martinmauger

The starts in 1973 World Final were equally varied, some riders not within 10ft of the line when the tapes went up. Mauger rode in both finals of course, with very different results, especially in the run-offs........... My pet hate: endless re-runs, all 4 back to the start - not to the pits helmets off for a 5 minute chat with their mates. Once rider are on track the pit gate should remain closed, in the event of an unsatisfactory start, with no rides falling, all riders return to start line immediately, refuelling is not required as speedway bikes can easily travel 4 laps + 30 yards + 1 slow 3/4 lap on one tankful. Unless there is a problem with the bike and then the machine examiner should open the pit gate allow limmited time to fix the bike. By 'problem' I refer to a loose or overtight chain, or something loose on the bike, not the fact the rider realises his set-up is incorrect....

Brilliant meeting, now THAT is a track with nowhere to hide, you gotta race the full 4 laps. Way closer than I first thought and tipped Lativia to lose out with any of the other 3 straight to final, but well done Lativians....

Glad is isn't just me who isn't a fan of Suzy Perry. Bit too full of herself in my opinion but she seems widely popular and if her career is progressing, good luck to her. Natalie is great, as was / is Sophie Blake Nicholls before her, as is / was Julie Richardson (the late Lee's mum) but think she only did Reading club videos....

At Hull in 2003 the Viking Head was changed to an, er, different design. Non-speedway folk I showed it to commented it "looks nothing like a Viking and anyway, waht is is supposed to be?". The Viking returned pronto in 2004, deep joy - see my (albeit personalised) avatar, and gold was added in 2005 to commemorate winning the treble....

As above. To be honest doesn't really surprise me, Jon is always there with a smiling face, welcoming all, chat about the forthcoming meeting and offering help if required. Defo a sound guy. Mind, quite a few folk help keep Scunny ticking over, Mr (& Mrs) Holly above is certainly another one.....

Most of the above, kinda inflicted on me anyhoo as no team to support. I still take the Star & Backtrack, watch most TV meets, get to Scunny once a month or so. Wheras once I could instantly recognise almost each and every rider on sight, on or off track, and recount his speedway history, and quote chapter & verse of pretty much every rule, and call each on-track decision correctly 99% of the time (though we can all do that !) now I find I can't, and aren't over-bothered about it. I find getting over passionate and wound up only ever lessens and decreases the interest, you gotta find a way to enjoy speedway on your own terms. Then it's still a great soprt.....

The Danes are in trouble ? Oh dear, how sad, never mind, what a pity - serves 'em right for the success they had in past (and they had a lot !) , often at the expense of us Brits. Pauses for effect. Seriously, little doubt the Danes will almost certainly 'do an Arnire' and be back in short time. "Ivan Mauger suggested this many decades ago when he stated that those from the other side of the world gave up a lot (like home comforts) in an attempt to make a success of it in Britain. Generally they were more hungry (even in it's recognised sense) unlike many British riders who had a warm bed and hot meal to go back home to." Indeed he did and so did Briggo, for 'tis true....

My post was made at work whilst looking and thinking about other things at the same time (not reccomended), but 100% agree with above. Guess I'm relatively lucky in that I get to see most TV matches at parents house and GPs at biker mates' house, who are big fans of Woffy BTW due to his 'lifestyle look'....

To be fair, many times I've been tearing my hair out (figuratively speaking) whilst watching motorsport as the cameras have followed the leader cruising around in their armchair reading a newspaper and eating sandwiches (!) and completely missed an exciting tussle is going on behind. Don't know if the BT Sport filming crew have covered speedway before but I'm sure the coverage will improve, first nite and all that....

Waht maketh a good speedway track is a subject I coud go on all day about. But won't. I always enjoy watching speedway, indeed I could watch a rider going round and round a slick track on his / her own all day. Nutshell: 1 Surface / Preparartion 2 Shape 3 Width 4 Size. Seen good and bad speedway, as opposed to racing for there is a difference, on all sizes of track from Costa Mesa / Wembley Arena 'polo'-miint size circuits to 1,000m long tracks. History shows speedway tracks have been square-ish, round-ish, cigar-shaped and so-called perfect ovals, with slick and also very grippy surfaces. But IMO surface needs to be top of the list then plenty of room to give riders the confidence to ride hard and so race one another, then they can adapt to the shape & size. Can't really comment on perparation, I once a had a long-ish and fascinating chat with a recognised and current 'track prep guy', but sadly I've forgotten a lot of what he told me. Not that I understood it all anyhoo ....

