and went, Richard will tell you who won what because the problem is on the centre green you can’t hear a word the announcer says. Craig Hancock was in there somewhere, or was it really Greg, but if he won or not I don’t know. Then all of a sudden if was all over. I looked at my watch and it was about 20 minutes past 2, impressive or what, slick too, just like the track with its three feet wide blue groove. The reason it was impressive is the meeting started at 11 am finished at 2:20 pm, subtract 20 minutes for the break, therefore the meeting took 3 hours to complete, in other words it took 180 minutes to run divided that by 62 races. This means each race took 3 minutes to complete. Three minutes from riders coming through the pits gate onto the track to race, completing the race and heading off back into the pits. It went on like that from first race to last race without a pause except for the 20 minute break. After the meeting I spoke with Richard and told him he deserved an MBE for what he did. Richard of course brushed it off as he always does stating that it is the staff and the riders working in tandem with each other that makes it happen as it does. But as I have said to him before you are the catalyst of it all. Richard would beg to differ but as he was about to do so a gentleman approached him and said, “another slick meeting Richard, well done”. Therefore I rest my case and leave it at that until the next time, I have to queue to wave a red flag!!!!! Link for audio account https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwJhqGhY-0s

Best wishes for a great New Year to the Ashworth Family

if you're indicating the link doesn't work it does for me ?

Recorded version of Amateur Meeting 7/12/14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liQ-z0LU5J8

We must give you life We prayed that you might live Now we must give you life There will be those bearing gifts greater than mine But I will play for you on my drum My gift lays within these lines There is no other place One can be But at your side now There are no other commitments Anyone can have now But to be there with you Before that day On that day And thereafter It is a matter of pride That each and everyone of us Stand by you now You are the one Who entertained us We were your audience The wheel has turned Now we must perform for you We cannot disappoint you We cannot let you down We cannot stand aside And watch you drown We cannot simply forget you Turn our backs and walk away It is a matter of our honour That we help you find your space We prayed that you might live That you would come back to us The same as you were It is now given to all of us To take you where you want to be There are those whose gifts Will be greater than mine All of us can give you Some of our time Those who watched you Those who rode with you None of them have a reason To be somewhere else All of us are responsible for you All of us have an obligation To rise to the occaison When called on to do so Champions of Speedway Where will you be on that day It is a matter of pride It is a matter of our honour That we give you the space That you might recover The best of you That you will walk with us again As you did once before There may be a promoter who owes a rider something A debt that can never be repaid There maybe a rider who did something they regret They can bever take back We can atone for what we have done By helping another Someone that you would call a brother We prayed that you might live Now we must give you life You have lit a torch to guide us Your song has struck a chord In all of us Some will bear gifts Greater than mine But I will play my drum for you My gift is in these lines Recorded Version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uNCNn40VT4

Glad you liked it Richard. I am sure I will get there in the new year sometime to assist All the best for Xmas and that great 2015 you all need there

My pleasure

Glad you liked it Gustix. I used to write these reflections on the meetings I went to regularly and post them on the BSF. I haven't seen much speedway in the last 2 years though for one reason or another, so there's nothing for me to post most of the time. People say post elsewhere other than the BSF but I always found the BSF set up suits the length of them best. I also posted for people to have something different to read than the norm.

