martinmauger

Done, email sent....

I'd like to comment but despite subscribing my copy is late. Disappointing though but no real surprise as it's often delayed 1 week in 4, so along with the 'end of the world panic buyers' I popped into nearby ASDA, they told me they had been sent no copies. Then, more 'armageddon' shoppers to Tesco, but they'd been sent no 'Stars either, which is arguably worse. Hrmmpph....

Not great news at all but hope for the very best for Ivan, and his big and very close family who will help him....

I also very much enjoyed the article very much and was also a Jimmy Mac fan from mid-1974 til the end of 1975. He was my first speedway hero and I was saddened when he (and Tommy Johansson) were moved on by Rider Control (shudder) and at Hull we thought were getting then World Champion Ole Olsen. I recall Jimmy didn't always make the gate but he battled in each and every race and regularly took the fight to visiting no.1's; Collins, Olsen, Louis, Mauger, Simmons, etc and made sure they didn't get an easy race. At the time I didn't much like the (none more) black leathers he wore in 1975 but looking back they were pretty cool and 'worked' with the dark blue and white Hull Vikings bib. A very good rider, nice guy and very clever too vis a vis his FIM technical role. Good to read of another ex-Viking Robert Nagy too. Looking forard to reading the forthcoming Joe Screen (another ex-Viking) & Kelvin Tatum pieces...

A much valued and appreciated service, thanks a lot....

I preferred the old 'tac sub' but the tactical ride is almost certainly here to stay, on cost grounds alone. My issue with it, TR, is the nonsense where the rider finishing 2nd scores more than the rider in 1st, etc. I think it would be fairer, and probably more accpetable, if double points applied to the race winner only....

Have to agree with earlier posts, some good racing and much-depleted Scunny were too strong for ipswich. On paying an all too rare visit to Scunny, I'm not sure about the comments on the crowd being low. We 3 arrived at 7ish and drove round the car park for 5 minutes searching for a parking spot, we finished up near the big yellow Tonka trucks. Speaking to one of the turnstile ladies I was informed "it seems like half of Ipswich are in town to see if their side can make the play offs". Plenty of fans in both stands, the middle rows of seats, the 1st turn cover, the bar platform and a good few on the back straight. The car park seemed pretty much full and though the Tonka toys and pile of shale take up room I'm not sure how many more cars could have been accomodated....

Nice to read some positive speedway news, good for Belle Vue and hopefully Britsih Speedway.....

"no one would ever open speedway tracks given the perilous nature of speedway in this Country and the incredible amounts of red tape you have to get through when applying for planning permission, but it does happen every now and again and can be successfull. But to do so you you need incredibly deep pockets, good business skills, good people skills and not get carried away romancing about what you are going to do" And the most incredible self-belief, confidence, focus, patience, vision, an extremely think skin and a little bit of luck. Simples really. Notice I didn't say the odd loose screw though that may help also (!) Hope the potential Milton Keynes project happens, new tracks are always welcome and postiive news....

"You know, I first started as a track staffer in 1980 at Leicester, we got paid then, 80p, a programme and as much weak tea-urn tea as we could drink at the interval, oh and we had laundered overalls as well, very professional. In our last season at Blackbird Rd it had gone up to £1!!!!" Big money there, then. At Hull in 1980 & 81 track staff received a whopping 50p . "I even know of a top football club where Stewards aren't paid. They do it for the free admission...and there's a waiting list for the job!" I believe that to be the case at 'City' - Hull City FC, though I'm no means a ball-game fan . Things not looking too good for the Brummies but hope things can be sorted, it would a be a terrible waste if the sport ended there after such a long absense....

I've read all the posts and the link to the article but was unable to get the .pdf file to load. The stadium / track look very impressive, but when did a presumably full-sized rugby pitch with permanent 'end-zone' corners come into the equation ? I was very much under the impression that either 5-a side football pitches or a hockey pitch would be inside the new track....

Tony Mole also saved Hull at the end of 1997 / beginning of 1998 (I forget which), selling the club on after, in his own words, he "was made an offer he couldn't and didn't refuse"....

Don't think I like you anymore, TWK. Joke ok, check my avatar and nickname . A tad before my time but I've heard the Auffret / Childs / Millen battles were legendary . I guess our opinion of riders depends on whether riders ride for or against us and I can well imagine opposition fans being frustrated over the antics of Mauger, Childs, Nicki P, etc. But they are all riders you would definately riding for and not against you. To be honest I respect all riders, they all take the same risks riding the same tracks, albeit for different reasons, and all have their unique way of tackling the sport and it would be so boring if we all liked the same riders / teams.....

Hull, Boulevard and Craven Park, for obvious reasons. As mentioned, Craven Park added another page to the 'Ideal Speedway Stadium Handbook' in that after marking out your ideal-shaped track, build seating on home straight at least 60 feet in the air. Wembley (indoor Arena and Empire Stadium) both for atmosphere rather than the racing, Belle Vue Hyde Road - almost guaranteed good racing and the impression of the venue's massive history, Halifax - usually good racing unless dry 'n' dusty, Bradford - ditto + great pit viewing, Cradley Heath - pork sarnies of course, and Newport Queensway Meadows - good purpose-built venue and at least it was good racing the sunny Sunday I was there....

