King's Lynn Stars 2026

[BluPanther]

6 minutes ago, Bunce said:

Before he was 16 he used to come out during the interval and race against the stop watch at Lynn. At the time nobody had heard of him, but he headed out on what looked like a brand new bike, dug himself a hole at the starting gate then left the tapes like a rocket ship posting a time not too far off the track record! Everybody stopped drinking their beer and thought... what the hell did we just witness there? The rest, they say, is history.

Mike use to occasionally turn up at Mildenhall on a Sunday when he was 15, with two spanking new Jawa's on a trailer, and it was obvious then that he was a special talent. At least I can tell the grandchildren that I have ridden against a World Champion...😀

[Bald Bloke]

48 minutes ago, Bunce said:

Before he was 16 he used to come out during the interval and race against the stop watch at Lynn. At the time nobody had heard of him, but he headed out on what looked like a brand new bike, dug himself a hole at the starting gate then left the tapes like a rocket ship posting a time not too far off the track record! Everybody stopped drinking their beer and thought... what the hell did we just witness there? The rest, they say, is history.

I think he was 14 the first time i saw him ride. I used to time him, just by my watch, and as you say he was fast. Even when he used to come out after the meeting, when the track was dry and slick, he was only a second or 2 slower that the main meeting at 14 if my memory serves me right.

Edited January 3 by Bald Bloke

[Son of Shaleman]

3 hours ago, Bald Bloke said:

I believe he was 16 when he made his debut in 1975. For Boston and Lynn

He averaged 7.43 that season for Lynn in the top league.

At 17 he averaged 9.43,  at 18 it was 10.59. 19 was 10.23, 20 was 10.21, 21 was 10.14. All this was for Lynn in the top league.

He was something special for sure.

 

 

Thanks for those stats. So, do you think he started 1975 on an assessed 3 point average? I was a regular at Lynn but can’t recall any talk about his average

was team building regulated by averages at that time?

[YeOldPitGate]

13 minutes ago, Bald Bloke said:

I think he was 14 the first time i saw him ride. I used to time him, just by my watch, and as you say he was fast. Even when he used to come out after the meeting, when the track was dry and slick, he was only a second or 2 slower that the main meeting at 14 if my memory serves me right.

I didn't get to see him in the very early days/at his best as I started going late 84, when he had his first comeback at Lynn after a year or so off in 1985 in the first race he blitzed Eric Gunderson but after that he could be brilliant, very average or missing in action to the point where Rogers eventually booted him out. I remember one night when he got a 15 point max (we still lost) but the team riding between him and Bobby Schwartz was the best I have ever seen in the game from 1985 to present day.

To me as he was so tall he never looked entirely comfortable on a bike but he was one of the greatest natural talents for sure.

[Bald Bloke]

22 minutes ago, Son of Shaleman said:

Thanks for those stats. So, do you think he started 1975 on an assessed 3 point average? I was a regular at Lynn but can’t recall any talk about his average

was team building regulated by averages at that time?

I cant remember any assessed averages back then.  in 1975 he rode at 7, 6, and finished  the season riding at 5.

[Gavan]

On 1/1/2026 at 5:27 PM, BluPanther said:

To be fair, Henka, Loram, King and Lee didn't come into the team on a 4.13 average...

Loram must have been around 5 as he rode at number 6

[Son of Shaleman]

13 hours ago, Bald Bloke said:

I cant remember any assessed averages back then.  in 1975 he rode at 7, 6, and finished  the season riding at 5.

We were fortunate to be able to see Michael in full flight. A joy to watch.

[Teromaafan]

17 hours ago, Bald Bloke said:

I believe he was 16 when he made his debut in 1975. For Boston and Lynn

He averaged 7.43 that season for Lynn in the top league.

At 17 he averaged 9.43,  at 18 it was 10.59. 19 was 10.23, 20 was 10.21, 21 was 10.14. All this was for Lynn in the top league.

He was something special for sure.

 

 

Pretty sure that averages in that era included bonus points, but even so, he was very impressive. Tall riders tend to look clumsy on a bike but he was an exception.

[castrolargh]

6 hours ago, Teromaafan said:

Pretty sure that averages in that era included bonus points, but even so, he was very impressive. Tall riders tend to look clumsy on a bike but he was an exception.

