29th January 2017

Riders to Remember: Vic Ridgeon John Hyam shares his memories of a rider perhaps best remembered for his time at Wolverhampton.

New Zealand and the World Team Cup 1981 Tracy Holmes tells us about the 1981 World Cup, with the UK qualifying round being staged in atrocious conditions at Reading.

Friends of Speedway (a non-profit making organisation who are proud to sponsor the British Youth Championship - formerly the Under 15's) are pleased to announce the 64th edition of their magazine the Voice which is packed full of interest and enjoyment. This issue is a big 20 pages, which will keep your interest for hours! In this issue David Telfer gives his inevitable views on all things speedway in general and the Fans Forum; John Chaplin tells of a Ghost Story; Charles Mackay takes a look at the viewing figures and the speedway Brexit; Roy Delaney gives an insight in to Ray Moor; John Hyam talks about Midget Cars v Speedway Riders; Slider gives his own imitable views on the current direction of speedway at present; Sue Towner discusses new EU laws on motor sport having third party insurance and her financial report. There is much more too to keep you going for hours! Available from Friends of Speedway; 117 Church Lane, Chessington, Surrey KT9 2DP. Please send your cheque for £12 made out to the above for four issues of the Voice to Stuart Towner at the above address or ring 0208-397 6599 for more information.

More on the speedway honours debate: Dudley Jones : "Honours I would go along with Malcolm Tyrie. Len Silver does deserve a gong for his services to speedway since the 1950s or earlier." Brian Bailey: "Re Anthony 's comments re needing to be an Olympic sport: I fully agree but I don't think Olympic sports allow guests or double points if behind !!!!" Click here to leave your own feedback

 

22nd January 2017

The Jim Ryman Crash at Boston Speedway 26 August 1973 Arthur Price has always been blamed for a crash that saw Jim Ryman break his leg. All these years on he's still hoping to clear his name and offers this view of the incident. He'd like to hear from anyone who remembers the crash.

New Zealand and the World Team Cup 1980 After their remarkable success in the 1979 tournament, could the Kiwis retain the trophy as we moved into the eighties? Tracy Holmes reports.

Chris Stockwell on Pedalling to Speedway Glory: "Hi Dave Oakley, the Long Eaton Cycle Speedways nickname was the Bees and not the Wasps.They rode on a track on Longmoore Lane, which of course is now gone. I had a go myself back in the 70's never really any good but I just enjoyed racing round with my mates. I knew a few of the Bees riders Ralph Doughty, Tony Stokes, Chris Harrison ( who went on to become a top rider). We all used to go and follow the RANGERS (as Long Eaton were known then). Great Days" Bruce Cribb on New Zealand and the World Team Cup 1979: "Well done Tracy Holmes, good accurate journalism, makes for a very good read, cheers mate!" Marcel Facoory ( former spanner man for Mitch Shirra) on New Zealand and the World Team Cup 1979: "Well done Tracy, Well researched, a moment in time that we all remember and possibly neverr to be repeated. Congratulations."   More on the subject of honours for speedway personalities: Anthony Willamson: "The only way anyone to do with speedway will be awarded, is when it becomes an Olympic sport. These days, that is as far as they look. " Ian (Tich) McLean: "Jimmy Beaton and Steve Lawson. Held Glasgow together for years." Malcolm Tyrie: "Barry Briggs was awarded the MBE some years ago. I also think Len Silver deserves an award. He used to be enemy no 1 when I was a Hammers supporter but I have come to appreciate how he has strived to promote Speedway in the London area and not sat on the back of fashionable clubs either. " Click here to leave your own feedback

 

15th January 2017

New Zealand and the World Team Cup 1979 Tracy Holmes series reaches the 1979 season, which was a significant one indeed for the Kiwis.

Skid Kids A short feature on a 1953 movie set in the world of Cycle Speedway. Can "Swanky" and his team win the cup?

David Hobson is putting together a new website dedicated to the great Ivan Mauger. Check it out at www.ivanmauger.net

Jock Davidson on Elephant...What Elephant?: "Agree 100% I think it would be a good idea to have breath test at all BSPA meetings!!" Alan Cooper on DVD Review: Peter Collins Racing: "Great to see the riders from the past. I started going to Belle Vue Aces in 1975. What riders PC and Mort were. I would love to see them now riding the new track at Belle Vue. I will be ordering the PC DVD, it will be great to see him on DVD. Glad I found the web site." Chris Stockwell: "I read David Pickles remarks about no Speedway rider had been honored in the New Years honors List again and I fully agree with him. This also got me thinking. How many British and Commonwealth riders promoters managers etc not only deserve an honor (and some on this list have) but deserved the ultimate honor of a Knighthood. I will no doubt leave somebody off the list so I ask my fellow fans and followers of SPEEDWAY PLUS, to submit their own list. OK here goes. IVAN MAUGER, BARRY BRIGGS, RONNIE MOORE, JOHNNIE HOSKINS, IAN HOSKINS, PETER COLLINS, RAY WILSON, ERIC BOOCOCK, LEN SILVER, NEIL STREET, REG FEARMAN, BERT HARKINS, RONNIE GREEN, DENT OLIVER, JACK PARKER, FREDDIE WILLIAMS, and DAVE LANNING. I will no doubt remember more once I've sent this feedback. I know some on this list are no longer with us but SPEEDWAY deserves its Knights and all the above should be honored in that way, when you think one bloke got a knighthood for running round in circles and another for hitting a a ball over a net with a tennis racket, there ain't no justice." Click here to leave your own feedback

 

5th January 2017

Otto Holoubek - A Lesson Learned John Hyam remembers when he recommended Otto to Ipswich and the valuable lesson he learned in the process.

New Zealand and the World Team Cup 1978 Tracy Holmes talks us through the 1978 tournament - when the Scots disappeared and were replaced by the Americans.

Tony Webb has new stock available of his book on the history of "The Ekka". It's available for 30 Aussie Dollars, though overseas postage will push that up to 65 dollars due to the weight of the book. Tony can be contacted via email [ binbooks@iinet.net.au ] if you want to get your hands on a copy.

David Pickles: "And so the establishment "Joke" continues. Once again no mention of anything or anyone to do with speedway in the New Year honours list. The continuing absence of any award at all for Tai Woffinden is a complete disgrace. Not just twice World champion, but a prolific fund-raiser for charity, and completely ignored. Surely there is something all speedway fans can do to get together and try to get some well deserved recognition for him, and our beloved sport? Happy New Year!" Donald Cooper on CRADLEY HEATH - Dudley Wood: "My earliest memory of Dudley Wood was going into the pits at the end of a meeting where I caught the goggles that Chris Julians ( I think...weird Cornish accent to me as a child! ) had thrown into the air at a crowd of awed children. They looked like the ones tank drivers had in WW11 films!. In the early 70's my wife worked in an electrical shop on Cradley Heath high street and was amazed to see Dave Perks come in with Bernie Persson to help buy the Swede an electric shaver. Such was our devotion to the Heathens we named our eldest son Steven after Steve Bastable in 1977. My favourite rider later was Pekka Hautamaki (?) who gave everything he had for the cause...the only rider who caused me to pull my kids away from the fence !" Click here to leave your own feedback