TonyMac

Terry Stone continues to gather in items of memorabilia that people are kindly donating to the museum. At this week's committee meeting, he had an old Canterbury racejacket worn by the late Msrtyn Piddock, plus shields donated by Canterbury Speedway S.C. Even the Scots are giving things away in support of the museum! Former Glasgow boss Jim Beaton has given Terry several trophies that were won, or competed for, by the Tigers. If anyone has anything else worthwhile, that is currently gathering dust, pse get in touch with the appropriate Speedway Museum committee members, who can be reached as follows: Funding – Linda & George Barclay: 020 8592 3361 Email: g.barclay@hotmail.co.uk Interior and Exhibits – Patrick Bowens: 020 8398 1253 or Terry Stone: 01702 554358 Email: patrick.bowens@ntlworld.com Archives – Steve Lings: 01992 440 343 Email: slings@pwpark.com Publicity – Tony McDonald: 01708 734 502 Email: editorial@retro-speedway.com And not forgetting Norman (Norbold), who you all know how to contact on this forum!

We're hopefully going to interview Tony Featherstone - one of the sport's characters of the 70s - in the next Backtrack. Does anyone have any interesting/offbeat/unusual stories or favourite memories about this ex-rider who appeared for Boston, Peterborough, Hackney, Crayford, etc? Or any particular question(s) you would like us to put to Tony when we speak to him? Cheers.

Nice one. Only trouble is, with Frank on the button, your dream night would be all over in about 15 minutes! Gerald Short?

I am delighted to say that Retro Speedway now owns the copyright to the biggest speedway photographic collection in existence . . . literally hundreds of thousands of negatives and prints from the sport’s early days until the late 90s. It’s the collection we purchased from Alf Weedon, speedway’s original photographer who started pointing his camera at speedway tracks all over Europe from the late 40s. We have a massive and unrivalled collection of images to choose from. Portrait and action shots, team groups, internationals, British League, National League, World Finals and all the major individual events and presentation pics, even numerous junior riders . . . we feel pretty certain that there isn’t a rider from the 1970s, 80s or 90s that we won’t have an image of. We are delighted to give you this unique opportunity to purchase any of our colour or black & white pictures of these riders who competed at all levels of the sport. From world champions to lower league reserves and some second-halfers. It is our intention in the future to showcase all our vast number of available images on our website at http://www.retro-speedway.com . . . but it will take years to complete that mammoth process! In the meantime, just email myself at editorial@retro-speedway with the name of the rider(s) or team group(s) that you are interested in, as well as the year in question, and let our research team do the rest! They would make great surprise gift presents for friends, relatives and loved ones, or why not just treat yourself and take another step back in time! We can offer colour and black & white pictures in the following sizes and prices: 6 x 4 inch (13cm x 9cm) costs £3.00 each (minimum spend £6.00). (We can also print up four pics together to form one larger A4 print) 12 x 8 inch - A4 (29cm x 20.5) costs £7.50 each. Postage costs £1.50 per order to a UK address (overseas airmail on request). All pictures will be printed on professional 255gsm gloss photographic art paper. These prices apply to pictures for personal use only. Please apply for commercial usage rates. Prints will be posted by Royal Mail second class, and in a board-backed envelope. Tony Mac

Aaah, 1977-78 revisited. Yep, that's as near to perfect as perfect can be. Topped with a few jars in Snoopy's?

Good to see you've still got your sense of humour, KB! Kingsmead had some good things going for it - didn't Malcolm Mitchell make a habit of forgetting to announce the winning times until 5 mins after the actual race? Must admit, JSH in his prime would take some beating. But where were the different racing lines? As I recall it, it was tight to the white line (or the grass, in Barney's case) and wind it on. No chance of anyone passing on the outside of what was a flat track. Still, if it was perfect for you who am I to argue.

OK, come on, tell us what, and who, would be part of your ultimate Perfect Night's Speedway (we're talking 1970-1990 only here, please!)? Just fill in the answers to all the following categories to make up what would be your dream speedway set-up... I'll set the ball rolling... TRACK (can be defunct): Belle Vue (Hyde Road). CAPTAIN: Ivan Mauger. OTHER RIDERS WHO HAD TO BE IN THE TEAM (assume they are at their peak): Peter Collins, Chris Morton, Kelly Moran, Zenon Plech, Bruce Penhall, Christer Lofqvist, No.8 Roman Matousek. (Probably exceeded the points limit there but what the hell!). PROMOTER: John Berry (OK, I'm biased). TEAM MANAGER: JB (Peter Adams as stand-in). ANNOUNCER: John Earrey (ex-Ipswich & White City). RACE NIGHT: Saturday, 7.45pm (time to get home from the afternoon football, but early enough to allow enough time for a visit to the funfair afterwards). MARCH OUT MUSIC: The Magnificent Seven theme tune (what else?). Beat that!

