norbold

I used to walk to Earlsfield station and get the train up to London from there.

Didn't we have Ronnie for 1954 and 55?

Homes of British Speedway is wrong. I have spoken to a number of people involved in the change. I spent a day with Mike Broadbank while researching my book and he filled me in on a great amount of detail regarding the two changes. Him and his father built both tracks. As I said, it is all in my book. His story was corroborated by Pete Sampson and Tommy Sweetman, both of whom were involved at the time as well.

Yes, I agree. I think there is no doubt that Ove was the best throughout the years 1956-63, but it's just impossible to think of him winning it every year. As has been said before, bad refereeing decisions, injury, engine failures could mean enough to lose it especially if Briggo was breathing down his neck say in 1958. But, if I had to go with a backwards prediction it would be Ove all 8 years.

Yes.

I do think iris has a point we shouldn't overlook in all this. If the GPs were held all over Europe like they are today, Igor Plechanov must have had a good chance in the early 60s as well. Maybe he would have won 1962! I also think that Bjorn Knutson would have done better under the GP system than he did under the one-off as he was very a nervous sort and didn't give of his best on the big night. Maybe under a GP system this wouldn't have happened.

They moved to the present track in 1960, not 1958. Briefly what happened was: In 1958, the new owner of Rye House, Les Lawrence, was really only interested in greyhound racing so he closed the speedway down. A number of Rye House supporters got together and contacted their former hero, Mike Broadbank, to ask him if he would speak to Mr Lawrence about retaining speedway at Rye House. Broadbank agreed and approached Lawrence saying that if he could give him a piece of land elsewhere within the Rye House grounds he would be prepared to build a new track himself at no cost to the new owner. Lawrence showed Broadbank a very marshy field at the back of the greyhound track and said he was prepared to give it to him for nothing if he felt he could make something of it. Broadbank, together with his father, Alf, looked at the field and agreed to take it. So a new track was built and racing took place there. At the end of 1959, Lawrence sold the speedway track to an organisation who wished to use the area for a Go-Kart track but he had been so impressed with the work put in by Broadbank and the level of support the speedway was bringing in that he asked Broadbank if he would like to move the track back to the main stadium, only inside rather than outside the greyhound track. Which is what happened. The full story is in "70 Years of Rye House Speedway" by...er...er...forgotten his name.

The best guide we have would be the early World Team Cups I suppose. 1960 Goeteborg S won by Sweden 1961 Wroclaw PL won by Poland 1962 Slany CZ won by Sweden 1963 Vienna A won by Sweden 1964 Abensberg D won by Sweden 1965 Kempten D won by Poland 1966 Wroclaw PL won by Poland So Ove was able to lead his team to victory in Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Germany. So Mmaybe if the GPs had been spread around he wouldn't have done so badly either.

Briggo maybe.

May I ask your rationale for this?

Yes, Ove would have beaten all of them...except our Tom of course.

Where's Star Ghost?

If you're going by the Speedway Star rankings I think that means it's all Ove Fundin from now on, apart from one Barry Briggs year. P.S. we could add 1928 when the Gold Helmet was the top prize, which was actually run along GP lines. In which case 1928 would be Frank Arthur as he won the Gold Helmet in 1928, even though he left for home in early September. (He also won the Gold Gauntlet, Silver Sash and Silver Helmet.)

The League averages for 1935 were: Bluey Wilkinson: 10.57 Dick Case: 10.12 Tom Farndon: 9.74 Max Grosskreutz: 9.69 It's a close call I'd say between the three Australians. I have just been doing a lot of work on 1935 for my Tom Farndon book and I think Bluey would have shaded it, but all three were in great form that year. It could have been an Australian clean sweep. Though interestingly, of course, it was Frank Charles who actually won the Star Championship that year. (12th in the averages with 8.70)

1929: Frank Arthur 1930-32: Vic Huxley 1933-1934: Tom Farndon 1935: (assuming Tom died before he got enough points): Bluey Wilkinson Lawson 51? Are you assuming Jack Young wouldn't have got in to the GP that year?

