Gemini

I'm keeping out of this one after getting my Johnnies mixed up. :roll: I do remember Charlie Monk riding though - think it was for one of the Scottish clubs, probably Glasgow. Rode over here for a number of years and very successfully too. I'll leave all the statistics to someone more intelligent than me, who still have some working brain cells left. :?

Thanks moxey63. Obviously that's who I was thinking of who rode for Leicester. (Same initials anyway. ;-) ) I'm sure he was quite small as well, but not as short as Johnny Chamberlain. I have got a programme somewhere with his picture on the front so I will have to try and find it.

Hard to just choose seven (No cheating at the top there! ) Mine would be - Peter Craven Ove Fundin Ken McKinlay Bruce Penhall Kenny Carter Erik Gundersen Kelly Moran.

He didn't ride for Leicester then? :-( Perhaps I was thinking of Johnnie Carpenter, but I do remember him and that he was the smallest rider around at the time (or perhaps ever.)

That name rings a distant bell from way back. :? Would it be the same Johnny Chamberlain who rode for Leicester Hunters in the early 1950's? Our best bet for finding out is our friend Norbold so watch this space.

All good ideas Sandman. I don't care what they do as long as they don't use a webcam on the rider's helmet. Waste of time in my opinion. There you go - that's only 3 lines but I don't think there is a limit.

Taking absolutely nothing away from his exploits on the ice, he was a bit of a disappointment at Briggo's Extreme Races last year. There was a big build up for his attempt on the track record at Brandon, but he had problems getting round and the time for his first race was 63.9. After putting more spikes on his wheels, his second ride produced a time of 61.9 which is about the same for conventional Speedway, give or take a second or two. Incidentally the all time Coventry four lap record is held by ex-World Ice Speedway Champion Alexander Balashov, who zipped round the 303 metre circuit in just 55 seconds five years ago. Tony Rickardsson holds the Speedway track record - at 58.9 seconds on 27th July 2002.

The best things have already been mentioned, touching the tapes rule, air fences, dirt deflectors, cut outs, etc., but the riders themselves look so much better these days with all the colourful kevlars and team suits. Most riders years ago just wore black leathers, with a few notable exceptions like The White Ghost, Red Devil, Little Boy Blue which made them stand out from the rest. Sandman...Don't worry about messing up the quotes. You will soon get used to everything. Welcome to the forum. You have done some very interesting postings so far. Well done.

And a very nice place it is too. Stayed at Alnwick last year so did quite a bit of touring round Northumberland, even made it to Edinburgh and Newcastle as well as Berwick.False dawn.....You'll have to excuse Nora Batty, poor old gal, because her life just revolves around a ten mile radius of Newcastle.

Bong!!

I read just about everything Shazzy. It's surprising how some topics unfold. Don't want to miss anything....

Have just tried www.re-runvideos.co.uk and it seems to be the correct one. Not been updated since last September though so I don't know what your chances are.

Make 'em all come to Coventry sometime before June 14th, Fd. That's one way to keep the attendance up at Brandon.

Yes, don't worry Addict. Fd received our tickets today but has been otherwise engaged at the Training Track so not sorted them out yet.

All over the place by the sounds of it Matt., but there are twenty of us on the first bend as Fd. ordered our tickets together.

There's just one little problem with that Joanne - I haven't got a photo of him so I won't be able to recognise him. :-( I will have to rely on him finding me I think. :?

Gemini only ever vaguely remembers anyone - that's why she keeps taking photographs of everyone she meets. :? I can vouch for Matty Wigs, Joanne, he's very nice. Tall, dark and handsome too. Have met him twice now (I think.)

Look what you've started now Fd! :? Go on - translate that for us. :twisted:

That's a shame, but never mind she will just have to stay in the bag all the time out of your way. After Aussie she is a dab hand at doing that. She only nearly got caught on camera once and that was Joanne's fault for spilling a drink on top of her head. :roll:

Hope he likes dogs.

Joanne - try a bit of something mixed with arsenic.

I'll let you off because it was late and you must have been tired.

Look you two, it's no good I'm going to have to step in here!21st CH....Joanne is a happily married mother of two teenagers who are not Speedway fans and neither is her husband. Joanne...he sounds a great guy. I mean anyone who goes to Wolverhampton every week just to support the visiting team has got to be okay. She's going on her own, you're reluctant to go on your own so can't the two of you get together (in the nicest possible way) just for this meeting? I've met Joanne several times and she is very nice and definitely won't bite. I just think she has got tremendous guts going to these meetings on her own, although Pawprint is always available of course if she wants to do a spot of smuggling again.

IF, and it is a very big if, Leicester ever returned I'm sure I would enjoy supporting them and the Bees as well. I was talking to someone at the Show yesterday who is (or perhaps was now!) a member of the group trying to get Leicester back and he says it will never happen. :-( To answer your question though - years ago I used to go to Coventry and Long Eaton on a poxy Honda 50 so I'm sure I could manage it now in the comfort of a nice car on these new fangled things called motorways. (I love motorways.) Kevin..Clever answer.

I very much doubt it with the council not on the side of Speedway. There is more chance of Long Eaton returning. I'd be a bit worried about your son using an ex Graham Plant bike as well as his machinery was always rubbish. Showed so much potential when he first started - shame he never seemed to really achieve a great deal. My husband always reckoned he would be a World Champion one day.