Scunthorpe Amateur Meeting Sunday 17th December 2014 Or Richard Hollingsworth’s 115th Dream It’s a long time since I visited Eddie Wright stadium for an amateur meeting. Circumstance always dictates whether it’s convenient to do so or not. It wasn’t convenient in the past as I worked Sundays the day most of these meetings are held. Since I retired though, I can do what I want when I want, so I decided to go in November. I didn’t though but decided I would in December, seeing Richard was asking for assistance at the track. I also had another motive for going, to get rid of numerous speedway books programs etc I had gathered together during the 70’s and 80’s. Numerous people have asked me why I wanted to unload all this stuff. Reason is they were gathering dust in the attic, we are having a clear out and the speedway memorabilia weren’t the only memories being passed on to those who may (or may not) appreciate them. You would have thought it would take about an hour to hand out all this stuff but it took six hours. Saturday 6th December was a fine crisp day. I hoped Sunday 7th would be the same, but it was windy wet with a promise of better weather in the afternoon. It always seems to rain when I go to these amateur meetings. In the past I stood on the third bend of the track with red flag in hand, waving it at riders flying (or crawling) by as the need arose. Not that some took any notice if you were waving the flag or not, but people who have read these articles before will be aware the problems it caused and how it was resolved. But on this day I didn’t get near a red flag or the third bend for that matter. Arriving at the stadium at 10 am, the wind and rain suggested there might not be any meeting at all. In contrast to the weather, the full car park and activity going on suggested those who had come were expecting to ride. In the end the weather settled down and it turned into a fine day, in more ways than one. It was nice to reacquaint myself with Richard and his wife. I advised him I had things to get rid of and when I had I would be there to assist. Problem was who was I going to give all this stuff to? I had numerous programs mostly those of Halifax, Sheffield, Coventry, Ipswich and Belle Vue, along with programs from defunct tracks such as Wimbledon, Reading and Long Eaton. I had a fistful of programs from a load of other tracks to give out also. I also had a good few British League Riders Final programs along with all those World Final Programs. There were also old ‘Speedway Stars’ and a few ‘Backtrack’ magazines. But where did one begin with the ‘Great Speedway Give Away’ and what kind of reaction would I receive when trying to give someone an early Christmas present? First thing I wanted to do was find someone who would appreciate the Halifax/Bradford programs. Wayne Carter came to mind. He did a sterling job teaching people to ride bikes. Struck me as a man of infinite patience, did Wayne, to do a job like that, as consistently as he does, for has long has he has and still happy to do more. Most likely he wouldn’t have much time to talk to me as he was busy doing his thing that day. I approached him explained I had Halifax/Bradford programs to give him if he wanted them. I was surprised at Wayne’s enthusiasm in receiving them. I imagined he would have said he’d already got all that kind of stuff and that he was busy. Far from it, he was willing to chat about things Halifax and we did speak of Kenny Carter. Wayne spoke of his interest in the 1982 World Final. I asked him if he had a program of that event. He said not. I said “You have now, I have one in the car I will fetch it.” I fetched him a few other things too, well you have to give these things to the interested, don’t you. When I handed him the 1982 program, it struck me he was thinking, is this for real. Not that he was thinking I was pulling some practical joke. It was the cover of the program, it’s not much to look at and it was easy to think ‘this is not a program’. But it was. I asked him, by the way, if he had the 1981 World Final program. He said not, “you have now”, said I. The interesting thing was a young rider was talking to Wayne as I arrived back, with the programs. Jordan was his name. He was looking at the programs, as I handed them to Wayne. I think he realized what they were, by the look on his face. Jordan departed and I spoke further with Wayne for a short while asked him who the lad was, then I went back to the car, for another load of memorabilia. Finding Jordan, I asked him if he was impressed with the 1981 program. It seemed that he was, so I said “well there’s one for you too”. I had two 1981 world final programs don’t ask me why, I have no idea. After that I went looking for other interested people. The idea was to give them all out to the young people who were actually riding that day. Hopefully they would recognize them as significant pieces of interest along with the book they were given. Perhaps they would inspire them to reflect on the achievements of those past riders, in detail, and to emulate what they had done. There was the odd program for the older speedway supporting person. I hope those two old Cradley Heathen programs reached the person I was told they would. I asked a number of people there if there were any Cradley supporters at Scunny that day. No one seemed to know of anyone, or of anyone, who knew a Cradley supporter. It struck me, there was something of an air of, ‘we try not to talk about Cradley Heathens supporters, if at all possible mate’ in the answers to my question. I try not to talk about a lot of things if I can help it, so there you go. I had got rid of some stuff by the start of the first part of the amateur meeting. Problem was there were still three boxfuls of stuff in the car. I thought it doesn’t matter I will help them out in the second half. I should have got rid of it all by then. I said to Richard, about two hours into the meeting, “you wouldn’t think it would be so hard to give stuff away. Would you”!!! But we soldiered on walking round the pits area handing out bits and pieces to those who seemed as if they’d appreciate this kind of thing I was advised I ought to put it all on E bay. I did put some records on there, sold them, then got complaints from female recipient, who e-mailed they