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Ovalman
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Everything posted by Ovalman
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Can remember going to watch motor racing there in 60s, bloody boring afternoon. Then they had some sort of cubs/scouts jamboree celebration in the same decade at the athletics stadium, about 10,000 watching, my troop was 24th. Camberwell. We had to do various exercise routines in middle of stadium. Dont know why the Palace didnt develop it, better than Selhurst Park i reckon.
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Great to see Muesli and Bellego in team, they were superb in 2017 Swindon side that won League, some fantastic team-riding.. Sheffield look very strong. What do fans think about admission increase?
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Good they have signed Masters, the number 1 rider in Championship, but long tail, and Ruml will be a loss. Mid-table look, may struggle away. Hopefully the crowds will hold up, and they will have pay on gate.
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I see Summers had a higher average than Nicholls, 7th and Batch for the Ox, but is not there. Barker at 3!
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And 9, 11, 14.
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Little Canada is now an outdoor adventure centre. I stayed there in 1971, and visited a few years ago.
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The surname Lovaas could be mis-pronounced and misconstrued as being a bit
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Good news
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He doesnt like the gardening at tapes, or constant returning to pits after stoppages. Said Oxford track is better now they've altered it, was always difficult to pass there.
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That gives me hope at 66, and a recent knee replacement. I was Pontins Brean Sands junior champion in 1970, hardly played since then. Dukey plays in the top Swindon league with my mate. Will definitely give it another go. Have just tried lawn bowls.
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Started at Weymouth in 1968, also doing second-halves at Swindon. Really broke into the Robins team big time in 1970, Briggo, Kilby, Broady, Keen, Hitch, Munday, Bishop, etc.,Ashby was at Exeter. They finished 16th.out of 19 but there were some great meetings at The Abbey. Most locally based, loyal clubmen, who racked up hundreds of appearances for the Robins. Still see Mike Broadbank out walking locally, fit as a fiddle old Broady. Clive Hitch is the only living rider to have a road named after him on the new estate near the stadium up on Blunsdon Hill. Barry said Pete Munday was hard and mad, one race he roared up inside of Dukey kept getting closer, then his footrest ripped his front spokes out. He had wider handlebars and thought he was going to hit the starting gate, missed by a few inches! Didn't say anything as Munday would have punched him. Pete excelled on the wet tracks. Had a run-in with Briggo behind the pits, almost came to fisticuffs. Said when he was mechanic for Barry and Ivan, Ivan would politely asked for something to be done, equipment was immaculate, Barry would throw his bike down, shouting and swearing, bike was held together with wire! They get on well now though. Kilby was one of the first to look at the magnets at the starting gate, Dukey looked at top of tapes like most. He doesn't like speedway now though.He had a motor-cycle display team with son, grandson, and a few others. Saw them at a local show 14 years ago. He was riding through a ring of fire, and performing other tricks, on 2 wheel bikes and quad bikes, was very good.
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Is the speedway museum and wildlife park worth a trip to Hertfordshire?
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Most promotions don't really care about the fans unless you're investing as fan or sponsor. Sad when you think of all the thousands of fans that have disappeared in the last 10 years or so.
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He said none of the riders liked him at first, believing no rider should have long hair and a beard. He still has long hair in ponytail. 74 now and still playing competitive table tennis. Clive Hitch, just turned 80, and Martin Ashby not in best of health.
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Oxford returning with big crowds..very good stadium, although the end of my local team Swindon. Bewley winning British GP. Lambert doing well. Worky, which used to be my local track, on way back.
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Yes, he said he guested for the Ammers in 71 after the Lokeren tragedy. Was invited to the West Ham 50th. year reunion at the Speedway Museum this year, Briggo was there. It is great to talk to ex riders. Said Knutson more or less retired after his world title.
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Good hour long chat with ex-Swindon Robin Barry in the Asda cafe in north Swindon today Some great stories about Fundin, Briggo, Mauger. Fundin was his favourite rider. Rode with Briggo at number 2 for Swindon at Wembley. against Lions. 4-2 in one heat, Briggs, Fundin, Duke. Said Pete Munday and Bernie Persson were very hard riders. Briggo aggressive, Mauger nice bloke. Was saying first went to a meeting at Swindon in 1962, Fundin, Briggs, Craven, Moore riding off 20 yard handicaps. Very bad injury in 1971 in Rhodesia affected career. Really nice guy. Rescued a Blunsdon turnstile for the Speedway Museum at Paradise Park.
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That was a problem at Swindon, about 1000 paying and 300/400 not.
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Don't really follow speedway so much since Windon folded, but well done to champions Belle Vue and Poole, coincidence both finished 3rd. but thems the rules. Leicester step up a league. Not possible but should be one big league, Oxford and Poole should be in top div. The sport will always survive in one form or other I suppose. It's just run in a strange way. Can't beat the spectacle of two riders passing and re-passing, can't understand why so few peeps attend now compared to 50 years ago. A dying sport like greyhounds perhaps. Good luck for 2023.
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It's slightly warmer in October, but nearly twice as much rain in October compared to April.
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Jubilee championship league
Ovalman replied to westlakejawa's topic in SGB Championship League Speedway
The food isn't brilliant there though