martinmauger

Meanwhile back in Hull; White City is under a block of flats, Hedon is just a field but in NIMBY land and earmarked for yet another energy park (there is already one such site in Hull), the Boulevard, actual stadium is now under an academy, Craven Park was squared off at turns 3 & 4 & the KCOM Stadium (Hull City footie & Hull FC rugby) has always been square, bit like a mini Cardiff. The only nearby stadium facility physically capable of staging speedway (yet has no chance) is the under-used (or so I'm told) Costello Athletics Stadium, so similar to IOW, but in addiction to being in NIMBY land housing is really close anyway. So no joy in Hull as yet, though as I mentioned previously there is plenty of brown and green field land.....

"Then again, some of the already congested areas where houses are sprouting like daffodills, have to be seen to be believed areas of "nice enough houses but I really wouldn't want to live there", turning many roads into car parks." I believe both the above to be arguments held by local Brandon, Coventry residents who are in favour of keeping the stadium. Makes you think....

In other words; sufficient stadia for another league. Mind, there is sufficient, empty land surrounding Hull for a further league, but that which doesn't fall into 'NIMBY' areas or concerns over wildlife, it all belongs to someone, who naturally plays the long game awaiting top-dollar, via housng development. Then again, some of the already congested areas where houses are sprouting like daffodills, have to be seen to be believed areas of "nice enough houses but I really wouldn't want to live there", turning many roads into car parks....

+ Hull White City Stadium + Hull Hedon Stadium (pronounced Heddon)....

That's the chappie, felt sorry for him because he was wandering around the pits with a smile on his face chatting happily with folk, yet don't think he got a ride....

NickiP often looks to me as if he's fighting the bike around the track "you WILL go sideways around here ! " and pulls on the bars a bit like steering a horse, where one puts slight pressure on the reins to have said nag (hopefully) turn. Weird equestrian analogies aside, NickiP is an all-action rider who I'd name in my team all day long. Doyle looks a bit tidier on the bike but hey, he makes it work....

There was one coloured rider, Cecil something orignated from Wimbledon I believe, & came up to Hull Craven Park for a 2nd half spin in around 2004 / 2005. He was suited & booted in leathers so ready for a skid but I don't think he actually made it on track due to bike issues....

No more modern era, mid-2000's, I'll say no more ....

I enjoyed the occasions when Floppy Norris, and also Steve Jonno Johnson, were in the comms box. Back on topic; I spoke to one promoter [names witheld to protect the innocent, the guilty and self from a poss lawsuit !] about his rider, now retired, who would often dive into to corners, badly impede his team-mate and turn a 'cert 5-1' into a 4-2 or a 3-3, usually followed by 'tween team mate exchange of views & arm-waving. Unsaid promoter told me the equally unsaid rider in question had tunnel vision and literally never saw anyone or anything outside of his immediate field of view. It was also pointed out to me that whenout on his own, leading or at the back, the rider never caused any problems - as there was no-one else around him. Prob just as well he is retired....

Good news inded !...

At Hull, Craven Park, the planning permsssion to run speedway was basically: meetings to be staged March til end of October, engines allowed to run 7pm-10pm curfew, on Wednesday nights apart from sometimes an afternoon press day, the odd Bank Holiday or other 'off-night' due to rain offs, fxture congestion, etc. Air horns were banned from mid-1995 or so, though folk I knew living nearby (opp main entrance, 2 streets to the right) told me they couldn't hear the speedway half the time. So no practices or training sessions were permitted (though 'a little bird' told me they sometimes DID occur on Tuesday nights !). The late Big Alan Grahame I recall had special dispensation for the stadium being available all day from 12 noon for practice as the likes of Frank Auffret & the late Tony Childs hadn't been on a bike for quite a while. Think Frank borrowed a modern lay-down for the day and the meeting, while Tony used his own older 4-valve JAWA upright, complete with a 'banana seat' & wore his circa 1970's Savoy Tyres leathes. So, yeah difficult running speedway in many stadia with limited track time, especially at CP where 1995-2003 ish rugby pitch corners needed to be lifted and replaced and also dog track sheeted.....

I too have ridden with Wayne Carter, on Scunny's mini track and the main circuit (gulp !) and found him friendly, helpful, very knowledgable as you would expect and has a good sense of humour without being at all condescending or insulting, which helps if (when) progress doesn't go as planned or the ground keeps coming up to meet you (!). He has plenty of time for everyone and equally importantly he asks what riders are hoping to achieve; from just having fun, riding round the track without the ground hitting you (!), getting a full slide on (yay!) to taking on the likes of Laguta, Tai, Smazlik, etc. He then helps each rider make steady & safe progress at their own pace. Speaking as I find, I can highly reccomend a day 'skidding with Wayne' and promised to myself one day hope to do so again. One day....

