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It's great that invariably the riders get up, brush themselves down and come out for the re run of the race. Compare that to some professional footballers who would be out for three months with a split fingernail.

A friend of mine has found this quiz in a 1985 Reading programme. I have no idea who set it but is there no end to this mans talents Does anyone want to exercise their brain box during this lockdown ? Racers line up was 1 John Davis 2 Tim Hunt 3 Jan Andersson 4 Mitch Shirra 5 Per Jonsson 6 Mark Chessell 7 Malc Holloway Quiz read IN a fictitious home British league match the Racers won 46-32. Fill in the riders score chart given that. The Racers rode as programmed(no tacticals or reserve substitutions used) The opposition only won heats 2,4 and 8 and only John, Jan and Per won races for the Racers. The opposition recorded one 5-1 in heat 8 and one 4-2 in heat 2. the Racers recorded three 5-1`s in heats 5,10 and 12 also four 4-2`s in heats 3,6,9 and 13. John top scored with twice as many as Mitch, who scored twice as many as Mark. Tim fell in his 1st race and was excluded. Malc`s engine seized in his 1st race. The reserves scored only 3 points. There is only one possible score chart layout. The league format in 85 was 13 heats heat 1 1 2 V 1 2 heat 2 6 7 V 6 7 heat 3 5 4 V 5 4 heat 4 3 6 V 3 7 heat 5 5 4 V 1 2 heat 6 1 2 V 3 6 heat 7 3 6 V 5 4 heat 8 2 7 V 2 7 heat 9 5 4 V 3 6 heat 10 1 2 V 5 4 heat 11 3 7 V 1 2 heat 12 1 4 V 3 5 heat 13 3 5 V 1 4

IF there is ,a major headache to find guests ,who will be riding for anybody and everybody to earn cash .Will make a mockery of the sport.It is bad enough just now.

Unfortunately in these covid days and going forward, health and safety will be a big thing, ( THJ will probably be aware of the big ins and ous of this in his line of work) would the promotion/ volunteers be willing/know all about this ? Will it be worth the hassel for what may only be a season of 2 months if we are lucky. If all h+s is done would a crowd turn up to watch? If I were a promoter I would think the hassel for a short season would not be worth it, that's without the potential rider issue. I think hard as it is to think like this, I would abandon the season, re-group and focus on 2021, if they can afford to do it, as for many their business and sponsor's businesses may have taken a very big hit in these times. Sorry if this sounds bleak but IMO that's where the sport is.

The newspaper report on the defunct tracks site is the one printed in the Burnley News on 10th April 1929. This article relating to the league match at Leeds on 29th March was printed in the Leeds Mercury and the Yorkshire Post on 30th March.

100% the crowds won't be 'great' but let's face it, they aren't ever any weeks are they? There are lots of 'meaningless meetings' each year as they underpin 'meaningless leagues'.. However, given the enforced break I do think that Select v Select would deliver 'early season bumper crowd levels' as people will be desperate to see some action (any action).. For me, they should just run individual events at each track with each being used as qualifiers for a big end of season finale, with all promotions putting up some decent money to make up the finale prize fund, however Promoters seem to see 'their teams' as being important and having relevance, so no doubt will want to try and run some kind of team competitions, regardless of who ends up riding for all and sundry on an ad hoc basis... And for these exceptional circumstances , the crowds might not be too fussed and go along.?

There's always been loads of guests though, so two teams full of guests would hardly be a new phenomenon for Speedway... The main purpose of the two top leagues nowadays seems to be to provide as many races as possible for the riders to earn money, rather than be taken too seriously as sporting competitions, so whatever time the sport has to run this year will need to deliver as much opportunity as possible for those who have shelled out plenty to compete.. Select v Select will still get people watching (as it often has in the past), given the desire to see some Speedway for so many.. And the riders would be grateful for the chance to ride for as many Selects as possible to earn as much as fhey can I would think..

Aussie boys Zane Kelleher and Josh MacDonald have both stayed in UK during lockdown.

