steve roberts

I witnessed the Mike Keen Meeting and, boy, was it wet! Two memories stick out from that meeting...a sublime five ride maximum from Dag Lovaas and Gordon Kennett hosing his bike down on the centre green after the meeting. Felt sorry for Mike but was told that if the meeting didn't go ahead he wouldn't get another chance! Unfortunatley Sid I sold off my programmes but I must have gone to an Evening Advertiser or two? I never made a BLRC at Hyde Road much to my regret. Great memories from speedway's last Golden Age!

I, too, took in the Reading meeting...a heroic Gordon Kennett pulling out all the stops and just failing to beat Kelly Moran who hung on for grim death!

I only managed to see one final live and that was at White City when the Kiwis were successful in 1979. England's triumph in Poland in 1974 must go down as one of the most remarkable and duly claimed England as being at their peak internationally in my opinion. In 1976 they caught a cold (perhaps too complacent?) when Australia beat them at Ipswich but returned to add two further titles in 1977 and 1980 when they overturned the Yanks! The 1989 triumph was over shadowed by Erik Gundersen's tragic accident.

I went to a Grasstrack Meeting a few years back just outside Pickering and former Oxford junior Ricky Scarbro was taking part together with his son. He was by far the most impressive performer that day and I had a very enjoyable chat with him during a break in racing...I think that he was surprised that somebody recognised him!

Not sure Sid but I think they both represented New Zealand perhaps in a WTC Qualifying Round?

I didn't realise he had some bad crashes. I often wondered why he appeared to disappear from these shores.

I recall that during second halves at Cowley in 1972 Grasstrackers would often perform on their grasstrack bikes...the likes of Julian Wigg, Ken Matthews and the Drewett Brothers. Made for good entertainment.

John Louis & Mike Lanham at Ipswich in 1976 and twenty years later sons Chris and Leigh.

...and, if I recall, Peter Collins? I'm sure he started racing on the grasstracks?

...not forgetting Wiggy probably the best exponent of all?

I'd agree with some of that however as I posted elsewhere when I went to Wembley some years ago to witness two Wembley "Bowl" American Football matches I was bored to tears! All the off pitch entertainment appeared to be more important than what was taking place on the pitch. I used to quite enjoy watching American Football highlights on Channel Four but watching it live killed it off for me personally.

...except those outside my house who insist eating all the food I throw out for the two tame blackbirds who frequent the grassy area!

Did Barry win by a big margin Sid?

I can think of Tommy Price who was born in 1911 and appeared in the 1954 World Final aged 43 so misses Aub's milestone by a year!

Barry had a good chance having beating Ivan in his first race (why was that race not coverered by ITV at the time?) but not sure if he would have gone on to win the meeting as he would have still had Olsen to beat as well as the likes of Lofqvist, Louis & Michanek who were all capable of a win when they were due to meet? Makes for good debate though!

Yep and he had the audacity to criticise Hans when he fell in a vital race during the 1995 Grand Prix for over doing it!

I never made one unfortunately.

...and yet Olsen lost it after registering four wins in 1972!

I would be interested to know which rider won an individual World Final with the least number of wins? I'm guessing that 12 points was the lowest total recorded but how many were winning rides I would be interested to know?

David Kennett & Colin Richardson both riding for Eastbourne in 1977 and sons Edward & Lee in 2008.

...evidently you never witnessed the Eastbourne tearaways take part in second halves at Cowley with Barney Kennett thrown in for good measure!

Personally I had no problem with people leaving if that was their desire? Afterall the promotion already has their money irrespective of whether they stayed on or not but personally I always stayed on after the main event and saw some cracking races involving not only the main riders but the novices as well.

...I can confirm Oxford didn't! We were on course of winning the 1984 Easter Triangle until presented with a diabolical track surface at Smallmead on Easter Monday morning! You couldn't see the action due to the amount of dust and the track being slick which was the norm at Reading.

However I wasn't a great fan of the 3TT. For a third of the meeting your team wasn't involved and you had to rely on the other two getting a heat result that benefited your team...and Oxford were never that good under that format but we had to give Reading and Swindon an opportunity to pick up a few crumbs as we picked up the major honours during the glorious Cowley years of the middle/late eighties!

I don't particularly go along with that one. Many Number One's (based on average) rode further down the team order...the likes of Collins, Lovaas, Gundersen, Jessup, T.Jansson, Wilson, Boulger, Simmons, Lee, Crump, Sanders etc etc and would meet the opposite Number One twice. Even Mauger would ride at Number Four or even Number Two on occasions for tactical reasons. Not sure about the second half analogy either...the competition would often be quite fierce amongst team mates and Betts, Cole and Simmons, for example, always wanted to get one over resulting on one occasion Terry receiveing an injury in one second half event. I liked the Second Halves...gave an opportunity for youngsters/prospective team members gaining a team place and experience. I've said it often enough we were lucky at Cowley what with the Promotional tie up with Eastbourne and Peterborough we got the likes of Balllard, Kennet, Davis, Greer, Geer etc plying their trade before eventually makin the move into the main team. Phil Crump was reported as considering his postion in British Speedway due to the loss of the Second Halves and lost earnings. I did put the question to Martin Rogers some time back and he did give an interesting insight in an edition of "Backtrack" citing Bert Harkins as one example who loved the second halves and who also went into print citing same.