Bryn

Gotta ask Superbart, who EXACTLY did you play the Ivor Bigun track for???? (Stand by for several forum members claiming it was for them!!! )

My prediction for next weekend in Cardiff is a cast iron certainty to come true and it is that, over the course of the weekend, many, many people who have travelled from far and wide will all utter those immortal words, "my head hurts!"

I've been racking my brain (I do have one believe it or not!), so too has my mate Steve who was the driving force behind the Crayford Speedway Supporters Club for years, as to who a certain rider is in the Crayford photos on the Retro Speedway site. Can anyone put us out of our misery? Go to: http://retro-speedway.com/extras/autogalle...ders%2FCrayford page 3, sandwiched between Pete Thorogood and Pete Wigley on the second line - (76-2) - anyone got any ideas? Steve & I would point out incidentally that on page 1, in the photo next to Brad Dowsett on the bottom line, the rider on the left is Colin Archer and not Richard Davey.

Now now Trackman! How on earth was I supposed to know that some inconsiderate so and so had put a flippin sandbank in the middle of a wide, wide river thing!

His concept? Mmmm I'm not so sure! I was at the Press conference when the FIM officials announced the intention to switch from a one off World Final to a GP series the following year (as it happens there was a further year's delay so I attended the TWO 'last ever' World Finals!) and Ole was at that press conference along with a Danish TV crew and was a vociferous opponent, judging by his questions, of the proposed change in system.

Latest Update on Andreas Jonsson: Re: Andreas - have received following info from my contacts at Lakeside; "I've had another call from Jon (Cook) . He has now spoken to a member of AJ's pit crew at the stadium via Chris Louis' mobile. The initial problem appears to have been to AJ's lower back. The good news is that the initial x-rays show no break but severe bruising. At this stage we have no idea how long AJ is likely to be out of action but he is not expected to ride in the next few days."

Ut oh Steve - you've been on the booze again eh?

All being well spiderweb, I'll be there!!! Got a spare deckchair? And the can of Bundy would go down a treat too!

No worries Trackman, BFD and all my mates in Oz - I intend to be over for 3 months later this year - had enough of this freezing cold weather! And to any Aussies coming over here this year - try and buy yourself a set of longjohns!!!

