martinmauger

Agreed. Can't make it myself can't believe I'm about to say this but 'I have more important things to attend to than to watch 4 riders racing around a track 4 times' . Sacrilegious statements apart, no raging mobs armed with flaming torches please , I'd be there if I possibly could and hope it's a good & enjoyable meeting for all and helps to ensure other speedway can be safely staged in this severely affected season ....

My 2p's worth; preferred the old scoring but would have doubled the points in the final with 4th finisher getting a point as reward reaching the final as small reward for progresing further than 3rd & 4th in both semis. Moot point now though, it is what it is....

Thanx in advance, hopefully, is there a link to pics from the recent meeting at Scunny. (It's been a very long day and I'm too tired to find one)....

Fun fact: it was at about this time when I became aware of speedway, though thanks to the open-piped JAPs & JAWAs of the time it could be clearly heard all over town, for quite some time after being allowed to see some of this particular competition on TV at 11PMish though to be honest I was too young to properly follow it properly (but still thought it was brilliant) I assumed that all speedway competitions were 'tournaments' ....

Fun Fact: I heard from 2 sources (it's also mentioned in Simmo's book) that when Rye House closed in 1994, the tractor & grader were sold to Hull....

Commenting on 4 former Hull venues: White City 1930's been under a block of flats for many years, Hedon 1940's - just a field ear-marked for Eco energy plant, Boulevard 1971 - 1981 stadium demolished 2010 or so, now an acedemy & Craven Park 1995-2005 is an interesting one but sadly still a no-go. There is still plenty of room at CP for a speedway track (!) - apart what were turns 3 & 4 which have a large stand on that area and a speedway track traditionally requires, depending how one defines such things, 4 turns or 2 semi-circular corners, but for 3/4 of a track CP is almost good to go . The modern KCOM stadium (Hull City & Hull FC) has room for 2 straights only (so half a track then), while Costello Stadium is an athletics facility, though apparently little used, and would suit a Scunny 1970's Quibell Park-type dual use track set up, but 'tis slap bang in the centre of 'NIMBY Land' so literally no chance. Oh well maybe speedway will return to Hull one day....

Yeah you can't play the same card twice, won't work, oh well. Maybe next year though ....

Me or we too, in addition to the nearby Scunny we had plans to take in Sheffield, Belle Vue, maybe Redcar & Peterborough and possibly Wolves. Though Peterbrough soon became a 'prob not' due to the disabled parking issues; no iffs or buts sadly it would likely have been too far for my mate's dad to walk from the parking area to the stand, or at least the stadium section. One solution for you, Iris123, though would be to take your partner to Wittstock speedway for a birthday treat you would both 'just happen to enjoy'. Go on, you know you want to and you may just 'get away with it' . (English humour in the realms of a disppointing situation for speedway)....

Repeating my own post, doubt anyone will mind: That's a blooming shame, he guested for Hull a few times as Ian Thomas said "I booked Wilkie because you know what you will get; total effort, no more and no less". I was at his 'benefit' at Belle Vue in 1979, 'The Wilkie 4's' and such was his standing in speedway I don't think one rider, certainly none of the stars, dropped out - it was a seriously wet meet too riders covered in wet sludge, but they still rode. RIP....

I'm no fan of Covid-19 at all and talk from first hand experience and that of others I know. You don't appear to consider the pandemic as being much of a threat and / or is being exaggrerated and you obviously don't believe me but you know what, I just don't care....

You'd think but scarily no, I've heard a few similar tales so maybe Hull / East Yorkshire is a higher risk area than thought, hence me & family always masked up in public....

Incedentally the 80yr old isn't / wasn't the 10-week coma victim nor the poor soul who passed away, kinda explains my keeness for self-protection. So speedway then; following on from the lobbed tea-pot incident, I recall reading of a disputed Golden Helmet match race when said helmet finished up being dropped-kicked across the centre green....

I once had the 'flu jab', it worked spent 5 days in bed with the flu, never again. You are kinda right in that if a person caught full-on Covid-19 they might well not be aware, but they also could be 'out of it' for weeks. Without going into details I know of folk aged 9 - 80 whose condition ranged from 100% flu symptoms with trembling hot & cold flushes & extreme dizziness for 3 days, then 2 weeks, same for a few weeks, bed-ridden for 5 weeks, 10 weeks in a coma to passing away; scarily at the time none had any underlying life-affecting health conditions and could be considered fit & healthy. I suffer from asthma so if I become infected it could well be 'curtains', so I've masked up since since March, we make our own decisions and hopefully live to tell the tale....

Ok, whatever. I am able to think for myself I log onto the 'net to share information and for fun, I don't get into spats. I hope that neither you, or anyone you know or care about, gets infected with Covid-19, speaking from unfortunate experience, no-one, really (really) don't want to catch it. Hope this statement doesn't include speedway but just read: "Boris says fans can enter stadiums (presumably football) in October"....

