Bryn

I don't know if anyone on here is is contact with Seane BUT, just in case they are, please pass on my very best wishes to him for a swift, and very importantly FULL recovery.

It's 1.30am here - not long back. Congrats first and foremost to the top four. Good to hear all involved in crashes in practice / meeting okay... relatively speaking at least! More from me after some sleep! Bryn PS good to see the likes of Doyley, Wato, Mitch Shirra, James Birkinshaw, Craig Hyde, Phil & Lee Herne etc all their watching

Line up as far as I'm aware is as follows: Aaron Summers, Kozza Smith, Justin Sedgman, Tom Hedley, Richard Sweetman, Jake Anderson, Mitchell Davey, Michael Penfold, Hugh Skidmore, Darcy Ward, Sam Masters, Taylor Poole, Todd Kurtz, Ryan Sedgman, Alex Davies, Josh Grajczonek. Reserves: Rick Wallace & Ashley Cathcart. Some great young talent competing for the title - care to try and predict the 1,2,3?

I don't think Ladbrokes own(ed) that open land you refer too plus there would be the question of access to it as well.

We may well have David!

Oh dear Parsnips old fruit, does Dick know you swopped allegiance from the Crusaders to the Kestrels? Or haven't you been brave enough to tell him?

Yes indeed Pip (and my old mucker Parsnips too!)... Basically there's car parking for Sainsburys punters now where the turnstiles providing entrance to the old stadium were. The Sainsburys store (not that I've ever gone into it!) is situated in part of the old speedway parking area - over to your left as you entered from London Road turning left from the Dartford direction just after The Town Hall and Timpsons Coaches.

Good news indeed TMC that you are gradually getting the info you require and providing many memories for lots on this forum at the same time.

Looking at him I just can't believe that Tony Mac isn't old enough to know all these riders he's asking about! Mind you I did warn him that supporting West Ham (football NOT speedway!) would age him prematurely!!!

Tut! Tut! You never caught ME in a pub after matches at Canterbury Shazzy - I didn't have time!!!! For a long time I was one DJ in a mobile disco us four mates used to run called Mr. Toad's Music Show - NO I wasn't Mr. Toad!!!!! As - don't laugh - "The Welsh Wizzard," with Canterbury finishing soon after 8.30, I used to get the ex-missus mainly to run us down to Kingsmead and we'd watch the Saturday meeting. We'd then dash across to the Kempton Manor Hotel as it was then called on the A20 at Hothfield near Ashford, me changing into 'decent' gear including a dickybow tie en route whilst she drove our Morris Oxford at breakneck speed (OK as fast as it would flipping well go!) whilst I was so doing, so I could then do the disco for the good folk at the Kempton each Saturday who had enjoyed a meal in the Carvery Restaurant Bill & Jean, who had bought the place, had established. I'd have a beer when we got there!!! To explain, that became a "regular" Saturday night gig, other nights as well, so I volunteered to do it more often than not during the speedway season and we used our "small gear" (Our first ever set of disco gear) for that and our "big gear" (that which we subsequently got the great folk at Newham Audio to build) for other gigs i.e. dance halls, weddings, birthday parties, speedway supporters club dances etc etc., that, if I was at the Kempton, either one of the two others who DJ'd, Mr. Toad himself (John who was short in stature and similarly arms and legs, chubby bodied if you get my drift earning him his "Mr. Toad" nickname and "Smoothy Groovy Gorgeous Geoffrey" - Don't blame ME for the names!) would do the other gig - happy memories indeed.

YOU???? In a pub Shazzy????? Surely not?!!!!!

Leigh certainly was awesome in racing to his tenth Australian national title and not all those 18 straight race wins were achieved from the gate - far from it in fact. I thoroughly enjoyed all three meetings although was disappointed that Arnie G didn't buy me a Dark 'n Stormy!

Be thankful! 9 hour drive tomorrow, 5 hour one Wednesday to complete and get to Mildura! Mind you we are going to the Barrossa too!

Wednesday at Mildura, Saturday at Gillman (Adelaide). Coming?

He certainly was awesome for Crayford "CB" - and earned the nickname of "The Train."

Ah but will there be the bulky Incident Recorder there to shelter you from the through draught as he went "oop north" for Xmas?

