TonyMac

Many thanks, Tomcat. We did interview JL about his racing career - in-depth - in Issue 7. You can check out the link: http://www.retro-speedway.com/page.php?14

OUT NOW! KELLY MORAN – Exclusive interview The speedway world was recently shocked to hear that popular former American star Kelly Moran had been rushed to hospital, where doctors didn’t expect him to make it through the night after he was found collapsed at home. The good news is the ‘Jelly Man’ is still hanging in there and fighting to regain his health having suffered serious damage to his liver and lungs. The former Hull, Birmingham, Eastbourne, Sheffield and Belle Vue favourite recovered well enough to give Backtrack an exclusive, in-depth interview from his bed in California. Now 49, he talks candidly about his hell-raising ‘party lifestyle’ that led him to the brink of death, his regrets and why he must now put alcohol and drugs behind him. Kelly talks about the highs and lows of his memorable British racing career – his early days with Hull Vikings and the crash that nearly wrecked his career, why Eastbourne was his happiest period in the BL and the reasons he stunned the Eagles by leaving them after two very good seasons. Having conquered the US scene in the mid-80s, he explains what brought him back to England and a move to Sheffield, where he teamed up with younger brother Shawn, before winding down his BL career at Belle Vue and Swindon. With new colour pics of Kelly at home with his family and friends plus the honest opinions of John Berry, Ian Thomas, Ivan Mauger, Bob Dugard and Eric Boocock, this dominant feature of Backtrack 37 is a must for all Moran fans and those who appreciate just how much excitement and entertainment Kelly brought to the sport wherever he rode. BENGT JANSSON – Exclusive interview One of the most stylish and likeable imports to ever grace the BL in the 70s, former World No.2 ‘Banger’ Jansson recalls his brilliant racing days at Hackney, where he was idolised by Hawks’ fans, before less happy spells with Reading and Birmingham. He recalls his family’s struggle to overcome the tragic death of Tommy Jansson in 1976 and his successful veteran days in the Swedish leagues. Bengt also reveals plans to revive his business as a promoter of his beloved country and western music. SIMMO’S COLUMN Our straight-talking columnist reports back from the World Speedway Riders’ Association dinner, where he caught up with his former England team-mate Ray Wilson, plus Erik Gundersen and Terry Russell. ‘Super Simmo’ also writes about former Hackney team-mate Andy Galvin’s imprisonment, wonders whether he dare show his face at Swindon again and considers the merits of calls for a special memorial meeting to mark the 10th anniversary of Simon Wigg’s passing. HAPPY ANNIVERSARIES – Workington & Peterborough We spotlight two clubs that first opened their doors to speedway 40 years ago as both Workington and Peterborough celebrate their anniversary. Looking back at the opening season, with memories from several of those who were part of history, including Comets boss Ian Thomas and ex-Panthers’ stars Pete Seaton (the first race winner at the East of England Showground) and Pete Saunders. TIGER’S TALES We’re in Ipswich – Tiger country – for An Evening with John Louis, as the Witches legend entertains us with tales of his successful racing career. CONCRETE CAPERS The inside story of the indoor speedway extravagabnza at Wembley Arena, where a bold experiment in 1979 snowballed into a five-year adventure. Co-promoter Ian Thomas reveals the successes and failures behind the scenes. NIGEL LEAVER – On 2 Minutes Q&A Tracing the ups and downs of a rider who started out as Alan Grahame’s mechanic at Cradley Heath and went on a long and winding journey that involved stop-offs at Arena-Essex, Rye House, Wimbledon, Exeter, Mildenhall, King’s Lynn, Swindon and Belle Vue, where a bomb hoax once worked to his advantage. AMAZING BRIGGO Erik Gundersen urges British speedway to get behind the ambitious charity mission undertaken by Barry Briggs, while John Berry reviews Briggo’s new book, Wembley and Beyond. RADFORD’S TRAVELS Our intrepid reporter recalls his previous trips to far-flung venues. This time it’s: Nearbo (Norway), Nelson, Newcastle, Newport, Norden (Germany), Ornarna (Sweden), Ostrow (Poland), Oxford, Paisley, Peterborough, Poole, Rayleigh and Reading (Tilehurst). To order this issue and for details of how to subscribe, please go to: http://www.retro-speedway.com

SPEEDWAY Grand Prix ... there's an app for that. For more information go to http://www.snowfunk.com/sgp/ Speedway fan Craig Williamson has developed a superb SGP app for the iPhone and iTouch. See above.

