martinmauger

I've witnessed horse racing in the flesh, as it were, just the once but took in dog racing at Craven Park, Hull a few times. It is the instinct of greyhounds and horses to run fast, they love it, you do hear stories of good and bad trainers and I absolutely detest animal cuelty of any kind. But like anything, speedway included, you hear both the positives and extremely negative aspects of such 'animal sports' and the honest truth, as always, lies somewhere in the middle. Though overall I'm not a fan of animal sports and in fact gave up fishing some 20 years ago....

As a self-confessed 'track anorak' (there is no known cure) it began when Hull altered the Boulevard track Winter 1977 at Ivan's insistance prior to his arrival, I also visited Craven Park regularly in early 1995 to witness the track being constructed; where does the time go. I'm interested to see exactly the Berwick management achieve the alterations to the Shielfield Park circuit and it can only make the racing better and good news for Bandits & away fans and all riders....

Clever idea, be interesting how it pans out....

Touching on Wulfsport jackets, I have 4 Hull Vikings coats but do only wear them at speedway. New they cost / used to cost £70ish but I browsed F1 merch once and identical coats, all-over print design & obv F1 team logos as opposed to speedway related, they cost circa £130 (!)....

Loved the stampede of the crowd to get in and while Guy IS a talented motorcyclist he had to have practice before racing the local champ and Guy maybe should had taken him to the fence . I'm kidding, ok . Just imagine though: a Japanese SGP with Ole Olsen and his 'temporary track laying crew' laying a shale track and installing an air fence into that Japanese stadium....

Saw an ad for Guy Martin's 'Our Guy In Japan', C4 Sunday Nite 9:00PM, clip showed him having a bash at Japanese Speedway, or Autorace as I believe they call it. "It's speedway, Jim, but not as we know it".....

Pretty sure I saw Cecil Forbes (sp) in the Hull pits in 2005. He was wandering around in his leathers & boots but no body colour, I kept a look out for him on track but don't think he actually got to ride. He must have experienced machinery problems as there used to be plenty of time, typically 40 mins+, at Hull for 2nd half spins, shame if true as it's a long way to travel not to get a skid....

Like this....

I have heard of Barry Briggs, you might say that. One of my uncles, after many years of hearing me prattle on about speedway (guilty), one day out of the blue said "Did I ever mention I used to watch speedway, at Wimbledon when I worked in London, someone called Barry Briggs rode for them". No, he hadn't.... (Now in correct thread....)

I have heard of Barry Briggs, you might say that. One of my uncles, after many years of hearing me prattle on about speedway (guilty), one day out of the blue said "Did I ever mention I used to watch speedway, at Wimbledon when I worked in London, someone called Barry Briggs rode for them". No, he hadn't....

"I thought the distance quoted was 35 miles where a promotion can claim 'protection of interests' and object to another club (full stop and not just sharing a race night) " Personally I thought it as 30 miles, either way reckon Belle Vue would welcome the local derbies....

Just to clairify, I just posted a snippet of info I thought posters might find interesting. I am obviously aware of The Chase but have never seen it all the way through as I don't watch such programmes, quiz shows and the like....

My mum told me a speedway fan was on the TV quiz programme 'The Chase' last week sometime. From what my mum recalls "I think she was called Jackie, supported Sheffield and rode on a speedway track 'on non-official days'. "If she won 'Jackie' said she'd treat herself and her boyfriend to a trip to a big World Championship meeting abroad somewhere, I think it was Poland." I asked if the woman said a Grand Prix in Torun and my mum said she thought that is what 'Jackie' said. 'Jackie', if you are reading this, I'd do exactly the same; riding and taking in the Torun GP ....

I do understand the compelling interest. My uncle Charlie served in WW2, died when I was very young, really nice guy, a miner from the Durham area, spoke with a broad Geordie dialect and I couldn't understand a word he said. When called up he had dark brown hair, on his return it was white as he was among the first British forces to come across Belsen. Look it up if you are at all interested, not a nice place. His duties were to guard German army prisoners as allied soldiers, particularly American GI's, wanted to beat the German prisoners, especially the officers. Not a great subject, mind-blowing the things humans are capable of doing to one another, but Belsen, and Auschwitz, need to be remembered to ensure such things don't re-occur....

Finished the book, great read and very illuminating if you already like Tai, or not, you will but defo undstand him more. My book was a present (what do I get for someone who goes on about speedway almost non-stop ?) though I'd happily have bought it myself (for myself) from one of the main 4 supermarkets who afterall still stock the Speedway Star....