NSW CJAMPS: The things I do for you lot! Tis 6.16am here in downtown Manly and I didn't know this time existed on a Sunday morn! But I'm off down to see the kids compete in a surf carnival so here's a further update on last night. 16 riders - top four through to the final after 20 heats. Heat scorers (in programme order): Tim Heffernan 4, Taylor Poole 2 (crashed 2nd ride - was told afterwards he was ok, bike wasn't! Tayor actually went THRU the fence that is wooden!), James Holder 12, Michael Dyer 1, Rick Wallace 1, Todd Kurtz 3, Chris Holder 15, Sam Masters 9, Michael Penfold 8, Lee Herne 11, Kozza Smith 13, Richard Sweetman 10 (fell in 1st ride - exc), Jay Herne 9, Kurt Shields 9, Alex Davies 6, Hugh Skidmore 6. Final: all way - gotta go - off to beach!!!

Whoops! It was indeed Arthur SW69! I blame the combination of a 22 hour flight AND three Bundy & Cokes including one of Ron's "specials" last night!

Yours truly is here in Oz for a couple of months having arrived yesterday and, as usual when in Sydney, am stopping with Ron and Shona Malm who really are great folks. Now that surname might ring a bell with older fans for Ron's dad happens to be Alec Malm who rode for Glasgow many years back. Had hoped to meet up with him over Xmas but he can't make it alas. MIGHT be able to get him to answer some questions on this thread though so fire away and I'll see what I can do.

Awaiting full details but have heard top three in Queensland Under 21 title as follows: 1. Darcy Ward 2. Josh Grajczonek 3. Kozza Smith

Pat It really is hard to believe that it's over six years now since that fateful night at Saddlebow Road that saw us witness David's last race but absolutely fantastic that his memory has been perpetuated in this such positive way - and long may it continue.

"Come on down" Steve?????? Methinks you watch too much telly!!!

I'm asking that question after reading an intriguing posting from a Polish member of the UK Yahoo speedway list today that reads: The Russian big money bag, attracting world's biggest speedway stars, may soon be empty. That's if you believe what is being written in the Russian language speedway internet forum www.forum.speedway.ru. Not so long ago top riders were openly saying that for one match in the Russian League they could get around 50 000 GBP. There signs are that the world wide credit crunch has even reached Russia , and the big sponsors will prefer to spend their money elsewhere. It has been announced that the Oktyabrskaya club will not participate in the 2009 season, and all signs on heaven and earth are saying that the Salawat club will not ride either. The main sponsor Nefiechimash, in order to survive, has cut workers wages and financial backing to sport, health care, and educational organizations. Similar situation can be found in Balakovo, where the main sponsor, producing mineral fertilizers, stopped production for at least three months. Employees have been sent home on unpaid leave. Reasons ? There is no demand for their product. source:www.sportowefakty.pl

Well you've got to take something to ward off the ccccccccooooolllllldddddd over here!

Courtesy of Sir Lunchalot: Ty Proctor took out the Bacchus Marsh round on what could best be described as an "interesting" track. To be fair I don't think the track had seen bike racing in a good many years and I'm not sure what was the state of the track before work commenced on it. For all I know it may have been a minor miracle the track was the condition it was in. Some good and bad points to the track, excellent site for a speedway in a amplitheatre like setting (it might have been a old quarry ?) with good viewing everywhere in the venue but not so good that the bike track is inside the car track and a long, long way from the paying public. I'm sure it loses something being that far away. Proctor only lowered his colours to Sam Masters in qualifying first on 11 points. As expected the other riders just returned from the UK were well to the fore, James Holder qualified 2nd on 10 points and Richard Sweetman qualified 4th on 8 points. They were split by Sam Masters who was impressive in amassing 8 points despite an ef in his last ride. I couldn't honestly say the racing was brilliant but the riders did their best to put on a show. Semi Final 1 Proctor, Jackson Milne, Josh Munro, Masters fell, Semi Final 2 Holder, Sweetman, Jake Anderson, Wayne Morrison Final (Rerun) Proctor, Sweetman, Milne, Holder (fell excl) Holder was unlucky to fall in the final on turn 4 lap 2 when leading but being hard pressed by Proctor. Holder was also lucky not to be collected by Proctor, it must have been a very close thing. Proctor was closing fast and it would have been interesting to see how the heat would have ended if left to run it's full course uninterrupted. In the rerun Proctor was untroubled in recording the win. Cheers Howard