were ‘devastated’ because they weren’t playable. You are devastated sweetheart when someone dies of cancer or gets killed in a road accident, not when some bleeding records have a few scratches on them. It was said quite clearly on the description they weren’t in mint condition, but in good playable condition. Just as all this speedway stuff is in good condition, but not in mint condition as recipients will testify no doubt. Cutting a long story short E bay told us recipient would have to be refunded if their complaint was upheld. We advised E bay to tell recipient to simply send them all back regardless. When they were returned then they would be refunded. Needless to say they weren’t returned. The moral of this story seemed to me that one sells something on E bay, recipient pays then a week later complains to E bay, re lack of quality etc. E bay then implies to seller recipient will be refunded immediately, because of their complaint. This is fine, only problem was said recipient not only wanted to be refunded but also wanted to keep said ‘useless records’. Nice work if you can get it!!!! My response to that of course was ‘F..that for a game of soldiers’, send ‘em back. Presumably E bay resolved this as recipient was given while December 1st to respond and didn’t. Therefore I decided I would just give all this speedway stuff away instead, noble or what eh? There was more satisfaction in handing all of it to the riders at Scunny. What ‘devastated of Kent’ didn’t know was I would have took all those records to the dump it site, if my son hadn’t have advised me to put them on E bay instead. I won’t be putting anything else on E bay. People have asked me, how the riders and their parents reacted when they were handed things. They reacted in the manner expected, a little bemused by this person approaching them. But the riders were there to ride and active in getting their machines ready for the track. Realizing that I spoke to most briefly then moved on. Others took time to talk and it was a pleasure giving them things and knowing they would be appreciated. Finally they were all handed out and I had time to watch some racing and take stock of the general situation at Scunthorpe speedway. Most times when I went to the amateur meetings, there was always a shortage of people willing to help out. Looking round the track, I saw they had the requisite amount of people needed to make it all work. It seemed to me there would have been no room at the inn for me anyway. I know that thought isn’t true but I did think if there were regulars there, they might take exception to me shoving my way in. I hadn’t been to Scunny since 2012. When I started going to the amateur meetings they ran them in the afternoon from 1pm to 5pm. Later on the changed to the new routine with a section in the morning and early afternoon and second half through till 6pm. When using the old format they ran between 60 and 70 races. With the new format they run over a 100 races in one day. I think they rode 100 races on Sunday. What anyone has to be impressed with is the professional way the meetings are run. It is obvious that it operates like a well oiled machine. The riders go out to race while the next riders assemble at the gate ready to go out as the previous come off the track. It goes on like this all day nonstop as it must to get through all the races and to satisfy all the riders, who have come from far and wide to race. All of this is down to one man and that man is Richard Hollingsworth. Richard won’t take credit he’s not that type of person, to do so. But it is he who is the lynchpin of it all, around which the rest of it revolves. The reason it works is because all those who turn up to assist with the meeting realize how dedicated Richard is about speedway development. They apply themselves to making the meeting work BECAUSE they understand what Richard is doing and want to assist in helping Richard make it happen. The riders and those there to help them also realize what Richard is trying to do and they respond by being ready to race when they should be ready to race. The truth of this is self evident because if any of these parts malfunctioned then the rest of it would fall apart. Anyone who rides a speedway bike or mechanics for anyone who does ride knows this. One of the reasons I went to Scunthorpe on Sunday was because I am aware of the problems they are having there regarding the viability of running speedway after 2015. I said I was going while it was still there to go to. The only thing I really ever disbelieved involving speedway was when it was suggested to me that Halifax speedway was in danger of closing circa 1986/87. I didn’t believe it would close because I thought the very idea of Halifax closing was insane. It was the best speedway track in the world (in my opinion) reason when I went there every Saturday, rather than go to Hyde road to watch Ivan, Soren, Peter, Chris Morton, Chris Pusey et al. It was 27 miles from where I lived to Halifax and 27 miles from where I lived to Belle Vue. I could have gone to either, but I went to Halifax. I thought it was insane that anyone would let Halifax close. I thought anyone who let it happen was insane, but it happened and it can happen to Scunthorpe speedway. The moral of the tale being you can work your little cotton socks off, you can be as dedicated as the rest of them. You can produce a slick well oiled machine, run a 100 races and say to one and all ‘top that if you can’ but if no one is interested you can end up closing all the same. I write, I have lost count of the number of times people have asked me why it is I am not famous. I know the reason. Years ago in 2002, my house was renovated, Clive the builder who did the job worked on the house for six weeks. We got on well because I let him get on with what he was doing without questioning him every five minutes on how professionally he was doing what he was doing. I played music all the time, music taped from the records I had, so I didn’t have to play the records and wear them out. Reason I knew there was nothing wrong with them when they were sold, so stitch that ‘Devastated of Kent’. One day, for some reason, I played Ben his young worker some songs of mine I had recorded, while Clive was away sizing up their next job. Ben was amazed