ISSUE 8 (Spring 2010) of the quarterly retro speedway magazine is out now! SVERRE HARRFELDT – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW He is probably the greatest speedway rider Norway has ever produced . . . and now Sverre Harrfeldt has taken time out to look back over his eventful career with Classic Speedway. The former Wimbledon, West Ham and Wembley crowd favourite talks candidly and for the first time about THAT controversial night of the 1963 Internationale that was marred by accusations of bribery in which greats Ove Fundin and the late Peter Craven were both implicated. Read Sverre’s account of that big rumpus at Wimbledon and why he refused to shake Craven’s hand. Sverre also recalls how he was just three laps away from winning the world title in 1966 and why he blew his chances in 1965 by arriving a day late for the European Final! In the European Final three years later, Sverre was involved in a horrifying crash that put him out of speedway for 18 months and almost cost him his life. And he reveals how he had a very lucky escape again when he was unable to go on the fateful tour to Holland that killed his friends and West Ham team-mates in 1970. DANNY DUNTON – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW One of the sport’s most popular and enduring characters, Danny looks back at his career as a rider with Harringay, Ipswich, Belle Vue and Oxford, among others. He recalls beating Jack Parker from the back on his first visit to Hyde Road and says: “I hadn’t even heard of him – I didn’t know any riders at the time!” REG DUVAL Q&A – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Popular former Coventry, Liverpool and Poole favourite Reg Duval is the subject of our Q&A this time, as he recalls his overseas adventures in Europe and South Africa, where he competed in his last meeting at the age of 47, as well as his British racing experiences. He talks about Jack Young, his most respected Coventry team-mate, and also explains why his promoting attempts at Liverpool ended in disappointment and strife. MIROSLAV VERNER – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW One of the finest Czech riders ever, Miroslav Verner reflects on a career that took him to two Wembley World Team Cup finals and a host of British second division tracks where his full throttle exploits are still fondly remembered. SPLIT WATERMAN, JACK YOUNG AND THE GOLDEN HELMET ROW In the summer of 1952, Harringay star Split Waterman was hauled before a Control Board tribunal after refusing to race against ex-World Champion Jack Young, of West Ham, in the coveted Golden Helmet match-race championship. John Hyam explains the story behind the row and why the charismatic Waterman was harshly treated. TOM FARNDON – IS HE THE GREATEST EVER? There are fellas called Mauger, Fundin, Briggs and Rickardsson who might have something to say about the title, but that is what is claimed on the front cover of the new book on the former New Cross idol John Chaplin examines the impact Farndon had on speedway, explains why he was such a huge star in south-east London and, arguably, the best the sport has seen before his tragic death in 1935, aged just 24. http://www.retro-speedway.com

Spot on, Speedguy. Yes, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jimmy at his home just under a year ago, when he talked about virtually everything (and more) Rob mentioned in his first post. Good to see that the local press have recognised Jimmy's many talents, too, but it again goes to show just what so many on this forum are missing by not subscribing to or buying Classic Speedway magazine! Jimmy sent us a video recording of his charity parachute jump last September - remarkable stuff from an amazing man. We ran an appeal for our readers to support his charity leap but, sadly, very few bothered to respond. His humble reaction to our feature on him was very touching. Top man, Jimmy.

Some good thoughts there, tom, but Ray Wilson was featured prominently as our main man in Issue 18. You can still obtain a back copy if you want to read all about World Cup Willie, including those garish (for the time) yellow Bostik leathers... http://www.retro-speedway.com

We've just interviewed Sverre Harrfeldt for Issue 8 of Classic mag. He has some very interesting, controversial things to say. Anyone got any good stories they would like to share wth us about the former Norwegian No.1 and crowd-pleasing favourite at Wimbledon, West Ham and Wembley?

