martinmauger

Doubling / shmoubling, according to this week's Star, Kyle Haworth, in addition to Sheffield & Wolves, will (apparently) ride for Ipswich next season. His average will be too high for the National League, but wonder if he will consider another Premiership club? He would be a seriously busy rider Ok, the articles in the Ipswich section obviously refer to Kyle Newman but certainly had me thinking for few seconds, but so many riders are with different teams it's difficult keeping track who rides where at times....

Years ago when I was more into photography, I used to write to tracks before travelling to ask for permission. Most replied saying it was ok and reccomended I carry their letter whilst at the venue in case I was challenged by stewards. Among the correspondence, which I still have, were a hand-written "ok and good luck" from the late John Berrry and, from the late Charles Ochiltree, a beautifully typed one, as you might expect. Both also thanked me for asking nicely in the first instance. But some tracks didn't even reply, despite me always including an SAE, though one even removed my 1st class stamp and replaced it with a 2nd class one . Oh, and I never ever, used a flash, didn't own one at the time, but flashguns were a huge no-no at speedway....

I noticed a few diffferent copies in the local hairdressers the other day, though I'm a confirmed barber-dodger myself ....

Jumping in slightly, CVS, and PA, run Wolves very professionally & successfully. And, I never liked the title 'Elite League either, always thought Speedway Super League sounded better as 'SSL' rolls off the tongue. A cliche for sure, but time will tell how the newly-named leagues perform with promotion & relegation....

I also subscribe to Backtrack and enjoyed the 5-1 mag, think it ran for 2 or maybe 3 seasons and I have plenty of VSMs (remember that?) and Classic Speedway too. I'm not saying the 'Star is perfect but it is a good read....

Same here, though I pay more attention to the Grasstrack section when speedway riders are competing. I subscribe, and pay for it myself, but the 'Star is stonking value at £2.17ish per copy when one 'subs'. Still cheaper than the vast majority of A5 proggies, even at full £2.90 cover price. If you don't like it, don't buy, but it's a great mag....

Adding my 2p's worth: obviously a big shame how things have turned out for Belle Vue, But Morton & Co did so blooming well getting the stadium built in the first place. To get a flavour of how (so slowly) these matters move (if at all): identify an area of apparently empty land then apporoach your local, hopefully friendly, councellor to ask about putting in a speedway track, informing him / her you already have funds available. Then see where you are 5, then 10 years later . Hope things get sorted at the NSS soon....

Yea Brandon certainly was packed that nite, we didn't realise at the time but Hull had already lost the championship (sob!). Re Wimbledon: Graham Drury came across road traffic collison - either held up by it or involved in it, I forget which. Can't comment on the other 3 no shows at Womble Land and and Swindon , Mauger said his silencer was dislodged on wooden boards when crossing the dog track at Poole, which the Pirates team manager noticed. Forgot to mention that Ivan also brought along Ole Olsen in his days at Newcastle. Wonder what became of Olsen ...

You might expect me to comment on this thread. 1979 was one heck of year for Ivan and could have been even better: Individ World Champ, World Team Cup winner with New Zealand and should have been British League Champs with Hull. Records show Hull lost at Coventry on that nite, but not that the title was 'lost', effectively by Hull themsleves, earlier in the season when we had 3 rider no-shows at at Wimbledon to lose by 7 points (I think), one no-show at Swindon, drew 39-all, a narrow loss at Reading, Mauger himself + Ian Thomas were late arriving, and a narrow win at Poole became a draw when Mauger was exluded post race for a silencer infringement. Phew. After Ivan won the league with Belle vue and Exeter, both turning around the fortunes of the clubs and bringing on other riders (Collins at Belle Vue, Autrey at Exeter + Joe Owen & Dennis Sigalos at Hull), Hull remain the only club (apart from perhaps Newcastle, too tired to check!) where Mauger didn't win the league, despite one heck of a team effort. Most of the time. I know for a fact this mightily hacked off Mauger himself, + IanThomas & co-promoter Brian Larner and also us fans of course. It could be said that Hull as a club, in that era, never really recovered from the disappointment.....

(Had probs with text editor)....

if you mean the old speedway site, indeed it does remain undeveloped the actual location of the track long being ploughed over. The site also remains close to 'Nimby Towns 1 & 2', Hedon & Preston, both of which are currently fighting the building of an incinerator, recycling facility or p'raps wind turbines there. I can think of a much better use of the land . The Boulevard was levelled in 2009, now an academy, and Craven Park was squared off at one end in 2010 or so. Sigh. Way to make this thread about Hull - from where Swindon originated of course in 1949....

