steve roberts

Yes Peter was the rider I would have most liked to have seen but was only three when he died. Remember Soren very well...another who died tragically.

Just copied an earlier post I made on another thread regarding Peter's crash: Interesting article regarding the Peter Craven crash in the latest edition of 'Classic Magazine' (another superb magazine) where one time Edinburgh and Berwick rider Ian Paterson quotes: "There had been a bit of needle before they (Craven & Hunter) went out for the race. Hoskins was saying that Craven had to start off a 20 yard handicap but George didn't want any advantage handed to him, so he wanted to start level with Peter" "I'm not sure if those two started behind the other two in the race or whether all four started from the line, but Hunter and Craven definitely started alongside each other. Those two were so far ahead of the others when the crash happened. They say that Hunter's bike seized but I didn't think so...and I think that George just overdid it going into the corner" "His bike went down but then it started spinning around. Peter definitely had enough time to lay his bike down but he must have thought that he could go through the gap (between Hunter's bike and the wooden board safety fence). Trouble was, the gap shut on him at the wrong bloody time. It looked bad. But not horrendous."

High Beech February 1928!

Certainly not gorgeous up here in Yorkshire...damn cold out there!

Superb post! Thank you!

I recall the incident when Billy had a 'disagreement' with a fan at Smallmead who was hurling abuse at him...and Billy gave his a good thump for his troubles!

1972...My first year following the sport! Great memories!

Anything to do with Billy Sanders?

I, too, remember both tracks. I think that Smallmead was based on Ipswich (?) and originally produced some good racing. Unfortunately in later years the track was often very slick and devoid of shale. Remember one morning meeting where you couldn't see anything due to almighty dust clouds! Remember 'Soldier Boy' participating in the end of season frolics at Tilehurst when he was involved with the 'tug of war' and got smothered in flour for his troubles!

Yes some great memories! Oxford were the first team to beat Reading at Smallmead...albeit in a challenge match!

Just received my latest edition of 'Backtrack' and there's an interesting article about Smallmead Stadium as told by Reg Fearman (also read the same story in his most interesting book). Allied Presentations sought and received a 99 year lease on the site back in 1974 but somewhere along the line this was reduced to something like a 35 year lease (after Reg had long left). Basically the Reading fans were 'sold down the river' by the then promotion. The site of the stadium is apparently still undeveloped after being demolished in 2008/9...a real sad state of affairs! At least Oxford still has a stadium but for how long I wonder?

There is a History of Bristol Speedway DVD available...I think it's available thru' the 'Backtrack' magazine?

If I recall Kevin once used to work at Barry Briggs' JAWA Dealership in Southampton?

Brilliant thread lads!

I remember when driving back in the dark near Colehill where there was a slight dip that could easily catch you out as it was out of range of the headlights...really takes me back to happy times!

Good grief what memories! We purposely banked one of the bends so that you could really give it some wellie around the outside. The other bend was flat...and I mean flat...to catch out the opposition! Used to stop off after a visit to Blunsden to buy Fish and Chips at Highworth. Used to drive thru' the back roads to Faringdon via Coleshill. Didn't Ivan Mauger do cycle speedway as a young kid?

Funny but we called ourselves the 'Crusaders'! The jackets were based on the Canterbury version but were red instead of blue.

Fascinating clip! A group of us used to cycle speedway on a make ship track in Littlemore back in the early seventies. I went to watch the Horspath 'Hammers' on a couple of occasions and it sure was rough...anything seemed to go (except someone got excluded for swearing at the official I seem to recall!)

Personally I always enjoyed watching racing on small, technical tracks although watching racing around Exeter could be breathtaking! Some tracks appeared to be 'trick tracks' and caught many riders out. John Berry always maintained that Ipswich really tested a rider's ability.

Very impressive...so you got to see Lionel Van Pragg?

Yes when I last took a peak at Sandy Lane on one of my visits back to Oxford the stadium was looking very sorry for itself! Criminal really. Used to play snooker there...remember Nigel De'Ath and Per Sorensen enjoying a game next to me on one particular occasion! Just got me thinking how one would watch racing from different places depending on which track! Swindon I used to stand on the home straight. Coventry on the first bend. Reading the back straight and so it goes on. I guess that each track offered differing viewpoints whereas at Wolves, if I recall, you didn't have much choice other than to stand on the home straight!

Does Erik Stenlund count (World Ice Speedway Champion)?

What constituted a good night out to the speedway for me was watching two evenly balanced teams (local derbies against Swindon & Reading were always competitive) battle it out on a good race surface (we were lucky during the early Nielsen years at Cowley as the track surface was prepared second to none). The noise and smell and although never a great fan of Peter York he did create atmosphere. A vociferous visiting crowd (coaches used to travel around the country in those days) who gave one a good opportunity to interact with and surrounded by locals on my favoured third bend who I got to know over many years whereby we would discuss tactics etc. I'm sure that there are those who would disagree but I always felt that Oxford produced first class, close racing and was the perfect shape to allow calculated manoeuvres by those riders with the ability to use heir heads. And, hopefully, rounded off with a home win! What was it they used to say? 'Happiness is 40-38!' I used to travel extensively around the country in those days and there was nothing better than pulling off a last heat decider to send one home happy!

I would agree (but I would say that!) that Nielsen would have dominated during most of the eighties under a GP formula. If I recall he topped the averages for most of that period and although other riders would have won various rounds Nielsen was by far the most consistent.

Yes I preferred the 13 heat formula and a second half (we were spoilt at Oxford during the early seventies as we got to see the kids from both Eastbourne & Peterborough in the second halves). The heat leaders (1, 3 & 5) were always pitted against each other during the course of the meeting (but of course some Team Mangers played it tactically and sometimes programmed a heat leader to ride at number 4 or even at number 2) I think that it was 'Good Old' Bernie Leigh who has been quoted as saying that the number 4 position was the worse as the second string never had an easy programmed ride. Also, as you say, having more teams in the league meant that you only got to see some teams perhaps once a year which made the occasion special. Ivan Mauger would visit Oxford perhaps just the once, or at the very most twice a year, to Cowley.