Yeah forgot Ellis, GB future looks a tad better then ....

Tis true but it's what happens when posting early in the a.m. when supposed to be working ....

It was mentioned on BBC's Teletext service, yes some people still use it, as was Peterborough's Prem League win....

Were GB lucky ? Yes, to an extent, on this occasion, but you need at least some good fortune to succeed. Peeps seem forget for years most GB team managers mostly didn't play with a full deck, literally. Joking aside over a longish period (2000 or so on) the GB squad was made up from the likes of Scott Nicholls, the late Lee Richardson, Mark Loram, Chris Louis, Carl Stonehewer, Joe Screen, Gary Havelock, David Norris, Sean Wilson, Simon Stead, Chris Harris, Tai Woffinden, the list goes on - a squad to kick serious behind on any track. But at any one time at least one or two of them were on the injured list. In recent years Woffinden was unavailable (his business, it happened) and was also out injured, unfortunately two of the remaining riders (Cook & Lambert) collided like Sweden did on the Friday night; effectively game over. When Woffinden also crashed out on Friday nite I thought, said and texted "oh no, not again !". But the next nite a ready-made replacement squad member stepped in; "Dan Bewley come on down and prepare for the meeting of your life !", and we all saw what happened. The remaining 3 stepped up, took the opportunities that occured, rode their hearts out, delivered - and how. Ok, Bewley rode his home track & the other 2 were at least familiar with Belle Vue NSS, but it was the same for everyone of course and the Poles in particular must have been rubbing their hands with glee on seeing the track; a Polish-style circuit in the UK. With due respect to the experienced GB riders, it was still possible for any them to suiffer falls, crash out big-style, tape exclusions, machine problems, etc, we all know what can happen in speedway, especially after witnessing their captain and leader get ruled out by a well-nasty crash. When Woffinden recovers + add Lambert, Bewley, Brennan and the likes of Drew Kemp, Leon Flint, The Thompson Twins, etc waiting in the wings the future for GB looks a heck of lot better than of late. This is our time right now, we have waited long enough, enjoy it is my advice, for next year everyone starts all over again. One last point: the GP series carries accumulated points scored through the season, replacing the one-off World Finals of old, yet the current SON format guarrantees a 'winner takes all race', like a one-off World Final....

This ^^ All. Day. Long. Wow, just wow, speedway history there....

I personally heard Ivan expand on this very concept: "you have the white line on the left and the fence on your right and you ride on the bit in the middle" , he was a bit of card was Ivan when he let his hair down. Not every promotion is fortunate to begin with a clean sheet of paper, track building-wise, and good luck to those who are, it's very much a case of making the best out of what you have. IMO for every 'Berwick', big & fast, the needs to be a 'Wolves', tight & techncial, makes speedway more interesting. We can discuss 'best races at ABC & XYZ tracks' to our heart's content (and we do) but even wearing 2 pairs of rose-tinted shades, you can get great & ordinary racing on each and every track.....

Naturally I thoroughly approve of this issue and highly reccomend Backtrack anyway, it's a great, informative & enjoyable read....

The term 'legend' is bandied about a bit too readily these days, but Colin Pratt was a true speedway legend. RIP Colin....

Such a shame. 'Born Again Teenager' Big Alan Grahame was one of the original Hull Vikings at our resurrection in 1995 til 1998 and was very popular indeed at Craven Park. Sympathies to the Grahame family, RIP Big Al....

Get well soon Big Al, a popular Hull Viking 1995 - 1998....

And Stoke, was only able to visit as meeting was on an 'off nite', i.e. not a Saturday. Was an off nite too, rained off, never made back it for a 2nd try. Not exactly the same but it took 3 attempts to see a meeting at King's Lynn, since saw a few subsequently though....

Stating the obvious Lyons rallied his riders very well. After Schlein's pass of the two Panthers I thought Wolves would kick on but they didn't really. All still to play for of course and in speedway one never knows but at this stage it's gotta be 'advantage Peterborough'....

Used to witness similar at Sheffield, Owlerton & likely still can. Between the start and turn 4 but nearer the corner, as the riders drive off the bend especially if near the white line, before getting wheels in line for the home straight, for a spilt second, or even less, it looks as if they just might launch into the crowd ! Such an accident is a mega rare occurance at any track and to the best of my knowledge has never happened at Sheffield. But a tad scary , yet at the same time exciting ....