Grachan

Ah, the year of the 6 man teams. Very strange. Not a bad top 4 though, was it? How good was Scott Nicholls back then?

In the Speedway Star Preview edition Jon Cook compared this year's Swindon side to the Ipswich side of 1998. I have vague memories of Ipswich having a great side then, but they are a bit dimmed as I wasn't paying much attention in those days. I just wondered what that side was and what it achieved. After all, it is cited on Wikepedia and the Ipswich website as being one of the greatest sides ever. Must be going some to beat Cradley 1983.

It says in Speedway Star this week that the England v NZ match in 1973 was in Leicester. However, this match was rained off. The semi-final of the Daily Mirror Tournament was England v New Zealand, and was staged at Belle Vue.

I have a Hotbird dish and I've yet to have software loaded on it that will show Polsat. There is a channel on there that shows Polish league. I watched quite a bit of it last year - normally about a week or so behind. I can't for the life of me remember what channel it was, though,so if anyone wants to remind me.......

Newbury!! I live in Newbury and I'm getting a hotel in Cardiff. Last time I drove back to Newbury from Cardiff I nearly fell asleep and decided I'd never do that again. You've just missed out on a big opportunity unfortunately. Travel Plus had a whole heap of rooms available a couple of weeks ago after a big cancellation. I know this because it was in Speedway Star and I phoned up and booked a couple. In fact, the two I booked were two of the final remaining three - so you'll be too late on that score I presume.

Riders include Alan Bridgett, Hec Haslinger, (both with 30 appearances for the club). Leading points scorers: Gordon McGregor 257, George Major 226. Other riders include Doug Wyer and Reg Wilson.

I remember the Mike Keen Testimonial. Hottest and driest summer on record and it peed down all day. The track was absolutely drenched, and I rememver Mike Keen standing on the second bend during the meeting with a hosepipe and watering the track in pouring rain. Dag Lovaas scored a maximum and was untouchable. Just how good was he in the wet?

As far as I know, Olsen made his debut in 1970, scoring 6 points.

Sheffield - 18 May 1967

Bruce Penhall never rode for Hull in 1976 if that's any help.

I thought he never rode there, but another to add to the impressive list of World Champions linked to the Vikings in the 70s. Maybe they allocated him to Hull in 1976 but never actually bothered to tell him!!

I was looking through an old scrapbook that I made in 1975/76 the other day. On my special 'Yanks' page there was a typically badly cut-out picture of Bruce Penhall. Written underneath it, in my own fair 14-year-old hand, were the words: 'Bruce Penhall, who has been allocated to Hull for the 1976 season'. Obviously I can't say that this is the first time I'd heard of this considering I actually wrote it, but it was certainly something that I'd forgotten. Was I right? Was Bruce allocated to Hull in 1976? If so, does anyone know the story there? Because, as far as I remember, he never rode for the Vikings that year. My guess is he decided not to come, but changed his mind about riding over here after being somewhat outclassed at White City in 1977.

Correction to this post/ The score was Wolves 38 Oxford 39. The second half was abandoned. Gary, I have a few press cuttings and match reports from Gary Peterson's career. If you would like me to scan them for you either PM me or send me an e-mail.

That will be interesting. I don't have much stuff myself, but I hope you get some good pictures of the Tilehurst Stadium. It closed down before I started going to speedway, but I sometimes goe to a kids play area which is right next to where the stadiun used to be and I'd be fascinated to see how it looked. Speedway Fun Day? What on Earth is that?

Yup. You want proof? I'll give you proof.

The aforementioned cine footage from the first leg can be seen here: Gary in yellow.

The meeting definitely wasn't called off. It ended Wolves 40 Oxford 38. Reports in Speedway Star said he was killed instantly.

Do you know which bit it is? The only Wolves rider I can identify on it are Martin Ashby and Finn Thomsen. The file I have is 8mins 24 seconds. If yours is the same then tell me which bit and I'll put in online.

I remember Gary Petersen getting killed. It was the first time I heard of a speedway rider dying and it actually had quite a profound effect on me at the time. I cut out all the press clipping, or copied stuff out of the newspapers, and put them all in a ring folder. One thing that's always puzzled me. Gary was almost certainly killed instantly, yet the Wolves v Oxford match carried on to its conclusion after the accident. I've never understood that.

A few things that might be of interest. The track operated from 1934 as Longmoor Training track. California Poppies rode 1954-56 in the Southern Area League, and the track operated in 1957 on an open licence. Track Length: 334 yards Among their riders were Swindon legend Mike Keen.

I've always thought that a well marketed Speedway GP would go down a storm in Japan. All those georgeous Western daredevils would have girls screaming at them at the airport - especially if BSI payed for a few to turn up and start it off! They used to have speedway in Japan, but it has mutated into Autorace over there, but if the GP took off I could see it being a bigger event there than anywhere else in the world. Just get Crumpie and his wife on the telly. Japanese girlies would find him irresistable, and his wife speaks the language apparently.

Fascinating photos. Amazing, also, to see spectators leaning directly on the wire safety fence. Talk about getting close to the racing. I remember visiting the site of Canterbury Speedway and taking some photos once. Your imagination really runs riot wandering round the site of an old Speedway Stadium. I believe there is a small section on California in the book 'Speedway In the Thames Valley'. I have the book somewhere, so I'll see if I can find it later. I can never find the books I'm looking for when I need them though!

I do tend to agree with you to be honest and I'm as puzzled as you are. I'm just saying don't let it get to you. Hey, Falcace. You know tha Mike Oldfield song 'Moonlight Shadow'? Well....

This is bizarre! How can you have a system where the winner of the GP doesn't neccesarily get the most points? Still, I'm sure it's only for one year. It usually is.

I really wouldn't worry about it so much if I were you.