steve roberts

I remember Paul Gachet riding a trial petrol driven bike during a second half event at White City...not sure what became of it?

I think from memory Sid that Hans may well achieved a higher average in 1987?

Chris Manchester was an enigma...seemed to have the world at his feet but he never really progressed and returned to the States never to return.

I was surprised that Ivan's record is not particulary good as regards the BLRC (two wins) considering that it was for a number of years his home track and his dominance for many years?

I'm sure many can come up with examples of riders having ridden at tracks that have since closed? Greg Hancock is one that comes to mind - Cradley Heath, Stoke, Coventry, Oxford & Reading. Being associated with five closed tracks seems unfortunate but are there any out there who have ridden for more 'closed' tracks and I'm not including riders that have ridden for both closed and current tracks...I guess that Neil & Les Collins may fall into that category?

I think Oxford may also be taking part with Gordon Kennett as Team Manager?

There's a great article about the Internationale in the latest edition of the "Classic Magazine" covering the sixties but no mention about why Harringay was the chosen venue as far as I can see.

Tommy would make a great subject in "Backtrack".

I know that Conny Samuelsson has been mentioned on other threads but his UK exploits were short to say the least although he continued racing in Sweden for many years. I would have thought that a British Promoter would have given him another chance as he did register some good results? Perhaps he didn't wish to come back to these shores? Would make a good interview in either of the retro magazines?

No problem with that Chunky...I enjoy threads that develop further. I did raise the Dugard "Clan" in another thread and can't think of another example of four generations of the same family competing in speedway?

...and if I recall the Internationale was given FIM approval as compensation for losing the World Final?

My objection sent! Good luck to all those directly involved.

...and I think that father Wilf beat his son Derek in scoring his only point?

Carl Askew (another with "Brummie" connections) ?

How about Keith Anderson of Birmingham (1975)?

Good post!

Agree on this point...speedway has been notorious in the past concentrating on "fractions of a point" when deciding team make-ups. A rider being denied a team spot because his average is .02 or whatever above the recognised cut off point is nonsense in my view. Perhaps a 5% (?) flexibilty option either side of any chosen rider's average when declaring a team? No doubt the statisticians out there will tell me different offering issues that I'm obviously not able to see? I recall a grading system was in place many years ago?

I looked at these three...obviously there was Jamie & Jeremy who both, I think, rode for Wimbledon and Trevor's son Gavin who also rode for the "Dons".

Not sure if this is unusual but the Middlesbrough team of 1948 had Frank Hodgson, Wilf Plant and Derick Close in their line up. In later years sons Russ Hodgson, Graham Plant and Nigel Close rode for Middlesbrough albeit not during the same season.

...Ian Thomas was a classic example of utilising the rules to suit his own ends. Well known story when Tony Coupland challenged Thomas's continual use of the R/R facility for the missing Robbie Gardner when both his average and the fact that he had retired should heve been picked up by the authorities and the match referee in particular.

Something not dissimilar happend to Oxford in 1985 when Belle Vue visited Cowley. The Belle Vue Promoter was Stuart Bamforth and he also was BSPA chairman at the time. Oxford had declared Klaus Lausch in their line up which Belle Vue would have been aware of when teams were declared but they left it until just prior to the meeting when Bamforth wearing his BSPA hat made an objection knowing full well the circumstances and Oxford were forced to use a junior (Jon Surman) Okay Oxford were wrong in that the paperwork hadn't been cleared and Bamforth would have been well aware of that but used his position of power to influence the line up of the Oxford team who could have re-instated Melvyn Taylor as a replacement. Bamforth took advantage of his position but remained tight lipped much to the annoyance of Oxford Promoter Bernard Crapper who took to the microphone during the interval venting his anger after Oxford had trounced the "Aces". I recall also in 1977 when the "Rebels" arrived at Hackney and programmed to ride as a guest was Mick Hines but Len Silver left it right until the start of the meeting before making an objection (Mick had appeared at Waterden Road only the week before). The fact that Mick's name was listed in the programme and Silver would have been aware of the situation the episode left a sour taste in one's mouth but it only pumped up the "Rebels" and they beat the "Hawks" in a last heat decider!

...those were the days! A morning's picnic up on Beachy Head and popping down to Arlington for an afternoon meeting followed by an evening walking the prom at Eastbourne!

Certainly when Hans joined the "Cheetahs" the entrance and exit to the bends were brought in.

If I recall Rob Lightfoot picked up a neck injury which forced his early retirement after attempting to resurrect his career?

Does Andy Galvin qualify? Did injury curtial his career as I can't remember?