martinmauger

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....

Still gping slightly sideways away from modern venues, think Ipswich was also purpose built. When the track initially closed and the late John Berry & the late Joe Thurley looked at re-opening speedway and climbed over the Foxhall fence late one nite for a look see, they found the original speedway track had been tarmacced over. Hence the newer speedway track being inside the stock car circuit ever since....

Pretty sure Coventry and also Sheffield were purpose built with dog tracks added later. Interesting that the capacity of most UK stadia is around the 8,000 mark. At a fan forum someone once asked Ian Thomas the average crowd at the Boulevard and he replied "439, but 3,000 climb over the wall each week !"....

Musta bin, bin out of that particular loop a while. 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 gettin' into anything, time precludes me taking in (and riding in !) the Scunny amateur scene these days so admittedly not seen the above ladies ride in a while but last I saw them the KP girls were full-on sliding and kicking it. Me jealous ? You bet , LOL!...

I was talking to Montana Jowett at Scunny once when she wore the pale blue / white suit & race bib (as in the pic with the other 2 girls) instead of her own, usual red / blue colours. She told me she'd attended some kind of training day in Poland (forget which track) and all the riders, boys & girls, were given the matching suits & race bibs to keep. And that there was a huge, free supply of fuel in the pits so riders could keep going back and forth topping up their fuel tanks as needed, think they were given a tyre too. Seen Monty, Rachel Hellowell & the Kirtly-Payne sisters (sp) ride a few times and they all looked more than handy, potential NL standard ? Just sayin'....

Finally bothered to check Hull lost by 5, 41-36, 13 heats in those days....

^^ This. Watched at mates house, felt for Leicester they really battled but it just wasn't their night. Swindon won in then but under circrumstances would surley have expected to win by more. Reminded me a bit of when Hull lost by 7 at Wimbledon in 1979 with 5 riders (4 regulars + 1 guest), after 3 infamous no-shows. Plenty of incedents to maintain interest, big shame for the riders who crashed....

Wish all involved the very best. Take it from me, depsite all the best efforts which can possibly be exerted they will need all the luck in the world. But theoretically it can be done, building a new track from scratch....

This ^^. Competitors will always try to gain an advantage at the start, long as a rider don't move or touch the tapes, let the tapes go. I'd be embarrassed explaining to new fans the constant delays just because one rider was way a ahead of the rest, despite not touching the tapes or moving. I know of at least 2 people who I could persuade to accompany me to speedway without them kicking and screaming ! As a matter of just remembered interest, for those intersted in 'varied' starts, it was the same ref for 1972 & 1973 World Finals....