when he asked me who actually recorded the songs I was singing and I told him they were all mine and that I had thousands of them. Clive returned and I said to Ben, ”don’t say anything and see what he says when he comes in”. Clive walked into the living room cocked his ear and listened. I said ‘now then Clive, who is that singing”? I have never forgotten his response which was “well tha’s no need to say it’s thee, tha couldn’t sing like that to save thi life.” I advised him to listen again and he realized it was me. Clive thought to himself for awhile then said, “Can I ask you a question”? I said “and what question is that”? Though I already knew what is question was. “Why aren’t tha a multi millionaire”? And I said “I will tell thee why I am not a multi millionaire Clive. Because no one is interested in what I have written, that’s why Clive, if you really want to know mate. It’s the price you pay for writing the songs you want to write and not ‘commercial’ songs.” In other words if there is no response to what you do, some would say, there was no point in doing it. I never subscribed to that thought and neither will Richard Hollingsworth. No matter how long the day of racing is it inevitably all comes to an end. The meeting concludes with a trio of finals for the different classes of riders. I had saved three books to hand out to the winner of the final and the runners up. How fortunate it was I had three books when I found out there were three finals. I told Richard he could give one to each winner. I don’t know how two of them were received but the winner of the middle final of the trio of finals, seemed genuinely pleased to receive his book. It is actually signed by Ove Fundin and Barry Briggs and Jason Crump too, if I recall correctly. At the end of the meeting I actually got time to speak with Richard and asked him how things were at Scunthorpe. He confirmed that things were as serious as the general public were informed they were and if things didn’t pick up in 2015 there may not be any speedway in 2016. No doubt Richard will contrive things to continue to run some kind of speedway there. It’s down to the public in the area to respond to the plea for sustained support. I don’t know what the answer is. I know what kind of speedway I want to see and that’s all I will say about that. Now the wheel turns full circle and I go back to the beginning of the tale and the process of divesting myself of speedway memorabilia. I said I had a number of world final programs. I had most of the programs regarding the world finals of the 70’s and those of 1981 and 1982. I also had a vinyl recording of the 1974 world final, for me the best world final I ever saw. Anders Michanek was superb that day. Problem was not only had I to find someone who would appreciate it but someone who had a record player to play it on. I was asking around if anyone had a record player. It didn’t take long to realize it had to be an older person most likely to have a record player. I was asking “do you have a record player mate”, getting a negative most of the time? Then this old guy in leathers walked past. I asked him he said he had one. I asked him if he wanted a record. He asked if it was Mantovani? I said, “near enough mate it’s Michanek”. He finally realized what it was about and said “I went to that final” I told him so did I and now you will be able to relive it. I hope the bleeding thing plays ok don’t you. Besides the worlds final programs mentioned above I had two others I was trying to find the appropriate person to give them to. Reflecting on all those I had given previous out to I decided there was only one person I would give them to, Wayne Carter. He’d been thrilled by those already given to him, so I thought I would thrill him some more. So once again I approached him. He smiled an expectant smile as I approached, no doubt thinking to himself ‘what’s be bleedin’ got for me this time’? The main prize Wayne that’s what!!! “This program Wayne”, I said to him as I held out a 52 year old program, “is a bit special Wayne. It’s a 1962 world final program, so handle it with care.” It took him a few moments, I think to compute who won that world final, but he realized in the end. Now you would think that would be the best bit of the day, but it wasn’t. I had another world final program from the 1960’s. The other program was a 1965 world final program. “Who won that final”, asked Wayne? “Bjorn Knutson”, said I. Wayne looked puzzled, “never heard of him”!!!. I wanted to say, “well he’s probably never heard of you either, so there you are,” but I didn’t. But Wayne was perturbed that there was a world champion he had never heard of before. I told him he’d retired aged 27 that he rode at Southampton with Barry Briggs for a time. He wasn’t aware of one of the ‘Big Five’ of the 50’s and 60’s. I told him to google him then he would be able to fill in the blanks in his knowledge. Then with all that it was time to go, so I went. Who knows when I will go again, as the ‘Strolling Bones’ once sang ‘this could be the last time, maybe the last time I don’t know’.

In other words a pool of riders

It's a different kind of sunlight these days, down to lack of ozone layer perhaps? When I was truck driving in the 70's and 80's you could drive with the sun direct in front of you and it would be a problem but something that could be coped with. I wore photo-chrome glasses and they alleviated the problem to a great degree. These days I have noticed the sun appears to be brighter and sharper. From where I live you drive down the road and turn right. I have noticed that if when make that turn at approx. 9:30 am, on a fine sunny day, and the sun is direct in front of you, you literally can't see a thing.

Reading a book called 'Never Had It So Good' A History of Britain From Suez to the Beatles Dominic Sandbrook Abacus Books A Passage on Page 130 Speedway was a popular spectator sport, second only to football; it attracted 6 million observers annually and boasted a track in almost every large town. In cities like Birmingham and Coventry, where the motorcycles were actually manufactured, there was tremendous interest in the thrilling speed and excitement of speedway races. The book is a good read in general.

Ever decreasing ???

One of the great riders - best wishes