Absolutely, I still remember that meeting with the 'fun' starting in the 2nd half. The late John Berry & Co did have a point though. Their main area of interest, the back straight, appeared less the regulation at the time of 25 ft in width. Indeed, as seasons passed by, post Mauger's Winter of 1978 pre-signing insistance that the track was widened all the way around (which it was), ever lighter strips of turf appeared on the inside of the back straight. So by the last season of 1981 riders were almost forced to 'race' in single file along it. Possibly too narrow circuits aside, such incedents don't occur these days. E.g. I can remember like it was yessterday whne in 1975 Graham Drury was excluded for something or other, and less than happy with this decision and his red exclusion light stil being lit, he trashed said lamp with a track rake. Prob cost the late Ian Thomas a few quid for a new red light but I can still rememerber the incedent - but not the opposition or the score . The crowd enjoyed it and good publicity....

Hull, Boulevard had very little if any banking and when first constructed in 1995 Craven Park had none. In 1996 a little banking was added, but only 6 inches or so as apparently it would ruin the viewing of greynonds on the dog track which as present until mid 2003. Didn't make sense as, anyone who has been 'to the dogs' as I have will confirm most punters view the races on TV monitors. Both circuits woud be described as 'technical' having long straights and tight bends for the track lengths: Boulevard 415 yds / 379m Craven Park 378 yds / 348m. Coincedentally Craven Park meaured the same as Wembley and shared a smilar shape though Wembley appeared wider on the bends. Like with any track there were some processional races at both venues but also some very good ones. At the Boulevard one could get very, very close to the action (safety zones being a thing of the future) but the best feature of Craven Park was without doubt the view from the seats in the main stand, looking down onto the track similar to the view at Bradford. Anyone out there thinking of building a new track: make the view from the stand at least 40ft in the air . One puzzling aspect of the Craven Park circuit being as it mostly was sandwiched 'tween the dog track & rugby pitch, was from the outside it appeared a tad narrow (though I measured it as 9m on the straights, around 14m on the bends), but when actually walking the track it seemed much, much, wider. Curious....

He was announcer at Hull from, Boulevard from about 1979 (not checked) travelling down and back by train each Wednesday nite. Dougie Adams was announcer at Hull, Craven Park from 1995 to 2000ish (still not checked) then Nigel Pearson took over til about 2003 (not checked that either). Rob Godfrey does his best to try create interest at Scunny and at least interviews are conducted away from the pits, thus giving punters a chance to hear what is being said....

Exactly. Close throttle, pull over, look down at engine then watch the other 3 get on with it. But instead he did the other thing: big mistake, huge....

Bryan Seery: the undisputed Speedway Stat King. RIP....

Me too, but thanks anyway for looking. Pretty sure Phil Downs isn't related or connected but I'll check with friends, think there was a Phil Downs 2nd halved at Craven Park 1995-2005. Trouble is none of my friends' family from that era are still living so immediate info difficult not obtainable, someone just came ascross the a photo in a drawer - no one even knew he'd ridden speedway. Still, I've recently had another idea and you never know, I'll defo post what I find, if anything...

Anyone, can shed any light on a ride called Alf Downs who apparently had try outs at Hedon in 1948 ? He is the uncle of friends of mine who hail from the Hedon area and they have shown me pics of their uncle in the front garden astride a speedway bike complete with helmet and leathers, but no body colour. Any info appreciated as so far I've drawn a blank...

As above. I never knew Bob but certainly knew of him, enjoyed reading his articles and loved his intro at Hull v Reading 1995 on the parade. A great guy, very knowledgable and enthusiastic about speedway. RIP....

Incedentally, one item on the City Of Culture programme, so a little bird told me, that I am looking forward to is a huge tribute to and celebration of Mick Ronson, one of Hull's coolest sons. Obviously I've heard of Mick Mitchell, rode for Hull a good few decades before my time, he and George Craig were heroes of my father when he was but a wee boy. Various prolems arose from operating out of Hedon, correct me if I'm wrong, bit I believe the train service stopping at Hedon Halt was cancelled as was the bus service from Hull and few folk owned cars in those days. Perhaps you, or anyone, can shed any light on a ride called Alf Downs who apparently had try outs at Hedon ? He is the uncle of friends of mine who hail from the Hedon area and they have shown me pics of their uncle in the fromt garden astride a speedway bike complete with helmet and leathers, but no body colour. Any info appreciated as so far I've drawn a blank....