Just a reminder that today (Tuesday, Dec 19) is the last day for first class posting to arrive in time for Christmas, so if you are still stuck for that elusive late gift for a friend or relative and want to order anything from us at Retro Speedway, pse call us today on 01708 734 502 and we'll make sure all items are despatched immediately. Our last post goes at 6.45pm, so please call us before 6.30pm tonight to meet the Christmas deadline! To check out our full range of books, magazines and coasters, got to: http://www.retro-speedway.com To all our loyal and valued readers, and speedway fans everywhere, here's wishing you a very Merry Xmas and a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year... Cheers, Tony Mac

Sad news reaches the VSM office that Wally Green died on December 11 following a short illness. Wally was runner-up to Freddie Williams in the 1950 World Final (his one and only big night appearance) at Wembley, scoring 13 points. He rode for England and is regarded among the all-time greats of West Ham. Sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Calm down!, Calm down! Seriously, if you haven't yet received your copy, please PM me (or, better still, phone us on 01708 734 502) so that we can look into it for you immediately. If you do that now, with details of your full address, we will endeavour to pinpoint the problem and resolve it. Chances are, it has simply got lost in the deluge of Chrimbo post (from the messages on here, it's obvious that copies are arriving at different times depending on where you live, even though they are ALL posted out at the same time), or it has still to arrive! But pse call us anyway so that we can try and put things right for you. As a matter of policy, and in fairness to our loyal (and very patient!) subscribers, we do not make any copies available on eBay until AFTER we are reasonably certain that ALL subscribers have received theirs first. This time, it appears the Xmas post factor has kicked in. Many thanks for the positive comments about issue 17 from those who have seen it - that's Hackney former fans everywhere, plus those who look back fondly on the Hawks!

If he does recall it, he didn't mention it! Are you sure you haven't been re-reading Simmo's book again and getting 'em mixed up!

Issue 17 Just to confirm that the latest issue is being posted out from our mailing house this morning (Monday, Dec 4), so all subscribers should receive their copy before the end of this week. Many thanks for your patience, as it's a little later than usual (all due to the books we've had to get out!). If you don't already subscribe (shame on you!), then the new issue will be on sale at the Brighton Indoor meeting on Sunday.

John Berry will be signing copies of his new book, More Confessions, in Ipswich on Saturday, December 9. He will be at Orwell Motorcycles Ltd, 200 Ranelagh Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 0AQ from 11.30am to 1.30pm. Between 2pm and 4pm JB will be signing at Ipswich Tourist Information Centre, St. Stephens Church, St Stephens Lane, Ipswich, IP1 1DP. The following day – Sunday, Dec 10 – John will also be signing his book at the Brighton Bonanza indoor event.

MORE CONFESSIONS By John Berry 256 pages in softback, plus more than 100 pictures. Published November 2006, £15.99 Two years after his acclaimed first book Confessions of a Speedway Promoter, and a year after undergoing heart surgery, John Berry is back with his eagerly awaited follow up. As expected, the former England and Ipswich team manager/promoter pulls no punches in recalling the best and worst of times in the 70s and 80s, when he was one of the prime movers and shakers in British speedway. Less autobiographical and providing more general appeal than his first book, which focused heavily on his success with the Ipswich Witches, More Confessions has something to interest speedway fans the world over. In More Confessions, JB names his greatest rider ever, reviews every British track he has ever visited as a promoter or team manager (including his season with National League Wimbledon in 1987), runs the rule over good and bad referees, names the people he thinks deserve a medal from The Queen, explains where speedway has gone wrong . . . and how the sport could change and go forward to a brighter future. It’s bound to raise laughs and heckles in equal measure as, once again, Berry dares to say what others only think. For example, can you guess which tracks he is describing here in less than favourable terms? . . . "This was like being a visitor to Dodge City, where the only law was the survival of the fittest, and the visitors were hopelessly outnumbered! "From stepping out of the car in the afternoon, to climbing back in again, the bullying and threatening manner and attitude, both on and off the track, was tangible. Rider to rider, tinpot official to team management, person to person, the whole mob of locals seemed to be spoiling for a fight. We tried not to take too many backward steps, but I have to say, I was glad we all managed to leave that place in one piece." Or, how about this one: "From the time we arrived at that bleak place there was an air of foreboding and the smell of danger in the air. Nothing tangible, but the morose promoter cast a shadow like a rumbling volcano about to erupt at any moment." We all think we know the answers to speedway’s problems and the best way to revive the ‘golden days’. Well, Berry has appointed himself ‘King For The Day’ to do just that. Neither the BSPA nor BSI will appreciate his no-nonsense advice from Australia but he gives it all the same. And, to be fair, Berry admits the mistakes and failures he and his fellow promoters of the 70s and 80s made in failing to lay the foundations for the sport’s long-term benefit. To order your copy of More Confessions for £15.99 post-free, phone the Retro Speedway hotline on 01708 734 502, or go online at http://www.retro-speedway.com, or post cheque (payable to Retro Speedway) to: Retro Speedway (Books), 103 Douglas Road, Hornchurch, Essex, RM11 1AW.

