steve roberts

I'm a member of the Karl Fiala Group page but no longer receive notifications and haven't for a while now?

I used to get notifications but no longer?

Is he on Facebook now?

Bit like those who never thought/believed that points were bought and favours handed out and were shocked by the Sunday People "revelations"...been going on for years since the birth of the sport judging by accounts down the years.

Seem to recall Ivan used a long track short engine during one world final?

Personally I find the modern style of riding unattractive and they all look the same...very little individualism.

A real character...sad news. RIP

I remember many years ago Len Silver had instructed one of his riders to "fake" an engine failure if he found himself in a certain position during a race because if allowed to finish it would have meant the opposition going sixx points down and therefore in a position to nominate a T/S in the next race. Cheating or tactics? Sure it must have happened on numerous occasions.

Was that at Cradley with Roy Trigg?

Mike was a favourite of mine...remember reading he attempted to run Ian Thomas down on the centre green on one occasion!

Chris Blewitt was apparently somewhat questionable both on and off the track

Scott was one of three who came over in 1973. The other two were Sumner McNight and Rick Woods but neither stayed very long. If I recall Woods returned home after he learned that he wasn't eligible to take part in the World Championship?

Very sad news...may he RIP.

We had Rod Fox at Oxford.

Glasgow White City now has a motorway running thru it?

Sad news indeed. Remember him as a "Rebel" and often created a talking point with his no nonsense approach to his racing. Recently met someone who was in the same class as him at school. RIP

I recall that a rider could be excluded for "boring" (I'll ignore some of the comments this may raise!) meaning a rider didn't actually have to make contact but a move that causes another rider to fall. I remember Malcolm Ballard once being excluded under the rule when in a race with Howard Cole causing him to fall when closing him down but without making physical contact

We at White City were also privileged to have John Earrey as our announcer...very professional in his delivery and presentation.

Sas news indeed. RIP

Think it happened at Eastbourne when King's Lynn refused to ride when the "Eagles" objected to a declared rider in the "Stars/Knights" line up?

As a Cowley regular for thirty plus years the track record for many years was held by Peter Craven who clocked a time of 63 seconds in 1963. Nobody got near that time for ten years and it wasn't until the track was shortened that a new record was set (George Hunter if I recall?) in 1973. Phil Crump in 1974/75 set a record of 63.2 (?) although the average times were somewhat slower until Dave Perks registered a sub 63 time during his time as "Cheetah". It did emphasise what a special talent Peter Craven was to have held the record for so long...if I remember it was during a Golden Helmet encounter with the great Ove Fundin where all three races registered 63 plus times?

Yes I too remember the smells. Was there a Bovril factory near by? Also if I recall the Matchbox factory was also in the vicinity?

...and Weymouth.

When we first went to Hackney in 1973 the hire car lost third and fourth gear approaching Hangers Lane...continued to Waterden Road around tha North Circular (those were the days) in second gear. After the meeting we found a telephone kiosk (remember those?) and phoned the breakdown service and had to hang around for a return call. In the meantime a police officer arrived on the scene as we had been reported to be behaving suspiciously (these were the days of the IRA) and after explaining our peril we phoned the owner (father of one time second halfer and Peterbrough rider Chris Drewitt) who told us to try and get the car back to Oxford...drove all the way back to Oxford in second gear! Fun days and you don't forget memories like that!