Grachan

Why give Sky so much stick? They had 4 lives events scheduled for Sunday afternoon with 4 channels. The Speedway was rescheduled from Saturday giving them 5 live events to cover on 4 channels. It wasn't their fault that it was rained of on Saturday and they did a fine job fitting it in on Sunday. Sure it was disappointing for some people, but you can't really blame Sky.

That's funny. I could have sworn they mentioned Poland and Denmark being in front a few times and how Poland had only scored 4 points after 6 races or whatever it was. Must get my ears syringed.

Exactly right. Had Harris been the Joker in heat 13 we would have scored an extra 3 points, but tactically it would not have been the right move other than in retrospect. The only case for using Harris in the earlier heat would be that maybe you should use the Joker early with a view to getting close enough not to need it again. Poland made that mistake, perhaps, but in the end it was irrelevant.

One question Mark. Who won heat 13 from gate 2?

If they did then I think it would be better. There always used to be a Scotland team back when they had the World Team Cup qualifiers at Reading in the 70s. I think we all have more of a loyalty to our individual countries than we do to GB or the UK as a whole. Fact is, though, that at the moment it's TeamGB so TeamGB it is.

Oh God! Not this argument again. It's GB. If a Scottish rider was good enough he'd be in the team. Andy Murray represents Britain so he's British. Stupid, pointless argument (which I have just rather stupidly and pointlessly become involved in).

http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/content/newham/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsNEWHAM&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsnewham&itemid=WeED14%20Jul%202010%2009%3A06%3A26%3A337

Fabulous GP. Hope that Tomasz can go on to win as this could be his last chance. Cardiff should show whether he's rally up for it or not. Great news on Holder as that was nasty, as was Zetterstrom's crash. I couldn't believe he eventually came out for the re-run.

Yes. Not following in total detail I assumed the Gollob/Hampel information to be correct only to discover Gollob was only one point ahead at the end. And, while we're at it, what about those Poles showing a photo finish of the end of lap 3 on one of the races.

Two different riders I believe. One rode for Peterborough in the 70s and one in the 90s. Loads of good rider info on Frigbo's amazing rider database. Here: http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=riders Looking forward to your David Ashby thread btw!

You still get that at Swindon.

To save his life?

Well done Kenneth Bear. Shame we had no Tony Millard tonight. It could have been his big moment. Harris/Andersen incident was clearly Andersen's fault. He tried to duck his arm under Harris's handlebars and failed miserably.

Michanek?

The tactical sub rule was a travesty and very unfair. The only thing in its favour is that the double points ride is even worse. Both rules are difficult to justify to non-speedway folk attending a first meeting.

Found this (includes photos): http://www.speedway.si/index.php?option=co...&Itemid=103 Also, translated from Wikipedija: Occupation motor speedway nv-u Born 19 March 1906 Died 26 December 1989 Place of birth Place of death Mirna Pec Successes Vseslovanski champion 1000ccm class beat world champion Kundsa ...

I agree. Really adds so much to what could just have been a short, shocking clip. I would guess it is being done by his family, some of whom have also made comments on the Youtube page to say that they never expected to ever see this footage.

Just been reading through translations and links from the Raniszewski website. One person has made a quite interesting observation in the comments, saying that if you freeze the frame at the start of the video, the rider on the outside looks like he is reaching across with his right arm and pulling on Raniszewski's race jacket.

There's a picture of the Praterstadion here: http://sport.ard.de/euro2008/teams_spieler...968_dpa_600.jpg It's quite pixelly when you try and zoom in, but it looks to me like there are three sets of those stairs in quite close proximity coming out of the bend at the far end (ironically boarded over in this picture for a football match). At the very end of the clip you can just catch a glimpse of someone in white overalls running onto the track.

From the In Memorium site: RANISZEWSKI, Zbigniew (Bydgoszcz & Poland).........................April 21, 1956.............Vienna, Austria DIRTL, Fritz (Austria)......................................................................J une 10, 1956............Oberhausen, Germany (L-T)

Good God! That is unbelievable. People say that nowadays things are too Health and Safety concious, but how on Earth could you be allowed to have a concrete stairway actually jutting out on onto a speedway track like that? If that wasn't an accident waiting to happen then I don't know what is! What happened to the stadium after that? Does anyone know? Was it allowed to stay open?

Another page that might be of interest: http://www.vintagefairgroundrides.org.uk/r...ls&rideid=8

This might be of interest. Taken from here: http://www.fairground-heritage.org.uk/news...ple-lakins.html In 1937 Orton & Spooner countered when they fulfilled an order (Corrigans) for an Ark with motorcycle mounts, a concept exploiting the current popularity of motorcycle speedway racing. The Speedway, as it became known, was an instant success and Ortons were able to offer a highly original alternative to the Ben Hur machine. As time went on Orton & Spooner were building even more elaborate Speedways, prompting Lakins to fit motorcycles onto their platforms and feature motorcyclists on their extension fronts. Arguably, the most elaborate examples of Ark-type rides ever produced came from this period as Lakin produced two machines in 1937 that were christened the "Coronation Speedways" (although they retained the Ben Hur-themed scenery). And from here: http://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/history/rides/history.html It was again Bothmanns who were to introduce what was to become possibly the most popular of all roundabouts of the inter-war years. The first German Noah's Ark was opened at Mitcham in 1930 by William Wilson. Almost immediately both Orton and Spooner and Robert Lakin began to build their own versions. Although both firms tried different constructions, it was the various themes adopted which are best remembered: the early Noah's Ark survived into the mid-1930s when Lakin introduced their famous Ben Hur rides. Horses and Chariots were now featured on the platforms, but Edwin Hall's scenes of the Circus Maximus in Rome, made famous by the 1925 film, were breath-taking. Later horses gave way to Motor Cycles, and so the Speedway theme was introduced. Even royalty was celebrated and a number of Coronation Speedways were built in 1937. Photo of something called "Brooklands Speedway here: http://www.fairground-rides.co.uk/profile.php?ID=3356

Barry Briggs (Swindon) on October 9, 1965. 12 point max v Belle Vue. 15 point max v Wolves. Barry Briggs (Swindon) on August 25, 1967. 12 point max v Edinburgh followed by a 12 point max v Exeter. Nigel Boocock also scored twin maximums for Coventry in a double header against Glasgow and Exeter the week before. Also in 1965 - Dick Fisher got successive paid maximums for Belle Vue vs Oxford and Edinburgh.