Courtesy of Mick Holder: Meeting report The Bob Sharp Trophy held by the NSWSSR club at Nepean speedway,castlereagh,saturday 3rd may 2008, Held on a well prepared track and clear blue skies the meeting was a cracker,coffs harbour rider Hugh Skidmore rode a blinder in the final to take out the title for 2008.The diminutive young rider didn't make the start in the final but rode a very smart and calculated race to pounce on the 3rd lap to take a very deserving win,this would be hughie's first big win of his career .Top pointscorer after the heats was richard sweetman 14pts,who dropped his only point to comeback kid kurt sheilds, joining him in the final was mildura's justin sedgman 12pts,then hughie skidmore also on 12 pts and the surprise packet in kurt sheilds 11pts. As the tapes rose in the final it was justin sedgman who jumped out of the start to lead a tight first corner from hughie,kurt and sweetman all very close in pursuit, positions stayed that way until the second lap when sweetman started to find the lines to squeeze past hughie and then start to line up justin who was doing a good job up front not knowing what was happening behind him,into the 3rd lap and sweetman made a big outside move on the pit corner only to find skidmore sneaking past to then challenge sedgman,going 3 wide down the back straight into the 3rd bend breaths were held as the 4 riders jostled for the lead,outstanding stuff!,as the riders crossed the line for the last lap skidmore drew alonside sedgman with sweetman on the outside,sheilds tucked in to take advantage of any mistake from the front 3,skidmore held his composure for the last lap as sweety tried everything to make a pass,unfortunalely he ran out of room and had to run off the track to avoid coming down,hughie punched the air as he took out the A final from justin sedgman and kurt shields. Arguably the best final held at the venue in years!! score chart; 1; R Wallace 0,2,1,3,2, = 8 2; R sweetman 3,3,3,3,2 = 14 4TH 3; R sedgman 1,3,EF,3,3,=10 4 J sedgman 2,3,1,3,3 = 12 2ND 5 A perks 3,3,0,1,1 = 11 6 T heffernan 2,1,2,EX,2 = 7 7 K sheilds 1,2,3,2,3 = 11 3RD 8 T platt 0,2,3,0,EX = 5 9 L Kinsella 0,0,1,1,0 = 2 10 H skidmore 3,2,2,2,3 = 12 WINNER 11 S masters 2,1,3,2,2 = 10 12 J anderson 1,1,2,1,dns.= 5 13 D north 2,1,0,1,1 = 5 14 J gurney 0,0,2,0,0 = 2 15 M penfold 3,0,1,2,1 = 7 16 M dyer 1,0,0,0,1 = 2 Junior 350 class 6 riders displayed control beyond their years in this class,times just a fraction slower than the senior boys. No less than 4 current Australian champions in alex davies,daniel begley,mason campton and 350 champ todd kurtz joining them were taylor poole and bryce johnson. Poole and Davies dominating the heats of the 6 rider format with Kurtz and begley,campton and johnson riding well. score chart; 1 B johnson 2,1,0,dns,= 3 2 M campton 3,3,2,1 = 9 3RD 3 D begley 1,2,1,2 = 6 4 T kurtz 1,1,2,2 = 6 5 T poole 3,2,3,3 =11 2ND 6 A davies 2,3,3,3 =11 WINNER Junior 125. 8 junior's rode on a difficult track with the final contested by M campton,J holder,T king and D cartwright,unluckiest rider on the day came in this class with poor ben russell taken to hospital with a suspected lower leg injury,the result of a simple slide down in the first corner and tangling with an oncoming rider,special mention also to sharnelle sipple who helped the fallen rider and to show she knows her stuff by signalling to the first aid in the correct manner and attending to the rider. score chart; 1 J holder 2,3,2,3 = 10 2ND 2 T king 3,dnf,1,2 = 6 3RD 3 M watson 1,1,1,1 = 4 4 S sipple 0,2,0,1 = 3 5 D cartwright dnf,1,2,3 = 5 WINNER 6 B russell 2,dns,F,dns 2 7 A davies 1,2,3,dns = 6 8 M campton 3,3,3,3 = 12 4TH (ef while leading final) Evolution Class Good numbers from the old boys in this class,some good racingand some spills also. Jack stevens and dave stevens saved the best till last with them both turning back the years to crash out of the final in the first corner ,unfortunately dave had to be taken to hospital to be checked for a shoulder injury,he was in good spirits as he was loaded into the ambo after the meeting,great to see an old face in the form of ex middlesborough bear rider dave edwards, who was grinning from ear to ear and having a ball ,he told the crowd it had been 12 years since the last time he rode,well done dave. score chart; 1 N brett 2,0,0,=2 2 D bennett ef,f,f = 0 3 D edwards 3,3,3 = 9 2ND 4 D clifton 1,2,3 = 6 5 L white 1,2,1 = 4 WINNER 6 J stevens 2,3,3 = 8 F/ex 7 D stevens 3,3,2 = 8 F/ex 8 B hojberg 0,1,2 = 5 9 A burns 2,2,1 = 5 10 D elliot ef,1,0 = 1 11 D burns 3,1,2 = 6 12 M carscadden 1,0,1 = 2 Thanks to all the volunteer's and officials and helpers that made the day a great day, Sharpie would be proud .Sharpie was instrumental in the careers of many leading riders by running meetings at Appin s/way in the late 80's and early 90's riders including boyce,wiltshire,colquhoun,primmer to name a few next meeting scheduled for 3 June (tbc) check website for details www,centralcoastspeedway.com.au "keep ya wheels in line till next time"

Spain is not the sort of place I would choose for a holiday destination nowadays John, did all that in my youth plus Tenerife! Obviously the Spanish Rhonda region, given its apparent beauty and charm was named after God's own part of South Wales!

Quick question Mr Hyam sir - where's the Rhonda region? Do you, perchance, mean the RHONDDA region in South Wales where many famous people have begun life? Plus me!

Have you never bothered to get Russell's phone number then John?

From memory (and at MY age, IOW, Poole, Swindon & Arena this week and this time in the morn you'll realise that said memory is not THAT great Parsnips old fruit!) I seem to remember Kerry was an Aussie who tried his luck over here. Bryn

Johno's testi's gonna be great - especially if you lot bring Bundy Sedgy! Same thing applies to a certain 'speedway dad' - I take it that he's coming too? As for the Aussie title, will certainly be interestin to see what happens now IF DP has said "no way Jose!" when it comes to Gilly!

Having seen and spoken to Russell on Sunday when he rode in the STRA meeting at King's Lynn, I can tell everyone that he's now back in Spain and he tells me that the project is NOT dead but much depends on the outcome of various meetings which, apparently, are taking place today.

