OveFundinFan

They would all be able to cope, there true professionals and they would shine through no matter what era they raced in. Re Peter Craven, I would imagine he would similar to what Emil is today, I would love to know the height of Emil. Peter Craven was 5' 2" if I remember right. All the others would adapt to the latest riding style. Peter Collins would still be just as thrilling, Ivan Mauger would be like Greg Hancock - winning without all the arms and legs flailing style of many others.

Agree with tmc, just putting his name made me fear the worse. I came from the same village as the Morton and Collins family (and others who made it to the speedway tracks), just a few years older then them, and knew the families well.... so the "headline" on its own was'nt good reading for me. I am looking forward to the release of the book, would love to read his story, like I did Chris's book "Until the can ran out" referring to how they used to pool their money together to buy a can full of petrol for the old motorbikes they used to ride round a field on.

Anthoney Jones - a second half rider at Belle Vue in the 60's Probably stood over 6' tall, and just couldnt stay on the bike. Got to the situation where there was a program quiz as to which lap and which bend and whereabouts on that bend he would fall off. Pure entertainment value puts him as my nominee. For racing value it has to be Peter Collins (followed closely by Ove Fundin and Peter Craven)

This thread is now into 272 pages, can it make 300 before THE announcement is made?

Might 4pm be the start of the stadium entertainment? with possibly 5pm race start.

How do I book a place? I thought the new BV met FIM criteria - that was one reason whet stands on one or both of the bends have been taken out of the scheme. Think I am right, but maybe......not

I am with you, GRW123, re Greg Hancock. He is not an Emil, nor a DW, in terms of raw rider excitement BUT he is a thorough professional who has reached the pinnacle of his sport 3 times now and still riding at the top. You only have to relate how many years he has been riding, together with the success he has had, and still having, then relate it to the fact he has had little injury (shame about the incident that was not his fault with NKI) and has a hugh fanbase cause he is a nice fella and you have a true professional in every sense of the word. Like you GRW123 I admire his riding skills even though his riding style is not arms and legs everywhere. Rather similar to Ivan Mauger, though I dont think Mauger was as universally popular. If he does a good gate then it is up to the other three riders to catch and pass. Greg has learned the art of gating and that is'nt an easy art to learn - ask Peter Collins.

NKI's view on the new gardening rules for British Speedway http://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/3948/gardening-grief

but it was in the plural.

Split Waterman (1962) with two second place world championships under his belt 1951 and 1953 Lot of history with the Aces.

Equally to the point "you reap what you sow". Which basically means you caused it....now pay for it

If he was at Wembley in 1967 then I was there, but cant remember seeing him..... but there again it was the year Ove Fundin won his 5th WC

I am sure what JC says is correct, for the very reasons stated. Would be ok if they did it within the 2 minute rule, but its ridiculous the amount of time taken. Time to sort it.

Check out the ticket situation before you book transport/hotel.

Seems a lot has been said about that meeting in 1973 in Katowice Heat 19 for instance when the ref deemed Russian Gregory Khinovsky the cause of Plech falling on the back straight last lap when Khinovsky was passing him. Russians withdrew in protest to the refereeing. Apparantly the ref took Plechs word the Russian knocked him off. Peter Collins awarded the win even though he was third at the time of the accident. Plech given 2nd even though not finished the race, and Gordeev given 3rd even though he did not finish either. Plech was the favoured Pole that day but Szczakiel out performed him. Khinovsky, the Russian was on 10 out of four rides at the time of being excluded in heat 19. If he had won that he would have been in a run off with Mauger and Szcakiel. Have you seen the run off between Mauger and Szczakiel? Mauger on the inside of Szczakiel at the start. Mauger was the master of rolling at the start, but Szczakiel out rolled him by a mile. Mauger fell bend 3-4 on the 2nd lap, race not stopped even though Mauger flat out (maybe a dying duck) on the track being attended to. Race not stopped, safety out the window - all done for the crowd so they could cheer on the Pole.

Was Smolinski cheating with that ignition device - or had he found a loophole in the regs that was then closed. Big difference. I remarked in a different thread the other night I was watching You Tube and speedway world finals etc from the 70's and what the likes of Mauger, Olsen and others got away with was ridiculous. Rolling starts was the order of the day, and they got away with it. We all know if you first into the first corner you NOT guaranteed a win, but it sure is a big advantage when you racing someone your equal. It made me think, would these multi world champions still have been multi world champs if they had to sit still at the tapes. I am impressed with todays GP's and the standard of the starts, either they called back if they do a roller, or punished by the tapes going up whilst they going back from the tapes. In that respect I think todays refereeing is good quality. And my previous comments about todays discipline makes the likes of Greg Hancocks starts all the more remarkable and impressive.

Soren Sjoston - twice third in the world championship

What about Nigel and/or Eric Boocock? Simon Wigg Tommy Price

Apologies if its been done, but with best Scottish, best Welsh, best Isle of Dogs etc - lets do Best England team. That would take some sorting.

So the Bournemouth Echo was there or has a hot line to the FIM...... I would'nt think so. Journalism thats all.

If I were Majic I dont think I would be waiting around for a contract playing 2nd fiddle to DW - I would be off to another team.

So we still dont know the decision. I cant stand the tension. I'm off for a pint.

My opinion is "I think not", I think he means he wants his boy back in the team soon.

Last night I took some time to watch You Tube and some world Championship races. Brought back all the bad memories of rolling at the tapes, and the biggest offenders (from the races I watched) were Mauger and Olsen, but both of them were "out-rolled" though by Jerzy Szczakiel especially in the 1973 world final and the run off with Mauger. There was some atrocious refereeing in those days, and none the more so then that 1973 world final in Poland - begs the question Who was paying the referees wages that night. OK, Szczakiel had a good meeting, a very good meeting, but he only competed in 2 world individual finals - 0 points in his first one, won his last one. Story goes he was not allowed to compete in the UK by the polish authorities so we never got to see his true abilities over here. Because of the abuse of rolling at the starts in those "dark" years I have to discount the likes of Mauger and Olsen (probably others) as the best gaters and great world champions. Of course they were great riders, but with such blatant rolling they dont rank with me among the really top greats.

Pure speculation and hopeful thinking by some.