martinmauger

Was discussing with a mate that many Australian riders naturally return home 'down under' in the winter, as do a few Brits, to ride in the Aussie Champs, enjoy the sun and maintain fitness. I wondered how much it would cost for one rider to fly to Aussie; return flight for himself with / without a bike and other equipment ? We were pondering whether it would 'pay' for a rider to sell his equipment whilst 'down under' and save the on 'luggage weight excess' for sold speedway gear. I realise if a troup or team, say for the possible Aussie GP, travelled they would club together for a shipping crate or two....

Was listening to BBC Radio 4 in the car (bit of culture there) and at 7:30ish after the main news there was a comedy programme and comedian Mark Steel was performing in King's Lynn. He mentioned Queen drummer Roger Taylor was born there and joked various Queen songs were inspired by the town: "................of course We Are The Champions was written for the King's Lynn speedway team winning the league in 2006". It wasn't of course but the comment got lots of cheers. Just thought I'd add that....

Like the very many I'm watching developments Blundsen-way with great interest as there are implications which could affect other tracks, present and possibly future. Going back to the televised meeting when it was very dusty, apologies if it's already been addressed, were there any comments or complaints from local residents, were they affected by the dust at all? Just wondered, Hull sometimes got complaints off people who were (apparently) hit by stones from 1 1/2 miles away, even when the team were not riding at home (!)....

Just watched it, brilliant, touching story....

I don't follow football at all, never have, but a mate who does informed me most players are paid each week, even during the close season. If true, nice work if you can get it....

Nah, he'd have still been a wee schoolboy in Aussie at the time, don't think he's ever lived in Hull....

Adding my 2p worth; riding on an unlicensed track (non ACU / SCB approved) is probably similar to riding around a field; totally you own risk. A few years ago I was cycliing past a school in Hull when I heard the unmistakable sound of a speedway bike (!). Rushing to find the source all the while hoping 'please let this be a noise test for a possible new track, please...', I saw a rider ride off the athletics track, through bushes and a gap in the fence, across a road and disappear between terraced houses . I waited a few minutes in case he / she reappeared and, of course, as I carried on my my way, the bike noise started again, I arrived just in time to witness the same track exit as before and noticed quite a few tyre marks on the atheltics surface . I waited another few minutes but the bike didn't reappear for 'heat 3', and having places to go I carried on my way. I made enquires, as you do, but never discovered who the mystery / ghost / commando rider was. I suspected a known, local would-be sometime amateur rider but he informed me didn't own a bike at that time, I know I didn't imagine or dream it so the mystery remains. Just thought I'd throw that in.....

Sam Ermolenko used such a switch on his handlebars at Hull on at least one occasion; v Belle Vue June 1999 live on Sky, the one where Joe Screen & Jimmy Nielsen went handlebar to handlebar on the back straight post-race. Think the entire meeting is on Youtube, that race certainly is, on the live broadcast after the match Kelvin asked about the switch Sam explained (words to the effect of) "it's for different ignition timing settings, something I'm trying out". Dunno whether he used it before or afterwards....

Think a cost effective way of reducing speed and therefore cost is limiting power. Using standard & sealed F2, 2v JAWAs or even the Honda engines of decades would be a good idea, but this would render riders' current equipment as worthless junk. So if the maximum permitted power, for league racing at least, was set to say 65BHP or 70BHP (I forget the power output of modern bikes) provided riders used 500cc engine of up to 4 valves with homologated carbs & silencers. Riders could retain and use their existing engines without necessarily binning ignition systems and all the internal 'trick' parts and it would be up to them how they achieved a power limit. Riders could get their engines tested at approved centres, like motorcycle MOT stations, and the SCB employ random 'rolling road' testing throughout the season to police the idea. Just an idea....

As a buyer from day one and a 'subber' for many years, to be honest I was thinking the same but hesitated to to comment as the mag does excellently what it says on the tin and deliberately doesn't cover the modern era, which it isn't about. But, yeah extending the timeline upto 1999 is a good idea I think. Just keep on doing what you're doing, Tony....

I realised the topic was about Wembley, where Ivan rode many times of course with much success, but saw the above post and so decided to comment on the first page I happened to view. Having built and maintained my own websites in the past I probably appreciate more than most the (much) time & work which goes into them, which I admit are the main reasons I don't bother anymore. Glad the info I viewed has been ammended and as I said, it's still a great site and one to regularly dip into from time to time....