Issue 36 is out now and includes.... JAN O PEDERSEN – Exclusive interview Former Denmark and Cradley Heath favourite Jan O Pedersen bares his soul in our latest big exclusive. The 1991 World Champion recalls his rollercoaster career that began with the Heathens in 1983 and ended cruelly less than a year after he was crowned speedway’s No.1. Little Jan O, one of the most thrilling and spectacular racers of his era, reveals the legacy of his career-ending crash at the start of 1992 that has left him to commit to a daily course of pain-killers to ease the suffering he still feels in his back, hands and legs. But he talks about the good times, too . . . nine successful seasons with his beloved Cradley and the Black Country life that remains so close to his heart. An enjoyable year spent on loan to Sheffield, how he adapted his gating technique to succeed fellow Dane Erik Gundersen as Heathens’ top rider and became a triple world champ in the months before his racing days came to an abrupt end. He explains why he refused to gift Gundersen the win that would have guaranteed him the 1988 World Championship and re-lives the heartbreak of missing the following two World Finals due to injuries. The ever-popular Jan O reflects on his life after speedway – as promoter of Cradley at Stoke and Oxford team manager - and talks of his ambition to become a youth speedway trainer who can help nurture the next generation. John Berry also runs the rule over one of the sport’s genuine nice guys. BRUCE PENHALL Our American star columnist turns the spotlight on two of his former USA Test team-mates, Bobby Schwartz and Dennis Sigalos. BP partnered ‘Boogaloo’ to World Pairs glory in 1981 – the Yanks’ first World Championship victory since 1937 – before his retirement allowed ‘Siggy’ to join Schwartz and retain the pairs crown in ’82. Bruce also recalls the embarrassment he felt when he was left without a partner in his first World Pairs Final, at Vojens in 1979, and explains why the American authorities did little to help. MALCOLM SIMMONS Our other former star rider columnist explains why Maurice Littlechild, his former boss at King’s Lynn, was the best promoter he ever rode for. Super Simmo also continues his review of old London tracks with a look at the spacious White City, which was one home to the biggest meetings in the UK racing calendar. And he begins a new series of technical insight with his opinions on the once dominant JAP engine on which he began his career in the early 60s. MALCOLM HOLLOWAY One of the sport’s biggest characters, Malcom Holloway looks back over his racing days with his hometown club Swindon, plus his spells with Reading, Oxford, and Milton Keynes, etc. Find out who Malc describes as his ‘hero’ and what he thinks of former team-mates such as Bob Kilby, Phil Bass, Phil Crump and Steve Gresham. ‘Mad Wellie’ recalls some of his exploits both on and off the track, as well as his ill-fated period in management at cash-strapped Reading. WHERE HAVE ALL THE CHARACTERS GONE? Richard Bott laments the loss of so many colourful characters who made speedway such a vibrant and much-talked about sport in the 70s and 80s. STEVE BISHOP Q&A The former Swindon, Exeter, Stoke and Arena Essex rider reveals his favourite tracks and promoter, plus much more... RADFORD’S TRAVELS Bob continues his world-wide journey with reviews of visits to Huddinge (Sweden), Landshut (Germany), Larvik (Norway), Leicester, Lejonen (Sweden), Long Eaton, Lonigo (Italy), LA Coliseum (USA), Middlesbrough, Mildenhall, Mildura (Australia) and Milton Keynes. Plus... Your letters, plus colour pics of Phil Herne, Robert Henry, Roy Carter, Ian Humphries, Martin Hagon, Steve Finch, Robert Maxfield and Paul Woods and many other previously unpublished pictures... To buy this issue and for full subscription details, go to: http://www.retro-speedway.com/

Can anyone plse help with footage from the 1970 World Final at Wroclaw, Poland? I appreciate that if any is available, it is most likely to be in its original 8mm cine format, and taken by a fan from the terraces. Just wondered if there's anything gathering dust in a loft or garage somewhere? Cheers.

