steve roberts

...I would agree entirely.

...agree totally!

...Agree entirely or even the much maligned Mike Parker who drove things forward during the early middle sixties when speedway was in the doldrums when he was the prime mover in instigating the Provincial League.

...Personally I was never convinced that televised meetings particularly attracted people to the sport. In fact I was never sure who the targeted audience was?

I remember watching Eddie Kidd perforning a jump on his motor bike at Wood Lane during the interval once.

I remember he bought Tony Davey a bike once when news got back to him that Tony was having difficulties raising cash for a new bike after experiencing machinery problems (1978?)

Rather ironic that of all the tracks that Dag appeared for (Reading - Tilehurst, Hackney, Oxford & White City) Newcastle is the only one that stages speedway today! Sign of the times I suppose.

...he wasn't the only one. Remember Peter Collins not appearing at Somerton Park in 1976. He was due to appear there the day after Tommy Jansson was killed and didn't fancy riding on what he thought was a dangerous track.

Dag recently visited Cowley Stadium and lent his support to the saving of the stadium from re-development.

I endorse that sentiment...showing my age but I remember his father, John, riding!

Acker Bilk was once a Director at Oxford Speedway.....probably more of a Dave Lanning publicity stunt!

Greg Hancock?

One track I never got to visit despite holidaying in Cornwall when it was operating...I was on the opposite coastline the night that they were running if I remember correctly. Seen it on DVD and looked to be a super track within a very strange 'moon like' setting!

Remember my visit to Arena Essex (1984) and being fascinated by the lack of a safety fence. It was one of a kind. Recall seeing the track marshals having to quickly dismantle the starting gate before the riders commenced lap two! I seem to remember some riders (Barry Thomas in particular) disliking the fact that there was no fence as it offered no physical barrier and/or guideline as to where the outside of the track lay. I saw a number of riders running off the track as they tried to negotiate the tight bends.

One time speedway and grass track rider, Reg Luckhurst (father of Jamie and Jeremy), was quoted as saying same in the latest edition of 'Backtrack'!

I recall Ole Olsen suggesting this in an interview he gave to 'Backtrack' some years ago.

...Have to investigate that one. Maybe some interesting anecdotes regarding 'The Budgies' and on how we often got the better of them! By the way there's another book about Oxford from the same author being put together as I write. Watch this space!

...Despite it's many failings I'd personally rather watch the BBC than many of the commercial stations that continually, and at great regularity, ram adverts than one's throat. The number of times I've ceased to watch a programme on ITV or any of the 'free view' stations because of banal interruptions... and before anyone asks I don't have a playback facility preferring to watch my vast collection of DVDs instead as TV I generally find rather mundane nowadays especially when inundated with sport events that saturate the listings!

Worth reading Reg Fearman's book, Sid, to get Reg's side of the story.

...Interesting interview with Tony Lomas in the latest 'Backtrack' magazine where he talks about his prowess from the gate. Apparently during his day job testing motorbikes he would practice throttle and clutch control on the road from a standing start and put those skills into practice when on his speedway bike. It helped with traction and not creating too much rear wheel spin.

I seem to remember that King's Lynn used him as a doubling up rider before the powers that be decided to move the goalposts mid-season and denied 'old hands' from riding in the top league?

...always thought alternate gates were fairer. When the fixed gates came in depending on which team they either had three out of four inside gates or outside gates in succession depending on who won the toss and of course with the dirt moving out as the meeting progressed gave an unfair advantage in my opinion.

...slightly different scenario but I remember Steve Lomas dropping points (feigned engine failure?) when on a potential heat advantage thus moving Hackney into a six point lead but his subsequent action (Len Silver inspired 'allegedly') denied the opposing team to utilise a Tac Sub in the following race.

...Yes I recall Oxford wanting to sign Gordon whose converted average was deemed just too high. He would have made a good a signing and would have pleased many 'old time' Oxford fans!

John Dews couldn't adapt to White City when 'The Rebels' moved to Wood Lane and would have been a very able number one for 'The Cheetahs' in 1976 but his average was deemed too high and he subsequently retired.