There's a small colour pic of Tony in the next Backtrack, as part of the 'Hull - Defunct Tracks' feature. What a character. I remember him causing uproar during Hull's visit to Romford in 1971 - can't remember exactly ehat he did to so upset the locals, but he was Public Enemy No.1 at Brooklands for a while! We should interview Tony Childs. Can anyone help with his phone number, to my email address: editorial@retro-speedway.com Cheers, Tony Mac

Just a taster of what's to come at the end of November in issue 17... MAIN MAN – the late BILLY SANDERS. John Berry, who acted as Billy's legal guardian when he first arrived in the UK in 1972 and had the horrible task of identifying his former No.1 rider's body after he took his own life in 1985, provides a compelling - though sad - insight into the tragic the life and times of the Australian ace. IAN CARTWRIGHT Remember 'Super Mouse' of Halifax, who began his fence-scraping antics at Crewe and became the Dukes' No.1 and an England star? Now he's the head of a company producing work fit for royals... RICHARD HELLSEN Remembering his days with King's Lynn and Swindon and why he's grateful he got the sack from White City. KENNY McKINNA On the former Glasgow promoter whose name he still cannot bear to say, his acrimonious departure from the Tigers, and why he has only good memories of Belle Vue boss Stuart Bamforth and that great Hyde Road track. DEFUNCT TRACK – Hull Vikings (The Boulevard years) From Tony Childs to Jimmy Mac, Briggo, Ivan and the zany Americans, if you were a Vikings fan in the 70s and early 80s, then you don't want to miss this! Tributes to BRUCE FORRESTER & MIKE CUROSO BERNIE LEIGH Just what did 'Good ol' Bernie' and his Reading team-mates Dickie May and Dag Lovaas get up to on a dark motorway one night? MILAN SPINKA The courageous Czech and how he bounced back from terrifying crashes... MORE CONFESSIONS We take a sneak preview inside John Berry's brand new book and wonder just why and who he's nominated for Queen's honours, as well as what he has to say about every track he's ever visited as a team manager/promoter. You just know that someone's going to be upset, don't you... MASTERMIND How are you doing in our quiz? Check out the leading pack and put your knowledge to the test again. Plus....very nice full colour pictures of.. PHIL COLLINS (Cradley) JOHN JORGENSEN (Coventry) BARNEY KENNETT (Canterbury) MARVYN COX (Oxford) GEORGE MAJOR (Birmingham) STEVE McDERMOTT (Berwick) BRETT SAUNDERS (Edinburgh) ROBERT HENRY (Mildenhall) Have you remembered to renew your subscription yet? Or treated a loved one to a subscription as a Christmas gift? Well, what are you waiting for... Http://www.retro-speedway.com

BE SMART...AND HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR THE MUSEUM! They make great Christmas gifts... SPEEDWAY MUSEUM POLO SHIRT As modelled by 2006 World Champion Jason Crump and his father Phil. £12.00 each for Adults or £8.75 for Children. Add £1.50 P&P per shirt. Available in red, white, royal blue & black Sizes: XS, SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE, XL & XXL -------------------------------------------------------- SPEEDWAY MUSEUM FLEECE As modelled by Michael Lee and George Barclay Adults only – £20.00 each + £3.00 P&P per fleece Available in Navy or Burgundy Sizes: MEDIUM, LARGE & XL ------------------------------------------------------------- All tops include the distinctive Peter Craven action logo embroidered. To order, and for further details, contact George Barclay on 0208 592 3361 or Email: g.barclay@hotmail.co.uk Send all orders to: 41, Lodge Avenue, Dagenham, Essex, RM8 2JD. Please make cheque payable to: SPEEDWAY MUSEUM LTD To check out how the fleeces and polo tops look, visit the Speedway Museum's own website at: http://www.speedwaymuseum.co.uk All monies raised from the sale of these fleeces and polo shirts go to the Speedway Museum fund.