WINTER 2009-10 Welcome to Issue 7 of our quarterly retro magazine. There's another feast of speedway nostalgia for your enjoyment... BILLY BALES - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW One of the most popular riders in the long history of Norwich Speedway, Billy Bales looks back over his career that promised much but was ultimately handicapped by a series of injuries. A diminutive racer with a huge heart, Billy reveals how his first promoter gave him a new Christian name that stuck for life. He recalls his early days with Yarmouth Bloaters before his move up into the senior league with his local Norwich Stars team, where his regular race partners included the great Ove Fundin. Billy gives us his own views on the controversial Swede and how he, too, benefited from Ove's acclaimed mechanic Les Mullins. Although a legend at Norwich, Billy explains why he enjoyed spending the last five seasons of his career riding for Sheffield Tigers before he finally retired at the end of 1969. "Fortunately, apart from a little bit of concussion, I never suffered any bad head injuries. I consider myself very lucky to be here today," says Billy, who celebrated his 80th birthday last June. GEORGE WHITE - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Our second major interview is with the former Swindon star George White, one of the most spectacular riders to grace the British scene in the 50s and early 60s. After spells as a rookie with Yarmouth and then a brief spell in the juniors at New Cross, George blossomed at Blunsdon, where he became a huge crowd favourite with his fearless style and distinctive all-white leathers. "I had no fear and used to love going out wide and around the fence," he told Classic Speedway. RON JOHNSON - LEGEND In this in-depth profile, we chart the rise and fall of the former Australia and New Cross legend Ron Johnson, one of the most dynamic personalities of the late-40s and early-50s. Johnno's story covers his rapid emergence as a Johnnie Hoskins discovery in Perth, Western Australia, through his golden period of international stardom as hero of the mighty ‘Rangers' down the Old Kent Road and residence at the swanky Dorchester Hotel, to his subsequent sad demise - serious head injuries, failed comeback bids for Ashfield, West Ham and Edinburgh and two prison sentences for drink-driving.He spent his latter years confined to a wheelchair following a road accident. He had been dead for a week before his body was discovered in 1983. LEO McAULIFFE Q&A with the one-time World Finalist and former Eastbourne, New Cross, Wimbledon and Oxford rider who was forced to retire after fracturing his skull in a bad smash at Halifax in 1969. LEN SILVER We produce an edited extract from his new book, As Luck Would Have It: A Cockney's Tale, in which Len looks back on his early days as a struggling and accident-prone novice - "the two-lap champion" - before he got his chance with Ipswich under the management of a regimental man he quickly came to curse. JIMMY TANNOCK Fellow Scot Bert Harkins brings us up to date with his former Edinburgh Monarchs team-mate Jimmy Tannock and explains why he became known as ‘The Laird of Glen Orchy'. Plus... Columnist Ian Hoskins recalls the watershed World Final of 1950, a tribute to the late Sandor Levai, Hungary's greatest ever speedway rider, your letters, news updates and much more... ORDER YOUR COPY OR SUBSCRIBE ONLINE NOW BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK... http://www.retro-speedway.com/

Thought you'd approve of the feature on Ted. It's Jan O Pedersen - not Erik - next time!

And why wouldn't you expect to read about an 80s NL star in Backtrack! Andy was a one-time protege of Simmo's, firstly at Crayford and then Hackney and Arena Essex, so it was appropriate for Malcolm to mention Andy and their past working relationship in his latest column.

