Bryn

Love him or hate him Nicki Pedersen is quite a guy for he has tweeted the following this morning as well as a photo of the two of them together: 4m4 minutes ago #FlashbackFriday. I have just today named my new engine after my missed friend #RICO Super Gesture Nicki!

FIRST RACEDAY WEATHER CHECK: 8.45 am and day has dawned cloudy but dry with no hint of lain and none forecast to arrive today by the Met Office. In fact they reckon the cloud will burn off by later this afternoon, temperatures will rise to 10c (what's that in Fahrenheit?) and will stay at that level to around midnight so likely you won't need your thermal underwear! So come on down, up or across to the home of the Vortex Lakeside action and let's Remember Rico! Full details of meeting at: http://www.lakesidehammers.com/

Want me to arrange it?

A total of 25 races for attendees to enjoy including the track return of Kelvin Tatum in Friday's meeting dedicated to the memory of a great rider and damn good bloke! Hope to see you there for a meeting from which all profits will go to Lee's family. For further details and advance ticket sales go to: http://www.lakesidehammers.com/ I hope to see you there!

Thanks for that - very interesting comments.

Fair enough you have your opinion to which you're perfectly entitled - what's your personal view on all British tracks you've been to? I, and perhaps others, would be interested to hear.

I doubt it but the likes of Greg Hancock, Billy Hamill, Brian Karger, Bo Petersen, Leigh Adams, Kelvin Tatum, Lee Richardson (RIP), Tomas Topinka, Tony Rickardsson, Adam Shields, Peter Karlsson, many Polish riders (e.g. Seb Ulamek, Piotr Swiderski) and so very many more had no problem riding it over the years - are they wrong and you right?

It's a track that's there to be ridden as all tracks are and those riders who climb to the top adapt to all shapes and sizes imo.

Speedway whether it be training schools, practice, development league, NL, PL, EL, Individual meetings whatever - just speedway as a whole!

An old saying is 'no news is good news' and that may well be the case here. The official website looks good and has everything you'd expect thereon courtesy of the website manager, I'm not sure what Jayne & Richard farm but if they've got any sheep they might be a tad busy right now eh? And there's the 'school runs' etc., etc to squeeze in too! The club does have a press officer, and a good one but I found out through a branch of the 'social media' this morning that he had been considerably held up en route to a 'day job' appointment by a glorious M6 traffic jam! Believe me I'm not having a dig at you personally but things are not always straightforward especially in a role as a speedway club's press officer having voluntarily undertaken the role (amongst others!) at all manner of clubs through the years - and I wouldn't change a thing! I hope this posting can at least explain some of the problems faced and I haven't even mentioned dreaded print deadlines!

Perhaps all the admin team are currently at work / attending to other matters SS?

I'm not going to get into any 'backwards and forwards' postings with yourself over this JH, my feeling is that it would have helped if you'd quoted the full sentence referred to in your posting above.

The impression you are frequently giving to myself and maybe others JH, be it right or wrong, is that you appear to attempt to take any suitable opportunity that you can to denigrate the BSF and those who post thereon. As I said that may not be your intention but it's the way it appears to myself and, maybe, others. Let's face it nobody's perfect and never has been!

There are four other meetings around the country that night, e.g. King's Lynn v Poole, which I don't need to tell you rules out any involved in those events plus meetings that night in Poland. I'm sure Rosco & crew will put together as good a field as they can and have already named a dozen haven't they?

Hope to get to both meetings you're going to Mjolnir and most certainly will be at Lee's. The other two depend upon me being able to obtain lifts to & from Dartford area in exchange for suitable fuel contribution and (I hope!) providing some lively chat!

Alas can't get to Swindon today as am back home after four day stay in hospital thanks to flu bug not covered by flu jab I had! Anyone out there I'm likely to see in next few weeks (at Lakeside, Kent, Rye H etc.,) going to meeting able to buy me a prog please and I'll reimburse you cost when I see you? Meanwhile good luck to all taking part and to "magic' Mason & Benji Compton as they complete their 300 mile pedal ride in aid of Ricky Ashworth. Thanks. Am sorted on the meeting prog front (thanks CB!) so now hope all goes well at the meeting itself this afternoon.

Kelvin Tatum will be making a track return in this meeting. http://www.lakesidehammers.com/

Are you?

No perhaps about it TWK. Thanks Rob & Norbold, - I thought it was '88 as it followed on from first meeting on the tape which was Hackney's win at Long Eaton that year. Back to Coventry and Ove was indeed there and winning the "Fabulous Fifties" section whilst the 123 in the 'Swinging Sixties' were: 1. PC 2. Anders Michanek 3. Terry Betts. I'm going to enjoy transferring my 320+ videos (have done a whole 15 so far!) to DVD and have already transferred tapes featuring action from several much missed former circuits including Hackney, Long Eaton, Canterbury, Newport, Wimbledon, St Austell, Exeter, Milton Keynes and footage of myself featuring a fair bit on the Crashes and Cock Ups tape of '95 although I can confirm I didn't crash once! And that tape also included a current promoter and others having a whole lot of fun with a supply of bubblebath!

Blowed if, despite being there with thousands of others, I can remember the year The Golden Age of Speedway meeting was staged at Coventry and would really appreciate learning it as am currently watching the video that has no commentary other than Dave Lanning's over the PA. Amongst others (!) racing that day were: Terry Betts, Ray Wilson, Norman Hunter, JL, Ken McKinlay, Sandor Levai, Anders Michanek, PC, Briggo, Ivan, Freddie Williams and, of course, Bert!

Strewth Mimmo as my Aussie mates would say, Main Man hasn't given any details of likely dates for rained off meetings anywhere!

Going off-tangent for a moment, I personally have always respected the honesty and absolute integrity of speedway magazines. To give you a prime example, whilst sorting my hoarded stock I came across a normally weekly publication from years back (The Speedway Star cost 70p and the Speedway Mail International 60p!) in which on this particular occasion the editorial content began thus: "Another gap in our appearance last week I'm afraid - that was simply down to me as I fell akip on the settee again and didn't wake up in time to type the XXXXXXXXX! A poor excuse I know but it'll have to do!" Hopefully that'll put a smile on people's faces!

Moan?

Posted plenty on Facebook including congratulating your lot - through gritted teeth of course!

Why did my Celtic ancestors not do more to repel you Romans, Saxons, Vikings etc., and leave you to get on with things when you invaded? Let's face it you've made a right mess of things!