Shadders

Rye House v Poole Wildcats/Edinburgh Monarchs, National League double header...Sunday 8th September 1985 An ex girlfriend persuaded me to take her to the "speedway" one Sunday afternoon. Apart from the odd clip of the World Championships on ITV I knew nothing about this sport. She'd gone as a child and said she thought I'd enjoy it...how right she was!! We took our seats in the main stand just before the start line. I wasn't expecting much to be honest, but when the riders came out on their bikes for the parade (yes, they had a proper parade at Rye then), heard that sound and had my first experience of that smell of methanol I was hooked. I still have the programme, although I hadn't a clue how to fill it in and don't really remember much about the meeting. One of the Monarchs was a certain Mark "Buzz" Burrows. I didn't realise at the time that I'd still be watching him race in 2008!! For those who are interested, these are the meeting details: Rye House Rockets 38 Andrew Silver 12 Bob Garrad 5+1 Kelvin Mullarkey 5 Rob Woffinden 2 Alistair Stevens 12 Kevin Brice 4 Gary Rolls 1+1 Poole Wildcats 40 Martin Yates 10 Kevin Smith 11+1 David Biles 8+1 Marcus Bisson 2+1 Ray Dole 6+1 Gordon Humphries 3+1 I recall Rob Woffinden falling and breaking his collarbone in what I think was his last ever meeting for the Rockets. Poole finished second in the National League behind Ellesmere Port. Rye House Rockets 57 Andrew Silver 13+2 Bob Garrad 12+3 Kelvin Mullarkey 13+2 Alistair Stevens 14+1 Kevin Brice 4 Gary Rolls 1 Edinburgh Monarchs 21 Brett Saunders 3 Bobby Beaton 4 Billy Burton 3+1 Steve Finch 5 Mark Burrows 4 Scott Lamb 4 Gordon Whittaker 2+2 This was Len Silvers last year as promoter before he sold the club to Ronnie Russell. The Rockets finished 13th out of 19 teams in the National League

The Peterborough promoter is Jewish?

Len and Andrew Silver?

Someone told me you don't see white dog crap any more because dog owners no longer give bones for their pets to chew on, so the calcium theory could be correct.

You must be joking!!!!!

I only started speedway in the mid 80's, but here goes: London speedway. Travelling to Wimbledon and Hackney on a Wednesday and Friday evening to see the Rockets get slaughtered. Three team tournaments. Close meetings at Rye House. The Grand Slam Meetings against then arch enemies Arena Essex. Away meetings at Milton Keynes, Long Eaton, sadly no longer with us. Both within easy reach of home. Ronnie Russell's excuses after another home defeat.

Me too

Not with that accent!!!

Probably why I haven't heard his name before. I switched off completely from speedway after the Rockets closed down in 1993 and only switched back on again in 2000 when I discovered by accident that the Rockets had returned!!

Sorry if this has been posted somewhere else, had a quick look around and couldn't see it posted anywhere else on the forum. I was channel hopping yesterday afternoon and came across a satellite station called Pulse TV showing indoor Ice Speedway from the USA. It was the last round of the Extreme International Ice racing championship featuring speedway as well as quad bikes. The four Brits taking part were..David Meldrum, Paul Cooper, James Mann and Anthony Barlow. Meldrum and Cooper and Mann I know, but never heard of Barlow. The meeting took place at an indoor ice hockey stadium in Arizona. There were alternate speedway and quad bike races, the championship won by Charlie Venegas(?)

Rye House Rockets are unbeaten at home since September 2006.

Did young Tai take part in the meeting?

It's going to be difficult at the business end of the season with most of the PL teams fighting to get into the Young Shield or play offs.

Chris Louis comment before heat 9 was interesting. "There's not much dirt down as in a Swedish League meeting" Why was the track prepared differently? What would Ole Olsen gain from preparing a slick track?

Sittingbourne or ex Sittingbourne?

Can't think of many that will make the grade as possible GP stars of the future. I'm discounting Tai as he learned his craft in Oz. Adam Roynon springs to mind.

I think Snyper was refering to the lack of training facilities for Scottish riders north of the border. To my knowledge neither Scottish side has dedicated training for up and coming talent. I know Glasgow have second halves, but they are for established riders with a little more experience than I suspect Snyper has. This may explain the lack of Scottish speedway riders coming though the system

Home track advantage my ar$e

Thanks

Is the Cardiff photo of White City or Penarth Stadium?

I can see the advantage pricewise of an out of town hotel, but the disadvantages far outweigh the price difference in my opinion. I'd quite like to return to the hotel to freshen up, change clothes and have a "lie down" . And after all that at the end of a very long day, a five minute walk (10 minute stagger) back to your bed, rather than a rip off taxi ride to Newport or a 2 mile queue for the train. Thanks, but I'd rather spend a little more and have the convenience of a city centre hotel , especially since stopping smoking is saving me around £30 a week, more than ample to pay for hotels, GP tickets, food and drink for the entire weekend.

Couldn't get free entry to the Millennium Stadium?

I managed to book the last available room last night at 10pm in the same hotel we stayed at on Saturday, 10 minutes walk from the stadium, so well pleased.

I'm surprised you remember seeing as you've been skiving off for so long

I don't know what you mean DB..I merely meant that I tend to move about in bed a lot due to this bad back I've got from carrying loaded mail bags 5 days a week