mark cox

A truly brilliant rider to watch, very exciting and stylish to boot. We had hopes of him signing for Cradley after some great guest appearances in the mid 80's, but he went to Swindon. A great racer.

A terrific meeting on a terrific temporary track. Congrats to Ole and his diddy men for their sterling work. Lets hope it wasn't a fluke and they've discovered the knack. Apparently the Great TRick was amazed he hadn't won, as he had 'dominated' most of his races, whilst the rest of us were amazed (bar the blind school, the crazy and the odd Poole fan) that he was actually in the bloody final! Had the ref had a crafty shilling on him or what?! Has any rider had as much luck in one meeting... obviously he has been hanging out with a few black cats lately... It was good to see a new mellow Jason Grump fizzing around like potassium on water in the pits... ''COME ON! COME ON!! Maybe the prozac hasn't kicked in yet. Greg H was as usual his totally dignified sportsmanlike self after being knocked off and then caught on the line in one fantastic race. The look on his face after said race when a beaming and babbling Crump was explaining how he had just beat him was a picture... '' yes Jason you truly were fantastic, but please bugger off RIGHT NOW!'' It was great to see Gollob on the money and mostly keen on his hated temporary tracks, lets hope he rides to his true potential all year. All in all a cracking meeting, full of incident, dodgy decisions and some fantastic races! Bring on the next one!

Do we worry too much about this. Many of us still can't believe that we can watch speedway every week on the box and soon top grand prix events every month. Maybe it doesn't compare too good with the viewing figures of the major sports on SKY, but there is still an amazing of cra.. well shall I say minority viewing sports on the channel - even more so than speedway! So would they want rid of us? Fair point about the secrecy aspect of our leaders. They don't have to change so will they ever...

I think it was a great interview in an excellent winter series of articles. He may not come across as the most articulative of people but he still made some good points and seemed honest. He has always appeared to be a strong minded person, highly sensitive to others who tried to tell he what to do, and so easily gave a reaction. If his father or people like Martin Rogers and John Berry couldn't always influence him then I doubt that even godalmighty could! He has always been his own man and he said himself that when he was banned, it was a slight against him that he could not forgive and his heart went from speedway never to fully return. That reaction was down to him and his personality. His point about speedway just being run and not actually promoted is a valid one and that Benfield Sports have improved the sports profile globally, but this hasn't dramatically increased domestic attendances. Its great that he is still involved in speedway because in his heyday he was a personality that got people talking about our sport and his brilliance was quite rare.

Cheers for that one! It was a real roller-coaster of a meeting that one, with Erik only getting a third place in his first ride, and then needing to win his last to set up a run-off for the title. Its probably my favourite race of all time.

There was a report of the Telford event on BBC Midlands News last night, and an interview with the great man. He looked exactly as you would expect a bloke to look 20 years later after we last saw him.... slightly chubbier, but with a full head of hair! Nick Owen said he remembered working with Penhall years ago and he was always first class.

I think its usually at the County Showground on the A518, on the road to Uttoxeter. A nice rural location, with plenty of room.

Aye...Point taken, but no cheating allowed as the topic says riders 1-7. That was certainly some team in 1983 though and makes me realise all the more how poor the quality of the EL will be next season. Where do you watch your Speedway now Mark? Have many happy memories of Cradley Heath, when we could find the damn place that is. After watching the Heathens most weeks since 1972 (Bernie Persson 2nd to Ivan in a Wembley run-off, who wouldn't be hooked?!), I drifted from the sport after Cradley's year at Stoke. Seeing the GP's on CH4 drew me back in, and I try and get to Wolves when I can (to see them lose obviously, although this hasn't been the case the last two years!) and sometimes to Stoke to see some good racing. Still going to Cardiff, more for the spectacle than the dodgy racing on a very small track, and long for those fantastic world events at Odsal, on a real race track. Its great that you have happy memories of Dudley Wood, and I guess most away fans in the mid-70's did as we regularly got tanned! We always thought the stadium wasn't the most luxurious in the world, and when Dan Mccormick took over he promised us two things, a great stadium and a great team.... well one out of two wasn't bad, it was truly brilliant! One day Cradley will return, if only to give Wolves a decent match at home... Ommer 'um!

Being as you've got one more rider than everyone else I guess it would. Well seeing as this was the actual 1983 Cradley team with Crossi being the official No.8, I guess it actually did win a few...

1.Erik Gundersen 2.Simon Wigg 3.Lance King 4.Alan Grahame 5.Phil Collins 6.Peter Ravn 7.Jan O Pedersen 8.Simon Cross Team Manager; Peter Adams I bet this combination would've won a few matches!