Most of what you mention as "carry on" options take place at the majority of sporting events in the country. If you went to see Everton play in the EPL you would see them "march" onto the park to a song from the 60's... The 80s music thing, which is a dated line of gibberish said too often on this forum to the point some believe it to be utterly true, is also a bit silly really. Most clubs don't solely play music from the 80s, and even if they do on occasion drop a song from that era? Who cares, some songs from that era and even before are both excellent and can fit into sporting events - Darts has been rebuilt on and continues to use songs from the 80s, 90s and early 00s as a staple of their sport, Football fans still sing songs now about players to tunes of songs from that era. To be honest sitting at a Speedway meeting with a shower of 50 year old + fans listening to Stormzy blasting out the speakers would be a bit odd, and most likely leave most in the crowd wondering what the song even was, Speedway doesn't have a modern audience to merit the constant playing of modern music. Changing such things as music, how riders arrive on track isn't overly outside the box, most of that is done at the events Speedway attempts to be like or fans feel it should be like i.e Football, Darts, Rugby etc - it is even done at most tracks now . It isn't such things that fail Speedway, nor is it likely to be saved by a one lap dash, that just sounds a bit crap. Speedway is a minority product in this country, it has been for about 20 years now, it is that because most just see the actual product of "Speedway" as being a bit crap and dull. That isn't likely to change based on a song because most will still just see it as 4 guys going around in a circle. A game of Football, Rugby etc, if you attend other events you sit at them for 2 hours (at least) by the time you get in the stadium, people don't wish for games to be shorter in general, an hour Speedway meeting sounds slightly mad, arrive at 7, leave at 8? Really? There are conditions that come with attending sport and most of those you mention apply to most sports (just about all of them) and Speedway in terms of base sport attending behaviors is little different The vast majority of people who go to a Man United game (Speedway meeting) are there to see. 1.Their team play well 2.Their team win 3.Enjoy a decent day out with their mates - which is the part Darts and Cricket really drilled into, it is basically just a decent excuse to go out and booze up with your mates. Most people aren't going to sports to hear a banger from the charts, see a presenter shoot rockets from their arse etc - Speedway is the same. It is fans of a sport going to see a sport team, the rest is really all just BS which would do little to bring in more as most of the attractions can be found somewhere else and better.

Newcastle's Ron Dirkin guested for injury-hit Liverpool at Brough Park in an English Dirt Track League match on 28th June 1929 and top-scored.

The first Rider Replacement scheme that I remember was introduced in 1966, used for the first time by Long Eaton in a Midland Cup match at home to Oxford on 28th June after Ove Fundin had been suspended by the Swedish authorities. The first time it was used in a league match that season was by Wolverhampton for the injured Peter Jarman, at Cradley Heath on 2nd July.

I have had a one way system in my store for six weeks.. Plenty of arrows on the floor and someone to advise you which way to go as you walk in.. Every day we tell plenty of people they are going the wrong way.. With the usual response "oh, that's what the arrows mean".. The country is sadly full of morons who will now decide "lockdown is over".. You cannot tell people to look after themselves as many are quite incapable of doing so due to being simply thick.. Chaos will no doubt ensue, and the Govt will be blamed for effectively asking people to behave like adults..

Charlie had I think the longest career of those early Australian pioneers Not sure when he started though I think it must have been 1924( a G.Spinks was riding in the same meeting as US stars Ralph Hepburn and Johnny Seymour). By early 1925 he as being named as one of the riders appearing in a meeting, so I guess he had made a bit of a name for himself by then He went on to appear for Australia as late as the 1950s !! He was also one of the Australians who stayed on in the UK during the war and joined the RAF

In my opinion, the promoters should be working on an individual championship, involving all the riders that stay loyal to our leagues. Pay points money through the qualifying rounds, & up it for a Grand Prix type series for the top 16 qualifiers. Always assuming we are allowed to attend meetings, & the government don't demand all meetings have to be behind closed doors.

