lucifer sam

Isn't the whole point of the matter that a rider cannot double-up between two tracks with the same race-night. There may be only three clashes at the moment, but what happens when Belle Vue do get underway and reschedule all their postponed meetings? Won't most of those get rescheduled in for Friday nights? Doubling-up is already a bit of a mess, and puts people off, when half a team is missing. All the best Rob

Definite threat - no doubt about it. All the best Rob

Macca56, So you’ve trawled the internet looking for tweets four years old? You maybe need to find better things to do with your time And what did you find? A grand total of one tweet from some random person that has a go at Josh Auty. That obviously warrants vigilante action from Rohan Tungate then! Are you for real? It’s speedway racing. Accidents happen, sadly. It’s an unfortunate part of the sport. However, attacking fellow riders outside of the confines of the four racing laps is not part of the sport. As for the original running of Heat 10, it's the type of accident that happens quite often at Scunny. The rider from the inside (Tungate) charges from inside to outside of the track, and so the rider on the outside (Auty) has two options - end up going through the fence or cut back under their opponent. Auty cut back under, but caught Tungate, who came down. Auty could have been excluded, but the ref probably took into account the fact that Tungate went from the inside to outside. In any case, whatever the ref’s decision, a racing accident. And do you honestly think it warrants Tungate using vigilante action outside the confines of the race? He was quite fortunate that Auty is a tough character. I suspect that many of us, if attacked like that, would be off down the police station. Tungate is not the first rider to lose his cool in such a way. And he won’t be the last. But I think what really wound up people were his subsequent lies. Had he been honest, the ref would have excluded him from the rest of the meeting, but then it would have been largely forgotten about. Richard Hall was excluded from a meeting at Scunny in 2014, and was back guesting for the Scorpions earlier this year. Richard Hall was man enough to admit he’d lost his cool, served his punishment, and that was that. Tungate lied to the referee, giving some cock and bull story, about catching Auty by accident, because he was racing to the line against Alex Davies. Video evidence then came to light which proved Tungate’s version of events that he provided to the referee was a tissue of lies. I think that’s what many can’t stomach. But whatever the rights and wrongs, it will be put bums on seats at the EWR later this year. Supporters do love a bit of controversy. Expect the air to turn blue when Tungate is introduced to the crowd! All the best Rob

The early 50s which were so successful that there were tracks closing left, right and centre?? Strange definition of success. 1946-49 was a boom period, but the 50s were a massively troubled decade for speedway. I would say the period 65-80 was a more sustainable Golden era for British Speedway. All the best Rob

Spencer Timmo had Marvyn Cox's distinctive chequered leathers, which Cocker had used in around '85/'86, when he was in full flow, passing riders for fun around Cowley (including Gundersen in the Golden Helmet). Spence crashed at Mildenhall in 1989 and was smashed up (and never quite the same rider again). I remember visiting him in hospital, and he revealed they'd had to cut the leathers from him and they were no more. All the best Rob

I can only assume that you're joking again. If Tungate was sporting, he would have admitted what he'd done, rather than lying to the referee (and being caught out when it turned out a fan had caught the incident on their phone) and then subsequently refusing to apologise. Josh Auty is a hard rider and no saint, but he's honest. I'm actually fairly moderate on this subject. Tungate caused total uproar at that meeting. He's still got to go back and face those fans - that will be interesting. All the best Rob

That's a relief, I was concerned you actually thought John Hack was German All the best Rob

John Hack is Mancunian and therefore almost certainly not related to the German Georg Hack. Interviewed John Hack three times in the last five years. Smashing chap, who is back to around 90-95%, despite the injuries that so nearly killed him. All the best Rob

Shame he's a dirty git, and then told fibs to the referee to get himself a 21-day-ban. And his distinct lack of apology means the feud with Josh Auty is still on-going - the Sky meeting clearly demonstrated that. All the best Rob

1964 National Trophy Final, second leg. Oxford Cheetahs overturn 20-point deficit from first leg to defeat West Ham in last-heat decider, to complete the treble. Plus I'd get to see Arne Pander, Ron How, Jimmy Gooch, Ronnie Genz, Jack Geran, Colin Gooddy, Eddie Reeves and John Bishop in action for the Cheetahs. All the best Rob

Just setting off from Oxfordshire. All the best Rob

From @SpeedwayScunny twitter: Morning race fans the forecast is for a band of rain to pass through at dinner time then sunshine after the track is prepared for this. So the word from the boss is we're going racing today.