Im sorry Kevin I can neither confirm or deny this statement, but am appalled that no one has so far deemed to reply to this question, this being a speedway forum and all. There is a rumour that a Lt Columbo is hot on the trail of this answer, and it will be just a question of of time before the full facts emerge...

Whoops! Thought a) said should! Its then.

The anoraksRus brigade will always be around: personally I don't think you can beat a nice warm fleece, er, but anyway Mr Mylor, let me be the first (hopefully not the last!) to second a) & . Whether its structure, track prep, type of engines, or whatever, everyone on the forum has an opinion, so please give generously!

Scott Nicholls is currently the twice over British Champion, 4th in the EL averages, 7th in the GP series, a fantastic racer, and great with fans and media alike.... If more riders like Scott would mean British speedway is in a bad way, then let the bad times roll!!

Less speedway on TV, then we'll have the crowds back???????????????????? What fresh hell is this?????????????

Great report by AJH... one of the best speedway reports I've read in a long time. Norway is a fantastic beautiful country, but the stadium did seem very souless, and looked like it had a fairly low roof on the TV. I couldn't agree more about the differences between Crumpy and Pedersen.... Crumpy and crew seemed very tense! Whereas Pedersen falls off, dusts himself down and says, '' right lets have another go!'' Then again if the weather had've been awful, we would've thanked our lucky stars, but a finale in Cardiff would be ace!

Ommer 'um Greg!!!! Lets have plenty more in 2004!!

Nicki Pedersen.... a man who looks at danger and laughs his head off! A brilliant GP series, in which the smiling assassin came from nowhere, with no respect for reputations, with a seemingly endless supply of guts, determination and nerve, all season he has done it when and where it mattered. After being carried off the track (nice theatrical touch!), after his amazing rodeo ride, his great drive under Scotty in the semi... his name seemed to be on the Cup. Jason Crump... the man who should be king? I thought he deserved it, but last night he had every chance to take the crown, but was found wanting. So congratulations to Nicki Pedersen, he earnt it and so deserves it. Nice work fella!

Number 14 is the fantastic dynamic duo of Phil Collins and Jan O for Cradley. Phil is more noted for his time with 'Big Al Grahame, but these two also had a successful partnership. Keep the Heathens photos coming!

1990: Jan O Pedersen 1991: Jan O Pedersen 1992: Jan O Pedersen In 1990, a few weeks before the final on that brilliant racing track at Bradford, our man got injured and the collected shout of B******* could be heard for weeks in large parts of the Black Country thereafter.....

I thought John Poshbloke was going to organise an Aussie GP in 2004? I suppose he's a bit skint after Sweden...

Calm down! Don't peak too early, its nearly two weeks away. With all things being equal, the best will out, and The Crump deserves the crown. Nurse, the screens!

Probably right if she rode down the Wood! The Bullster is part of the Heathens hall of fame. Anyway, top Irish girls have to be.... the bird from Ballykiss, most of the Corrs, and Catherine from Dublin in a nightclub in Portugal, about ten years ago...

Ali- THE Greatest Sportsman ever- had Angelo Dundee in his corner for many years... does this mean Ali wouldn't have been the Champ without a brilliant back-up team... or was it that Ali gave his natural talent the best chance by having the best people around... luck equalling opportunity meeting preparation blah blah blah... Eddie Bull was a brilliant tuner, and Penhall a brilliant rider made sure he looked after his bikes. Wunder Gunder saw a connection, and so on.... Dudley Wood was a track over 300 metres, allowing great racing, which wasn't a bad strip for great riders to learn their trade on. Anyway enough of this old cack, lets talk about fit women. Will this do.

Jason is the Best! Jason is the Best! Altogether now! Whats 'The Crump' done to everyone?! Is he secretly developing weapons of mass destruction, putting up taxes, or is it something more sinister.... like loitering with intent in a grumpy manner, in a built-up area of riders, fat blokes in overalls and cameramen on acid shoving a lens up his jaksy! Guilty as charged then! He's top of the averages, he's collecting maximums home and away for fun, not for the first time in his career... then his bad luck occurs in the GP's... I think its likely he's going to be 'a bit upset.' And there's a friendly camereman to record every second of it! Don't forget to say cheese now Jason! Maybe if he'd won a title or two, he'd be as chilled as TRick when his bike runs out of fuel, or maybe he should try prozac. Anyway Crump to win. He is the Best. Pedersen isn't, but has raised his game fearlessly in the GP's. Shame about Adams who should've been Champ by now, and comiserations to TRick, but it is time for a change! Now Sullivan, he really is the whingeing get! Always bloody moaning about something. I think it was in the Aussie GP when he was on the phone to the Ref, after being excluded, saying 'oh come on, Crumpy did something similar last time and got away with it'. Absolutely priceless.