Arrived today

If it could happen & work I know it's been mentioned before but if say it does go ahead in some sort of racing capacity & the leagues are struggling for riders.. would it not be a good idea to try out 6 rider teams & give more british youth a chance if possible... Or another option could be 5 man teams with two 2nd halfers who like back in the 70s get a chance the following week or like john Robson & robin Dixon etc.. if they performed well enough in the 2nd halves as I remember once at Coatbridge robbo beat pogo Collins & got a chance to ride the following week but pogo kicked off & john robson was told sorry your not in next week... I think that was 1976 or 77..

Not wanting to throw another spanner in the works, but... Speedway seems to be, in a way, reliant on many dedicated track staff. Will any workplace, even voluntary, need to be 'covid secure' and, would any 'disclaimers' that may have already been signed, be valid?

TRIO of World Champions in SS this week... Bartosz Zmarzlik, Tai Woffinden and Bruce Penhall. Plus much more.

No it wasn`t(i think) but i had to make the joke !!

We're back on Wednesday with speedway action from 2019 ...‪BIRMINGHAM'S 2019 Perry Barr thriller with Scunthorpe will be broadcast this Wednesday night (May 13, 7.30).‬The two sides met in the second city last September - just three weeks after the Brummies battled to earn a draw in North Lincolnshire.And another close contest was anticipated this time around with the visitors including three ex-Birmingham riders in their line-up.In association with ReRun Productions, the link to view the meeting will be posted on the club's Website, Twitter and Facebook pages on Wednesday at 7.30 prompt - so make sure to refresh your feeds at that time and see how this one panned out!

Whaaaaaaat!! Give me a minute.

Not so sure... Just had a phone call there and it wont be for the want of trying... However things could look very different for a few months... On the Visa situation I don't think anyone is left here (or stayed during the lock-down) who races on a visa... could be wrong... and on the contract side of things all bets will be off (I imagine) and there will be a re-issuing of contracts for any remainder of the season if it gets going... If and it is a huge "IF"... if things do get started it could be very interesting... Regards THJ

The era is irrelevant, as is the fact it's a speedway programme to an extent - it's simply a logic puzzle, and very entertaining!

Interesting situation regarding Visa riders. I think under the visa procedure, the UK club guarantees a home and a wage to the visa rider. If the rider stayed in this country during lockdown and received the benefits, could that rider jump ship and ride in say Poland. Similar case, if OZ riders who have returned to OZ, just return direct to Poland even though he could have receive benefits, is there any comeback for the visa sponsor. I think KB was going to Poland as well as he was photographed with Nicki in his new teams jackets last week. I think there was a little easement given to say riders like the fellow Danes, in order to return for the Danish leagues if and when they start again. If the DMU had not been satisfied with their riders trying to ditch the Danish League, they are entitled to refuse "permission to ride" in Poland. That is the agreement.

Yep "Sidewinder" and I don't disagree with what you are saying; its no slight on any league or how they are going to operate if they get the chance to and as I opened "Not dismissing Covid" as these are exceptional times; however the point I was trying to make was that we are hearing that the likes of Antonio Lindback; Niki Pedersen and Dan Bewley to name but a few have all flown out to Poland and are self isolating ready to race in the Polish leagues... (could be fake news and it could have been any league not just Poland and again I ain't got no axe to grind with any other league its just the Poles have put their head above the Covid parapet first) and the way I see it is that under the current "Covid" guidelines; those three riders are committing to race in Poland and as you put it, will not be "flitting" about. Quarantine measure just make that unfeasible... So in the case of Niki and Dan they wont be available for their British teams here due to the travel restrictions; which will provide major issues I would suggest for their UK clubs and I don't think they will be the the only riders making tough decisions... so again you may be correct that it may be a moot point that riders go to Poland (or anywhere else for that matter) because we may not get any speedway here and "God" (or even "Rob God-frey") I hope you are wrong too; however I believe it will make things very difficult if we do get the opportunity to go for it; and as I stated that wont be just for riders with Polish teams; Will any Scandinavians just riding in their home leagues and here in the UK not even doing Poland want to move here to ride in the UK rather than stay and ride in their home nation as they will be in the same situation. Denmark locked their airports down two weeks before the UK and who knows when they will lift that restriction because even with the restrictions lifted there will be safety measures introduced such as two weeks self isolation... which will put a total stop to the "flitting" So if we do get any Speedway it could be radically different from what we first expected to see.... also teams could be quite different as well... We may not see any Aussies; Kiwis or Scandinavians and in Newcastle's case a couple of eastern Europeans due to travel restrictions and there will I feel need to be some tough decisions made by all those involved. Stay well; stay safe and look after yourself... Regards THJ

