norbold

Yes, I agree. I always remember Harry as a heat leader - a top class one at that. Very sad news. Condolences to family and friends.

Crickey! Do the French know?

I've just remembered another track I have visited. Back in 2003, I was shown round Rosebank Speedway in Auckland by Bob Andrews, he says name-droppingly.

Did you ever see Christer Lofqvist?

I haven't really commented on the substance of this topic, nor answered the original question, so here goes.... I was, of course, brought up in the era of The Big Five and have followed speedway ever since. I have to admit I did lose interest in the 80s and 90s, though I still managed to get along to some meetings at Ipswich and followed the sport in the Speedway Star, so what I have to say, may be a bit unfair on that era. But, I do feel that speedway lost its way a bit during that period, which is maybe why I lost interest. I think there is no doubt that the Grand Prix revived a flagging sport and gave it back some oomph. There is also no doubt that the old one-off finals at Wembley were magical occasions and the atmosphere was just incredible. 80,000 fans at Wembley couldn’t help but create such an atmosphere. But there was no way that would have been sustained through the 80s and 90s, even if Wembley was still the venue. The sport really needed a big change if it was going to survive. That change came about with the Grand Prix and I absolutely agree with those that say that it is a much fairer way of finding the best rider in the world over a whole season. Of course, there have been times, as I mentioned above, when some riders have been unlucky with injury and maybe should have won, Jason Doyle and Leon Madsen to name two, not to mention running out of fuel like Jason Crump! But I agree that was far more likely to happen under the old one-off than in a whole series. As for the riders themselves, as others have said, I always think it difficult to pitch different era riders against each other. No-one would question that watching riders like Zmarzlik, Doyle, Sayfutdinov, Lindgren, Pedersen and yes, Gollob (let’s not forget him) is what speedway is all about and why we love it. But so was watching riders like Briggs, Fundin, Craven, Harrfeldt, Lofqvist and others from the 60s era, who were no less thrilling and spectacular. Speedway has always had its thrill merchants. Of course I never saw them but when you read about the exploits of the likes of Vic Huxley, Billy Lamont, Tom Farndon, George Newton from before the War, this has always been the case (as an example, click on my avatar photo of Lamont and Huxley!). So, to sum up, I do think the introduction of the Grand Prix was the right thing to do at the right time, but I do not agree that it has produced more thrilling and spectacular riders. They have always been around.

Absolutely correct, ktl, but then if you can't make a judgemental comparison, why say, "Zmarzlik is incredible to watch, a hundred times more spectacular than Mauger, Briggs, Olsen and many others put together and he pulls off moves you would never have see any of those afore mentioned riders make"? I saw Craven ride many times so I feel well qualified to make that comparison.

Quite, Sidney. Not to mention Peter Craven - you could hardly accuse him of not being spectacular. And then there were the likes of Sverre Harrfeldt and Christer Lofqvist. Each generation has had its share of thrill makers, going right back to 'Cyclone' Billy Lamont, whose on-track antics earned him the nickname, "The Man With a Month to Live!"

Mornington Crescent.

Jason Doyle 2016, Leon Madsen 2019.

The only track I've visited but not seen speedway at was Esbjerg in Denmark. Back in 1971, I went on the Wimbledon Supporters' Coach (don't ask!) to see the World Final, held in Gothenburg that year. We took the boat from Harwich to Esbjerg and as the coach left Esbjerg, we stopped off to have a look at Esbjerg Stadium. While there, I picked up a programme that I just found lying on the ground. When we got back to the coach, I passed it round for people to see - I never got it back! It is the only speedway programme I once had that I no longer have.

And here we are again. 86 years today.

Yes, there is a whole series of books by Peter Jackson, which give full statistics for the years 1933 - 1957, including all riders' averages (home, away and total), based on conversion to cma. They are a goldmine of information!

Speedway, the Pre-War Years by Robert Bamford.

There were also a few occasions in 1960 when we tracked six world finalists, including a four times World Champion!

We're the same age, Split!

Dick Case and Billy Lamont, Wimbledon 1932. Norman Lindsay and Ray Duggan, Harringay 1947.

Jack Young actually beat Moore, Knutson, Briggs and Craven in the Tom Farndon Trophy while the week before he had won the King of the South Cup, also at New Cross, beating Fundin, Moore and Briggs. So, in the course of those two weeks he beat every one of the "Big Five", some more than once! I was at both meetings and have always felt very privileged to have seen Youngie as he must have been at his best in the early 50s.

1963 was a bad year for New Cross; the crowds were small and the atmosphere nothing like it had been. In 1960 and 1961 the atmosphere was great. I don't want to upset chr too much, but I think the atmosphere at New Cross was better than West Ham. Being such a small stadium with the crowds more compact into a smaller area made it one of the best. I think the problem with 1963 was that the New Cross crowds were used to seeing the best. They had always been a "First Division" team and, good as the likes of Jimmy Squibb and Reg Reeves were, they weren't Barry Briggs, Ronnie Moore and Ove Fundin. What made matters even worse was the early injury to Reg Reeves, leaving New Cross as a candidate for bottom of the league - the second league at that! - as they lost 12 out of 14 matches. The crowds drifted away and even those that were left couldn't get very enthusiastic.

I got to Cradley once, the night West Ham won the League (and treble) there in 1965. A great night! Actually, it's another of my college stories....As I said earlier, I was at college in Norwich in 1965, and I really wanted to get to Cradley to see West Ham win the League, so I rounded up three friends, who had never been to speedway before, and we hired a car to drive across to Cradley. After getting lost in Halesowen, we finally made it. When we got there I joined the group of West Ham fans who had come up by coach. After the meeting, I celebrated with the Hammers' fans and decided to go back on the coach to London with them to continue the celebrations. My college friends slept the night in the car. Fortunately one of them could drive as well, so they drove back to Norwich the next morning.

Yes, there was stadium of sorts there and they certainly charged admission - 6d.

You can still see the outline of the track and the banking at the granddaddy of them all - High Beech.

The long and the short of it as you might say…..

You were saying…..?

Norwich, Crystal Palace, Walthamstow, Greenford and Clapton (Lea Bridge). A story about my never going to Norwich. I left school in 1965 and went to Teacher Training College in Norwich. Although I left school in 1965, I'd had to apply for college in 1964, so I applied for Norwich specially so i would be able to go to speedway there. Sadly as we know, Norwich closed at the end of 1964, so I was to remain speedwayless - though I did get along to King's Lynn once!

I guess the referee operates the tapes doesn't he? I don't think anyone has said any different…..