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We looked at this a while ago. After some investigation, it turned out that two tape touching exclusions hadn't been counted in Mauger's 1969 figures. The best top flight league averages were: 1. Nielsen 11.83 (1986) 2. Nielsen 11.73 (1987) 3. Fundin 11.60 (1958) 4. Michanek 11.55 (1973) 5. Duggan 11.54 (1947) 6. Mauger 11.53 (1969) All the best Rob

It swapped after Hans won his first individual title in 1986. Erik had the psychological advantage until then, but then Hans won three of the last four titles before Erik's injury. The only time Erik got the better of Hans once Hans was World Champion was the 1988 World Final - otherwise it was all Hans from 1986 onwards. But for Olsen's interference in helping out Erik despite being the Danish team manager (conflict of interests, or what?), I think Hans would have won his first World title sooner (especially if you consider the "team orders" Olsen gave to Knudsen in 1985 to wipe Nielsen out ). Olsen wanted to stop Nielsen, because he knew he could beat his record, which of course he did. Nielsen dominated in a way that Olsen never did. All the best Rob

I can't quite see that - how can Nielsen with 22 FIM World Championship Gold Medals not be a legend? And before you say the majority of those were with Denmark, remember Nielsen often led the way in those Danish victories, starting with the 1978 WTC. In 1978, Olsen was at the top of his game, but guess who out-scored him in the 1978 WTC Final? An 18-year-old Hans Nielsen. Olsen was never the best rider of his generation (that honour went to Ivan Mauger), while Nielsen was the best of his. Gundersen matched Nielsen on the World stage, but it was Nielsen who dominated complete seasons in the way Mauger had, topping the BL averages for seasons on end. Olsen always seemed concerned that Nielsen may surpass his own achievements and indeed that is what happened. In fact, Gundersen surpassed Olsen as well in my book. I would rate the Danes: 1. Nielsen 2. Gundersen 3. Olsen 4. J.Pedersen 5. N.Pedersen. All the best Rob

Nielsen was named at reserve for the opening test, but never rode. The second test was at Oxford, with Nielsen again at reserve. The Danes already had fellow reserve Jens Rasmussen in the race, then one of the Danes went through the tapes. So the option was: Nielsen comes out or only one Dane in the race. Nielsen said he would only come out if Olsen directly asked him to, but Olsen refused. In the end, it was the Oxford management who persuaded Hans to take his place in the race. He was caught cold, and trailed behind the England pair. Rasmussen then went through the tapes (probably intended - Jens was a good friend of Hans) prompted a second race for Nielsen, and he won that one. That's how I remember it anyway, have to dig out the programme to confirm events. Oh, and Nielsen had red socks, while Olsen was wearing stockings and suspenders All the best Rob

Carter versus everyone expect Neil Evitts, the Moran brothers, Simon Wigg and Erik Gundersen. All the best Rob

I think it was much more Nielsen v Olsen than Nielsen v Gundersen in terms of any anomosity. Nielsen and Gundersen had a tremendous amount of mutual respect. I saw them riding against each other time and time again when Oxford and Cradley clashed, and not once can I remember the two having an on-track incident. Nielsen & Knudsen came together all the time (it eventually overspilled into the 1985 and 1986 World Finals), but never Nielsen & Gundersen. Hans was still a great speedway rider after Erik's injury, but not quite as good. He would no longer take as many risks. Hans became something of a gater at British League level, something he certainly hadn't been before. All the best Rob

Hi Grachan, Yes, two clashes between Dugard and Karger: 1. August 1988 - during the night of the riot/brawl/handbags. Dugard excluded, rode through the tapes. 2. March 1989 - an Easter Monday Gold Cup daytime meeting. Karger excluded, Dugard punched him. All the best Rob

Found it now: there was a punch-up between Dugard and Karger in the Gold Cup daytime meeting at Oxford on Easter Monday 1989. Karger excluded in this case for KOing Dugard. An incensed Dugard then threw a punch at Karger and was fined £50 by referee Barry Richardson. All the best Rob

No he didn't show in the nominated, by which time the meeting was already lost by Oxford. I think there was a Dugard / Karger fight in 1989 (i.e. the following year), trying to find the detials for this. All the best Rob

Dekker, I think that it was all on the same night - John Whitaker was the ref of this meeting. Hans Nielsen also blow up two engines and scored just six points (two wins and two engine failures). All the best Rob

I miss nights like that. I've got the DVD. It sounds like there were about 5000 in the stadium (instead of the 200-300 who were there). Every time Buzz comes out for his latter riders, you can hear all the abuse coming from the terraces. All the best Rob

Kojak was a star. He used to get the Swindon fans going a treat. Pretty sure Dugard and Karger also clashed on that night - they normally did at some point of the evening. EDIT: Here we go: found the report from the Oxford Mail - Dugard and Karger clashed in Heat 13. Dugard excluded, rode through the tapes in disgust. You're right about the incidents in Heat 7 (Wigg/Goodwin) and Heat 14 (Chessell/De'ath). All the best Rob

Was that the night that Dugard and Karger had one of their semi-regular on-track scuffles, and then there was a huge barney at the pit gate when Oxford refused S***don a victory parade? Made the front page of the local paper. All the best Rob

Dekker, problem is these days, we know you're on a constant wind-up. Once went to a Reading v Swindon match expecting a good atmosphere - it was like a library. All the best Rob

The good old days. From what I recall, it was also nearly me vs Mrs Buzz Burrows after the match, but you interjected before I said anything else to save me from a beating. All the best Rob

Oxford v S***don All the best Rob

By the magical Wikipedia pixies, of course. Or maybe it's by ten of thousands of historians and specialists of various aptitude. All the best Rob

Actually I doubt if anyone disagrees much with either of those statements. I think the disagreements centre on whether West Maitland on December 15th 1923 was the actual, definite, very first meeting, or has any more right to be called the first meeting that the other meetings that came before it. The answer to that is probably a "no". And also to whether Johnnie S Hoskins "invented" speedway. Again probably a "no". But there's no doubt he had a massive influence on how speedway was shaped and how it is still today. Therefore "Godfather Of Speedway", very much so. In fact, since my definition of "father" is not the biological father but rather the person who brings up the infant and moulds them, I would say Johnnie Hoskins IS The Father Of Speedway, whether he actually staged the first meeting or not. All the best Rob

Sounds like a good plan. All the best Rob

Cheers mate. I think I'll book onto the EuroRider tour for the 16th/17th. All the best Rob

Conkers, regarding the second Assen weekend, I notice the World Championship roinds are on the Friday and the Saturday. Do you know if there's a third meeting on either the Thrusday or the Sunday? All the best Rob

Surely if the Grand Prix riders received thier fair share of the cake, then there would be no problems. The GP riders are massively underpaid - the prize money is a joke. That's why riders are putting Poland first. Even British Speedway pays better than the GPs. All the best Rob

Exactly. Give it up Parsloes. All the best Rob

Name one teenage Speedway Individual World Champion since 1936. (Clue: there has never been one). Emil came along and took the world by storm at the age of 19, just as I fully expect Darcy to next year at the age of 20. Things have not changed. It's the the case that if you're good enough, you're old enough - always has been. And that works both ways - in Greg's case, it's the you're good enough, you're young enough. Age is immaterial. All the best Rob

Neil, that's the one. It's also the format that has been used in Ice Racing for many years. All the best Rob