ISSUE 35 OUT NOW! WORLD FINAL versus GRAND PRIX - The 80s Following our attempts in the last issue to determine who would have won the World Championship finals had the modern GP system applied in the 70s, this time we leap forward to the 80s, as John Berry and Tony McDonald choose their main men from that era. After Michael Lee and then Bruce Penhall claimed victories in the first three World Finals of the 80s, it became a decade dominated by the dynamic Danes. But just how many titles will our ‘experts' JB and Tony Mac award to Hans Nielsen (below) and his great rival Erik Gundersen - and not forgetting Tommy Knudsen and Jan O. Pedersen? And did they ‘give' another glory night to Lee or a much sought-after first crown to his fellow Englishman Kenny Carter? The individual world title eluded Dave Jessup but would it have done had the championship race been decided over a long series? Where did Sam Ermolenko (left, chasing Nielsen)and the other Americans feature in the reckoning? Surely Egon Muller wouldn't have got near the rostrum under the GP format? All is revealed in the latest issue as we analyse the who, what and when of World Finals/GPs of the 80s. MICHAEL LEE - Exclusive interview Talking of Lee, we catch up with the 1980 World No.1 and find out what keeps him busy today - apart from starring in his own, new DVD! The controversial former King's Lynn and Poole racer (right)explains his mechanical background and why he gets such a buzz from tuning engines for several of today's star names, including England's new white hope and 2010 GP challenger Tai Woffinden. BRUCE PENHALL Our big-name columnist from across The Pond gives his own thoughts on Michael Lee, as well as recalling his former Cradley Heath team-mate Erik Gundersen (left), who was forced to quit racing just over 20 years ago following his near-fatal crash at Bradford. And just what did Ivan Mauger have to say to Bruce when he called him up recently in California? MALCOLM SIMMONS After more bad news from Wimbledon Stadium as the main stand is closed to the greyhound racing public, our other regular star columnist ‘Super Simmo' provides a fascinating insight into three of the London tracks he rode at most often . . . Plough Lane, plus Hackney and West Ham, in what he calls his ‘London lament'. He also reveals some sorry news about his former Hackney team-mate Andy Galvin and has some words of praise for Terry Russell following his recent resignation as BSPA president. Oh, and why did World Champion Jason Crump have cause to phone chez Simmo in Kent? Was it something you said, Malc? CASTLEFORD A place fit for Kings? Well, you would hardly describe the now sadly defunct Whitood Stadium in West Yorkshire as a venue for royalty but this training track cum open licence venue served a very useful purpose in 1979 and '80, before its sudden closure. Martin Neal talks to an ex-Kings rider and team manager who were part and parcel of the Castleford scene, plus we've images of the old site after the bikes moved out. DOUBLE DUTCH National newspaper journalist Richard Bott is back from hospital to recall what it was like covering the World Finals of the 80s, including trips to Poland, Sweden and Amsterdam for the sport's one and only two-day final in 1987. ALAN MOGRIDGE - My Night As a key member of Hackney's all-conquering National League team of the late-80s, ‘Moggo' relives the night, in 1988, when the Kestrels overpowered London rivals Wimbledon to win the KO Cup and complete a glorious NL double. TED HUBBARD Q&A The former Canterbury, Rye House and Hackney favourite (right) is the subject of our latest ‘On 2 Minutes' interview. Amongst other things, read why he didn't go too much on Crewe and who he enjoyed riding with most. RADFORD'S TRAVELS Intrepid Bob is back with more tales of his trips to far-flung places. He's reached the Gs and K's, which means we're on the go from Getingarna to King's Lynn, via Glasgow, Gorzow, Gothenburg, Hackney, Halifax, Hull, Ipswich and Katowice. ZDENEK MAJSTR - Exclusive interview Probably not the first former Czech rider's name you will recall from the early-70s, but an international performer with an intriguing story to tell nonetheless. Vitek Formanek caught up with ‘Zen' to find out all about the determined man from Slany who emerged from the shadow of the favoured Red Star Prague team members. Plus... Your letters, including a backlash for Bruce following his controversial comments about Kenny Carter in our previous issue. BUY YOUR COPY OR SUBSCRIBE ONLINE VIA THIS LINK http://www.retro-speedway.com