Don’t throw it away...give it to the Speedway Museum! DO you have piles or boxes full of old speedway magazines, programmes or other memorabilia gathering dust or cluttering your home or loft? Well, don’t throw it in the skip . . . please donate it all to the Speedway Museum committee, who can use just this kind of thing to help raise more funds for this great monument to British speedway by selling it on at collectors’ fayres (such as the annual High Beech get-together, which is confirmed for Sunday, February 18, 2007. Phone George Barclay (0208 592 3361) and he will arrange to collect anything from you, to put to good use in the continuing fund-raising effort.

Brenda gives Speedway Museum lift-off BRENDA Leat, the wife of the late former World Champion Peter Craven, was at Paradise Wildlife Park on Saturday (Oct 21) to perform the ‘ground-breaking’ ceremony on the site of the new Speedway Museum. Brenda and her husband Leon travelled down from their Wigan home to the Hertfordshire countryside to mark the beginning of the building process that will culminate in the opening of the museum next April. They were joined by PWP owner Pete Sampson, plus his fellow former riders George Barclay and Gerry King, as well as Museum trustee and fund co-ordinator Linda Barclay. "I felt honoured to be asked to attend the groundbreaking," says Brenda, "and to see how quickly things are moving now that building work has commenced. I’m also very proud that the people behind the Speedway Museum have chosen a brilliant action picture of Peter in Belle Vue colours as their brand logo. I’m sure Peter would also have been very proud to be remembered in this way."

Issue No.55 – Vol 14 No.3 – Autumn 2006 LIONEL VAN PRAAG SEVENTY years on from his historic victory in the first-ever official World Final, Lionel Van Praag continues to intrigue and cause controversy among speedway aficionados all over the world. Now the 1936 World Champion will no doubt provoke more lively debate following the production of a compelling, new documentary film, entitled The Flying Dutchman. Narrated and produced by Aussie historian Tony Durant, who kindly passed a preview copy of it to VSM for viewing before it goes on general release later this year. It’s the nearest anyone can expect by way of a definitive analysis of Van Praag, the rider and the person. With the co-operation of Van Praag’s daughter, Cherie, and another interview with one of Lionel’s closest friends in Australia, Durant delivers a candid and compelling insight into the former Wembley star. We learn more of the alleged ‘deal’ that Van Praag struck – and then apparently reneged upon – with England star Eric Langton just prior to their decisive 1936 World Final run-off. We hear about Lionel’s life away from the track, including his fighting prowess that made his a feared man in his Sydney neighbourhood. We get to know more about Van Praag’s resistance to his son Barry’s own quest for speedway stardom and how they never spoke after the crash that tragically ended Barry’s career and left him paralysed. England’s first World Champion Tommy Price reveals how LVP once flattened him with a punch. But in this well balanced documentary, we also get the full story behind Van Praag’s heroic war effort that earned him the George Medal for bravery. Also in issue 55… BLUEY WILKINSON The latest in our popular Leg-Trailers series, John Chaplin looks back on the former World Champion who was killed just a year after his famous Wembley victory . . . and before he could capitalise upon his status and riches. GLASGOW v EDINBURGH To coincide with the 60th anniversary of Glasgow Speedway, former Tigers promoter Ian Hoskins recalls Glasgow and Edinburgh teams and matches of the past. OVE FUNDIN Why the five times World Champion is still greatly revered by old supporters of Norwich Stars…and why the brilliant Swede is to be made a freeman of the city. Also…what Ove and fellow countryman Olle Nygren have been up to in the desert! JIM GREGORY A tribute to the former Wembley, Wimbledon, Oxford and Rayleigh stalwart who is to finally retire from riding a speedway bike…at the age of 79! SIXTIES CHARACTERS Philip Dalling takes a personal dip back intro the early 60s, his childhood memories and his first Long Eaton favourite, ‘Slant’ Payling. SPEEDWAY MUSEUM UPDATE Latest news on the progress of the first Speedway Museum at Paradise Wildlife Park, including some rare gems that have been donated for display in the museum that is on schedule to open in April 2007. On the museum front, find out how you can boost the overall fund and stay warm this winter with one of the new Speedway Museum fleece’s. DAVE COLLINS Part two of our interview with the London who went to race in South Africa in the klate 40s, but returned to Britain to race again. Plus the regulars . . . ERIC LINDEN, YOUR LETTERS & COLLECTING. ________ A subscription to VSM costs as little as £12 a year in the UK (4 issues), £15 in Europe or £18 Rest of World. To subscribe, click: http://www.retro-speedway.com

