| Home | Recent Updates | Sections | Contact Us |
| 25th June 2009 |
Book Review: Quantum of ShaleIt's Cardiff week so also that time of year when Jeff Scott's latest travelogue traditionally now hits the bookshelves. Here's our review of his 2009 offering. Jeff will be on hand at Cardiff on Saturday and numerous other tracks over the next few weeks to sell you a copy in person. If your path isn't going to cross his then it can also be purchased from his website.
|
Book Extract: Quantum of ShaleIn this exclusive extract from Jeff Scott's new book we join him on a visit to Plymouth to see the Devils take on the Weymouth Wildcats. He travels in the company of Jem Dicken, the Wildcats team manager, so even before he's reached the track there are many tales and insights to be shared. Upon arrival he finds new facilities at the circuit, though sadly has to report that crowds are perhaps not what they once were at the St. Boniface area.
|
 |
"Sad to see pics of an act of cultural vandalism all in the name of greed and profit." "Tony, what a lovely item on Ray, one of West Ham lesser-known Riders. I was lucky enough to see him in action against one of the leg-trailing legends, Phil Bishop. Phil was known as the 'India Rubber Man' because it was claimed he had broke every bone in his body at one time while racing. On the 13th September 1966, Phil had given a display of leg-trailing at West Ham during a match interval (where they used to say, 'Anything Could Happen'!). It was such a success with the fans that they demanded more, so as the Hammers had a junior who was also a 'trailer', a special match race was set up. On the 20th September after the match against Exeter (for the Falcons fans, I am afraid you lost 28-50, with the highest scorer being Colin Goody with eight points) a special match race took place called - 'THE BATTLE OF THE GENERATIONS - LEG-TRAILING MATCH RACE'. It was between Phil 'Roaring Twenties' Bishop and Ray 'Sizzling Sixties' Cousins. It was a very close race, but sadly Phil fell on the last bend as he tried to blast round the outside of Ray. The time was 83.6 seconds, well outside the track record, but remembering they were both racing on original 'Dirt-track' Bikes, and both bikes and riders had to be preserved. Phil when on to become Team manager at West Ham, and was sadly to lose his life in 1970 when he and the team were involved in a fatal accident in Belgium. " "Rick was my favourite speedway rider for Oxford when I was a youngster and I can still remember when he beat Ivan Mauger and scored a maximum. Great to see he is alive and well." "Really enjoy your site. I live in northern California. I have been following your site for years. I am involved with our home track in Vallejo Ca. that is promoted by Charlie Venegas. It is called Golden Gate Motor Speedway. We run every Saturday night with a full program of 3 divisions. We are fortunate to have riders such as Billy Janniro, Kenny Ingalls, Tommy Heddeen, Bryan Yarrow, Kelly Karrigan, John Houston, JT Mabry, Etc. Our ph# is 909.883.4364. Gates open at 6 pm racng starts at 7:30 pm. Sponsored by REDLINE OIL. Thanks again for a great site. Good job. " |
| 18th June 2009 |
|
The First League Meeting in London Robert J. Rogers on the first league match ever to be staged in London. The date was 4th May 1929 and the teams were West Ham and Coventry. |
Track Pix: Holstebro
These pictures of the Holstebro track in Denmark are courtesy of Kelvin Lapworth. |
|
|
|
"I was only 21 when I raced in England and got to see a lot of my heroes from the speedway star I received each week. I had grown up reading about these gods and was certainly overawed by one when seen in person. I first saw Simon Wigg when he came to watch at Milton Keynes { 1989 } where I was the junior captain. I couldn't believe how approachable he was and that he made time to talk to me, remember I thought they were all film stars, but Simon not only became an aquanitance but for the remaining 3 years I was there a very close freind. He was a legend in the true sense and I shed a tear as did many when he passed away so young. Many people suffer egoitis when successful but Simon was not one...A TRUE CHAMPION, HUSBAND, FATHER AND MATE................as often said 'gone but most definately not forgotten'" " My Father James (Jim) Huxley and my Godfather Lol Lees used to manage a cycle Speedway team in Liverpool in the 1950s. The team "Fairfield Aces" won a trophy, I have a photo of the team with the trophy if anyone team members oR friends, woulf like a copy. Myb rother and I used to watch the team and were also regulars at the Chads. My Mum made the ACES breastplates and the lads all looked young good looking and smart, a great bunch, who used to visit our house regularly. Happy Days. I still watch Speedway at Workington." "Great site, but as well as talking about the good old days can someone please organise an old masters meeting with some of the past riders having a go again? I'm sure there would be plenty of people who would like to see their old favourites on a bike again. I wonder if there is a promoter brave enough to do this? As they do not seem brave enough to put practice sessions on to allow youngster to have a go or anybody else for that matter. I have four bikes ranging from the late sixties to the mid eighties and I would be willing to let these be riden in such an event, thanks again for a great site. " |