Mauger ran a high gear that day so was slowish off the start but was passing almost for fun around turns 1 & 2. After yet another ragged start in the run off he caught Szczakiel half a lap ealier than he planned or expected, went for a gap that quickly closed and ended up on the track. In a World Final or SGP Final you may only get the one chance so you go for it, vis a vis Jason Crump v Rune Holta in 2003. World Final races continuing with a rider prone on the track didn't end there: it happened to Ole Olsen in 1974, Egon Muller in 1976 & Mauger again in 1978. Some weird starting procedures in the 1973 World Final, and some interesting referee decisions, but had he bided his time Mauger would surely have caught Szczakiel but as Mauger himself said "he (Szczakiel) became World Champ because I fell off and he didn't !"....

Thanks for thinking of Hull. No news is, well, no news. But - efforts are still being made to bring speedway back to the city. You will understand that I can't say anymore, but the campaign continues to put the Hull Vikings back on track....

Could I, as someone who hasn't yet been to Leicester, ask a practical question at this point: exactly what is wrong with the track? Is it the shape, which I read had been altered, the surface or what? Over the years speedway tracks have been built in all sorts of weird and wonderful locations: outside football and rugby pitches, inside dog tracks, (and sometimes sandwiched between both), inside stock car circuits, etc. This is in addition to a wide variety of surface textures but after the initial 'bedding down' period of the first season, most provide at least reasonable racing. So assuming Leicester started with a blank sheet of paper, I don't understand why the track is still attracting so many complaints from fans. (Sorry about the font / spacing, I'm having probs with the text editor)....

I also heard Tony Childs had sadly passed away. He will be remembered as a hard-charging never-give-up old-school type of rider who was also a bit of a character and apparently his battles with the late Jack MIllen were legendary. I missed seeing him ride in his hey day, as I was too young to go to speedway, though I saw him at Scunny's Ashby Ville in the early 1980's and then when he rode in Alan Grahame's Silver Jubilee meet at Hull's Craven Park in 1997. I attended the practice for Big Al's meet as the stadium was open all day. Tony was there, old style bike with 'banana seat', blue and white Savoy Tyres leathers riding for hours lap after lap with anyone and everyone. When all the other riders seemed to have had enough and were packing up he asked "doesn't anyone want another race?" before riding lap after lap on his own. He rode some exhibition races in the meet itself, 'accidentally on purpose' touched the tapes, had (good natured) arguments with the referee and provided entertainment for the fans as he always did....

Martin Mauger, on 20 March 2013 - 11:14 PM, said: I liked the 'Mail and bought it most weeks, but I always though its biggest drawback was it came out 2 days after the 'Star, when the 'Star was sold on Wednesdays. So if you bought the 'Mail at Hull for example, a Wednesday nite track, it was always last weeks issue.... Fair point but, then again, if you bought the Mail at a Friday or weekend track, it included reports from the Monday night meetings at Reading, Exeter and Newcastle, which the Star didn't used to carry at that time. Point taken Tony. I mostly bought the Mail from 'work' on Fridays as being a mere paper boy at the time I didn't get to away tracks. I enjoyed the fact it contained fotos not seen in the 'Star, or Speedway Express for that matter, and so you got more of any stories of the time. Also being produced in newpaper format it was 'different', though I liked the switch to magazine style too.....

Not a lot wrong with Suzy. But going off (or is it on) topic, I used to love the old 'tac subs' but if we absolutely, positively must have the TR rule then at least change it so only the race winner is awarded double points and end the ridiculous situations of 2nd place scoring more than the winner and 3rd the same as 2nd. Oh and reinstate bonus points for 2nd & 3rd in 3-3s....

I liked the 'Mail and bought it most weeks, but I always though its biggest drawback was it came out 2 days after the 'Star, when the 'Star was sold on Wednesdays. So if you bought the 'Mail at Hull for example, a Wednesday nite track, it was always last weeks issue....

There are probably various reasons why meets take so long but to see how it can be done, pop along to one of the amateur meets at Scunny. I've seen them rattle though 68 heats (yes, 68) in just under 4 hours. Despite stoppages for spills, etc they get through races at a fair old clip in the main due to the 'dummy grids' just inside the pit gate, bikes are lined up 3 heats in advance of programmed rides with none of the "you have 2 minutes" then "30 seconds to go" mallarky. Meaning too much faffing about getting ready and you can easily miss your race. Riders usually only ever do that the once....

He was my favourite rider even before he signed for Hull, my first ever meet was a World Championship Quali but my first match was Hull v Exeter. I was told "you must go to speedway this week, it's against 'Ivor Major' (sic) and his Exeter Falcons, he's brilliant, he's been World Champion loads of times, has a gold bike, colourful leathers and wins almost every race". Well he didn't win every race that nite way back in 1974, Bobby Beaton took him in heat 13 which brought the house down, but he was great to watch. When he signed for Hull in 1978 it was a dream come true and it was like witnessing a speedway masterclass every week, happy days I spoke to him a few times but had a longish chat and had my foto taken with him when he returned to Hull for a book signing in 2010, fantastic nite. Have a very long and happy retirement Ivan & Rae and thanks for the memories....

Completed, would be fasinated to read results. Good luck...!