The Russian tourists also used an improvised form of R/R at Norwich on 10th July 1964. As a result of double booking, with some of the tourists riding in a pairs event at Swindon, 4 Russians took on the Norwich team in an 18 heat match, taking 9 rides each instead of 6. Although Fundin scored 18 and Nygren 17 from their 6 rides each, the visitors won 55-53, with Plechanov top scoring with 19.

I appreciate all of your points THJ, but I believe the Polish speedway authorities, have already decreed, that if you ride in Poland, then you live in Poland, for the season. By that they mean, no flitting about from country to country. They have also reduced the pay rates by 50% I believe, its kind of a take it or leave it situation. I think a lot of riders will take it. I can't see any British speedway taking place, on the basis, that I cannot see the government, allowing spectators into stadia, before the end of October, (just my personal opinion). So it might be a mute point that riders go to Poland, because I don't think they are going to miss much speedway here. God I hope I am wrong.

On the Researcher website, Brian Collins compiled the Barnsley team file and made the comment that the meeting on 6th April 1929 was the first league meeting staged anywhere in the world. However, when Bob Ozanne put together the year by year file for 1929 he included the comment that the Leeds meeting on 29th March was the first league match staged in Britain. The status of the meeting at Leeds as a league fixture was confirmed by press reports at the time and the subsequent inclusion in the league table is correct. The Burnley match at Barnsley was reported in the Lancashire press as being the first league meeting of the season, but this cannot be correct if the Leeds meeting was a league fixture and the Barnsley comment needs to be removed from the file. Brian Collins created a number of files for the website, but not the Leeds one, which was added subsequently using a variety of sources of information.

Sorry to "spam" you but during this lock down I've transferred all of my speedway DVD collection to PC and uploaded it to a YouTube channel I created. Some of the quality leaves a bit to be desired as it was all originally from VHS and some of it in Long Play mode. Anyway what I've got that hopefully doesn't break copyright is on my channel Sunshine Speedway... take a look https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbfL52jLjSBNAZUPgTWCDDw/

sorry but if you are in the High Risk group and have recived a letter you should not even be outside the confines of your house.

Wore yellow Yamaha leathers... Being good on the grass, I expected him to do a little better on the shale than he did.

I used to have a video with both of those crashes on - Brett's was horrible, the bike seemed to pick up speed as he hit the fence and then it dashed him into the wall at full pelt on the outside of the tarmac oval. Mark Simmonds was certainly the king of crash at Exeter - I remember another one from 1998 when he and Danny Bird locked together into the third bend and went straight on into the fence, Bird went over the fence and ended up on the terracing while Simmonds went up about fifteen feet into the air and flew Superman-style before smacking back onto the track, while the other riders somehow managed to lay their bikes down to avoid the carnage. One of the first televised matches at Monmore Green against Ipswich when Sam Ermolenko and Jason Bunyan ploughed at full speed through the turn one fence and nearly ended up in the pits, a very long delay before racing resumed in that one. A Midland Trophy meeting between Coventry and Wolves saw Ronnie Correy and a couple of others in a huge first bend pile-up leaving all three in hospital (I cannot recall who the other two were) - I remember that one because for some reason I had a premonition it was going to happen, my mum was stood next to me on the terracing and before the race I just said to her "There's gonna be a big crash in this heat". The rest of the meeting took absolutely ages to complete in boiling hot weather, the second leg was at Monmore in the evening and it was clear that everyone was hot, knackered and fed up and being only a challenge match no one was really that bothered about it! Another at Monmore was about three years ago when Richard Lawson of Lakeside tangled with Peter Karlsson coming off the last bend and both of them smashed through the flag stand next to the tapes, nearly running over the start marshal, the Wolves flag girl and Porky the centre green presenter. And a couple of years before that when in the opening heat of a match against Poole, Freddie Lindgren came off on the second bend of the opening heat and suffered a huge bang on the head - the way the medics reacted initially made a lot of people fear the worst. And those are just some of the ones I remember!

