martinmauger

Bit before my time, saw it on Speedwaplus! site, poss shouldn't mention other sources but hey, it's all speedway. Seem to recall a commemorative stone from Stein's home country of Norway was placed at Hampden Park, then moved to Ashfield....

Me too, I'm in Hull where it rained most of yesterday and all nite, quite heavily at times and only just stopped today. After leaving work at 6pm, woulda had to chase around like a blue-ended flying insect, fighting thro' car park-like traffic then arranging transport to hopefully just make it by 7.30. So saved me from a bagful of hassle and poss wasted journey or half-journey.....

"The things you hear off some riders who cant even get a skid on is laughable, try to explain to a young wannabe that a jawa front wheel 10 years old with new bearings that costs £20 spins at exactly the same speed as an anodised sm pro wheel which costs £200, its like explaining algebra they switch off." I've overheard so many identical conversations. A thought occured to me, with all the guests and doubling & down up maybe speedway should run as Belle Vue did in the war: have a blank programme and just man meetings with whoever turns up. I was being semi sarcastic but, hang on. Actually....

I'll echo what Albert said; Graham Trollope, Dave Peet, Rob Godfrey, wife Gail and their daughter (forget her name) worked like trojans, ending up covered in muck for their efforts. The track ended up still wet, heavy but also smooth think only one rider fell ,Proctor, but not a bad spill and no one 'picked-up' & headed toward the fence One can respect any rider for deciding that conditions are too bad to take risks, it's their neck afterall, and then riding but not going 'flat stick'. But it was galling to see 2 of the riders who appeared to be the most unhappy about conditions, Palm Toft & Cook, each then race to one untroubled & fully in-control win. The track wasn't getting anay worse, and as is often the way seemed a lot better after few races, the meet could have continued to heat 15 in my opinion....

Indeed she did. Madeline Fundin wearing Tony Briggs' leathers rode match races against Bobbi Hunter, a lady rider from USA....

Think the extremely varied starts that day were too much even for Ivan. Prob significant the the ref that day was the same as in charge of the 1972 World final at Wembley, George Transpurger. Both finals featured interesting starts, but think it was a bit 'off' that the ref spoke to Ivan just prior to the 1973 run off threatening to exclude him if he took his sweet time arriving at the tapes as in '72. Had had he showed a tad more patience he woud no doubt beaten Szczakiel as he was passing for fun on that day, especially round turns 1 & 2. That said Ivan himself recalled "he deserved to win because I fell off and he didn't !"....

Once travelled to an away meet with Hull, 1980 or 81, forget where and the Vikings ran R/R so borrowed a local National League (then division 2) rider as No.8. He didn't get a ride in the match but rode in the 2nd half and in 3 rides never got a slide on once, and he was a league rider.... Not getting into anything but I know what I saw. You will have to forgive my Mk1 human memory but it was 36 / 37 years ago and I was only just considered old enough by my parents to travel to away meets alone. If I could honestly recall the rider and the track I would happily name names, but I'm not sure so won't. I just remember thinking the Vikings has been stitched up as while I'm sure the rider was prob going as well as he could, didn't look as if he would've got a point.....

The sound of speedway bikes never comes across good on TV. At Hull, Craven Park when the bikes were revvving at the start under the green light the noise in the main stand had to be heard to be believed and appreciated. Imagine your fav rock or metal band, amps on 11, twin guitars with perfectly sustained crunch through a wall or Marshall speakers and you come close. For a few glorious seconds one's internal organs literally shook; can you tell I'm a rock / metal fan . Interesting that local residents never complained about it. Yet on TV, Sky and club videos, the was bike sound was of loud road bikes ....

That too ^^. I don't follow the rules as closely as I possibly should anymore, s'pecially guests, R / R, doubling up / down rules. I just enjoy 4 riders going heck for leather, 4 laps turning left at each end, no gears, no brakes, getting well sideways: that part hasn't changed....

This ^^, + endless re-runs. Lost a tad interest if I'm being honest, but I still love speedway and remains the one sport that has caught my interest, though F1 is a distant 2nd, then IOM TT. I enjoy all motorcycling activities but can't abide MotoGP / Superbikes for some reason. But the lack of time, energy, other commitments and also money as I'm far from rich are the main factors keeping me from live speedway, though I try to visit Scunny once a month. But one somehow tends to find more time, energy and resolve when one has a team of ones own to follow....

Had a simlar experience in the 1990's, 1996 to be precise. The water pump was leaking on my Vauxhall Nova so I was forced to carry about a gallon of water (!) to make the trip to Bradford and back to cheer on the Vikings. Bit silly I know, but the away meet came before I had the opportunity to renew the pump (what a palava) but needs must (musted ?) at the time. Back on main topic:I still take the 'Star every week, paper version, I 'sub' to it - much cheaper - and, despite my speedway viewing kinda restricted to watching on TV at mums / mates houses and too few trips to Scunny, I wouldn't dream of missing it....

