lucifer sam

Re-opening meeting at Scunthorpe: http://scunthorpe-speedway.com/?p=11275

Re-opening meeting: http://scunthorpe-speedway.com/?p=11275

I think Erik Gundersen had a brief spell at No 1 for Cradley, but I seem to recall him being at No 3 most of the time. Most times, he would met Hans Nielsen at least twice during the night. PS And I think Belle Vue had Mort at No 3 and PC at No 5, so both were out in Heat 13 of meetings at Hyde Road.

Which is another reason I've always maintained Hans was even more impressive in 1987. He was riding for a struggling team, still recorded a 11.73 BL average, which would have been 11.87 but for a seized engine at Hackney in late October. PS Two T/S rides for Nielsen for Oxford in the 1986 BL - at Cradley Heath and Reading. Oxford still won the two meetings 45-33 and 43-35.

On the other hand, team strengths have fallen quite dramatically - very few of the world's best now compete in the UK. Whereas once upon a time, a heat leader never had an easy race, because almost every World Class star competed in the UK. For example, if you faced Oxford and you were a heat-leader, you had Nielsen, Wigg or Cox in every race. Likewise, if you faced Cradley Heath and you were a heat-leader, you had Gundersen, Pedersen or Cross in every race. I'd say that's tougher than what current riders have to face, where some teams don't even have one top rider.

The Curtis Sport website. Although don't look for Issue 2 quite yet - give it a week or so. Yeah, hopefully monthly!

Steve, just caught up on this one Yes, I was a fan. I think Todd was riding in a measured way for us, because he knew how much speedway could hurt, but at the same time we had his complete commitment. If we needed someone to beat Adams and Crump in Heat 15 to defeat King's Lynn, or hold out Rickardsson for the whole race in the year of the six-lap Heat 15, then Todd was the man. It's quite remarkable when you consider he had five years out of the sport, then returned in Germany in 1997 and the UK in 1998 and was the World No 8 by 2000! It makes you wonder what he would have achieved but for the injury - as he pointed out, he was ahead of Rickardsson, Hancock and Hamill, then found himself missing five years and playing catch-up. He was Oxford No 1 in 1999 and 2000, won numerous last-heat deciders which seemed to be his speciality, helped us win the league title in 2001 (ironically his weakest year for us, but again performed when we really needed him to), and then his return to the club in 2003 and 2006 simply cemented his status. And while he did set everything up to pop out the start and then control the race from there, he did show that he was more than a gater - wasn't there a 18-point-maximum against Peterborough where half of it was scored from behind? Todd is the one top rider we managed to keep hold of for more than a year or two (or 2.5 years in the case of Hancock) in the later days of Oxford. Plus he was good for team spirit and he's a nice guy.

He was signed to ride on a six-week contract, but Aaron Lanney cut it to four weeks and brought in Todd Wiltshire a couple of weeks earlier, because our team spirit was non-existent while Rickardsson was in the team. We only won one meeting under Rickardsson - when he deemed to finally show everyone his capabilities in a home match against Reading. Todd was a 7.50 rider in 2006, but brought together the side as a team and still had his uncanny habit of going out and getting the points when we really needed him to. We were woefully weak in 2006 - it was Todd who saved us from the wooden spoon. I'd quite liked Rickardsson up until the point he signed for us, but lost a lot of respect for him. Mind you, I don't think he cared what any of the fans thought, he was just in it for himself. On the other hand, Todd further cemented his place as a club legend.

Actually, three, because of the Gold Sash. Just put together the content for Issue 2 of the Oxford mag... but I think I might include a piece on Hans' BL record from 1984-1992 in the next issue. In some years they are staggering - the 11.83 in '86 and 11.73 in '87 (would have been 11.87 but for an e/f).

I can't see Cardiff being allowed to stage a SGP round as early as July 18th. Even if the lockdown is over by then, some degree of social distancing will still be required. That's possible at league meetings with a crowd of 500-1000, but not with 40,000 at Cardiff. I like the idea of a November staging to conclude the series - the UK hasn't held the final round since 1995. It would be a nice way to celebrate the 20th staging at the Principality Stadium.

No evidence on any number. It could have killed 2 million without a lockdown. We just don't know. We have to rely on the medical experts on how we deal with a virus for which we don't have a vaccine. None of us are experts. What I do understand is that it's R (the re-infection rate) which is the critical number. But we have to listen to medical and scientific advice. You're not an expert. Neither am I.

We have 'flu vaccines to try to aid with that - we don't have a Covid-19 vaccine. Surely you understand that key and absolutely massive difference? It's why it's not necessary to lock down every time we have a 'flu outbreak, but it is during the current outbreak of Covid-19. It's very different. Of course, the 'flu is mutating every single year and therefore sadly, there are still deaths, but many are prevented. That's not to say every death is not tragic - it is. But Covid-19 and 'flu are not the same thing, due to the current lack of vaccine for one of them.

It's less than 1 in 100,000 or less than 0.001%. At the moment. So yes, still less than seasonal 'flu at the current time.

Not factual, unless the UK now has a population of over 456 million.

He was excluded from Heat 3 for 2 mins and replaced by Brian Collins. He was excluded from Heat 7 for 2 mins and replaced by Roger Lambert. He was simply replaced by Brian Collins in Heat 13.

True. I remember the immediate impact that Todd Wiltshire - returning after a two-year retirement - had on the Oxford team a month into the 2006 season. The very first meeting he rode for Cheetahs, there was an improvement and the team started to look more like a team rather than seven individuals. I recall that we beat Coventry in that meeting and eventually avoided the wooden spoon that we had been odds-on to collect. Crumpie will make such a difference to the rest of the Ipswich lads. I’m excited to see how a young Australian such as Jake Allen will progress riding alongside Crumpie. It will be a fantastic thing for young Drew Kemp as well.

Yes, which means it went from official to unofficial and then seemingly back to official again! I think it's only a few years ago that they decided that 1969 was official after all! Like Steve, I'm sure I saw it somewhere - would be interesting to know where! Mauger always included it in his tally - as far as he was concerned, he had the medal so it counted!

I think Steve Roberts is correct - I'm sure the FIM declared that the 1969 World Pairs championship was official a few years ago. It would be nice to find a source for that. I don't think the 1968 event has ever been considered official. It had no semi-finals, only six teams in the final, including two West German teams, and many of the top nations were not present. In '69, there were two semi-finals and a final, with seven teams in the final. The only difference to 1970 was that there were six teams in the semi-finals in '69 and seven in '70.

Glasgow are also Fridays.

Iris, don't believe everything you read in the papers. Especially when it comes from the animal rights brigade. I've been a part-owner of a greyhound, which was treated very well by the trainer and then looked after he retired by one of the other families involved. Plus there's a whole Greyhound Trust in the UK which doesn't exist in e.g. Ireland.

Well said. The animal rights brigade seem determined that all animals should not be allowed to enjoy themselves.

All discussed at the three-hour-plus Local Plan hearing. The value of the site is its current value.

That's pretty much it. Plus with a planning inspectorate decision behind them, the council will use a CPO if necessary to get the stadium into the hands of someone who would follow the Local Plan.

I thought you were the supposed King's Lynn "fan" who always attacks his own team - which does make you a troll. Always out for a reaction. Apologies if I've mixed you up with someone else, although I don't think so. Well, congratulations, because you did get a reaction from me, although you'll be going on ignore from now on.

Well said.