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Alan Knapkin Was it not he who appeared in the racing scene in the film 'The Family Way' of 1967?

Found this in an article on Cycle Speedway http://www.briston.plus.com/briston/ken_2001/ken_apr_01.htm "We gained a great deal of pleasure going to speedway on Saturday nights. It was a social event from boarding the bus to our return to Percy Eke’s fish and chip shop at around eleven o’clock. Percy would be stoking-up his fire, even as late as mid-night. I recall a great deal of singing took place on the bus starting off with ‘Going to the Speedway tonight.’ This was accompanied by Arthur Williamson on his mouth organ. I still remember the refrain of ‘Got my Sunday combs on and my woolly vest, going to the speedway tonight.’..." New to me, anyone know anymore about this one?

Dag Lovass was a great favourite of mine at Oxford. We had several Norwegians, all well remembered - Oyvind Berg, the Lovass brothers, poor Svein Kassa and Helge Langli, I rememeber Norwegian television filming Dag and Helge Langli at Cowley, they obliged with a 5-1 as I recall. You could ask him: About the Norwegian riders of his time and of speedway in Norway in those days. I saw a touring team from Norway in the UK in 1969, why have so few progressed in recent years? Why did he quit at the top? was there a reason not disclosed at the time? In my memory he rode a JAP motor against the 4 valve tide, and was the last man to ride a JAP in a World Final - is this true and if so why? also was he connected with a prototype JAP 4 valve that was seen around in Oxford second half races? could you check this? What are his thoughts on the merits of the different engines available in the early 1970s? About his brother Ulf Lovass - what became of him and what have both of them done since speedway? Let him know he's still well rememberd and respected, and thanks for an excellent magazine.

Don't think it was triple x but 'Soldier Blue' was a violent and very bad 'alternative' Western from the early 1970s. From the same time I remember Soldier Boy following Leicester and Ray Wilson in particular. He was interviewed at Oxford in the late 1980s and said he had been based once at the local MOD Bicester depot, so I guess he was an authentic soldier - who knows. Was there not a story that he won the lottery?

The same Stefani who still rides for Hungary? How/Why!? Stefani is Hungarian but spent a year at Oxford as Mark Frost Why I dont know.

Thanks for that.

Attila Stefani aka 'Mark Frost' Ronnie Genz rode for Exeter in the PL under an alias a few times anybody remember what it was?

Theres a Russian proverb: 'to lie like an eye-witness', meaning everybody sees the same thing in a diferent way, and I'm always surprised at the way people take away memories and how those memories change. I haven't read the article yet but in my memory Vic Harding was carried away from the track to the pits on his back with his helmet off, in my mind I can see his face the colour of cement and thinking 'Oh my God...' Steve Weatherly should always be mentioned in the same breath as Vic Harding, a terrible thing it was, good at least that honour is still being done with a memorial meeting, lets hope all the others aren't forgotten. I must say this is an excellent magazine on the evidence of the first one.

Belle Vue

On speedwaybikes.com under retired riders/Sonny Nutter: "He was captain of a US team that raced against the top Europeans in Israel"

Puma There were Australians racing at Port Moresby around 1970

Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby)

Re. the West Ham photo: There were three Courtnell brothers, Terry, Teddy and Maury but Terry is the best known and rode for West Ham in 1955 and 1956 after the closure of Yarmouth, then released to Oxford were he had some success. (Maury was also around Oxford too I believe and was noted for adopting a 'Teddy Boy' style). Found a photo of Terry in 1956 with Oxford riders Newton, Genz and Byford, who were with him in that car crash along with Trevor Redmond in which he was killed. Obituary in the Speedway Star said: "Terry Courtnell will be remebered as long as there are speedway machines and riders with hearts as big as his to ride them" Here remembered.

is the Eastbourne rider Tony Hall? Swindon 1969: Bob Kilby, Barry Duke, Barry Briggs, Mac Woolford, Pete Munday, Clive Hitch, Mike Keen, Mike Broadbanks on bike

Kevin Coming off the A40 and going down the dual carriageway towards Shepherds Bush, they were away to your right, big covered bridge-type structures with windows, sat there for 90 years doing nothing.

regarding the Manchester venue found this http://manchesterhistory.net/whitecity/home.html: 'The prospectus of the White City Company indicates that it was formed in February of 1907 for, "the purpose of establishing and carrying on a pleasure garden of the highest class to be called the "White City".' One year before London then or the same company planning both at the same time? There was another White City in Onchan IoM, I bet there were lots... maybe two words that became associated with a bit of quality fun in those days ? noticed last month they've started to demolish the last trace of the London White City site - the covered walkways that went alongside the railway track. pity stadiums and such places arent counted as heritage...