Can anybody please help with the loan or otherwise of any Ipswich Speedway souvenirs from the 70s period, ideally the early-to-mid 70s when the Witches were rampant in the BL? I'm thinking in particular of car stickers (Ipswich general and/or individual riders - Louis/Davey/Sanders, etc?) that so many fans of all clubs used to proudly display in their car windows and which invariably provoked a friendly 'toot' from other passing motorists with a love of our sport. Rather than post anything to us at Retro Speedway, I'd be very happy to receive a scan of any images by email to: editorial@retro-speedway.com I'm only asking for Ipswich-related stuff, as it is for use in our next book project . . . John Berry's 'More Confessions', which will be out in November. Many thanks for your help.

VSM contributor Ian Hoskins has written to us with the sad news from New Zealand... Les Whaley died a few weeks ago in Wales, aged 93. Les became a promoter in the l960s when he purchased Trevor Redmond's shares in the Glasgow White City promotion. His son Brian was a rider with the Tigers. Les also opened Bradford (at Odsal) for a while when the Tigers went to Hampden Park. Does anyone have any good memories of Les that they would like to share with forum members?

Just to let you all know that issue 16 is at the printers and will be mailed out to subscribers next Tuesday (Sept 12th). Main interviews/features to look forward to... GORDON KENNETT - on coping with diabetes, thoughts on becoming a Dane, his ex-wife, his fall out with Ole Olsen, his brothers and nephew, etc, etc. VACLAV VERNER DEFUNCT TRACK – HALIFAX (The Shay as it looks today - very sad!) TED HOWGEGO NIGEL CRABTREE DENNY PYEATT Remembered ALAN EMERSON MITCH GRAHAM MIKE BROADBANK MASTERMIND QUIZ 2 Plus full colour pics of: Ole Olsen/Tommy Knudsen/Mitch Shirra (Coventry 1979) Kelly Moran (Sheffield) Jeremy Doncaster (Ipswich) Alan Wilkinson (Belle Vue 73) Karl Fiala (Rye House 76) George Hunter (Wolves 76) Tormod Langli (Bristol) Andrzej Tkocz (Poole) Have you forgotten to renew is you expired after issue 15? Better get it done, or miss out on another feast of pure nostalgia! Remember, you now save £5.00 on the normal cover price at the tracks by taking out a subscription for £16 (UK) – and you'll receive your copy first!

Can anyne pse help with career details of the late Toni Kasper (jnr) after he left Eastbourne in 1984? Also, was Stanislav Urban, who rode for Reading in 1983, Czech or Polish? Mazny thanks. Tony Mac

Gordon Kennett has just phoned the Backtrack office to confirm that he's up for an interview, so he'll be the next Main Man subject in issue 16. Can we have your GK memories, please...or anything you'd like us to ask him before next week (keep it relevant!)? Is it right to acclaim him as Eastbourne's All Time Greatest Rider (sorry, only those who rode at senior league level need apply)? Can anyone put up a serious argument, given the length of service GK gave the Eagles? Just to jog any dodgy memories, GK's notable achievements include: 1977 - BL champion (White City) 1978 - World No.2 and World Pairs Champion (with Simmo) Teams: Eastbourne, Oxford, White City, King's Lynn, Wimbledon, Milton Keynes, Wolves (last rode 1995). A personal favourite memory of him was the way in which he completely ignored the diabolical, wet track conditions in the 1979 World Team Cup UK qualifier at Reading to carry the fight to the Kiwis and Americans virtually single-handedly. Brave, determined and hard as nails. A small track specialist with the quality to adapt very successfully to the big 'uns too.