Much of the criticism aimed at Bruce Penhall on here has been over the top, unjustified and, in one or two cases, moronic. I’ll say nothing about the Penhall book because it has nothing to do with us, other than to make it clear that Retro Speedway didn’t publish it, but as far as his comments in his Backtrack column are concerned... The man really can’t win, can he? If he had said nothing about Kenny Carter and his previous hostile relationship with him, then people would probably have accused him of avoiding the issue and ‘being boring’. It wasn't a case of Bruce wanting to use his new column to have another pop at Carter. I specifically asked him to tell our readers how he feels now about Carter because, whether you agree with him or not, people are interested in what he has to say about one of the most talked-about and volatile rivalries in speedway history. So he comes out and says, with complete honesty, what he really thought of Kenny, and people condemn him for it. It was obvious that his views would not go down well with Kenny’s supporters. What did they expect him to say?: ‘Yeah, as everyone knows, I hated him really, but as he’s now dead, I suppose he wasn’t such a bad bloke after all.' I applaud Penhall’s honesty in standing by his opinions on Carter and also in what he said about Ivan Mauger’s motives for attaching himself to Kenny. As for those who have whined that Kenny has no opportunity to respond to Bruce’s comments, well perhaps they should remind themselves why that is the case. Bruce’s anger towards Carter is fuelled not just by their aggressive on-track feud, but even more so by the tragedy that devastated two families, led to the cruel death of the defenceless Pam Carter and left their two children without parents. People also like to throw the 1982 White City ‘race’ back at Bruce, as if it was the biggest treachery ever enacted in speedway. Take it as fact, some riders who have won as much - and more - as Penhall did in the sport have done equally dubious things to serve their own needs – and, in some cases, much worse. But you won’t read about them anywhere because they will never be proven or acknowledged by those concerned. Again, BP has been castigated for his honesty. He could have gone out for that heat 19 of the Overseas Final, feigned machine failure, broken the tapes or just pulled up for no obvious reason (as many others did over the years without drawing accusations of ‘fix’), but he chose the honest (but very naive) route...just stayed out of the way with the aim of helping as many of his fellow Americans through to the first US-staged World Final and even admitted doing so on national television immediately afterwards. His naivety was in making it look TOO obvious, by badly missing the gate and then pulling wheelies while at the back. He probably thought that even though he was not legitimately competing to gain any points from the race, he would at least trying to offer the crowd some form of showmanship and entertainment. He clearly misjudged the mood and reaction of the British public but don’t accuse him of being a coward or selfish. All he did, in allowing three fellow Americans to finish ahead of him, was the same as many others did before and after him under the old World Championship formula, where favours were freely traded among riders along the route to the final, and at the world final itself. The purists can bury their heads in the sand but, as Simmo has made clear, it DID go on. In doing what he did (and I’m not saying for one minute that we should applaud him for it, because it was clearly not in the sport’s best interests), Penhall also sacrificed a little personal glory that day, because he could have won the meeting. You can imagine that if he had ignored the bigger picture – ie, the Yanks wanted as many of their own boys through to LA as possible to boost the appeal of the World Final that year – and instead gone on to win the OF, he would have been hammered for being selfish, arrogant and uncaring about his fellow countrymen and USA team-mates. In response to Martin M’s comments above, yes Bruce will be moving on in his next column, in which he talks affectionately about his former Cradley team-mate Erik Gundersen and also Michael Lee, the rider he feared most. Oh, and he'll also tell you about the phone call he received from Ivan Mauger following his last Backtrack column. Does anyone have any constructive thoughts about what, or who, they would like Bruce (or Simmo) to discuss in their future Backtrack columnns?....

Our new Michael Lee DVD - Mike the Bike - is selling like hot cakes. And no wonder given the sensational content of this double-disc, four-hour package in which Michael takes a long, hard look at himself and opens up to Retro Speedway about the ups and downs of his turbument life, both on and off the track, in our exclusive series of interviews. Whatever you think of Mike - and whether or not you believe he wasted a great career - he should at least be applauded for his honesty on this officially endorsed DVD in which he bares his soul. Drug abuse, arrests and three prison sentences . . . he doesn't flinch from any questions. Oh, and there's plenty of speedway talk, action and images too! To those who have ordered (it is available exclusively from us), all existing orders are being despatched over today and tomorrow, so the DVD should be with you very shortly. For those who haven't ordered it from us yet for just £16.00 (post-free in the UK), why not check out this nine-minute sampler on our website. It just gives you a little flavour of what's in store. Please note, though, this clip is downloaded from You Tube and the picture flickering you see towards the end of the clip definitely does NOT appear on the actual DVD! Here's the link: http://www.retro-speedway.com/

Rob, Bruce had nothing more to prove to anyone after winning the title in '81 & '82. As he has himself admitted, he was burnt out from speedway by the end of '82 and ready for a new challenge - he wouldn't have been up for another crack at it in a German field. Rob, Carter believed in himself like no other, to the point where it became self-destructive. It was his failure sometimes to accept that he couldn't do the impossible that rebounded on him so spectacularly. I don't know how you can conclude that he won so little. Apart from the 'Big One', he won the next most important and prestigious individual titles in the form of the British Championship (twice - once when massively handicapped by a broken leg) and the BLRC (twice). He also won the World Pairs with PC and came very close to winning it again with Tatum in '85 before an inspired piece of brilliance by Gundersen denied them.

