spin king

Great memories. :approve:

The real home of Belle Vue a real race track, just like Halifax.

Great photo of the Miracle Worker.

Sorry if my post on Shawn appears to unsympathetic which was not I my intention, Shawn was a hero of mine, and still is. I find it a really shame that a rider of Shawn's abitlity and one that should be living at least a comfortable life. I do seem to remember a past thread that someone who had known Shawn from the past had said that Shawn's problems were centred around his drinking, and until he sort that out he could not move on with his life. I do hope that he can sort out his problems and get his life back on track, knowing that your hero is penniless is not nice.

I cannot remember but I think it was drink.

Holder said he did not want to be considered for the GP, so how can it be a sick joke, Holder did not want ride so hence he has not been chosen. Of course the inclusion of Bomber Harris is down to the fact that he is British, and the British GP is one of top Grand Prix's, it is the same reason why Freddie Lingren is in to make up the Swedish numbers. I agree at the moment Tai is not ready, give him two years and I think he will, putting him in now would do him no good, prove of happens when you putting riders in before they are ready look Antoninio Lindback.

I believe that both the Moran brothers have fallen on hard times, but I seem to remember that Shawn especially has.

Christmas Shopping.

I think that Jason Crump changing his riding schedule will see him fresh up a bit, and I can see him back to his best. I have to say that young Holder seems to have head firmly stuck on his shoulders, I also think that he would be a great addition to the Grand Prix, but if the lad does not feel ready to take on the challenge then a good move to wait another year.

Surprised with the Bomber inclusion, but the comittee are obviously looking at the British Grand Prix, the only two Grand Prix's that Bomber has shown any really form. To be honest I don't know why everybody is getting so excited about, it will be the same next season Crump and Pedersen chasing the winners medal, with the rest chasing third. Jason Crump and Nicki Pedersen are head and shoulders above the rest.

That is a cracking name, did they have a Stan Skegness riding for them as well.

Is not time for the likes of Scunthorpe to become a Centre of Excellence for the sport, we now need to concentrate on own talented riders, and Scunthorpe would be an excellent place to have it.

Excellent move by the Saints, I don't know much about the other two lads, but the signing of James Sargeant is a very good one, I think that the lad is very under rated, and I am sure other two lads will prove too be a good move as well.

That would be early on, I noticed The Miracle Worker's van in the background, I remember the night he was present with it, is it Christmas he said.

Have to agree with you we had Shawn Moran at Sheffield, and I don't think that I have ever seen a more popular rider at Sheffield before or since. Like you say they had a great character, and they were fantastic with the supporters always appearing to have time for them.

I remember that injury clearly, I think that he broke his thigh, shame if he is lost to the sport as he a good little rider.

I remember the Penhall business well, the thing was that he came out to race, but did the completely opposite, he could have faked an engine failure, but I think he thought that he was bullet proof with the British fans. To be honest he was put under pressure from the USA federation to get as many Americans through to the World final, which was held in L.A. He then went onto leave his British club in lurch by retiring from the sport after his World Final win. Onto the Moran brothers, I have heard unconfirmed reports that both are back into the States, but have both fallen hard times and apparently Shawn especially I have been told is penniless, sorry to see two of the most talented riders in their own era fall on hard times.

I was in Portugal on holiday on Saturday, and the girl serving behind the bar who was Swedish must have spent ages trying to get the right Sky Sports Channel on for us, only for us too look have a look on the internet to find that it had been called off. Totally farcical what has happened, and as Race Director surely it is time for Mr Olsen too do us all a favour and do the honourable thing and resign.

I really think that you need to re think what you are saying, these lads and lasses and their parents are ploughing money in with little or no sponsorship, and as any one knows speedway is not a cheap sport, perhaps maybe we need to look at getting these meetings sponsored and pay the lads travelling expenses, or maybe the BSPA to pay these lads. We have the talented riders out their, but unfortunately I think that we are going to see maybe half of these lost to the sport due to costs. I think that we need to see clubs adopt a young lad or lasses, and help them with after meeting rides and travelling costs.

Could not have put it better myself DB. :wink:

But it is true.

S2H, that will be the closest you will get to him agreeing with you.

I think that you are missing the point Gollob can win as many Grand Prix's as he or you like there is little chance now of him been World Champion, like Adams a supremely gifted rider, but flawed.

I have friends who know Nicki Pedersen, and they tell me it is down to mentality, Nicki goes into every series, meeting and race believing that he cannot be beaten, he has little care for what anybody else is doing and is supremely confident in his own ability, and he lets nothing get in his way, the guyis totally focused in what has to do. The same people have been in the pits at Cardiff and be chatting to Jason Crump, he was friendly and very chatty up and till it was time for to ride, and he completely changed, again very focussed on what he has to do, and does not let anything get in the way. I would imagine that Rickardsson was the same , and that is what sets them apart from the rest.

Lets be fair Scott Nicholls is never going to be World Champion, but tonight he showed us more fire, okay he only just got through the qualifiers, but he made an improvement by reaching the finals. Like Steve Dixon, I am getting fed up Subedei's constant put down of British riders, okay when they have not performed then it is justified, but he beat Adams and Andersen in the semi, when everybody including myself felt that he would not, it is an improvement, and may just give him the extra encouragement on his push for an automatic qualification to next years Grand Prix, if finishes in the top eight then he is there on merit. To be honest the Grand Prix series is getting slightly boring and a bit predictable akin to the Premiership in football, where by you know that deep down that only two or three riders are actually capable of winning the series. Look at the facts since Mark Loram won in 2000, there have been only three winners of the series, Rickardsson, Crump and Pedersen,and the runners up position has taken up by one of these three except for two occasions when Hancock one year and Adams another year. So for the last 7 years ether Rickardsson, Crump or Pedersen have feature in the top two, except for two.