I think youre right regarding averages,and i dont think assessed averages were a " thing" until points limits were introduced for team building, replacing rider control, some time in the late 70s I think

[Bald Bloke]

Welcome Jody Scott

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

4 minutes ago, Bald Bloke said:

Welcome Jody Scott

Good on you for putting faith in your own given you were the only team that could've picked Cairns instead

[YeOldPitGate]

2 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

Good on you for putting faith in your own given you were the only team that could've picked Cairns instead

Don't think much between Scott and Cairns if both stay grounded and don't take on to much to quickly they should be core England squad members in 5-6 years I would have thought.

[pubichair]

Very exciting reserve partnership we have got this season yes they're gonna have meeting where they don't always score well but it's going to be fun watching them develop over the course of the season UP THE STARS 

[Son of Shaleman]

19 hours ago, pubichair said:

Very exciting reserve partnership we have got this season yes they're gonna have meeting where they don't always score well but it's going to be fun watching them develop over the course of the season UP THE STARS 

Yes as you say, exciting reserve duo. Jody and Cooper race and that’s what we like to see and why we go to speedway 

[Derrickn]

On 1/3/2026 at 7:51 PM, YeOldPitGate said:

I didn't get to see him in the very early days/at his best as I started going late 84, when he had his first comeback at Lynn after a year or so off in 1985 in the first race he blitzed Eric Gunderson but after that he could be brilliant, very average or missing in action to the point where Rogers eventually booted him out. I remember one night when he got a 15 point max (we still lost) but the team riding between him and Bobby Schwartz was the best I have ever seen in the game from 1985 to present day.

To me as he was so tall he never looked entirely comfortable on a bike but he was one of the greatest natural talents for sure.

I remember him breaking the track record at Halifax,leaving Kenny Carter in his wake.He said he had been using his"gold top"engine,whatever that meant.

[YeOldPitGate]

22 hours ago, pubichair said:

Very exciting reserve partnership we have got this season yes they're gonna have meeting where they don't always score well but it's going to be fun watching them develop over the course of the season UP THE STARS 

Yes both these lads should have big futures and be core England regulars in 5-6 years time, just need to stay grounded, not take on to much to soon and most importantly avoid big injuries, one of the reasons Hancock and Nielson went on so long was they didn't have many really bad smashes , all be it Hancock got lucky when he got his hand stuck in Neils mudguard.

Edited Thursday at 05:16 PM by YeOldPitGate

[Bald Bloke]

21 minutes ago, YeOldPitGate said:

Yes both these lads should have big futures and be core England regulars in 5-6 years time, just need to stay grounded, not take on to much to soon and most importantly avoid big injuries, one of the reasons Hancock and Nielson went on so long was they didn't have many really bad smashes , all be it Hancock got lucky when he got his hand stuck in Neils mudguard.

Agree keeping grounded is important at such a young age. It's equally important us fans need to be patient with these lads, and not put pressure on them from the off. Hopefully they will be with us in years to come.

[IainB]

1 hour ago, YeOldPitGate said:

Yes both these lads should have big futures and be core England regulars in 5-6 years time, just need to stay grounded, not take on to much to soon and most importantly avoid big injuries, one of the reasons Hancock and Nielson went on so long was they didn't have many really bad smashes , all be it Hancock got lucky when he got his hand stuck in Neils mudguard.

I think Hancock did have quite a serious injury (an arm or a leg break), pretty early on in his career though... and didn't he have knee trouble and was one of the first to use the knee brace... memory is a bit hazy, it was a long time ago!

Edited Thursday at 06:32 PM by IainB

[YeOldPitGate]

5 minutes ago, IainB said:

I think Hancock did have quite a serious injury (an arm or a leg break), pretty early on in his career though... and didn't he have knee trouble and was one of the first to use the knee brace... memory is a bit hazy, it was a long time ago!

Tell me about it Iain I stopped going the year after Cradley brought Hamill over after that I forget about speedway until I started watching it again on tv the night Harris beat Greg in the final at Cardiff so you might well be right.

In the SGP'S though he was such a good trapper most of the time he was out front, but that race his hand got caught in the mudguard he was incredibly lucky 9/10 it could have had his arm off but I think he got away with a broken finger/nuckle.

[Bunce]

4 hours ago, Derrickn said:

I remember him breaking the track record at Halifax,leaving Kenny Carter in his wake.He said he had been using his"gold top"engine,whatever that meant.

The "Gold Top" is more powerful than the "Semi-Skimmed" version! Sorry, I'll get my coat.