| 11th June 2009 |
Angling, Golf, Cricket...Speedway!Graham Cooke believes that speedway literature is now catching up with the contemplative works available to fans of more leisurely pursuits. |
Track Pix: The County Ground
Construction has finally started on the site of Exeter's famous County Ground. John Nethercott took along his camera to capture the sad spectacle. Hopefully the Falcons will fly again in the not too distant future. |
|
|
|
"Just a few lines for Chris Hall who seems a bit put out by the Polish Team selections. What he is feeling is probably just what the Russians, Poles and Swedes felt back in the sixties and seventies when Great(?) Britain fielded teams that included Aussie and Kiwi riders!!" "Kenny Cameron was second halfing in 1964. I'm sure he had outings at Edinburgh, Glasgow, Sunderland and Newcastle." "Wow, the memories this article stirs. I was the captain of the junior team when Elfield opened and also rode in some first team matches. The fans were second to none and Tuesdays back in 89 were some of the highlights of my life. Having come from NZ I thought Elfield was a paradise as all we got to race on here were mega grippy tracks designed for the cars. Paul Atkins who was a very popular team member emigrated over here after I asked him to come race for the summer and we often {as you do} reminise about those days. Terry Cheney sweated blood for that place and was the best promoter a young kid from NZ could have hoped for. I went back for a holiday in 96 and visited the old place and even then it was a derelict site and I felt very sad for everyone but especially the diehard fans who were always ready to buy a skint rider a pint. LONG LIVE THE MILTON KEYNES KNIGHTS......RISE AGAIN FROM THE ASHES." "Re Split Waterman, it would be nice if somebody could contact Split and let him know he is still remembered with respect by a lot of the fans, some of which were never that lucky to see him ride. Some of the wonderful stories which he told while writing his column in the Speedway Express, and the stories we heard about some of the things he and his mate Bruce Aberbethy, who looked like brothers (and also wrote in the Express) got up to, would make some fantastic reading. I was lucky that just before he went of to Spain he signed some photos of himself both in Action and on his bike in both Wembley and Harringay Colours (with the Golden Helmet). A couple of these photos can be seen on the WSRA site. Split was mainly a London Rider, riding for Wembley, West Ham, Harringay and New Cross (where he was captain) as well as Southampton and Ipswich in the eraly 1960's. My comments were taken directly from the `World Championship Story` where he was intervied by the late Ernie Hancock, (which many Rye House fans will remember when he was the team manager there in the 1960's) about the history of the Wheel." |
| 4th June 2009 |
Riders to Remember: Bruce PenhallTracy Holmes looks back on the career of the twice World Champion who gave it all away for Chips. |
Track Pix: Debrecen
Track Pix makes a return with these photographs of the Debrecen circuit in Hungary courtesy of Bob Cole. |
 |
|
"I've been watching/following/observing speedway for nearly forty years now, and for about thirty-five of them been aware of the "it's not as good as it used to be" and "the tracks are too slick these days" arguments. Watch all the speedway you can find on YouTube and you'll find that speedway isn't just as good as it used to be, it's a lot better. My first World Final was 1972. I was twelve and it was a thriller. Find the footage and watch them relatively pootling round compared with today's racers. And get hold of some pre-war copies of Speedway News and find out when the slick tracks debate really started. " "A pity Dave Gifford leaves such comments about a fellow sportsman, by the way who was Dave Gifford? Was he a track raker? Nuff said!" "I watched Bjorn Knutsson throughout 1964 at West Ham and agree with everything Geoff Langley said. He was the most exciting rider I have ever seen. The way he went into the bends after those long West Ham straights was almost frightening!" "Scott Nicholls and Hans Andersen obviously feel they need the extra racing, both are now back in the Elite league with Coventry And Poole. Some Riders it would seem do not thrive on inactivity, I wonder how many more we will see back, (Message to Nicki Pedersen, "Eastbourne have got a few injured riders what do you think mate?"). " "An interesting article, but I thought Tony George who rode for Rochester/Romford was also a leg trailer? He was advetised in the Long Eaton programme as leg trailing sensation Tony George." |