norbold

A six month ban? let me see...September, October, November, December, January, February....oh finishes just in time for the start of the next season. Fancy!

According to Twitter there are "some legal concerns". No idea what they are.

Can't wait till we get to 1955 to 1964 and 1965 to 1974....

What he tweeted was, "@oakes_pe: So we'll have to wait until next week at earliest for any FIM news on @D_Dublu_racing" Note: "at earliest"

It's a bit worrying that the editor of a national journal - albeit a sporting one - doesn't know that, Humphrey. Anyway, I think the major powers we need to bring back is the right to have curved cucumbers if we want them.

Ron Johnston has sadly just died. A great rider and such a friendly and helpful man. I contacted him several times over the years to ask for information or his personal memories. He was always very patient and helpful, spending a lot of time giving me full answers and also sent me some photographs. He will be very sadly missed.

And what was wrong with West Ham?

Whilst on the subject of birthdays...today (28 July) is the 86th anniversary of the opening of Belle Vue and West Ham

We all have our little foibles....

Happy 91st birthday to Split Waterman. Captain of my team, New Cross, in the first race I ever saw back in 1960. Twice runner-up in the World Championship and British Match Race Champion. One of the all-time greats of speedway.

I agree with lucifer and falcace. I saw speedway at the old Wembley stadium many times from league matches to world finals and there was something really really special about the atmosphere from arriving at Wembley Park Underground Station right through to waiting on the platform for the return journey. It was like no other stadium I've ever been to - and I've been to a few! BUT....the new Wembley Stadium and its environs are not a patch on the old Wembley. I went there for the Olympic Games football and, actually, not only was the atmosphere gone, I found the whole thing a fairly unpleasant experience which I really wouldn't want to repeat. I used to be a great advocate for bringing the British Grand Prix back to Wembley, but not any more. The Millennium Stadium knocks spots off the new Wembley. It would be a big mistake I think to move it back....not that there is the slightest chance of it happening anyway.

Thank you for buying a number of my books, iris, I am very grateful.

My first Internationale was 1961 at Harringay...but I can't remember what the queues were like.

Vegemite apparently. According to a tweet by Chris Holder.

Well yes, it's definitely a moot point what to call the 1947 & 48 finals. Certainly the 1948 final included one non-British rider, even if you include Australians and Canadians as British, and that was the American, Wilbur Lamoreaux. If he'd won, would he still be counted as a British champion? In some ways, I always feel that to lump them in with the British Finals undervalues them a bit as they were really the equivalent of the World Final at the time. However, I wouldn't die in a ditch over it!

The "stand-in" World Final in 1946 was called The British Speedway Riders' Speedway Championship, but in 1947 and 1948 it was simply called "The Speedway Riders' Championship", so technically not British Championships. Going right back to 1929, there was, of course, the British Section of the Star Riders' Championship, won by Roger Frogley, so I suppose that he could be called the first British Champion.

Er.............

Ove Fundin won the 1961 Internationale at Harringay. Sorry, Hunters.

Hunters, I don't wish to spoil your happy memories but Craven beat Ronnie Moore in the 1961 Internationale final at Harringay. Heat 13.

I saw him a few times in league matches and big events and would agree absolutely with Wessex Wanderer's view. It's exactly what I would have said.

Did you ever see him on television, Gem? If you did you will know why he was on radio!

Anyone know anything about Harolds Cross Park? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvYgfz53OMg

Rickardsson won the World Championship whilst an Ipswich rider.

Tomasz Gollob? Tony Rickardsson? Mark Loram? Savalas Clouting?

Yes, I did. :-)