There is/was Wembley Stadium in Johannesburg, with 'Lions' teams in Speedway and Ice Hockey, home of the Transvaal Speedway league in 1947 which was the origin of the four team format.

Don't count on me await Norbold for the definative version is no1 wearing a false beard?

1. ? 2. Arthur Atkinson + ? 3. Bluey Wilkinson 4. ? 5. ? 6. Danny Dunton (1940s) 7. Jack Bronco Dixon 8. Arthur Atkinson 9. Tommy Croombs 10. ? 11. Phil Bishop

Leopold Killmayer rode from 1930 to 1956. He raced all over Europe with great success and was contracted to ride in England for Plymouth in 1933 but I don't know if he actually rode for them. He was Austrian champion in 1952. He had a younger brother called Karl who rode from 1947 to at least 1958

This from http://www.bearmore.freeserve.co.uk/ (under riders a-z) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pete Jarman Biography... Birthplace: Brockley, London Birthdate: 30th June 1935 Pete Jarman spent three seasons with Cradley after five years plying his trade at Wolverhampton. In between he turned out for Oxford for two years and before that he had already ridden for Stoke where he had progressed from novice to a handy points scorer. Pete's speedway career started late - when he was already 23 years old - and then began quite slowly - he was rejected by both Eastbourne and New Cross after only short periods, before he eventually signed for Stoke in 1960. He had been a busy man though, for speedway had come way down his priority list after he had impressed in Football, Cricket and even Cycle Speedway. The Cradley team that Jarman was a part of included the likes of Bernie Persson, Roy Trigg and Bob Andrews, which made Pete a very useful second string. However a combination of inconsistency, injury and mechanical troubles kept his final average never far from the relatively low 5.00 mark. Upon leaving the Wood, he returned to Oxford and then Eastbourne - two clubs that had already previously released him. He retired in 1977 after winning the National league championship as rider-coach with the Eagles. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hope that helps. I remember Speedy Pete Jarman very well at Oxford in 1969/70 where he was a very reliable and useful rider. I last saw him with Eastbourne and I believe he used the old JAP motor to the end of his career.

Thank you very much for the information Norbold. Seems Wal Morton didn't ride for Sheffield - memory playing tricks then, though he had one (pointless) meeting for Hackney in 1964. Thought of another old rider - Conny Samuelsson rode between 1965 and 1999 for the Vetlanda club in Sweden.

I hope Norbold can confirm Wal Mortons age and dates, I believe he rode from at least 1932 to 1964 finishing with Sheffield, there was an article in the' Star about him around that time if someones got their backnumbers to hand. Morton had and I bet still holds the record for riding for the most clubs, which is how he became known as 'Wandering Wal'. Lew Coffin rode Speedway but is more famous as a grasstracker, he must have been getting on for retirement age when he quit - anyone know? and dont riders have to surrender their racing licence when they reach a certain age?

I have to agree with Nevsy I cant see where the word shame comes into this. Eddie Davidsson for Oxford Rebels was an example of a rider completely out of his depth and you could see how unhappy he was...but it was unfair on him to be called from the Swedish second division to the BL1. Paul Gachet was a fine Speedway rider - for the record he was age 21 in 1976 at White City, and scored a maximum in his first campaign. In 1977 he missed most of the season with a broken ankle at Easter and then was forced to retire two years later with a broken thigh while a heatleader for Mildenhall, no shame there. Respect for all Speedway riders.

Thank you for the details on the death of Edward Jancarz I had heard several versions of his death - that it was suicide by gun, that he had been shot by his wife and worst that he had killed his wife before killing himself...so rather than being morbid I'm grateful now that the record has been put straight. RIP an immaculate Speedway rider.