I'm also halfway through Tai's book, enjoying it so far. Also £9 from Asda, a pesent as it was my birthday yesterday (happy birthday to me), some may feel the 'extra 1p' worth it as there is a 50p piece-size sticker on the cover: "Exclusive to ASDA, Tai's Speedway Dream Team". The choice as ever is with the consumer: if interested in Tai's career maybe give it a read, if not just leave it...

A neighbourly-ish 37,000 or so pop. then, even more impressive in drawing a viable speedway crowd. The track is defo better these days (post 1997?) when the bends were widened to the max and also banked....

You really can't knock the good speedway folk in Berwick, I've been to Shielfield Park just once or twice, I forget exactly. The Bandits (hopefully) come to the tapes each season, (hopefully) survive and compete in each season and the sport survives in a town with a relatively small population (120,000?). Berrington Lough didn't really work for a variety of reasons but the Bandits do what they are able, ground-sharing with Berwick FC, in what really is their spiritual home anyway, did what they needed to be granted an 'FIM ticket' and staged some FIM events. 'It is what it is', as they say, the track being slotted around the footie pitch so space is inevitably tight and unless the footie club are willing, or even able, to shave a few feet off the pitch things will stay as they are. At Hull, Boulevard the track around Hull FC's pitch measured 415yds / 379m and the pitch was apparently the minimum width, yet at Hull, Craven Park the track around Hull KR's pitch (and also originally inside a dog track) measured 379 yds / 346m. Go figure. Bit of a shame as while losing even a metre or off any playing area wouldn't change things much so I'm told (my knowlege and interest in footie & rugby is nil) it would make a great difference to any speedway track. Someone mentioned artificial turf outside the touchline and there needs to be this 'border' not only to keep linesmen off the track (!) but also to help prevent flying shale landing on the pitch, particularly on the home straight off gate 1, and especially when it's wet. Unless one of the stands is demolished, really don't see Berwick FC going for that why should they, and local residents wouldn't be too impressed either, the only solution I can see to alter the track would be to widen the straights into the 2m 'safety zone' and build a high mesh fence on top of the safety fence, smiliar to what they have at Scunny to prevent errant stock cars joining the crowd, which Brewick FC / BSPA / SCB / FiM almost certainly wouldn't agree to. So 'it (still) is what it is' in all likelyhood but either way, very good luck to the Bandits.... [Sorry if this appears twice, text editor issues.]

Enjoyed yesterday (Scunny v Bears) not our team(s) so not fussed who wins we (3) just enjoy speedway. Arrived late, 4:50-ish pm, seemed to be a big crowd, had to park far end of car park in between the 'usual' rows of cars, as did a few, not visited that area for a long time, anyone have any idea how many, just out of interest....

Agreed. And Scotty is great too as he's grown into doing studio comms with Nat, not sure they would get a 3rd in the studio but another rider would be interesting.....

Remaining diplomatic, I wouldn't have included Harris....

This ^^., though Rossiter never played with 'a full-deck'. Joking aside but like 'Middlo' before him who always seemed to be mssing a rider out injured in the 4-man WTC & 7-man test match days. Rossiter never had the full squad present and on-form, this year's SON; GB no.1 Woffinden + Cook & Lambert both with a years' more experience GB would hopefuly at least have been competing for a top slot again. But with Woffinden injured though add Harris: very difficult but following the 1st heat Cook / Lambert crash: realistically game over....

I recall the '97 GP at Odsal, shame Loram didn't win but some good racing. Both rugby clubs in Hull were happy to accomodate speedway initially, Hull FC were actually sold at one point then re-named Hull FC once more. Hull KR at one point were bankrupt and for sale at £600,000ish, accept £500,000, (bargain if it included the stadium), but once both clubs' serious money troubles were sorted, well some folk have short memories....

What about Hull FC ? . Went to Odsal a few times, before and after Hull started up again in 1995, saw the great Per Jonsson whizz between the team-riding Bradford pairing in 1992, great track, brilliant view form main stand, almost as good as Hull's Craven Park (almost). Unless only the main stand was used any crowds less than the 30,000 ish who witnessed 1985 & 1990 World Finals were lost in that vast bowl. Just imagine a if a GP was held there today , shame the Dukes couldn't return....

Very pleasing how speedway if progressing at IOW, good luck to the club. Something which occured to me watching 'the incedent', and also the racing of Eastbourne v Glasgow, was how many security staff were present in addition to 'regular' marshalls / stewards in hi-viz jackets. Any public event requires marshalls / stewards, we all understand the reasons, one promoter told me for every 'x' number of spectators (forget the figure) at least one steward must be employed to satisfy HSE, etc. Not re-fanning the flames or stirring the pot but I was surprised that Eastbourne employ security staff, at least for the Glasgow meeting, as speedway is still largely a trouble-free sport.....