Gemini

A friend who is not a speedway fan, but always goes to Cardiff and enjoys it, wants to branch out a bit more next year and take his Polish girlfriend to one of the G.P's in Poland. I have told him that Bydgoszcz is probably the best to go to, but am I right? Also any advice on the best airline to use and place to stay for a few days would be appreciated. Thanks.

.......It's quite refreshing to know that someone is even more confused than me.

So whereabouts is he living these days Norbold? Presumably somewhere in the Norfolk area being as he never gets to any of the Leicester reunions? I'm feeling quite pleased with myself actually because I chose him purely by looking at a 40/50? year old photo and trying to imagine what he would look like today. Knowing my reputation with faces I think I did quite well. I hate coconut so I don't mind losing.

Damn!! Beaten to it, if you are referring to the Leicester photo then that is the answer I had decided on after trawling through my 3 Leicester books, written by Alan Jones, the latest one "The Lions Roar" just published if anyone is interested. My second choice was Alf Parker. Lionheart.......Ivor Brown passed away a few months ago.

Not long seen John Boulger so I knew I could rule him out, also Jack Winstanley, Charlie Barsby, John Hart, Norman Storer, Bruce Forrester, Vic White, Keith White, Eric Hockaday, Ray Wilson, Malcolm Brown, Chris Pidcock. So that's the list of who it isn't. Now for the list of who it could be..............

Strewth! As someone who sat next to Vic White and was showing him my speedway scrapbooks but still didn't know who he was until I got a dig in the ribs from Summit, there is not a cat in hell's chance of me recognising this rider. It doesn't help that I can't recall seeing him at any of the Leicester reunions either so I will have to leave it to the other Leicester experts.

Well I know how some actresses manage to get special favours, but I'm not too sure about speedway riders.

Did you go to the last Leicester Reunion Madbiker? (The John Boulger one.) I think I saw someone who looked like a mad biker - long hair, black leathers - or it could have been Ray Wilson.......

At Coventry too. Mind you Leicester usually thrashed them on their own track as well as at Blackbird Road. Most notable memory (well I can't remember that much) was Mark Courtney beating Ole Olsen in a race at Leicester when he kept trailing his leg through a deep puddle on every lap, giving Olsen a right soaking. I suppose it wouldn't be allowed nowadays - health & safety and all that - as there was a risk Olsen could have had his vision impaired by all the muddy water. It was very funny though.

Do you mean these? http://community.webshots.com/photo/153283...472389766xKENtK

That's really surprising news Rick as one likes to believe what a promotion says. If this is true then they have certainly gone down in my estimation.

Yes, but that doesn't matter Nevsy as the hotel just book us all in for the correct date. (Everyone there booked again for 2006 before they left.) What I'm more bothered about is the 215 mile journey from one end of Wales to the other and having to come within about 45 miles of home to do it! I won't be very happy leaving Molly in kennels either. I think this change of date is going to affect quite a few people who normally go on holiday that week (May Bank Holiday.) It certainly caught us out and upset our plans.

It's already running in the Grand Prix section. Try here....... http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/ind...showtopic=21580

Bet you can't get tickets on the first or second bend on the day! I know False dawn was a bit late booking his this year and he had to go on the 4th bend as they were sold out.

Tickets for the best seats and the first/second bend are likely to sell pretty quickly so if that's where you plan to be then I wouldn't wait very long before ordering.

Since when has Wales been so big?! We will be on holiday the week before Cardiff now the date has changed, but I wasn't too concerned because I thought at least we are already in Wales rather than Cornwall or Scotland. However, now I've checked on the AA route finder from Abergele to Cardiff is 215 miles. We have almost got to come back home again to pick up the M6 (Stoke on Trent) and M5 (Birmingham). Surely there is a quicker way than this?

But have you seen any of the G.P's from Cardiff on Sky? "Proper" track or not there was some terrific racing this year and in 2004. (I can't remember any further back than that!)

How much have they gone up overall? The £27 tickets are now £29 so that's not too bad - just a £2 rise.

I'm not really a happy bunny either at the change from the second Saturday in June to the week before. We will be on holiday in North Wales that week so the problem now is what do we do with the pup? Jemma always comes to Cardiff with us for the weekend so that's no problem, but the plans were to leave Molly with my daughter. That idea has all gone to pot now. Anyone know of a good kennels in Cardiff?

Ordered ours now and have had a similar thing happen. Just one seat away from where we were this year. Great news! Only £13 each too. (There is something to be said for getting older.) Just got to sort the pup out now as we will already be on holiday in North Wales that week. It wasn't in our plans to have her with us, but unfortunately moving the date a week back has put a spanner in the works.

And not forgetting Simon Wigg with his very distictive lime green leathers.

Photo of Jack Winstanley - with Charlie Barsby another Leicester favourite - taken at the reunion last November. http://community.webshots.com/photo/246145...450617580MjXmrK

Bit annoying that. We can all see his sponsor's name without him keep pointing at it every time the camera crew comes near him. I can't remember any other rider continually doing this. Mind you at least he sees them coming most of the time. Obviously not when Sophie Blake headed his way for an interview recently, which had to be delayed because he was too busy picking his nose.

What no Coventry where G.P's have been successfully held before? Peterborough would be no good unless you can get in the grandstand. Have you never been to the old Four Team Cup Finals when it was really popular? Viewing from the back straight was awful unless you could get right near the front.

Subedei you don't have to keep this up any longer. Steve Shovlar is back now to take over his spot again of number one wind up merchant. Personally I thought it was a brilliant G.P. with passing in nearly all of the races. Great stuff.