steve roberts

...I'd forgotten about quads racing. We had some demonstration races at Cowley I recall. During the days of Second Halves I remember during 1972 we had Grasstrack riders competing on their grasstrack bikes. The likes of Julian Wigg, Chris and Alan Drewett, Ken Matthews, Ralph Waller and the like. It added a bit of variety which I used to enjoy.

...I would agree. I remember Roger Measor being one of the stars? Unfortunately Rick Timmo's career as a speedway rider ceased when he broke his leg (?) when he competed as a passenger in early 1974.

Just seen this...brilliant piece of work!

The whole episode has been a disgrace but hopefully things have turned round for the better.

Passing was at a premium I remember but they were noisy and spectacular but personally I wouldn't watch a meeting that was just sidecars...as a Second Half attraction they held some interest.

...and nearly sold Oxford down the river back in 1975. His name is "reviled" for those who remember. As for Bristol Speedway at Eastville we know what a farce that turned out to be where planning permission hadn't been sought. Don't recall him having anything to do with White City however (?) That was a Dugard/Dunton enterprise.

I used to enjoy sidecar racing as an added attraction during some meetings however I always felt that the traditional speedway tracks weren't/aren't wide enough to give them full justice and the bends too acute especially at Cowley.

....mine will be under the tree!

...I know that when I was in correspondence some ten plus years ago with the owners of Cowley Stadium I happened to mention that they were allowing the stadium to fall into a state of dis-repair with a view of selling it off to a developer. The person I was in contact with seriously denied it but of course we found out later that was their intention until pressure was put upon them from various sources and thankfully the stadium was saved.

...I had read somewhere that Ulf had been referred to as "Ol' fluff ass" but I never heard it said personally.

Hopefully it can be as successful as Oxford's resurrection!

...no that was Ulf!

...yes I would be interested in what monies changed hands during the SKY years?

All sounding very positive!

The adverse camber on the pits bend was a challenge back in the seventies but Dag Lovaas was one that mastered it!

...there lies the difference between speedway then and speedway now. Local riders who you could identify with and loyalty was the key in many instances. The points limits (whereby a rider's average often over ruled ability as regards team placement) and influx of very ordinary foreign riders changed much of that. The racing aspect is all very well and why many people watch the sport but personally I think that it's far more complex than just that alone. The sport has lost many fans down the years due to changing factors which has been discussed/analysed/debated many times on this forum down the years.

...thereby lies the crux. Don't know what the figures given by SKY on numbers who watched the TV coverage but it didn't translate into "neutral" people wishing to go and watch it live in any great numbers. One has to asked the question why was that the case? I remember someone telling me that when they entered their local club where SKY was available and when asked if they could tune into the speedway the response was a massive blank.

Just my personal observations but I had a friend who prefered to stay at home and watch on SKY a match covered at Cowley rather than walk the half mile and pay his entrance fee. Don't know how much a promotion would be paid for potential lost revenue if there were many others who did same? However the bigger picture, or so we were told, was that LIVE speedway would attract major sponsors and raise the sport's profile nationally within the mass media? Didn't happen for whatever the reasons...

I've been a couple of times...worth it in my view plus the memorial garden.

That's bad customer relations but I guess par for the course with speedway promotions. Chris Shears during his one year at Cowley was another who mixed with the fans but had his wrist slapped by the BSPA for the audacity of running an old fashion second half for the benefit of the fans!

One time Oxford Promoter Steve Purchase used to come on to the old Oxford Speedway Forum and pass comments and once held a pre-season meeting where he asked me amongst others to attend due to me contributing on said forum. He also took the trouble occasionally walking round the terraces at Cowley during meetings talking to people...he was a rare breed and a nice bloke.

Thank goodness Barry is still alive...when I saw the topic heading I feared it was to announce another passing! Remember reading that it took a while for Bob Kilby to take a liking to him...Bob wasn't a fan of long hair apparently!

Yes all those involved should be congratulated because when I called in some years ago it was in a terrible state!

Return of speedway at Oxford...one of the success stories of 2022.

...my brother's due to visit this weekend so I'll ask him to remove the temptation!