The White Knight

This BackTrack is superb (it usually is) but this one excels. I have been happily reading about the 'good old days' Division 2 style. Thank you Rob - will this continue - I DO hope so.

GREAT to see some Division 2 stuff starting to be a bit more prominent. No point in saying that I am looking forward to the new Issue - I ALWAYS DO!!!!!

Well said AndyM - I can empathise with that.

Sorry to hear about your ankle Rod - hope it is healing well. Perhaps we could meet at Leicester as I am hoping to get to the first Meeting there.

A sense of surprise, the possibility of something different. Even if this hypothetical Rider embarasses himself - at least he has had the opportunity. If Jack Young could do it - maybe somebody else could too - given the chance. It COULD be possible, even today, given a level playing field. It won't happen though - the System is rigged so that the so called 'Superstars' get into the Grand Prix EVERY year. If that isn't rigging - then I'm not sure what is. I know I am/will be regarded as a bit of a Dinosaur - but whatever happened to honesty, integrity and straightforward good sportsmanship. I don't see much evidence of that in the Grand Prix selection System. Ooops!! - should I have said Qualifying System??? - I DON'T THINK SO!!!.

I can only mention Jerzy Scezakiel (spelling) 1973 - was a no hoper who was allowed to chase his dream in the World Championship. He took his chance and won it after no less a Rider than Ivan Mauger fell. THAT is a great example of the unpredictability of our Sport. Jack Young won the Title as a SECOND Division Rider. He would not be able to do that today. Why??? Because of the System. Why should Riders be SELECTED or given Wild Cards.?? I doubt very much whether a Premier League Rider could win the Championship these days - why??? Because of the System. The Speedway GPs are rigged - they always will be rigged as long as Riders are selected and do not earn their place. It is not enough to say that because they finished in the top eight THIS year that they should be invited back the next by right - that is wrong. Half the thrill in the old days was to see the odd 'Star' fall. Not much chance of that these days - it's just not allowed to happen - how can that be right?? The reason the 'Stars' are 'put through' is because of that magic word MONEY. BSI are only in the GP Series to make MONEY - nothing wrong with that - but - it is not in THEIR interests to have a Star Name tumble out in the early Qualifying Rounds. So currently the System AWARDS places to quite a lot of Riders. Those places should be EARNED not AWARDED. Because of the Awarded positions - and I include Wild Cards in this - the System lessens the chances of a 'bread and butter' Rider getting through - it can happen in rare cases but the chances are considerably reduced. All I ask for is a fair and even playing field for ALL. How can anybody argue with that???

Yes - but you are not a Formula One Driver. In my Post - I DID Stress Riders. I implied Speedway Riders as this IS a Speedway Forum after all. Ooops - I DID say Speedway Riders. We meet again Philip. Greetings - I hope I can say - my friend

Grand??? Prix Speedway!! The WINNER is World Champion - what a JOKE!! MOST Speedway Riders never get a chance to ride in it. Ohh!!! I forgot - unless you are SELECTED of course. How can you call yourself World Champion with MOST Speedway Riders excluded from the Competition. Seems plain bloody DAFT to me. Just my opinion.

Perhaps we Scots should ban BURGERS!!!

GREAT to see you on this Forum Rod. Ian Muir Martin

I couldn't agree more BOBBATH.

Hi Bobbath Ray Day is still very much with us - I spoke to him only a couple of months or so ago. I was hoping that he would be able to attend our Sunderland Reunion this year - sadly he couldn't. He was, though in reasonable health and very cheerful. He did attend one of our Reunions about four or five years ago. He rode for Sunderland 'Saints' back in 1964 for a short spell. He is a smashing chap, and is still interested in his Speedway. If you look at the following Link - there is a Photograph of him in Sunderland's colours: http://www.sunderlandspeedway.co.uk/html/1964_gallery_.html I hope this helps Ian

Another super read. I particularly liked the pieces on Colin Tucker and John Hack. Looking forward to Issue 42 - can't wait!!!

NOPE!!!

At the end of the day he was a Quitter - pure and simple. Let's move on............................

So you don't approve of him Dirt.

That's GREAT news Rob - Thank you for the info.

Run the Grand Prix Series as it is with it's 'selected' Riders. Winner = Speedway Grand Prix Champion. Run a Championship for everyone else through Qualifiers etc. Winner = World Champion. Simple!!!

Great to see the super article on Jim Wells in the BackTrack Magazine. Thanks again Martin Neal for a first class piece. A lot of old British League Division Two Supporters will appreciate articles like this. Come on Tony - let's have more of the same.

Oooops!!! Sorry Tsunami. Still meant every word of my Post though.

Hello Stavvy - we meet again. My comments regarding Penhall were just my opinion of his awful Column in BackTrack. His Articles are not very good as far as I am concerned. I don't like to see a Rider like Penhall being lionised on here, because, Bruce Penhall was very much a flawed diamond. There were rumours of drugs, fixed Races, the way he left the Sport in such disgraceful circumstances all of which is unacceptable to me. Now he is back writing Articles about the Sport he treated so shamefully. Rod Haynes however did not have this sort of reputation. He wrote of the 'good old days' and HIS pieces were incisive and interesting. He is sadly missed - by me anyway. As a scribe he was a far better read than Mr. Penhall will ever be.

At last - someone who agrees with me on this. Bring back Rod Haynes to BackTrack.

Were they fooling about doing 'Wheelies' making it blatently obvious they were not trying - I don't think so.

I have to say that Penhall was never the same to me after that 'Fixed Race' with the Americans. Can't understand why BackTrack dropped Rod Haynes who's Articles were always a good read, for an American who deserted the Sport at the moment of triumph AND was known to have FIXED Races. That raises a bit of a morality problem for me. Sorry Tony - but - that's how I feel. I still love the Magazine though - apart from the ramblings of the infamous Penhall.

You could ask BP whether he regrets his decision to walk away the way he did - and - due to his singular lack of success as an Actor why he did not return to Speedway. Just asking the question - not to be contraversial but I really would like to know the answer.