Covid-19 is comparitively not that common, but you really, really do not want to become infected. I speak more knowingly than I would like to, and my 'attitude' as you put it, is based upon personally knowing people who have suffered greatly from the pandemic, not wishing to catch it and, like everyone, hoping it will be over soon without more lives changed and / or lives lost. With many following lockdown guidelines, but some not, with guidelines being eased slightly it's a bit early for folk to behave as they did before regarding SD, not sanitising, etc. the pandemic is thankfully easing but at this juncture it only takes one or two persons to unknowingly become Covid-19 postive, then whilst in a crowd unwittingly pass it on and so it mulitplies once more, even if locally....

Watching the Polish matches cos it's speedway and I'm interested to see how SD could work in a speedway stadium and maybe could work for UK speedway but must admit I despaired at the way some of the crowd all piled into the same area, some masked up, many not. OK; free word, free will, etc I get it, I'm all for living your own life your way but - when it probably prolongs lockdown & SD regulations and therefore impacts on others by keeping lives on hold, well, sigh ....

First heard the phrase way back in March when we were advised we wouldn't be able to visit a relative in an old folks home the following week as the place would be in 'lock down' for at least 2 weeks. Think I read somewhere that the BSPA / BSPL will make an announcement re: starting the 2020 season on Tuesday, 14th July....

Kingswood, Hull....

My Speedway Star arrived today, Saturday, can't complain too much only 3rd time it's been overdue since March or so. Have noticed though on the rare occasions the 'Star is late we don't get any post at all, so there's that. Also in Asda last nite (top tip: shop after 7pm you get the entire store almost to yourself, sweet) no Speedway Stars on the shelves. I didn't look as from the old days of 'the newsagent says is late but I don't believe them, oh look there it is on the supermarket shelf afterall' but out of interest to see who was on the cover, knew my copy was 'stuck in the post' somewhere....

Made the effort and finally got round to watching one of these 'online' re-runs'. Edinburgh v Hull 2004 then, ex-Monarchs securing a win with last heat 5-1, Booey & the Hull camp were having kittens but Magnus & Ross were confident of getting the result. Bit of Hull 2004 info; I'm pretty sure the team was put together as being solid due rider availability. Originally I understand Peter Carr was to ride for Hull, the rider and both clubs were happy about this then Edinburgh decided to release the Wolves' loan rider Karlsson instead, though Carr may also have been on loan from Belle Vue to the Monarchs. The final piece in the puzzle for Hull was when Danny Norton was injured and Joel Parsons signed. This changed team building ideas as while would clubs like to have an all-out no.1 to win heat 1 and score maximums every week, Hull were solid 1 - 7. As a rider's average dropped a bit, he went to no.6 or 7 and another rider made it to the main body of the team, so if a rider had an off night there was always more than suffficient cover. We always seemed to have 4 or 5 heat leaders, so even when we lost Ross Brady then Emil Kramer to injury late in the season, we were still strong enough to continue the all-out assault on the treble. Many in Hull still recall our 'season in the sun' that was 2004....

Thanks for the info, I'll have close look. For some reason I used to think the C.O.'s office was maybe at the far end of the main bar, recall there was a door with 'private' on it. I filmed the very last (slowest ever) lap of Craven Park as I walked round literally hours before the track was dug up for pitch widening, sad but I felt it had to be done as likely no-one else would. Should clarify that I held the camera as I walked, I wasn't filmed walking around the track, did the same at the Boulevard in 2008 or so whilst the dog track was still in situ, also what was left of Hedon (not much after 60-odd years) and a potential new site which didn't happen. The greyhounds left Craven Park in 2003 and moved across Hull to the Boulevard, hopes were high of a bigger & wider track at CP, similar to Workington, but it wasn't to be.....

Brilliant yet also very sad footage, some skillful dronemanship, I visited Coventry a few times so many good memories. Can anyone indicate where Charles Ochiltree's office was, this was considererd a real inner sanctum and few were permitted entry....

Speedway lost another character, believe he designed the original Hull Vikings body colour in 1971. RIP....

I 'get' with SD lifted somewhat folk are keen to get out and have them some much-needed jollies but it's ridiculous & irresponsible to pack certain beaches. We are surrounded by 1,000's of miles of sand, it isn't difficult to have some coastline to ones self. Maybe I'm being naiive and hope I'm wrong, really I do, but I can't see this behaviour boding well....

Only made it to Smallmead the once to watch Hull, natch (7 August 2000 the Vikings won 53-39 ), thought it was a great stadium ideal in size for speedway not too big, just needed some TLC. Had some banter with the late photographer Alf Weedon, asked me to pass on an amusing but rather rude mesage to the late track shop guy Dave Rattenbury who sold the Hull souvenirs at Hull back then . Also should mention 'lemon' custard powder' was used at Newport Queensway Meadows (30 July 2000 Hull won 47-43 ); "we have a yellow inner edge and start line here at Newport Speedway, and why not", proclaimed the announcer. Good times, shame both tracks are no more....