steve roberts

...or the story I read recently that a headmaster was considering banning children from running around in the playground in case they fell over and hurt themselves!

Ivan has often been quoted that he would have mastered any starting procedure. He rode for years on the continent when a no touching rule was in place and made most of his starts (years before the regulation was imposed in Britain). Which rider had most difficulty in coping with the then new ruling? Probably Erik Gundersen. The best gaters are those who invariably keep their front wheels on the ground and, as you say, Bob Kilby was one of the best!

Small point but I used to think that parades when riders didn't wear helmets after the introductions were made somehow made them more human as they encircled the track carrying out practice starts etc.

There's an excellent article by John Chaplin in the latest "Classic Speedway' magazine in which it states that Bluey Wilkinson was aware of the 'wheeling and dealing' between the two main protagonists!

Of course in my boy hood day riders always took kids around the track on their bikes during the interval and I remember collecting autographs in the pits as the riders were getting changed and dismantling their machinery and being in awe of my heroes...but good old H&S and all that!

I'm of the same view Sid. Watched it many times and although Persson rode a tough first bend Briggo has admitted many times since that he left him too much room. Not sure if Briggo would have gone on to win the Final however. Olsen was on fire and literally threw the title away in one reckless move when over doing it attempting to pass Christer Lofqvist...meanwhile Ivan took it all in his usual professional stride and ended up victorious! A great final with lots of incident!

Trouble is one ends up with an attraction and/or museum that doesn't appeal to any particular age group because it's either been 'dumbed down' or is looked upon as too intellectual for the average person. I go to many such attractions (as it's my job) and I find that many fit into either of these categories.

I've said same many times. £15 - £18 for fifteen (?) races just doesn't offer good value for money especially when one has to find petrol money on top. Either extra races should be included in the package (would be my preferred choice) or pay the riders less and if that means that the 'stars' no longer find it viable competing in Britain then so be it. I gave some promotional talks at some schools some 14 or so years ago but unfortunately got very little input from the promotion at the time and it proved a bit of a damp squibb. I was promised a bike that never materialised and other incentives and it was hard work trying to sound enthusiastic.

John Gaisford, of the Oxford Mail, used to give first class coverage of the sport at Cowley but I recall that it started to wain because he wasn't getting any stories/news passed to him by the promotion and therefore had very little to comment upon. Trouble is the facilities are often not down to the responsibility of the promoters who don't own the stadium but lease it on a seasonal basis. As regards the "younger generation" what do they want? As my previous posts indicate I'm at a loss and without their input and relevant research and/or marketing of the product will we ever get to know? They appear to take an interest in football but that's inherent based on the fact that it's expected and the 'cool thing to do' because of all the over exposure that the game attracts...but is it warranted? Personally I feel that it goes much deeper than that and young people take less interest in activities that appeal to us 'oldies' and the hobbies that we grew up with and openly ridicule same as 'boring!' I go fishing (surrounded by 'old' people). I pursue steam locos (surrounded by 'old' people). I've re-discovered model railways (surrounded by 'old' people). I enjoy photography (proper stuff not 'sellfie fun activities' that ultimately goes on social media to alert their many 'friends' - surrounded by 'old' people) etc etc I work with a group of much younger people than myself, and they're a great bunch, but they seem so obsessed with social media and facebook and spend most of their break/lunch times accessing same. Trying to discuss something can be tiresome because it often ultimately gets pushed to one side and looked upon as distracting as their ipiddy poddy paddy thingies must take precedence.

Good post! I'm at a loss to work out what makes young people 'tick' and how best to stimulate any interest or enthusiasm. As I've mentioned many times I work within the tourism industry and tire at having to continually hear the term 'it needs to be interactive'...which often translates 'having buttons to press' or an area that parents can leave their children to do as they please which ultimately means a play area. I see teenagers walking around at work with that bored expression painted across their faces...although I do have ways breaking that scenario by stepping into character!! The call is that speedway needs to attract a younger cliental but how that can be achieved I'm at a loss hence why I can see speedway becoming very much an amateur sport somewhat akin to grass track (which is in an even worse state).

It's a worrying trend and to think when 'I were a lad' (more years than I care to remember) I spent the best part of my formative years playing football and cricket, cowboys and indians (can hear the PC brigade now), cycling everywhere, playing in the woods and netting sticklebacks as well as putting on puppet shows! Fortunately Dad was a great speedway fan and as well as my weekly fix watching speedway at Cowley we used to travel up to 'the smoke' every Wednesday or Tuesday to watch White City and often Swindon on the Saturday. Many of my school colleagues never had the opportunity going to London but we were doing it on a regular basis! We also went to watch 'The U's' at the Manor Ground when the chance was offered. Great days...never had a boring moment during my child hood. Electrical toys? Scalextric was a favourite but no model railway...but I'm making up for that now!

Never thought that I'd be agreeing with old Shovlar!

I used to be Safety Laboratory Rep at my University Department at Oxford as well as a Safety Rep when I relocated to York at one of the main museums. Having attended the relevant courses I can see the importance of H&S in the Workplace but some of it can appear trivial. For example some people are beyond help like the time someone I knew stapled his finger just to see if it would hurt!

Good post! Agree with everything you say. I have often cited many of the same views as yourself on this and the old Oxford Forum (the one that old Shovlar never frequented!) Personally I feel that the sport has reached a critical point and just tinkering with the rules isn't going to turn it around.

Testimonial Meetings became/is a bit of a joke really. It should be 10 years spent at one track (or at least with the same promotion). Benefit meetings, however, are another matter.

...probably the impossible dream!

Probably my list would be the same Sid!

Easy one that...Ivan Mauger!

I would have thought that chanting banal songs and other such nonsense at football matches embarrassing enough...but they seem quite happy to do that!

Trouble is the speedway fraternity doesn't really know what and what doesn't appeal to a younger audience because there is a lack of engagement between the two. Personally I don't know what excites and enthuses young people (other than the usual stereo-typing) and working within the tourism industry it's still a mystery to me.

Sorry I don't I'm afraid. Extracted the information form the 1978 Yearbook edited by Peter Oakes.

Brought up in Cowley I've always wondered where it used to be? Anywhere near the caravan park that is/was?

Couldn't agree more! It makes me so angry when I read of the predicament of my old team Oxford who first operated before the war at Cowley Stadium and then from 1949 and were one of the longest running clubs only for some incompetent successive owners of the stadium to create the mess that presently presides. Oxford Speedway grew from very basic roots whereby Grasstrack enthusiasts who used to run ad-hoc meetings at Sandford-on-Thames took the initiative and had a stadium built on the out skirts (as it was then) of the city. I wish the Save our Stadium campaign all the best and hope that the facility can be saved for future enjoyment, in whatever guise, as the people of Oxford deserve better.

The bonus point issue is interesting. From my understanding they were points carried over from previous rounds...bit like the present GP system or certainly the Grand Prix Tournament that ran during the seventies culminating with a Grand Final whereby points were carried over from the qualifying rounds.

Yes I was tempted a couple of years ago but I awoke to drizzle and gave it a miss...however who knows!