+ endless re-runs. Someone is always gonna gate quickly & it's unreasonable to expect all 4 riders to hit the first turn in perfect line abreast every time. Long as no-one obviously moves or touches the tapes, let the race continue...

Sadly, I can easily believe that....

Very interesting, I was told Preston Road residents were encouaged to complain in order for HCC to provided them with free double glazing. This apparently inlcuded propriators of the take away at the traffic lights with Marfleet Lane, who did very good buisness indeed on Wednesday nites. Thing is, I know people living 2 streets away from Craven Park, Stonebridge Avenue, and they mostly couldn't hear the speedway, indeed often they would ask me if the Vikings were even riding at home those weeks....

Very interesting, I was told Preston Road residents were encouaged to complain in order for HCC to provided them with free double glazing. This apparently inlcuded propriators of the take away at the traffic lights with Marfleet Lane, who did very good buisness indeed on Wednesday nites. Thing is, I know people living 2 streets away from Craven Park and they mostly couldn't hear the speedway, often they would ask me if the Vikings were even riding at home that week....

Hadn't, but have now....

If set race nights can be found to work in the British League, both top divisions, then great but just can't see it happening to the much varied stadium availability....

Don't normally comment on individual matches, expected a smilar score but for Glasgow to win, but have to say Sheffield did very well indeed to win away with just 4 scoring riders. I remain big fan of the play offs despite the fact if they had been in operation in 2004, Hull Vikings wouldn't have won the league. We lost Ross Brady then the late Emil Kramer to injury and came very close to running out of steam. I also remain a Hull Vikings fan so it kinda pains me to say it but Sheffield will probably win the league, gotta be theirs to lose....

To travel all that distance and get any result is good, so very well done to him. Meanwhile "C'mon The Dude".....

In Hull, Boulevard a man wrote the council complaing that a stone from the speedway flew over his fence and hit him whilst he was watering his garden. He lived 3 streets and approx 1 1/2 miles away from the stadium. In the Craven Park era, a lady wrote several times to the council complaining the noise from 'all the fireworks at the speedway' (one rocket was let off to signify a win, no mention of the noise from the bikes or the PA), made her dog bark so she was unable to read in bed. But I defo see where you are coming from....

Indeed x 2, Belle Vue threatened not ride then too. Mind they did kinda have a point as in addition PC, Briggo, Ivan Mauger & Ove Fundin rode in World Champion's Exhibition races (slid around desperately keeping upright in the slop)....

Indeed it was, in 1976. We signed Barry Briggs though so: swings & roundabouts. All the above +: A GP live on TV, I forget exactly where and when (1998 ?) but a rider went through the fnece, ended up in the 2m safety zone. He rider was dealt & treated fairly quickly, but the meeting held up for around 30 mins for fence repairs, still live on TV - they nailed in a piece of 4 X 8 board, which the entire fence was made from in any case. An Elite League match, at Eastbourne I believe (2000 ?) the away team walked out before a wheel was turned in a row over team strengths, Eagles rode alone for minumum points for the win followed by junior racing, mercifully it wasn't televised. 1974: infamously Belle Vue walked out of a match at Hull over track condidtions, resulting in that 60-9 'victory' to Hull. My first ever meeting was week or two afterwards. 1977: Hull & White City rode the entire season with R/R for riders who never turned wheel for the clubs: Egon Muller (Hull) & Dag Lovas (White City). White City won the league in that seasson too. There are probably more....

Can't believe I forgot that one . Without being too pedantic it's spelt Hedon, but pronounced 'Heddon', if you see what I mean. I know, time to get my coat. 68 years on, not surprisingly no trace left whatsoever left, justs a ploughed field though from aerial views it can made out the where the track was if one knows exactly where to look....

Yea not read properly. Guess most new tracks, or stadia, are purpose built as there are not many existing dog tracks, stock car tracks or ball game grounds left than can incorporate or even want a speedway track. More's the pity....

Airhorns can be ok and add to atmosphere provided one isn't next to a fan who blasts at every other word from the announcer. They were banned at Hull, Craven Park after local residents complained to the council about them, but not the noise made by the bikes, in the mis-guided belief the council would free double glazing or a rate reduction. The air horn ban defo took away some atmosphere and also younger fans and crucially their parents. An interesting complainent were the owners of a nearby pizza / kebab establishment, though they appeared not to complain about their premises being packed out with supporters and riders of a Wednesday nite....