steve roberts

I think that's what Malcolm Simmons used to say also.

That's grand! Thanks for that as it did leave me pondering that perhaps Yarmouth rode a few open meetings which I wasn't aware of after they had formally closed.

Bit of a generalisation but that's fine if the assumption is correct....and if people regard fifteen heats of racing as good value then, again, that's fine but it doesn't represent good value to me and wouldn't entice me back to the sport especially the fact that I would have to put petrol in my car and drive fifty miles to my nearest speedway. Strikes me that it's the over 55's who are keeping the sport going judging, apparently, by the lack of youngsters now attending? I'm not advocating that the re-introduction of any of the above would dramatically increase attendances but clearly speedway is in trouble and something drastic needs to be done to buck the trend and thereby attract new fans (and riders) to the sport. There lies the crux. Anybody have a magic wand?

Great list but did Bob Coles ride at Great Yarmouth as quoted?

It's not a question of pandering but what's deemed as value for money. If people feel that fifteen (?) heats of racing is good value at £15/£16/£17 (or whatever the price is now) then that's fair enough but it doesn't represent good value for money as far as I'm concerned for reasons given elsewhere.

Just been reading interviews with both the late Malcolm Simmons and Eric Boocock who both are quoting as saying that the bikes are too powerful now and much easier to handle and that riders expect the tracks to be slick as they can't handle them when the tracks are deep and, dare I suggest, with a bit of dirt!

That's my view. How much is to attend speedway now £15/£16/£17? Not value for money in my opinion especially, as now, I would have to drive upwards of fifty miles to attend my nearest track. I agree with some of what Humph says however.

...just fifteen heats of racing wouldn't get me back again personally without going thru' all the reasons I've listed elsewhere on the forum.

I agree with having music to enhance the build up to main meeting and on a victory parade which adds atmosphere but personally, between heats, I was always self-absorbed for reasons given previously. When I used to watch the Oxford City 'Stars' (Ice Hockey) they would be introduced to the crowd with flashing lights and the theme to Jeff Wayne's 'War of the Worlds' which really added to the occasion.

Never knew the exact details of Paul Muchene's accident (he was also riding for the juniors at Oxford that year) so thank you for explaining the circumstances. Tragic loss.

Personally the music played was never a great factor when I went to the speedway...too busy chatting and deliberating with my mates between racing and trying to out-wit the team manager's next move!

I think Trevor Geer was the rider who doubled as the actor in that episode?

It's about enticing them (me) back as was well as attracting a new generation of fans...that's the dilemma that speedway faces today.

I recall that Coventry used to/still have (?) an electronic score board.

I used to be able to walk to Cowley Stadium when I lived in Oxford which was a massive incentive. I used to travel extensively around the country following speedway but, yes, you are partially correct in your assessment but I re-iterate to encourage me to re-attend there has to be an incentive and the thought of getting into a car and battling thru' traffic for fifteen heats of racing offers me no encouragement.

I understand that appears to be the present climate of thinking and economics. However I haven't attended a speedway for 12 years due to re-location and I wouldn't consider getting into my car and driving to my nearest track (Sheffield from York) for fifteen heats of racing. Not value for money in my opinion. Personally twenty heats of racing (in whatever format) suggests a better return on my admission and petrol money.

Yep! Used to enjoy watching the second halves personally. So did many of my mates around me...it was a time to relax and have a bit of banter after the main event and enjoy a bag of chips! Shan't repeat my reasons for being pro-second half. It's been well documented elsewhere on this forum.

Fabulous publication!

Of course during the days of the one-off World Finals the British event (Wembley and later Bradford) profits would be distributed amongst the British tracks and often was a life saviour for some of the promotions at the time. However when the GPs were introduced this income disappeared much to the annoyance of John Berry.

I know that I keep quoting the late John Berry but he was quoted many years ago saying that British Speedway no longer benefited financially from the the SGP and lost out when the FIM decided to go along the route of the GPs. I admired JB and how he spoke a lot of sense about the direction in which speedway was heading. How we could do with him now in some form of administration.

Chris Slabon's father was Robert (who rode for Eastbourne in 1981?) and was Polish but emigrated to Canada.

I remember I had a conversation with Peter Collins at Oxford when his son, Chris, was riding. PC even then was concerned about the speed and handling of the bikes compared to how little tracks had altered over the same period.

I recall some years ago that there was an initiative to experiment with Honda engines with a view of cutting costs but the BSPA didn't show any enthusiasm towards it. Eric Boocock was involved with the trials as it was hoped that, if successful, costs potentially would have been reduced. Problem is that riders, given a free reign, will always look at ways of out doing each other for that extra horsepower. John Berry always maintained that the introduction of four valves in the middle seventies was the beginning of the end as regards keeping costs down...and has been unfortunately proved correct.

...and people complain about our politicians!

Some of the associated collections in connection with the sport. There's the obvious ones - programmes and badge collecting - but my brother had one of the more bizarre collections...shale collected from each track visited and stored in those little 'Tic-Tac' mint boxes!