My parents remember the Grand Prix series, and especially the Berger Paints sponsorship, because apparently the audio from this TV ad was played either before or after every single heat!

Interesting and Thanks Chunky, I met Rick Miller long before he went to the UK in Owego, New York.....later that evening I joined in the big celebration on him winning his first big meeting.....the US Open.....nice guy!

Nah. Speedway crowds in this country are crap. It isn't a sport that merits going on behind closed doors for the entertainment of so few for such effort (track prep, track staff, medical staff, etc) . It would never meet the overheads to afford this either. It can barely sustain its self with people paying into stadiums. I would also expect this would break TV contracts signed in terms of this particular idea in relation to the live part. Things are more important, a lot of things, and of a lot more importance.

Certainly Goldvod was fairly easy with a BACS payment(under £30 for the 6 months) I`m sure you could google Polish TV in the USA and probably some suggestions will be on forums etc.

Yes, and in her intention to get her own way on Independance regardless of her country voting against it, and not asking for it in any great number. What, in your opinion, do you think I should have looked at

Boris is trying to treat people as adults, it’s them that are not. Stay alert doesn’t really need to explained in great detail even if you only have half a brain.

Of course, and no doubt the 'rich'.

I have the video of the 1993 4 team final somewhere. It was the Anglia programme. I cannot find the meeting anywhere on you tube.

Well carry on as we are, I give it how many years 5/7 certainly not 10, look around on the terraces how many under 40,s are their and thats being generous.. a potential sponsor said they didnt like how speedway is presented but it seems the old diehards are perfectly satisfied.. Jeez how long are you going to keep the blinkers on, Speedway is on its knees in the Uk.. but carry on marching the riders out to their bikes, carry on taking 2+ hours to run a meeting that should take 1 hour at most, carry on having tractor racing, carry on having the same riders appearing for 2/3 teams, carry on playing 80,s music between heats, after all its been proven thats what the modern day spectator wants to see not!. Ohhh and i forgot its what major TV companies want to avoid, and Newspapers continue to ignore... but no lets not change anything because it aint broke..

I assume the main issue is that if they crash, it impacts on the health system capacity?

I beg to differ! Don’t want to see more riders abandoning British Speedway!

I asked about the possibility of getting the DVD, but (to no surprise with Redcar being embarrassed to lose to Scunny) 'it wasn't filmed'

That'll be the "ridiculous" Polish contracts that are still paying the riders you've mentioned plenty more money than they'd be on with their normal UK contracts despite a hefty Polish pay cut to reflect TV-money only rather than gate-receipts as well. All this at a time when the Poles are on the verge of racing while there is absolutely no chance of any UK action before August given the latest government hints and the plans already published of other UK sports. Which of these statistics is the more "ridiculous" ? - Polish coronavirus deaths so far, 21 per million-population - UK , 460 per million-population !! "Ridiculous Polish contracts" or ridiculous for riders and their machinery not to go and earn some good money with no alternatives elsewhere for at least the next 3 months that's only risking missing out on a few weeks of ordinary money in the UK that might never take place anyway. ? !! One other thing, looking ahead to 2021 - if you don't make the effort to ride in Poland this year, good luck getting the deal you want there next year when hopefully all of speedway is returning much closer to pre-coronavirus days. It's only your UK-blinkered view that's hopelessly naive and "ridiculous", not the Polish contracts given the current coronavirus circumstances.

Personally think the star has become a better value magazine during these times. Love the stars of tomorrow pieces keep up the good work