Very true! No doubt about it. Yes, I'd go along with Ronnie Moore for both years. 1960 was my first year at speedway and Ove Fundin was absolutely dominant that year. It was a big surprise to me when he needed a run-off to win the title. Of all the years Ove did or might have won the World Title, I'd say 1960 was his best. Try a different year for Peter, Rob!

Do you know why they are no longer considered official? I know that Bob Andrews and Ivan Mauger still personally count their win in 1969 as official.

Geoff Mardon made 2nd reserve in 1951. Going back to 1936 again, I think Lionel Van Praag has always received something of a bad press as maybe being an undeserving champion because of the fact that Bluey Wilkinson got a 15 point maximum on the night and also later because of Eric Langton's dubious story about the run-off. However, Van Praag was most definitely one of the leading riders and not an unworthy champion by any means, though, in fact, his best years were probably 1937-9. He was just coming good in 1936 and maybe, under a GP system, he wouldn't have scored enough in the early rounds to win the title. But he would have given the two Milnes and Wilkinson a run for their money in the subsequent three years. I fear that PC will not win a title...but let's not preempt the late 50s and early 60s just yet! P.S. Actually, it's an interesting point to consider when we discuss old style World Championship v. Grand Prix. Would Jack Young and Geoff Mardon have made the finals they did under the new system? It was all part of the old romance of the speedway.

Was he good enough in 1950? I agree. Undoubtedly. Poor Freddie Williams, he's just lost his two World titles! Test scores 1936 (for main contenders): 1st Test: Charles 13; Parker 12;Langton 12; Wilkinson 11; Van Praag 4 2nd Test: Charles 18; Van Praag 12; Parker 8; Wilkinson 7; Langton 0 3rd Test: Charles 16; Langton 13; Van Praag 11; Wilkinson 6; Parker 5 4th Test: Langton 15; Van Praag 15; Charles 13; Wilkinson 9; Parker 7 5th Test: Wilkinson 16; Van Praag 15; Charles 8; Langton 4; Parker 0 And the prize goes to...Frank Charles, England's top scorer in 4 out of the 5 Tests.

Jack Parker actually topped the averages for 1936 and, like Charles, George Newton and Van Praag went in to the final with 12 bonus points, one behind Eric Langton. Sadly he was injured and did not take part in the final. So, barring injuries, he would have to be another strong contender for 1936. Which is interesting seeing as we've given him 1946 and 1949 as well. My reason for going for Wilkinson though is that he was a class performer who rose to the occasion on the big nights, witness the final itself in which he was unbeatable but lost out on the bonus points. In my view if we'd had a GP system in place he would have ridden every round as though it was the final and would have scored more points. 1951 is an interesting one because if we are assuming that the current GP system would have been in place, it is highly unlikely that Jack Young would even have been in it as a Second Division rider!

Yes, I disagree. 1936 - Bluey Wilkinson.

1939, Cordy Milne I would think. His average that year was an incredible 11.29. He was top of the bonus points chart for the World Final and hot favourite to win. I'll go along with the general opinion for 1946-50, though I think Eric Langton would have run Jack Parker close in 1946. I also think Ron Johnson would have been in with a good chance.

Yes, but if he'd have been riding in the GP that year, he would have missed the meeting in which he got injured, so he'd have been ok. I think we should start at 1946. Otherwise we're in danger of doing Vic Duggan yet another injustice!

QUOTE (BOBBATH @ Sep 4 2009, 07:23 PM) 1937 should have been Cordy Milne-more consistent than Jack or Wilbur!!!!!!!!!! Jack was top of the averages in 1937 with an 11+ average. he was by far the best rider that year. I'd go for 1. Jack Milne 2. Bluey Wilkinson 3. Lionel Van Praag. League averages that year: 1. Jack Milne 11.09 2. Lionel Van Praag 10.53 3. Eric Langton 10.18 4. Bluey Wilkinson 10.13 5. Bill Kitchen 9.88 6. Jack Parker 9.81 7. Joe Abbott 9.49 8. Cordy Milne 9.38

According to Langton's version anyway, conveniently aired in public after Van Praag had died and couldn't refute it.