martinmauger

Yeah the Mick Fiedling piece was great. Anyone know when Backtrack is out next?...

Very good; interesting, exciting, fast edits & plenty good clips. But (here it comes!) I would change the "former world champion" caption to "a speedway world champion". "Former" sounds so yesterday, ok we all know it refers to 1997, but a speedway champion states what Greg is but doesn't infer he is the current champ. Otherwise great effort, good stuff....

Thought it may could been Louis who lost his bike but my mind said Briggo for some reason. Dunno any more about the financially challenged rider as at that time, in the late 1980's, there wasn't any speedway in my area as Hull & Scunny were no more I just vaugely remember reading about it in MCN or somewhere like that. Not being able to find out anymore about the guy in question, though I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it....

Seem to remember reading about another rider having a bike "mis-laid" during a World final at Wmebley and it turning up behind a hot dog stand; Briggo? Also an alledged financially-challenged rider who nonetheless progressed at quite a surprising rate was dealt a life-long ban and actually jailed for both stealing and receiving stolen speedway bikes and equipment, sometime in the late 1980's, I believe...

The official pay rates in speedway have been relatively paltry for many years. Read somewhere, Ian Thomas' book Wheels and Deals I believe, that Thomas made more money in 1979 than Mauger did when Ivan won his last title. Mauger received £500 for merely winning the meeting but Thomas pocketed £600 for backing him to win. Gotta be a moral in there somewhere....

Cr*p have we been, shafted are we. Hope Team Brit make the final if only to give the likes of Wuffie a ride out. Though the good ol' USA were eliminated ages ago, anyone know why Hamill & Herbie didn't ride?...

That's right, in fact the only "speedway bits" left are a bit of dirt/shale outside the touchline on used to be the straights and the pits behind turn 4. Well the pits were still there last time I looked a few months back....

I have Vol 5 of this series which is very good, but any chance you have anything of Hull Angels, Hedon from 1948/49? (He asks without much hope!)...

Dunno about the 2nd "towers" film but I'm sure I read the track in Brittainia Of Billingsgate was especially made for the film and - wait for it - consisted of only a straight and one bend. I've seen the excellent Once A Jolly Swagman but, briefly, what is "Brittainia" about; aside from the obvious?...

Seen a few but one that sticks in my mind was at Hull in 1977; Birmingham team manager Graham Drury and the late Mike Curoso who happened to be Viking teammates at the time. One minute they were sat in their bikes at the pit gate ready to be pushed off then, literally within seconds, they were rolling around on the deck before being separated by riders and officials with Drury holding the upper hand at the time. This was in the days before fixed starting positions and it turned out one had lent across to the other saying "I'm having gate such and such, ok?" before the more thorough and physical discussion took place on the track, literally. Also remember James Beaton Snr waving a fuel can and chasing an opposing rider through the Hull pits due to feeling agrieved over tactics meted out either to son Bobby or James Jnr (Jim) Beaton. Don't recall the identity the rider he was less than pleased with however. Regarding Gresh, there was the time he kicked off in the Belle Vue pits v Reading in 1982, Ian Thomas' first meeting as Aces team manager. It was reported the Gresh laid Bobby Schwartz spark out, kicked Thomas where it hurts most with his steel shoe and decked another rider. "An action-packed 30 seconds" as my brother said at the time when I passed on what I'd read....