Take your word for it, Rob, but you get my point. Well, the BF was such a cut-throat meeting, who wouldn't have turned down automatic seeding to the ICF that year? mmm...'83 very open? Like Falcace, I thought everything about Norden was tailor-made for one man only... Don't know about '82 being KC's peak. Still think he would have been very difficult to stop at Bradford in '85, after the way he demolished the rest in the BF at Coventry. All said and done, it says a lot about the impact Carter had on us and the sport itself that so many words are still being spoken and written about him today.

I wouldn't put too much store by who won individual qualifying rounds along the way to the final - except, perhaps, the most meaningful British Finals of the 70s and 80s when the meeting carried real prestige and the main men genuinely cared about winning it. Winning the BF brought more kudos than the Overseas/Commonwealth finals and even the Inter-Continental final. Ivan Mauger could have won the ICF at White City in '79 but admitted that he deliberately threw his last race (after proving a point by leading Finn Thomsen all the way to the last bend) to ensure a more favourable span of races in the final at Katowice - and it worked! Winning the world final itself required qualities not necessary in qualifiers that, for most, were all about getting through to the next round. We will, of course, never know what Carter would have done had broken legs not stopped him from reaching the finals of '84 and '85 but he would surely have been a major contender and a rider feared by all.

What, declined as in he 'only' won the 1985 British Championship in emphatic style. Halifax fans will confirm just how much of an outstanding No.1 rider he was for them - invariably a one-man team away from The Shay - or "me and six w*****s" in Kenny's own words! Of course, he didn't do much of note after May '86. Carter fans will also argue that he was one refereeing decision away from winning the world title in '82 and was nailed on to win it at Odsal, in his own backyard, in '85 before the rain of Vetlanda intervened.

Bruce Penhall is, of course, entitled to his opinion - just like you and the rest of us. Bruce was specifically asked to write about his rivalry with Kenny (not, as you suggest, to sell copies of our KC book - it's been advertised for the past two years and the book is about to sell out of its second print run), because to have avoided the issue would have been a total nonsense. Cowardice? Whether or not you happen to agree with his views about Kenny or Ivan Mauger, many would appreciate Bruce's honesty. However, what concerns me more is your totally inacurrate and potentially misleading observation about the content of our magazines? Whilst we, quite naturally, cross-promote the availability of Backtrack and Classic in each magazine, in the form of a subscriptions advert, we do not duplicate editorial content and have a very clearly defined policy. Backtrack focuses specifically on the period 1970-90. Classic covers pre-70s, but with emphasis on the 60s and post-war era. But then 99.9% of our readers already know this. Give me strength...

AS one who was involved in the 1982 World Final at the LA Coliseum ... no, it was not a financial disaster. The crowd of around 37,000 was the biggest at a speedway event for around 20 years... until exceeded by a GP at Cardiff. What made the staging particularly expensive was the fact that the promoters (Jack Milne, Harry Oxley, Barry Briggs and Ivan Mauger) had to stage a meeting at the Coliseum prior to the final to prove to the FIM that a World Final there was feasible. That cost an arm and a leg. But, don't forget, American speedway was very strong at that time, led by Bruce Penhall but with a huge supporting cast. America (Oxley and co) was awarded the 1982 Final under exceptional circumstances, which you can read more about in the up-coming Barry Briggs book Wembley and Beyond. In response to an earlier comment ... the crowd for the Latvian GP this year was their best to date but the city of Daugavpils was unable to continue with its financial support given the chronic economic situation in the country. The former lady mayor of Daugavpils, who had provided strong backing, moved to Riga and hopes that the former Soviet air base nearby would be converted into an airport attracting the likes of Ryanair and Easyjet proved fruitless. And Ole Olsen had no intention of relinquishing the post of GP Race Director until the FIM confirmed details of a new role for him. PHILIP RISING

For anyone considering buying our Kenny Carter book, Tragedy, as a Xmas gift....best to get in quick now because we have only 20 left and once they've all gone, there will be no further re-print. http://www.retro-speedway.com/ Or, if you don't have a PayPal account, phone us on 01708 734 502 and use your debit/credit card for payment. £15.99 - P&P is free in the UK.

