martinmauger

Apologies if already posted but tonite I was told of a question on The Chase TV quiz show; "Which country is 6-times World Champion Ivan Mauger from ?". The contestant didn't know ....

Yeh, and while these are tributes to the late great Zenon Plech, for info: the meeting was the Inter League 4's and Ivan Mauger wasn't scheduled to ride for Hull in any case, other teams lost their top riders for whatever reasons. Either way, Zenon made the journey from the World Pairs in Denmark, was present and correct on that very wet day in Sheffield and rode his best for his team, which being his first meeting for the Hawks for 3 years is all the more commendable....

Good promotion / customer care stuff there Phil and appreciated but hopefully it won't come to that, hasn't for me so far (fingers crossed). And we all hope 2021 is a better year than the current one has been so far, it won't be difficult....

Speaking as a track anorak, while fascinated and impressed by the progress planned and currently taking place at Plymouth, I seem to recall reading that permanent buildings and structures weren't permitted on the St Boniface Arena land. i.e. just a fenced track and portacabins ? While I'm sure the promotion know what they are doing, presumably they aren't going to a lot of time & effort just to maybe (hopefully not) tear it all down again....

Like buses the latest 2 Speedway Stars W/E 21 & 28 November arrived together, today. Still, I'm obviously aware of current affairs and my mags are being delivered....

An all-action rider for sure and I think the only rider who made to the 4's Final at Sheffield in 1979 (which Hull won) following the delayed by 24 hours World Pairs at Vojens. RIP....

Just to clairfy, [team name still redacted] but I wasn't talking about Rye House....

Me neither I very much prefer the paper copy, I spend enough time staring into monitors + it gives me something to read on Thursday lunchbreaks.....

Mine is late too. Not blaming the 'Star office as others said issues will have been posted and I get there are 'guarranteed next day delivery' options but it's annoying when junk mail and other post still arrives....

People buy speedway clubs for many reasons, mostly because they like the sport. I know of one promoter [name redacted] who a few years ago (within the last 20 or so years) bought [name redacted] speedway team with big ideas for team success, promotion, sponsorship, etc. Ok so far, only how can I put this, the first speedway meeting he saw was - the very first meeting he ran at his newly purchased club. Still can't believe these facts are true, but they are. To this day words still fail me, which doesn't happen often, but it can happen....

If I had the time I could probably fill the entire magazine on track / stadia stuff alone but I already have 2 big work projects on the go, I'm not 'just saying that' by the way it's true, I peruse BSF both for interest and taking a break from such things....

Can confirm Newport Queensway Meadows was a well-tidy set up, big shame it is no more. On building a new stadium one should also check in which direction the sun sets to aid track prep and avoid possible 'sun breaks'....

Once had to leave a note for a friend who was out, had no paper or pen - what to do. I improvised; used a thick red laundry marker felt-tip pen I found in the front garden and scribbled message on a piece of wood, posted with difficulty through letter box. Peasant / pleb writing materials, sure, but sorted. Should probably point out that pens, pencils and paper are widely availabe in these here parts and many local people are familiar with their correct use....

Think the pits in the London Lions (Hackney) stadium were re-located early 1996 so spectators could see into them better. As a track anorak I could literally fill the entire forum and likely cause it to crash due to insufficent bandthwidth / data allowance - but won't as I don't have the time. (you'll all thank me not to, really). Nutshell: I've always favoured 'non-round' shaped circuits as if the track surface is 100% perfect 'all' a rider needs to do on such a track is get onto the racing line, open the throttle wide and keep it nailed and 'sit in his armchair, eating his sandwiches and reading his Financial Times (!) for an easy win', to paraphrase Martin Brundle & Peter Collins. As often happens in Champ Car / Indy Car and Nascar races. But recent the most GPs and the excellent 2020 Belle Vue meetings have made me change my mind somewhat on track shape designs. More than a bit. Stadium-wise: one wouldn't go far wrong at all copying the NSS at Belle Vue. A few things to bare in mind, should one be in the fortunate position to be able to build a dedicated speedway stadium from scratch (we can all dream) are: re-create the seat height and angle of the 'home straight stand' at Hull's Craven Park. To show I'm not (much) biased, the seat height angle from the main stand at Braford's Odsal would also suffice, anyone who visted either venue will know exactly what I'm talking about; brilliant views of the entire track. But before the digging starts, hold a wetted finger in the air to check wind direction, anyone who visted Craven Park will know exactly what I'm talking about; it was cold....

Big shame, last I read / heard he was trying to get F2 speedway with road bike engines up and running. RIP....

I considered then World Champion Ole Olsen being initially allocated to Hull as being more than cool, sadly Olsen didn't agree . Have to say the man had point as he waited another year at Wolves after asking for a transfer to a bigger track and he said he'd already agreed a deal with Coventry. I always thought rider control moves seemed to be quite random at times (Jimmy McMillan & Tommy Johansson were moved from Hull to Wolves as part of the Olsen move) but think I read somewhere that the Rider Control Committee was actually made up of a group of the then BSPA promoters, not as I thought the ACU or the then Speedway Control Board. Think the SCB may have also have been formed out of BSPA members and / or referees, though I'm no defo sure on that one....

Steve 'Jonno' Johnson was great fun too.....

Me too, the place simply oozed atmosphere.....

In this week's Speedway Star Alun Rossiter say they FIM should step in over Poland maybe flexing it's muscles a bit too much. That said, at the risk of stating the probable obvious, I think the time has come for British Speedway to run with what it can afford, which if that means no GP-level riders, so be it. When I began watching at Hull from 1974-on I was horrfied over the idea of a possible drop into the 2nd division, then the New National League, as division 1, or Brtish League speedway, and seeing world class stars week in-week out, was all that I knew. From 1995 - 2005 in Hull it was divison 2 Premier League all the way, apart form the 1999 season, and you know what; it was still speedway. If British Speedway isn't viable for the top riders and / or the BL can't afford them, then go with what we have, it'll still be speedway....

Where I live many people don't vote in UK elections, local and national, as they 'can't be bothered', and I don't mean disabled or those unable to walk far. What is particularly disappointing is some of those non-botherers, who still moan about the government, they couldn't be bothered to vote either for or against, live so close to their polling station with a strong gust of wind they could literally jump off their house roof and likely land on said polling station's roof....

Another from Romford, track in place....

Not sure of the year but you get a general impression of the place, not a bad stadium actually....

Indeed there was, one nite v Newcastle the away management insisted on a spot of mid-meeting track widening on the home straight. Ironic given Ian Thomas reccomend the SCB official use his (Thomases) own tape measure to ensure all was a-ok with the Boulevard track on Hull's opening in 1971 ( see my earlier post) Still, all good fun....

Original pic off Google Maps from turns 3 & 4, there is now a stand in the foreground....

Craven Park circa 2002, admittedly not exactly over-wide but the pic elongates it somewhat as I flipped it from the near horizontal, like I said it was 8.5m on the straight, think the minimum SCB limit was 8m, 10m for FIM spec.