Well Tai kinda HAS been noticed by the general populace. A few folk told me they saw 'that lad from Scunthorpe with all the tattoos on (whatever TV programme he appeared on) he did well didn't he". Also whenever I've mentioned speedway, I get asked "how is that lad from Scunthorpe doing, the one with the tattoos?". Ok, I'm talking about folk who are unlikely to go to speedway but Tai has been noticed. Now, as to how the sport as a whole gets him noticed by people who are likely to go to speedway, well that's another story. Though one of my bug-bears is of actually promoting speedway, and I don't just mean 'pushing the heck out of a meeting' only when the team is on TV, but regular promoting. Someone once said 'build it and they will come', well 'tell them and they may come, keep it a secret and they won't come as they won't know about it'....

I noticed it lists the late Ivan Mauger as passing away on 16th April 2019 and been survived by wife Raye & daughters: Julie, Kym & Debbie. Tried contacing the webmaster but was unable to. Great site, but just sayin'....

Stirring the pot slightly: how many of the afore-mentioned sports stars have actual personailities in addition to their sporting ability ? We know Tai has but the rest, I dunno....

Yes, 1998 I believe, we had a solid season finishing 4th out of 13. Hull pushed the 'strength in depth concept' in 2004, after being unable to sign the likes of Matej Zagar as an out and out no.1, winning the then PL Treble League, KOC & Young Shield Shield, the riders swapped places in the line-up almost for fun ensuring we had powerful reserves all season. So strength in depth can work, the proof in the pudding will be at tapes up as always.......

My 'Star arrived today (I 'sub' it), woo-hoo, a good read too....

Seem to recall the England speedway team were shown briefly on SPOTY, and with an action clip, in 1975 after winning the WTC: Malcolm Simmons, Dave Jessup, Peter Colins, John Louis / Martin Ashby if memory serves. Recall the riders saying aftewards they wouldn't attend the occasion again as there were kept hanging around all day, hardly anyone spoke to them and they certainly weren't interviewed. Think PC got a brief mention in 1976 also....

Memory lane there, though a decade or two and more before my time. 'Swagman' was easily the best speedway movie of that era and was filmed at New Cross, you can make out the New Cross Rangers race bibs adapted to be 'Cobras' bibs as depicted in the film. It's been shown on Talking Pictures channel Freeview 81 (+ 328, 445 & 306) a few times, the DVD isn't too dear either. 'Britainnia Of Billingsgate' was another speedway move of the time, not sure if it was the film where just a straight and one bend of a track was constructed, think Lea Bridge may have been used also. Again, way (way) before my birth...

The point whether Severn tolls affected Newport speedway is a valid one. When I mention I'm off to Scunny to watch speedway folk will exclain "but it's across to Humber Bridge on the other side of the river !" as if it's the other side of the world. But it only takes 40-45 mins, whereas it could easily take 35-40 mins getting across Hull to Craven Park, or to the Boulevard before that, would be longer with Hull's 2018 traffic. Back on a side topic; when I visited Newport quite at few riders 'straightened up' going into turn 3 and finished up battling to avoid the turn 4 fence with a couple ending up on the ground right up against it. But it still has to be said that Tim Stone did blooming well building the stadium and running it right up until his sad passing. On a footnote; the suspension of Newport's matches in 2008, temporarily I believe happy to be corrected, the next was away at Sheffield on 8 May and saw a Sheffield v ex-Hull Vikings challenge staged at Owlerton with a certain Tai Woffinden 'guesting' for Hull . A guest for a sadly non-existing team . An enjoyable meeting for sure, it defo means waaay more when it's 'one's own team', just a huge shame the circumstances which led to it taking place....

Possible more information re: Newport Queensway Meadows; think the late Tim Stone (real achievement building the new stadium BTW, I was well impressed) bought the orange seats & also the floodlights from Somerton Park when it closed and stored them for possible future use. Well, we know he did find a use for them (!), but potentially a bit more of Newport Speedway's history was lost along with the recent stadium, one heck of a shame that....

Thanx ....

How much was the toll, it can't have helped speedway attendances if it was considered to be too dear. Went to Newport in 2005 or so forget the actual toll cost. Following on; the Humber Bridge toll, which one needs to cross in order to get from Hull to Scunny and back, is £1.50 (I think) each way, down from £5 or so a few years ago....

The value / power of marketting of darts and also snooker is that people can be overheard on buses, supermarket queues, etc talking about either sport and how they stayed up late to watch the final arrows / frames. Personally I can't abide either sport. Doubt speedway will reach that level of awareness, heck folk often still ask "what's speedway ?" when it gets mentioned....

Never down that but managed to fit a throttle slide the wrong way round once, though it wasn't on a speedway bike. One never fogets the terror of a throttle stuck wide open . Then one gives much praise and thanks for the invention and fitting of the kill switch ....

That's it, thanks....