speedwayondisc

Grachan is 100% correct. The 30 yard marker has ONLY ever marked the limit for which assistance could be given after the start of a race. It has NEVER had any other significance or role within the rulebook. The fact that many people within the sport, some of them in positions of responsibility, have mistakenly believed the myth that it ever meant anything else is a sad reflection on their knowledge.

Thank you very much for that endorsement Bobbath. This blog is something I've meaning to get around to for a long time but have always found it incredibly time-consuming. I do intend to upload allsorts of other videos etc in the future as I have built up a huge collection of evreything from books to mags to tens of thousands of programmes and thousands of photos... all of which I have been digitising for posterity... it may take some time but I do hope people get somthing from it's development Cheers Carl

The programme shown on the Locker door in 'Life on Mars' was for the England v New Zealand match that was held at Belle Vue on August 5th, 1970.... actually quite distinctive if you saw it! The England v New Zealand match at Belle Vue in 1973 had a very different cover. I suppose it makes sense that if you set a series in 1973 then things stuck on a locker room wall would probably have been from a few years earlier, doesn't it?

I've never heard anything about a Hull connection with Penhall prior to him signing for Cradley, although with Barry Briggs at Hull at that time with all his american connections it wouldn't be much of a surprise to learn that there had been some discussions in that area. The Halifax connection is definately true. Moves were made in 76 or 77 for Bruce to come to The Shay, but for whatever reason it never came about and a year later the deal was done by Cradley. The interesting thing is, of course, that had he signed for Halifax when the approach was made he would already have been a Duke before Kenny Carter had even sat on a Speedway bike... how would life have been different for all concerned if the second-year Brucey had taken the young KC under his wing and acted as a role model!!

Taking your point about Terry on the mike, Ray, Yes he certainly a 'one-off', a professional-amateur who would never make any claim to anything greater. However, being slightly more serious and for peoples information, Terry is a genuinely great guy. His active involvement in Speedway goes back to the very early days of Junior Team racing at The Shay with the 'Shoesmith Junior Dukes'. Terry, with a little help from some other commited people, did ALL the fundraising that started the Juniors off at Halifax, kept them going for the years until they closed and carried doing so for years at Odsal. He has also been the lynchpin of the Veteran Riders Association in the North for around fifteen to twenty years. I will not go into great detail about all the many, and varied, ways in which Terry had helped many people in Northern Speedway circles over the years... but many. many people on the iside and behind the scenes from riders, promotions etc etc would happily eulegise about the man if given the chance. Make jokes, yes, but Terry Hardaker is the sort of person that every Speedway track would be priveldged to have working tirelessly in the background, but very few are that fortunate. PS... I bet you didn't know that while you were mocking his presenting style Terry was a serving magistrate on the Halifax bench!