martinmauger

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....

Think it was around this time he also had an illness he struggled to shake off which was eventually diagnosed as meningitis....

When Speedway Star arrived in a brown envelope, since subscribing mine would be late perhaps once or twice a year (it was 'late' every 2-3 weeks when picked up at newsagent) and maybe once in two years an issue wouldn't arrive at all. To be fair mine has commendably been late only a couple of times in the current 'clear envelope' & Covid-19 era, just the one issue went walkabout. On a rare non-delivery, usually early in the year for some reason (not my sub renewel time), following a quick phone call to Dave Fairbrother a replacement copy arrives the next day. Though, interestingly, any issues of mine that are initially posted and go missing never do turn up, so are genuinely 'lost in the post'. Just sayin'....

While it certainly means more with a team of one's own to follow and support, I still enjoy speedway, really the only time I thought to myself "self, I'm really done with this sport" was around 1991, I think it was. In those days I kept in touch via Motor Cycle News and read of tyre warmers being used by some riders. I thought "well that's it for me then" but they were soon banned by the authorities....

Hope this helps, the stuff in question ^^ (engine pic won't rotate 90 degrees). I have no connection with the sale or the seller BTW, but Topcat is a good friend of mine & sent me the pics out of interest....

Mine arrived too, great read as always....

Browsed through some old, excellent Backtrack mags and found an article on Bristol (Eastville). There was a pic of Exeter (& Bristol) promoters Wally Mawdsley & John Richards, Pat Tapson, Eastville stadium manager I believe, and Clark Osborne (connected with Bristol greyhounds ?). Likelihood the same Osborne being discussed herewith....

This ^^, straight back to the start and keep that pit gate shut unless a rider has a potenially dangerous issue with the bike....

Plenty of Yanks rode for Hull in the Boulevard era but, with all respect as they all rode well in Hull Vikings bib, don't think any had the same impact as did The Jellyman, for whom the saying "he lived twice as many years as his age" could have been written. RIP.....

I'm told when Bobby signed for Hull in early 1996, he obtained 2 new standard JAWAs and simply got on with it, with mostly just himself wielding the spanners. His '96 season ended early due to injury, his bikes were sold and the riders in question (names redacted) were nowhere near as spectacular as was 'Showtime', but ,wow, was he geat to watch.....

Speaking as I find fair to add that while all deliveries have been affected by the current situation, my Speedway Star has only been delayed the once....

I don't get into online spats but I probably should have been more clear that I was referring to Speedway Star and general post deliveries before the pandemic struck. And you have no absolutely no idea of the I correspondence I rely on receiving and being able to send, much of which really is very important indeed....

Exactly. Something that annoys me a bit is '2nd is the first of the losers' no it isn't, it means a person did very well and that only one other person was better. Cups & medals are traditionally awarded down to 3rd place, so it could be argued that 4th be considererd the first of the losers; ask the 4th finisher if they'd like to swap with 2nd. In to win it, do your level best sure; someone will be 1st, someone else last & the rest in between somewhere. When finishing 2nd or 3rd enjoy the moment as it means you were not far away from 1st, not everyone can win....

Read that a clue nitro, nitromethane, was being used would be 'runny eyes' as apparently the fumes made people's eyes water & stream....

Dave Peet was co-promoter in 2005, Stoney was a popular visitor at Hull but you always get the odd ill-advised comment anywhere.... Yeah, great view from the CP main stand....

I read somewhere, possibly here on the forum, that Lee blew Kenny Carter away in the Golden Helmet at Halifax when Carter was 'the boy' around the Shay....

I was told similar in that they 'only deliver to an area when there is a sufficient amount of mail". One can only imagine the reply on informing one's boss, or even customers, "I'm not doing anything until there is sufficient to make it worth my while"....

Hull's most winning season was 2004, came to the tapes in 2005 but the financial issues from the pervious season were still ongoing and the season was not completed, with 2 home matches not raced (v Glasgow & King's Lynn). But point taken, a sucessful winning season is often difficult financially due to an increased wage bill with more points being scored. ...

Yes I have it thanks, Back From the Brink, not always pleasant reading but very interesting and informative just the same....

Yeah after waiting at the gate in the rain, he returned to the pits to see what was occurring re: Mauger & Olsen which meant (forget the exact wording) but the ref couldn't then exclude the other 2 under the 2 mins rule. If you watch the initial running, where Boulger & Olsen slithered off in the slime, you can hear Lee's bike literally screaming as his throttle had stuck open. Lee was very good, naturally talented ider indeed, 'thereatened to win' in 1977, '79 and possibly again in 1983, he also took the longtrack title in 1981....

Pretty sure Reading, Smallmead was built on a former rubbish tip. Brilliant archive film, BTW....