Jim Blanchard

I am currently working on a personal project of Erik. Was he considered the great Dane or was that Hans Neilsen? Where does he fit in the grand scheme of things? Thoughts and anecdotes would be appreciated.

Thanks

Well, he could have 'flown in' to Scarborough on his Suzuki Hayabusa Superbike, when he visited us earlier this summer. Interesting guy to talk to though.

Actually, the reason Mike sent me the photo in the first place was he thought I was the chap in the white boiler suit on the right, but it is not me. If it was about 1958, I would have been 9 years old. Could be right about the gas goggles though Tom.

Ove Fundin has a PPL. He flew himself across the states before he decided to ride a motorcycle across or drive a la' Route 66.

It certainly looks as if it could be that way Steve, but I am pretty sure PC did not drink. Could be Norwich though….

Good Luck to you with that quest. I am pretty sure that the face masks of the three riders you mention were individual riders alterations of the standard ‘monkey mask’ which was universally available. It appears that they added bigger sections to the nose and the open gauze area of the mouth opening, with what looks like from what I can gather from photo‘s, sections cut from tyre inner tubes. Many just made their own from scratch including; Peter Craven and Ronnie Moore, and some like Ove Fundin, Split Waterman and Brian Crutcher never used them at all.

Mike Kemp sent me this photo the other evening of Peter Craven. Anyone have any idea what track it is and when? Guessing, I would say its about 1958. Any ideas of the track and what was Peter up to at the time?

Thought the following may be of interest to Jeff & Parsloes, the recent 'Newsletter' page of Ove Fundin's web site: "Recently I read an interview with my old friend Gunter Sorber, (Gunter was for many years FIM's top speedway official and one of the men behind the G P's) now he would like to see some changes to the way speedways world championship is beeing decided and I agree with most what he said. To begin with, every rider should have at least a chance to take part, not just because someone is good for the organizers ("we must have riders from the country were the G P is being held."..) Why not go back to the old formula with qualifying rounds and then a final were the rider with the most points is the winner ?(not like today when the winner of the final heat is the winner, not the rider having scored most points) all the G P's could be qualifying rounds for the title race. Olympic medals are won in a "one off race" after qualifying for it. G P's own 200.000 dollars race is arranged that way! What can one say about the fiasco with the German G P..... and the way it was rearranged in Bydgoszcz on a track that had had a G P only two months earlier.....I guess unlucky Greg Hancock is one of the riders that has a few hard words to say. But of course Tomasz Gollob was happy!! " All of Newsletter Here

It was a Scottish Speedway rider Flt Lieutenant George Pinkerton a fighter pilot in a Spitfire, who brought down the second enemy aircraft of WW2 over the UK. I believe him and/or his brothers rode for Glasgow pre-war. On the afternoon of Monday the 16th of October 1939, he attacked a Junkers Ju88A-1 number 4D+AK off Crail in the Firth of Forth which subsequently fell into the sea. Gruppenkommander, Hauptmann Helmut Pohle was captured alive, but the rest of the crew were lost or perished.

Put them on Ebay?

I know what you mean Doug. When I was a young sprogg going down to NX, I use to think that about Cyril Roger and Cyril Brine; what are these 'silly old duffers about'. Most likely - bless 'em - they were actually half the age I am now, and were still very fine riders. One of my prize posessions is a Peter Craven, Belle Vue rosette, which I would not part with. (Well, many thanks for that Sandman... )

I can remember watching him riding at New Cross.

Is that not the point though Henry. In the 'brilliant' one off final days, on the night anything could happen and there was an element of anticipation with who would actually win it taking into account unexpected defeats, falls and engine failures. With the current format (and I am not anti GP by any means) it tends to be more less the same 4/6 riders that are going into the final race time after time come what may, which has created a sort of ‘sameness’ about the GP’s irrespective who actually takes part. I enjoy them very much, but with the 'semi's and finals' it kind of rules out throwing up some surprising, and more importantly 'different' or unexpected results. Unless, those 6 riders retire or move on.

Plus maybe one or two of Tommy Jansson, I would think.

A hot cup of Bovril in the intervals, Handlebars, Ivan Mauger at his best, Ronnie Moore just being Ronnie Moore again, Peter Collins, Mike Lee as a teenager scrapping the boards at Lynn, Gary Middleton & Len Silver training school at Hackney, Wembley World/British Finals, Internationales, Trips to the Midlands for speedway meetings in a Reliant Robin. Taking part in speedway practice sessions at Lynn and Mildenhall, White City Meetings, American Riders, Oh, and did I mention handlebars?