I was reffering to team success, ony once have speedway crowds exceeded that of rugby, fotball, and ice hocey for that matter. Unfortunately speedway in Hull never benefitted from being £100,000's in debt and no one giving a stuff, or help towards a stadium of its own and / or a stadium provided for it (sale of KC shares ?), nor many other avenues of assistance enjoyed by the ice hockey and both rugby and football teams in Hull. Yet, when both rugby teams at different and also the same time, were on their uppers and almost going out of existance, both were grateful for the income speedway provided, as was the ice hokcy wehn the indoor ice speedway meetings were held there. And at one time the speedway promotion were required to co-sign cheques of one of the rugby clubs. And at one time Craven Park could have been bought lock, stock, barrel and speedway track for less than £600,000 (!). But as is often the way, both clubs soon developed very short memories and when their situations improved, were quick to give speedway the boot. That said, as always, there was much more to the demise of speedway in the town than immediately met the eye or was made public. But I, for one, hold no grudge as none sports of football, rugby or ice hockey do anything for me, and I gain no pleasure in the fortunes or problems of either sport. Indeed the only reason for me to visit the stadia of either sport thas been, or would be, a ground share with speedway, which other than the ice hockey arena is not impossible anymore....

Beats me....

Not looked into the City Of Culture criteria, I for one was amazed the city was selected and Hull certainly does not possess a cathedral. It interests me not one jot as so far it misses much of which Hull is known for e.g. fishing, unique phone system and telephone boxes, try finding a 'traditional' cream phone box; one city centre pub has one in its beer garden and painted it red (!) I suspect it won't change a thing, will miss a lot of local culture and will be a waste of money, did the organisers actually ask locals?. Incedentally anyone thinking of visiting Hull, beware city centre traffic. Recent, prolonged road works created but 5 disabled parking spaces, good for those who can't get around, but nixed 20 to 30 regular ones in other areas, so creating what I have called 'the 15mph GP' as drivers circulate searching an elusive parking place and thus avoiding the inconvenient multi-stories....

Good point. Adding my 2p worth I invite people to check out this site and make of it what they will (bet link don't work): https://www.hull2017.co.uk/ So far there has been - drum roll: a much ballyhoo'ed 'sea of skin' where one freezing cold morning loads of people volunteered to strip naked, be painted blue then lie down alltogther to have their photos taken and displyed in a local gallery, some big projections of Hull-related stuff onto the front of Hull City Hall (whence I'm told the traffic chaos and queues had to be seen to be believed), a blade - just a blade - of a wind turbine on display in Hull City Centre. Er, pretty much that has been it, my knowledge of planned events being pretty much zip, almost perfectly matching my interest. No mention of speedway of course, despite Hull Angels operating out of Hedon in 1948-49 with a unique stopping-off railway platform (Hedon Halt) constructed just for speedway and the Vikings easily being the most successful professional sporting team in the city. None of the local stadia, KCOM Stadium (Hull City FC & Hull FC), or Craven Park (Hull KR) can physically accomodate speedway, a stand was built on what were turns 3 & 4 at Craven Park. The Boulevard was demolished afew years ago. The only suitable place would be Costello Stadium which hosts athletics, complete with 400m track, but is too close to housing, and located in a huge NIMBY area. Efforts continue to build a waste disposal plant on the former site at Hedon, adjacent to another NIMBY area. Going off subject slightly, I'm told that the William Wilberforce Museum has had all mentions and displays of slavery removed, lest it offend anyone. Not a pleasant subject at all but: it happened, it's history and the information should be made available for future generations to ensure nothing like that ever happens again. And it just so happens that Wilberforce actually contributed a great deal to the abolishment of slavery....

Should be a pic of Hull, Boulevard in Lego, sorry can't make pic any bigger . It shows the newer, circa 1985 stand, which replaced the old back straight 'Threpenny Stand'. The model is accurate in that it shows the crush barriers added mid-1981, the lowest of which was literally right up against the speedway safety fence. With the to be included '2 metre safety zone' regulstion outside of safety fences I pondered how these crush barriers would satisfy the new rule. In October 1981 I discovered the answer: it didn't matter as speedway was given the boot (!). However, being a Lego model, re-laying a speedway track woud be easy, using flat brown brisks, as would lifting and relaying the rugby pitch corners would also not be a huge issue as flat, green bricks could be taken up and re-laid. The Boulevard was demolished in 2010ish and the site houses the 'Boulevard Academy', which is a whole story on its own. A plaque celebrates the former home of Hull FC, but naturally speedway doesn't get a mention.....

Hull closed mid-1949 (my dad was there as a mere boy so I wasn't even twinkle in his eye), I watched from 1974 when I was deemed old enough for homes and then aways in 1978 til closure again in 1981 (big shock). Dreams can and do come true, though it still seems a dream at times, re-opened in 1995 saw many aways but missed but 3 home meets (illness, last second transport issues and a won holiday) closed yet again in 2005 (big surprise but on reflection not a huge shock). So 3 sad closures in total though I only experienced 2 of them and now live in the sad 'longer without than supporting home town team', last, Craven Park, era that is. I still watch, read about and enjoy speedway, prob always will but it isn't and never will be the same. Sigh....