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 Saturday at 07:36 PM 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