To be honest, that always looked the case. BV need a good forecast for their first meeting. Looking forward to see Robert Lambert around the EWR. All the best Rob

The Scunthorpe promotion have changed two starting times, due to requests from the away promotion. The Bank Holiday clash against Peterborough on May 30 was brought forward from 3pm to 2pm, so that the Panthers can also stage a home meeting at 8pm in the evening. Meanwhile, the meeting the day after Cardiff against Glasgow was brought forward from 6.30pm to 4pm, after a request from the Glasgow promotion, which hopefully will make it more convenient for the Tigers' fans to fit in Scunny on their way home after the weekend away. Which begs the question - did Newcastle ask for a new time? All the best Rob

Shame Brian Leonard didn't up end as the speedway promoter, after his year alongside Dore and Bliss in 1987. Things may have gone down a bit different path. Dore was the dogs man. Leonard was passionate about the speedway. Hence Per Jonsson trying setting that track record in 1987, because Brian Leonard spent money on the track that year to get it right and it wasn't its usual slick self. All the best Rob

Didn't Bill Dore trade in the longer lease for a shorter one, to get a rent reduction? All the best Rob

Thanks to the Devils On Tour fans for taking the time to send the following letter to Scunthorpe Speedway: http://scunthorpescorpions.co/?p=5333

It does look like it's sorted out this time around. I guess the proof will be that NL meeting on Friday evening. All the best Rob

I've got every World Final programme. Had to pay the most for 1936, the only time I had to go above £100. I got 1961 for £70-£80, I think. Ebay is the mug's way of collecting these programmes - much cheaper at auctions, etc. All the best Rob

If Belle Vue are up and running, then yes. Hence the "to be confirmed". All the best Rob

SCORPIONS UP FOR THE CUP IN BANK HOLIDAY FEAST HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions turn their attention to the Premier League Knockout Cup at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm), entertaining the Newcastle Diamonds in the first leg of the first round of the competition. There are 36 heats of speedway action on offer in total on Monday, with a 21-race second half consisting of youngsters from the 500cc and 150cc classes doing battle in the second round of the British Youth Championship. The Bank Holiday weekend bonanza of action completes a weekend that also sees the Scorpions travel to Berwick in Premier League action on Saturday evening. The Scorpions are due to welcome Czech international Zdenek Holub back to their ranks this weekend. He has been missing through injury since sustaining a shoulder injury at Peterborough on April 1. Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey says: “It was a relief to register our first home victory of the season over Plymouth last Sunday, and we need to push on from there. “We’ve been drawn against Newcastle in the KO Cup for the second year running. They’re a strong team, no doubt about that, so it’s a tough draw and we’re going to need everyone on the gas, if we’re to have a chance of getting through to the second round.” The Scorpions twice won the Conference League (third tier) KO Cup in 2006 and 2007, with current Scorpions’ skipper Josh Auty part of the line-up, but success has eluded the club in the competition at Premier League level. Godfrey added: “It’s going to be a packed and enjoyable afternoon of speedway, and I hope the crowd will stick around to watch the cream of Britain’s youngsters in the British Youth Championship at 500cc and 150cc level.” Bank Holiday Monday’s adult admission price for the double-header is £17. It’s just £2 more than a single Premier League meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway, for 21 extra heats of action. A full and exciting afternoon of racing is ahead. DON’T MISS IT! Admission prices for Bank Holiday Monday: Adult: £17.00 Student/OAP: £15.00 Child (10 – 17): £5.00 Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult) Family Ticket £39 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17) Match Programme: £1.00 Expected teams for Bank Holiday Monday: Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Josh Auty, 2. Carl Wilkinson, 3. Alex Davies, 4. Zdenek Holub, 5. Ryan Douglas, 6. Ashley Morris, 7. Josh Bailey. Newcastle Diamonds (to be confirmed): 1. Robert Lambert, 2. Rider replacement for Tero Aarnio, 3. Matej Kus, 4. Ludvig Lindgren, 5. Steve Worrall, 6. Lewis Rose, 7. Danny Phillips. British Youth Championship second round: 500cc class: Carl Basford, Tom Brennan, Sam Woolley, Kyle Bickley, Luke Woodhull, Ben Woodhull, Kean Dicken, Sam Bebee, Jordan Jenkins, Lewis Whitmore, Alex Spooner, James Hitchen, Sam Chapman, Taylor Hampshire. 150cc class: James Laker, Kieron McCoy, Nathan Ablitt, Mason O’Rourke, Jamie Bursill.

Really? I don't have an issue with Belle Vue, and would have loved for the opening meeting to be a roaring success. But, if yourself and Ouch are going to try to defend the indefensible, then I may disagree with you! All the best Rob

It's pointless comparing with 1946 - a very different time with very different circumstances. And remember British Speedway was at its very lowest ebb in 1957/1958/1959, just a decade later. In 1958, there was one league of ten teams. That's all. Instead of looking back, it's necessary to look forward, although that's not to say we can't learn from the past. For examples, meetings used to be far more controversial than they are now - and provide plenty of talking points. But looking forward, are there ways of getting more fans onto the terraces? And, if not, what sources of alternative income are there? I, for one, still very much enjoy my speedway in 2016, and I'd like to see the sport survive and thrive. All the best Rob

Thank goodness for that. I wondered how long that you are going to spout your nonsense for. The buck stops with the BV management over the opening meeting. If the track wasn't ready, then it should have been called off on the Thursday, not leave it until 5000+ people are in the stadium. The contractors cannot call off a speedway meeting. The BV management can. The slowness in sending refunds just compounds matters. It's been a huge PR disaster. All the best Rob

Five in a row: Wembley (1949-1953) Four in a row: Belle Vue (1933-1936), Wimbledon (1958-1961) Three in a row: Wimbledon (1954-1956), Belle Vue (1970-1972), Poole (2013-2015). All the best Rob