Perhaps Parsnips old fruit, Terry didn't say anything at that final meeting of 1983 because nothing was set in stone at that point both in terms of the future of Crayford Stadium, and thus racing there, and indeed the intentions of the then Hackney promotion in terms of 1984? However I take it you heard what he, and I together with the CSSC Committee had to say at the meeting of Crayford supporters held on December 15th 1983? Note: Don't believe for a moment that I could have researched that info I've just given you about the meeting held for Crayford fans - but I "know a man who can" - and DID!

Crayford Kestrels fans will be sad to learn of the recent passing of Pete Bussey at the age of 78. Pete, employed by the stadium as the electician I think I'm right in saying although my memory may be playing tricks, was an avid fan of the speedway and did much behind the scenes to assist the speedway club. My condolences to his widow Chris, his family and friends. R.I.P. Pete

Doesn't Steve pay for drinks????

Yes indeed sad news indeed - RIP CJH.

Re Canterbury.... And it did Chris G (rest his soul!) too KevH as I and my ex-missus can categorically confirm considering his state when we took him in to give him shelter for a considerable period in the name of sincere friendship. And re Hackney... Money!

Well in that case Shazzy, all I can say is that you are a better man (or in your case woman!) than I am Gunga Din! Can you honestly remember it word for word though? Or just Chris saying words to the effect that "I've tried but that's it!" ????

YOU brought the subject up 25 years on - weren't you expecting a response then? And having just re-read your original posting that prompted all this, I must say I'm tremendously impressed that, nigh on 25 years on, you can STILL remember what Terry Russell said on the centre green mic at Crayford's last meeting - blowed if I can! But just HOW were we supposed to tell you "ordinary punters" given lines of communication that existed a quarter of a century ago? I cannot be certain but I feel fairly sure that we DID call and hold a meeting of the Crayford Supporters Club members to explain what was happening. Invitations would, of course, had have to been posted out to members in those days. Maybe we do, maybe we don't "fail to recognise etc" BUT with lines of communications such as they are nowadays getting information to supporters is a doddle compared to 1983 and I fail to see why in any event that anyone who attends Speedway (Including the likes of you and I Parsnips!) SHOULD be "privy to a level of knowledge about the various machinations around the sport." Some they / you & I SHOULD BE, some we shouldn't and I know of NO business where it's customers, or indeed all of it's employees know EVERYTHING about the business - even Housing Associations! Assuming you have members of staff working under your direction, can you honestly say you tell ALL of them EVERYTHING???? Maybe the percentage you refer to IS higher, maybe it isn't - who knows! And let's be perfectly honest here and ignoring the likes of us who come onto forums such as these (and I'm not decrying us for doing so!) isn't it fair to say that the VAST MAJORITY of folk who attend speedway meetings up and down this country do NOT frequent such forums but go along to their local track for an exciting night of racing whilst, at the same time, hoping their team will win?

He told the supporters club but don't expect me to give you the flipping definitive date he did so Parsnips (and I do apologise for not being able to and, as a certain quizmaster used to say, "I mean that most sincerely folks!") because, alas my memory is not up to recalling such detailed information nigh on a quarter of a century down the line! It's my age ya know! Having told us on that date my memory is not up to remembering we (I think but I can't be sure!) immediately announced it on the club's website and through various other internet outlets - oh NO wait a minute, the internet wasn't with us in 1983 was it apart from, possibly, in Government secret bunkers? My hazy recollection 25 years on is that we told the local newspaper which, as I recall (but again can't be certain!) was the Erith & Crayford Observer - presumably you didn't get that where you lived? If I'd have known, I'd have rung you! Might have helped I suppose if I'd known you back then too. I also recall going over to Waterden Road in the close season with my fellow members of the Crayford Speedway Supporters Association Committee (blimey who remembers the Wheeltappers and Shunters?????) for a meeting with dear old Snowy Beattie and the Hackney Supporters Committee at which we exchanged ideas and details as to just how we raised funds etc, and formulated plans for what we were going to do in that direction in the exciting season ahead and to stage some sort of meeting prior to the season to formulate a new committee.

Oh deary deary me Parsnips matey so you've turned your attention to Terry Russell now eh? FACT: Ladbrokes had done / did a deal regarding the site FACT: There was soon erected a Sainsburys Supermarket and a MUCH smaller stadium not big enough for speedway. FACT: Len Silver wanted to concentrate / was concentrating on getting the now highly successful SILVERSKI HOLIDAYS off the ground SOLUTION EFFECTED.