Flashback....August 1987

Boston Barracudas were forced to withdraw from the National League as they were unable to track a competitive side. An already weak team lost two of it's heatleaders when Carl Baldwin and Phil White were recalled by their parent tracks. The Barracudas, propping up the league table as it was, were left with Andy Hines and six juniors. The promotion had little option and pulled the plug. Speedway has not been staged in Boston since.

Chris Van-Stratten, present day chairman of the BSPA, was at odds with the establishment in August '87. He resigned from the management committee after a row over the re-assessment of Robert Pfetzing's average. The American was making a return to UK racing and 'CVS' was sure he should return on his old four point average. His colleagues on the management committee disagreed and insisted he should start with a 7.50 assessed figure.

The evergreen Malcolm Simmons celebrated twenty five years of racing with a Silver Jubilee meeting at Hackney. Simmo himself lasted less than one lap as he was suffering from a dislocated collarbone and unable to turn the bike. Despite that minor disappointment a large crowd enjoyed the day. Highlight of the day was probably the veterans races that saw Terry Betts, John Louis, Bert Harkins and Roy Trigg take to the track once again.

Glasgow Tigers were no more after the club was rechristened the Workington Tigers. The Tigers had been racing in Workington all season as they searched for a new venue north of the border. By August it had become apparent that there was no immediate prospect of a move north. In an attempt to attract some local support the team name and colours were changed. The move ultimately failed and the club was thrown out of the league in mid-September.

This article was first published on 01/12/2002

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