Issue 34 of speedway’s favourite retro magazine is out now! Here’s what we have for you in another nostalgia-packed edition: WORLD FINAL versus GRAND PRIX As the 2009 season comes to a close and Jason Crump celebrates his third well-earned Grand Prix world title, we re-visit the ongoing debate about the respective merits or otherwise of the traditional World Final and the modern GP, and its damaging effect on the domestic scene in Britain. Our resident ‘experts’ John Berry and Tony Mac also examine how history could have been re-written. They look back on the 10 World Finals of the 70s and assess who would probably have won the title each year had the current GP series applied then. How many titles would Barry Briggs, Ivan Mauger, Ole Olsen, Peter Collins, Anders Michanek and Malcolm Simmons, etc, really have won under this formula compared to the knockout-style format that was abandoned by the FIM after 1994? It’s controversial, thought-provoking . . . so check it out and see if you agree with their conclusions. BRUCE PENHALL ‘Juicy Brucie’ is back with his second column all the way from sunny California. But what the double World Champion has to say about former England No.1 and his biggest rival Kenny Carter in this issue will no doubt cause a storm around Halifax and throughout West Yorkshire. The American is scathing in his highly personal condemnation of Carter for murdering his wife Pam in 1986. He also has the final world on their explosive Heat 14 World Final clash at the LA Coliseum in 1982 that still provokes strong argument among fans all over the world today. And Penhall also questions Ivan Mauger’s motives in agreeing to become Carter’s business manager and mentor for the 1981 and ’82 finals. MALCOLM SIMMONS Our other big-name columnist is, as usual, no less hard-hitting. Dismayed by the poor standard of racing at many GPs this season, Simmo asks why the elite riders have not got together and threatened strike action over slick track conditions. In a critical analysis of Tai Woffinden, he also doubts whether England’s great new hope for future glory is ready to have a crack at the GP series as early as 2010. And with typical controversy, the former England and Poole skipper is calling for regular testing of the GP stars’ engines to dispel growing rumours that there are some ‘big’ engines out there. WORLD OF DIFFERENCE Much travelled journalist Richard Bott, who covered speedway for the national press, reflects on his eventful trips to Poland and Sweden to cover World Finals in the 70s and how conditions then were so much harder than they are in the modern world of laptops, the internet and mobile phones. ROGER JOHNS Moore, Briggs, How and Hedge are all Wimbledon living legends . . . and so too is Roger Johns. Martin Neal catches up with the former Dons skipper to find out what he made of his time at Plough Lane, as well as his spells in the second tier with Eastbourne and Rye House. LEN SILVER To coincide with the launch of his new book, As Luck Would Have It (Retro Speedway £15.00), we present en edited extract covering Len’s two spells as England team manager. He explains the problems that led up to his sacking in 1976 and his resignation in disgust in 1981. JOHN LOUIS To mark ‘Tiger’ John’s 40 years in speedway, his former Ipswich promoter John Berry pays tribute to the rock on which the Witches were built and says why it’s time the town’s most famous shale star was honoured for his loyal services. Plus...Laurie Etheridge recalls his biggest night in speedway, when his NNLRC victory at Wimbledon put Crayford Kestrels on the map in 1975 . . . Phil Collins reveals his new hobby in the USA . . . Bob Radford continues on his global travels . . . and we’ve a Q&A with ex-Peterborough and Coventry star Kevin Hawkins, as well as your letters and more. http://www.retro-speedway.com/

Sounds like a good idea for a feature in the next issue of Backtrack...

I WAS curious to see a consensus of opinion on who the world's top 15 riders are and how that would marry up to the 2010 Grand Prix line-up. Magnus Zetterstrom hasn't appeared on anyone's list and that is hardly surprising so does that add weight to the argument that riders should have to qualify or does it reinforce the seeding scheme? PHILIP RISING