I've seen that before and it's very good. Someone made a Boulevard Lego model, sadly without the speedway track, but Lego is adaptable one could be easily added. Maybe I've now decided what I want to Chrimbo - lots of Lego , though I'd much prefer 10 aces of isolated land with full and permanent planning permission for disruptive motorsport ....

Will interesting once they (hopefully) actually start digging and laying bricks as they appear to intend dropping a stadium in 'Lego brick' style as opposed to building it, well, brick by brick. With Chrimbo around the corner, anyone know if Lego make a Speedway Stadium set ? (sorry )....

Same in Hull, though even charity shops and recently a 'Cash Grabbers' have closed. The local footie team and both rugby teams are alledgedly, though I couldn't possibly comment, millions in debt and the council, so people say, constantly bail them out and no seems to give a stuff....

Gotta agree, but IMO he was a better promoter then a team manager, good in both roles but a brilliant promoter....

I once saw 1979 World Final on DVD, with foreign commentary, good result obvioulsy, but also worth it to see Kelly Moran hold back Zenon Plech. 'A Hull 5-1' it was described as for some reason (!). As per 1979 WTC Qualy at Reading, the 'race' between Kelly Moran and Gordon Kennett slithering around in the sludge has to be seen to be believed. Re: 1977 World Final (another good result) most, if not all, heats were shown on the same afternoon by BBC's Grandstand & then ITV's World Of Sport. Not at the same time and just as well since VCRs weren't common at that time so while there some repeated heats, I got see most of the meeting....

Juts think; in 1997 one could have bought Hull's Craven Park (lock, stock, barrel with speedway track in situ) for - £600,000. Oh, how I had wished like never before for a row of colourful numberd balls to line up and match my predictions....

Having never visisted the much bally-hooed Blundson back straight toilets, which I would still describe as 'of recent vintage', one can only imagine what they were like. Being more familiar with the back straight loo facility at the Boulevard, which built almost a full century earlier in 1865 as opposed to the much more modern 1949-ish Blundson. I would describe the Boulevard loos as 'un-lit and open to elements cess-trenches'. Sarcasm (who me?) aside, one visit was more than enough much bettter to 'go' before leaving home....

A fair bit to digest from the AGM , time will tell how things pan out. Just one quick point; hope the 're-branding' lasts because the names of the 2 top leagues at least have been changed, again. I know the last change, to Elite & Premier, was in 1997, not sure when the Conference League became National league, but league name changes do seem to occur a lot in speedway.....

Highlights of the 'splish splash show' you mention are on Youtube, I know cos I've seen it. Now that meeting, and 1977 World Final, were wet meetings....

True, but not as many meetings as these days, more clubs & more matches in those days. Think (without checking progs) Hull could only use either Owen say 8 times I remember dispensation was applied to BSPA / SCB for to use Joe for most of the season(s) but it was refused. Agree with the point though: not enough riders to go round and the number doubling, and even tripling up, is too many....

Terrific commentator, so many of my early experiences and memories of speedway on TV were brilliantly described by Dave. Of Ivan Mauger (1973 World Final): "Here comes Mauger around the outside, come on Ivan my son!" Of Peter Collins (several times): "And Collins goes high, wide and handsome". And so many more. RIP....

As many already said: muchos kudos for time effort (and patience) keeping folk informed....

+ Redcar ? At Hull's Craven Park, I believe the speedway promotion only received income from season ticket sales, match day admission, programme sales, track shop rent and any sponsorship + fence / programme advertising, of which there was almost always a lot. Not sure about car parking income, but bar takings went to the landlords.. Early doors Craven Park had to be the ideal model for a stadium paying for itself as near to 7 days a week as possible staging, as it did, rugby, speedway, greyhounds + functions in the bar(s). Apparently future plans included a round of the short - track / flat - track racing series which was televised. Sadly, these days the Lightstream Stadium, as it is now known, only stages rugbny league with speedway totally out of the picture due to a new stand 'squaring off' what used to be turns 3 & 4. Sigh...

Some kind of promotion, anything, would be a good start. How often do we despair on replying to "speedway, what's that ?". Sigh. A guy at work is into stox and hotrods, well any motorsport really, lived around the corrner from Wimbledon stadium most of his life, untll quite recently, and was completely unaware speedway ever used to run there. Also I'm surprised Woffy's PR haven't gotten him featured in bike / music / lifestyle type of magazine, with his piercings and inkwork he looks more like a heavy metal biker guy than a speedway rider.......